Khopra Ridge Trek

Distance: 55 km (Drive) & 8 km (Trek)
Time Taken: 1.5 hours (Drive) & 5 Hours (Trek)
Ghandruk Altitude: 2,000 m (6,560 ft)
Tadapani Altitude: 2,700 m (8,858 ft)

The drive from Pokhara is a beautiful journey through the Nepalese countryside. You’ll wind your way up to Ghandruk, a charming village with slate-roofed tea houses. This is the starting point for the Khopra Ridge Trek.

As you walk through the village, you’ll get a taste of the tea house culture that is characteristic of trekking in Nepal. You’ll be staying in these tea houses throughout the trek.

Ghandruk is a great place to start your journey because it provides stunning views of the Himalayas. The village is also home to many Gurung people known for their friendliness and hospitality.

The trek to Tadapani from Ghandruk goes through a narrow path in the village, then crosses a junction where the trail splits into two. One of the trails leads to Kommorong and ABC, while the other goes to Tadapani.

The trail towards Tadapani has steps cut into rocks. After 10 minutes of climbing, you will reach the first viewpoint, which offers a stunning view of majestic mountains like Mt Annapurna South, Mt Himchuli, Mt Ganga Purna, Mt Annapurna III, and Mt Machapuchare (fishtail). These mountains will stay with you as you continue on the trail.

As you trek further, you’ll find yourself entering a forest area with tall trees of wide varieties. If you’re trekking during April, you’ll be able to see the big, red rhododendron flowers. In addition, you’ll hear the faint sound of a waterfall in the distance. This area is incredibly refreshing due to the moist air from the flowing stream and the dense canopy of trees above.

From here, the trail becomes steeper as you ascend for about 45 minutes. Along the way, you will pass a small waterfall and eventually reach Bhaisi Kharka, a small village in Nepal’s far western region. This village is approximately 5 km from Ghandruk.

Take a break at Bhaisi Kharka to rest and refill your water bottles before continuing your journey.

This trek will take you through dense forests, where you will see tall Rhododendron trees. The trail is lovely, and at specific points, you will see a view of the mountains through the branches of the trees. The trek will take around 2 hours to reach Tadapani, where you can have lunch. You will have a perfect view of the sunset from this point in the evening.

Distance: 7 km
Time Taken: 5 hours
Altitude: 3,460 m (11,350 ft)

The Khopra Ridge Trek starts today with a gradual uphill climb through a forested area filled with rhododendrons and bamboo. The Annapurna range is visible on the right as you trek. As you continue, the trail enters a deeper section of the forest, where oak trees become prevalent.

The trail then descends for a short while before resuming an uphill climb. This part of the journey takes you close to the tree line, where you can see Khopra Ridge in the distance. The remainder of the trek is spent along this ridge, with stunning views of the valley and mountainside below.

Meshar is a beautiful place with stunning views of the mountains. It’s a great place to fill up your water bottles before continuing on the trek. The next leg of the trek takes you up to Isharu, where you can see some of the most impressive mountain views in the world.

Mt Annapurna (the 10th highest mountain in the world) and Mt Annapurna Fang (7,647 m) are visible from here. The views are truly breathtaking and something you won’t want to miss.

The next hour is a mix of ascent and descent, leading you to Dobato. Have lunch at the teahouse to refuel before continuing on to the best place on this trek – the Muldhai Peak viewpoint. This spot has gained a reputation among locals for its unbeatable views of twenty-two snow-capped peaks, two of which are among the fourteen highest mountains in the world.

Witnessing the complete Annapurna and Dhaulagiri ranges, along with Mt Tukuche and Mt Nilgiri North and South, is an unforgettable experience – especially at sunset. If you want to catch the sunrise from this vantage point, set your alarm and head back up the following day.

Distance: 11 km
Time Taken: 7 hours
Altitude: 3,650 m (11,975 ft)

We will set off early in the morning from Dobato to make the most of the daylight. After half an hour of walking uphill, we will reach a fork in the trail. The path to the right takes us to a hidden lake, while the one to the left leads up to Khopra Ridge.

We will take a break here and take in the magnificent views of all the mountains in the Annapurna range. But don’t worry; these breathtaking views will soon be replaced by an even more stunning vista of the Dhaulagiri range.

After trekking for 15 minutes, the Dhaulagiri range will come into view to the left. This is your first sign that you’re getting close to your first rest stop, Bayali.

The trail then descends for two hours through a forest. This brings you to Chhistibang, a tea house inside the forest. Be sure to have a light lunch here, as you still have 3 more hours of trekking ahead of you.

The trail ahead from Chhistibang to Khopra Ridge is a continuous ascent, with small streams and waterfalls running alongside it on both sides. As you ascend, the views of the clouds playing around the ridge on either side are enchanting. Every step towards Khopra brings you closer to the Dhaulagiri range, culminating in majestic mountain ranges when you finally reach the tea house.

The views from the tea house itself are breathtaking, with Mt Annapurna South, Mt Annapurna Fang, Mt Annapurna I, Mt Nilgiri South and North, Mt Tukuche, and the Dhaulagiri range all visible in the panorama.

Distance: 15 km
Time Taken: 8 hours
Altitude: 3,900 m (12,795 ft)

We will start the trek early today as it will be the longest day. The first 45 minutes will be a level walk with scenic views of the Dhaulagiri range. After that, the trail will turn into a ridge walk with multiple climbs and descents for the next two hours.

We will see the world’s deepest valley, Kaligandaki, between Mt Tukuche and Mt Nilgiri North. Make sure to take plenty of breaks and enjoy the views!

As you slowly make your way along the trail, the scenery gradually changes from barren mountains to an open field. This is the same landscape as the Spiti Valley in the Indian Himalayas. This means that you’re getting close to Khayar Lake.

As you approach the lake, you’ll see a small dhaba at Khayar Ghat. The dhaba will offer you some local tea and snacks. From there, it’s about 1.5 hour trek to the lake. The trail gets progressively steeper from this point onwards, with many steps. There are also symbols of a temple and bells along the way, which are signs of Khayar Lake’s mythological stories.

Before you finally see the lake, you’ll catch a glimpse of Mt. Annapurna South in the distance. The lake is located at the base of the mountain.

When you reach the lake, you’ll be rewarded with stunning views of the entire landscape. The lake is a beautiful turquoise color, surrounded by mountains. It’s a unique and peaceful place to relax and enjoy the scenery.

The area around Khayar Lake is dotted with prayer flags, bells, and a temple. Sit here for a while and take in the peaceful surroundings. This is the summit of the Khopra Ridge Trek.

In July, Nepalis visit Khayar Lake as part of a yatra (pilgrimage) to seek the fulfillment of wishes and to sacrifice an animal to Lord Shiva. They believe that if their wish comes true, they must return to the lake as a token of thanksgiving.

From Khayar Lake, it is a 3.5-hour trek down to Khopra Ridge. There is a lunch spot at Khayar ghat along the way. The descent is a beautiful spot to watch the sunset.

Distance: 10 km
Time Taken: 5 hours
Altitude: 822 m (2,696 ft)

This is the last day of the Khopra Ridge Trek. You’ll start the day with a ridge walk that will take you down into the forest. The first part of the trail is the same one you took to get to Khopra Ridge. The descent will take about two hours.

You’ll come to a fork in the trail at the end of the descent. Take the path to the right – it will take you to Swanta and then to Ghorepani. If you take the left path, it will lead back down to Dobato.

Today’s trail will take you through a dense forest strikingly different from the previous two days of forest trails. This forest is predominately oak trees, with bamboo scattered throughout. The trek will take three more hours and bring you to the village of Swanta. There are many agricultural lands here but very few tea houses.

Make sure to enjoy the surroundings today, as it will be your last chance to take in the views of the mountains and forests. This trek has been a fantastic experience; you’ll want to remember it for years.

As you reach Swanta, you’ll notice a change in vegetation. The forest becomes thinner and more scrubby. This is the end of the trek! You’ve made it to your final destination. Congratulations! You should feel proud of yourself for completing this incredible journey.

Now that you’re in Swanta, you can board the vehicles that will take you back to Pokhara.

This is the last day of the Khopra Ridge Trek and we will say goodbye to you as you depart from Pokhara.