The Annapurna Villages
Day Trekking in Nepal
In the shadow of ancient peaks, where whispers mingle with the mist, lies a realm where mortal footsteps converge with ethereal pathways. Traverse the Annapurna region, where time dances on the precipice of enigma. Each step emboldens the seeker, as celestial symphonies guide the way. Amidst terraced whispers and majestic silence, the ephemeral veil lifts, revealing vistas that kindle the soul’s wanderlust. Within the rhythm of footfall, whispers of forgotten tales resound, etching mysteries upon the traveler’s heart. As daylight intertwines with shadow, the journey becomes a delicate balance between discovery and the allure of the unknown. Unveil the enigmatic beauty of the Annapurna, for within its emerald depths, destiny’s tapestry unfurls, and the seeker finds solace in the enigma of day trekking in Nepal.
Nestled amidst the majestic Himalayas, the villages of Gauchok, Astam, and Dhampus beckon with their timeless charm. Embark on a journey where time slows down, and the essence of Nepal’s rural life unfolds. As you traverse narrow paths lined with vibrant prayer flags, you’ll encounter warm smiles and welcoming hearts of the locals. Gauchok, with its quaint stone houses, offers a glimpse into traditional Nepali culture. After departing Gauchok we ascend to Dhampus by vehicle and then walk to our isolated eco lodge. Feel the serenity of this idyllic location…..and finally we follow the ridgeline down to Astam, where panoramic vistas of snow-capped peaks reward the intrepid explorer.
Sunrises and sunsets are stunning here. These villages, with their authentic simplicity and stunning landscapes, paint a vivid portrait of Nepal’s rustic allure, leaving an indelible imprint on the soul of every visitor.
13 Days
POKHARA – POKHARA
$4500 USD*
Departure date: 24 November 2024
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Trip code: ATPP*
DAY TREKKING IN NEPAL TRIP HIGHLIGHTS
- Take a walk around Astam with its captivating tapestry of emerald hills, cascading waterfalls, and awe-inspiring vistas
- Discover the villages of Nepal on foot, whilst taking in the spectacular scenery of the Annapurna range with short day treks of no more than four hours each
- Explore Pokhara with a stroll along the Lakeside, shopping in the markets and a canoe ride on Phewa Lake
- Visit Gauchok, with its rustic stone houses and vibrant community, a place that truly captures the essence of traditional Nepali village life.
- Stay in locally run hotels, eco-lodges and guest houses and enjoy plenty of time to explore each village, meet friendly local people and have your own adventure!
The Basics
Start: Pokhara
Finish: Pokhara
Trip style: Explorer
Max group size: 12
Reasons you’ll love this tour
- You like the idea of trekking in Nepal, but are put off by longer treks that require an excellent level of physical fitness
- You want the option to opt out of the days trek and let the bus take you to the next destination
- You’re looking for a more rustic destination and want to interact with real local people in a rural setting
- You’re happy visiting an emerging destination and looking for an adventure
- Authenticity is important to you when travelling
ITINERARY
Welcome to your day trekking tour of Nepal!
Arrive in Pokhara and meet your transfer to the trip hotel. Meet your trip leader and traveling companions for a welcome meeting at 17.00. After the meeting head out into Pokhara for dinner to get to know evryone.
After an early lunch we drive to the local Pokhara markets and then on to our first village, Gauchok.
We have time to settle into our accommodation in ”Mon Village’.
Then it’s time to go for a sunset stroll before dinner at the guesthouse.
Quite spread out, Gauchok is nice for gentle fairly flat trekking. You still need to watch your feet though! It is known for its milk production, so you can watch the villagers make the trip each evening to deliver their milk to the collection center.
Elevation:1500m
Today is our first day trek, leaving mid morning (2.5 hours return) through the cultivated fields to a delightful waterfall. Afternoon to relax, milk a cow, read a book or simply enjoy watching the villagers go about their daily chores.
Elevation: 1500m
After breakfast we head off on a trek past the northern end of the village to Macchapuchere Village. We enjoy the farming and mountain scenery, have lunch and then return mid afternoon. (3 hours return)
Elevation: 1500m
After breakfast we bid farwell to Gauchok and get transported to Dhampus (approx one hour drive). Here we will have lunch before a 45 minute trek into Dhampus Eco Lodge nestled in the outskirts of Dhampus.
Take time to relax in the lodge before dinner.
Elevation: 1650m
After breakfast we set off to Australia Camp (2000m)
The trek is up and down with a mixture of stairs & jungle paths but the views are worth the effort. (Approx. 3 hours return)
We have lunch in Australia Camp before returning.
Elevation: 1650m
After breakfast we take off for more day trekking in Nepal to Pothana (2000m)
Again, it’s up and down on a mixture of paths and we arrive in time for a cuppa and lunch in delightful Pothana.
Return to our lodge in time for a late afternoon nap!
Elevation: 1650m
Today we follow the ridgeline to the charming village of Astam. It’s a gentle 4 hour, mostly downwards walk with a half an hour uphill at the end. Panoramic Himalayan views regularly pop out as we make our way along a mixture of jeep track & jungle paths.
Today is our longest day but we have the option of getting transport if we get tired towards the end
Enjoy village views along the way and a campfire at night!
Note: Bathing here is a bucket of hot water in your attached bathroom
Elevation: 1500m
Today is a rest day and we get to enjoy life in a traditional Nepali Village with the comforts of a delightful guest house. Examine the organic gardening practices! Do some yoga, go for a village stroll, have a massage, enjoy birdwatching or simply read a book in delightful surroundings.
We hope you have thoroughly enjoyed day trekking in Nepal.
Elevation: 1500m
Return to Pokhara
Enjoy our final mountain sunrise! Astam in renound for them.
After breakfast we reluctantly bid farewell to the mountains and walk downhill for 2.5 hours (optional) where you’ll be met by your transport to take you back to Pokhara. 1 hour drive.
This morning you have some free time to explore Pokhara on your own, you may with to shop for souvenirs at the local market, take a stroll along the waterside or just relax at the hotel
In the mid-afternoon we will take to the water for a gentle canoe ride to damside to catch the reflection of the mountains in the water!
Today we are taken from our hotel pre-dawn to the cable car and ride up to Sarankot to greet the sun and mountains.
Return in time for breakfast.
Remainder of the day is free to shop and relax around delightful Lakeside, before our farewell dinner
Your day trekking tour of Nepal concludes after breakfast this morning. If departing on this day an airport transfer is included to Pokhara International Airport.
The Annapurna Villages
Details – Day trekking in Nepal
Duration: 13 Days
Trip style: Explorer
Group size: Minimum 2 / Maximum 12
Trip code: ATPP
Cost: $4500.00 USD AUD twin share
Single supplement: $300.00 per person
Inclusions
- 12-nights’ accommodation in locally owned and operated hotels, guest houses and eco-lodges
- Airport transfers on arrival and departure if arriving on day 1 and departing on day 13.
- Meals as specified in itinerary (B = Breakfast / L = Lunch / D = Dinner)
- Experienced trekking guide
- Visa invitation letter for Iran
- Services of your trip leader and local guides
Trip price does not include
- International airfares or domestic airfares
- Airport transfers on arrival and departure if arriving outside the tour dates
- Visa for Nepal (if required)
- Meals not included as per trip itinerary including drinks and mini bar
- Additional accommodation before or after the tour
- Items of a personal nature including but not limited to laundry, souvenirs, porterage etc.
- Travel insurance – please note comprehensive travel insurance is a condition of travel with Inverted Atlas
Journey Rating – Adventure
This is a day trekking tour in Nepal and as such a good level of physical fitness is required. There are a few very long travel days where we will be getting up early and arriving at our accommodation quite late, some of the time this accommodation will be a basic lodge or guesthouse. Nepal is a conservative country and while not legally required to do so, women should cover their shoulders and knees at a minimum when sightseeing (this is not expected when trekking activewear is fine).
Good quality hospitals, pharmacies and other public amenities will be limited to Pokhara.
We recommend that travellers on gluten free, vegetarian and vegan diets bring some supplemental snack food from home as it might be difficult to meet these dietary requirements while in remote parts of Nepal.
A note about fitness
This is a trekking trip in Nepal, the treks are of a relatively easy grade and are limited to day treks. You should be able to walk over uneven surfaces, clamber over rocks and tree roots and ascend 200 stairs unassisted. You should also be able to use an eastern style squat toilet (which appear frequently in remote areas) and be free from lung issues as some of this trip is at a slight altitude.
You will need to be able to carry your own luggage to and from the mini van and into your room. (Due to OH&S regulations our trip leaders are not able to assist with luggage.)
In addition, you should be in good health, with no major chronic conditions requiring frequent medical attention. This trip often travels through remote locations where the availability of a hospital or even phone reception to call an ambulance is limited. While all our trip leaders are required to have a valid first aid certificate, they are far from doctors and any assistance they are able to provide will be limited to basic first aid. For more information please see our booking conditions.
Single supplement
Traveling by yourself? No problem, we love single travellers and don’t believe in penalising them by charging half the trip price again for our single supplement. With us you are only paying the actual cost to have a room all to yourself. If you’re up for making a new friend, you can elect to share with another single traveller of the same sex and only pay the twin-share price. The choice is yours!
Please note that on this trip the single supplement on this trip only includes nights spent in twin share accommodation, it is not possible to provide a single room on the train, while camping or while at small homestays and guest houses.
Trip leader description
Accompanying you along your journey will be your Inverted Atlas trip leader. Your trip leader is a logistics extraordinaire, keeps the trip running smoothly and ensures you have the best time possible on your trip. It is important to know that while your trip leader has the best job in the world, they aren’t actually on holidays, but rather they are there to make sure you have the best time while you are on your holiday! Your trip leader may at times need some time out so that they can complete back of house tasks that ensure everyone continues to enjoy the trip. It is also your trip leaders’ job to handle any issues (heaven forbid!) that come up while you’re on your trip like:
- If you lose your passport or other travel documents
- If there is a problem with your room at the booked accommodation – seriously please tell your trip leader don’t wait until you leave
- If you become unwell and need to find a pharmacy
- Assisting with restaurant recommendations or additional sightseeing during free time
- Questions regarding the itinerary
Your trip leader will have some good local knowledge about the destination in which you are traveling, however they are not a ‘local guide’. You’re welcome to ask your trip leader anything about the trip and if they don’t know they will find out and get back to you. Other people you will meet along the way are ‘local guides’ who are generally available to the group in specific towns or at specific sites like national parks, temples or archaeological sites. These people are the local experts and will be able to answer any questions you may have about the history and culture of a specific site.
Itinerary disclaimer
This itinerary is correct at the time of upload to our website and we have composed it in good faith. From time to time we may elect to make changes before departure, if we are making a big change we will of course notify you, however if it is a small change this will be reflected in the final trip notes. So, make sure you download these prior to departure. Small changes prior to departure are usually made with the groups best interests in mind and come about due to liaising with our best resources – our past travelers and of course our trip leaders! The ability to change and evolve depending on what our travelers enjoy is what makes us such a great trip operator.
While we strive to operate our trips exactly to the letter of the itinerary, sometimes we may need to make changes on the ground while the group is on the road. This is all part of the adventure of traveling and we would ask that you come on your trip with an open mind and a good sense of humour because as much as we want it to, everything doesn’t always go to plan. In fact, these impromptu situations often make the best stories that you can have a laugh with your friends about later.
Please note the day trekking tour of Nepal is run in conjunction with our friends at Focus Tours.
Age requirements
Minimum Age: 18 years
Due to the nature of this trip and the shared nature of some of the accommodation children are not permitted for their own safety.
There is no upper age limit for this trip, but you should consider the above fitness requirements prior to booking. If you are 65 years or over, you will be asked to complete our Health Check Form and have your medical practitioner sign it to confirm you are in good health and able to participate safely on this trip.
Travel insurance
Please note that comprehensive travel insurance is a condition of travel with Inverted Atlas. Insurance must include provision for medical situations, emergency medical repatriation to your home country and personal liability at a minimum. Proof of valid travel insurance will be requested by your trip leader on arrival at the pre-departure meeting. Please have this paperwork available for them. If you are unable to provide proof of comprehensive travel insurance, you may not be allowed to join the trip and no refund will be payable.
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