Khopra Ridge Trek
Trip Duration
12 Days
Country
Nepal
Region
Annapurna
Activities
Daily Trekking (5-6 hours)
Grade
Easy
Max Altitude
3,660m (Khopra Ridge)
Best Season
Spring
Accomodation
Community Tea houses
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Start-End Point
Kathmandu-Kathmandu
Transportation
Bus/Jeep
Khopra Ridge Trek Overview
Khopra Ridge trek is a recently opened off-beaten alternative path to the Annapurna region. It is mostly unknown amongst the travellers who choose the classic route to Annapurna.
The majority of the villages along this path were having financial difficulties and weren’t getting the anticipated number of tourists. Instead, this new path emerged to improve the economic standing of the settlements along the trail.
There are plenty of community tea houses and guesthouses on this path instead of privately owned lodges and guest houses. Profits from these community teahouses and guesthouses will directly contribute to the development of local medical facilities and schools.
Lesser known to travellers, Khopra Danda, Khayar Lake, and Poon Hill each have special and charming features. Khopra Hill, the primary spot of this trek offers a wide range of amazing views of Annapurna and Dhaulagiri.
Khayar Tal is a beautiful alpine lake in the Annapurna trekking region, at 4,500 meters above sea level. It is valuable to Hindu and Buddhist devotees as one of the sacred lakes where they can take a dip in the holy water and make a wish. An excellent vantage point with stunning views of mountain ranges and sunset is the lofty Poon Hill.
This well-known classic path goes through gorgeous villages, terraced fields, and lush oak, rhododendron, and pine forests. The route on the Khopra Ridge trek is a relatively short and easy way to the Annapurna Range.
The region is widely dominated by Gurung locals with beautiful Gurung villages, cultures, traditions and religion shining in every aspect and activity you see. One of the popular daily chores you will see here is yak grazing in high grasslands.
The views of Dhaulagiri, Annapurna I, II, III and south, Machhapuchhre and Lamjung Himal from the highlands of Khopra Ridge are very mesmerizing and tempting for any trekker. The trail is fully dominated by rhododendrons, the king of all flowers in peak spring season. It is one of the prime destinations to enjoy among the beautiful red, white, pink, and green rhododendrons.
Khopra Ridge Trek Highlights
- Excellent sunrise and sunset view on the face of mountains from the top of the Poon Hill.
- Insight on beautiful architecture and the way of life and culture in Gurung and Magar villages on the trail along with their Gurkha rifles and khukuri.
- Exploring the historic Buddhist monastery, the Gurung Museum alongside several highland glaciers and waterfalls.
- Mesmerizing gigantic view of Annapurna Range, Dhaulagiri, Machhapuchhre and Lamjung.
- Relaxing and walking by the majestic dense forests of colourful Rhododendrons, king of all the flowers.
- Unmatched peaceful and undisturbed route to Annapurna region with serene beauty of flowing rivers against beautiful mountain views.
- Interaction with authentic Gurung and Magars and experience warm hospitality from the locals.
- The Khayar Tal offers the most relaxing spot as a natural oasis in the Annapurna Region.
Brief Itinerary
Day 01: Arrive at Tribhuwan International Airport, Kathmandu (1350m)
Day 02: Drive from Kathmandu to Pokhara (890m), Drive Duration: 7 hours
Day 03: Drive to Kimche (40 km) and Trek to Ghandruk (1940m), Trek Duration: 3 hours
Day 04: Trek from Ghandruk to Tadapani (2590m), Trek Duration: 4 hrs
Day 05: Trek from Tadapani to Dobato (3420m), Trek Duration: 6 hours
Day 06: Trek from Dobato to Chistibung (2975m), Trek Duration: 4 hours
Day 07: Trek from Chistibung to Khopra Ridge (3660m), Trek Duration: 3 hours
Day 08: Trek from Khopra Ridge to Swanta Village (2200m), Trek Duration: 5 hours
Day 09: Trek from Swanta Village to Ghorepani (2880m), Trek Duration: 5 hrs
Day 10: Trek to PoonHill to Banthanti & Drive to Pokhara (890m), Drive Duration: 5 hrs
Day 11: Drive back from Pokhara to Kathmandu (1350m), Drive Duration: 7 hrs
Day 12: Departure from Tribhuvan International Airport (1350m)
Khopra Ridge Trek Detail Itinerary
Expand AllYou may arrive at Tribhuvan International Airport Arrival according to your scheduled flight time. Our travel agent will pick you up from the airport and drop you at the hotel. Here we will proceed with your welcome, check-in and accommodation for the day. After check-in, you are free to either relax in the hotel room with all the facilities you need or you can stroll around the capital.
You can also visit Thamel if you need some trekking gear. You can easily buy or rent out all the trekking gear. Basantapur Durbar Square is also a very relaxing place to spend quality evenings amidst beautiful Newari architecture, culture and interaction with the locals.
The square also offers a nice sunset view in the evening time. After sunset, you may return to hotel for the dinner and bedtime as you’ll be leaving for Pokhara the next morning.
Max Altitude:
1350m
Your second day of the trek begins with a healthy breakfast at the 3-star hotel you stayed in earlier the night. After having breakfast you will either catch a bus or a jeep to reach Pokhara city by the evening. The drive goes along the Trishuli River, going west from Kathmandu through the hilly Prithvi highway.
The drive is going to be around 7 hours long and almost 200 km away from the capital. You can also see people rafting along the Trishuli River in the daytime. You will have your lunch in the middle of the Prithvi highway.
After reaching Pokhara, you will be checked in at a 3-star hotel at Pokhara where you will spend the rest of your night. But before bed, you can enjoy your time strolling or enjoying in music bar near the lakeside.
Max Altitude:
890m
Duration:
Drive Duration: 7 hours
On the 3rd day of the Khopra Ridge trek, both a jeep ride and trekking are part of your today’s trekking activity. At first, you are going to have a ride to Kimche, a small village settlement before Ghandruk. Here you can have your lunch with some relaxing time. From Kimche, you will be starting your trekking journey with a small 3-hour trek to Ghandruk at first.
Ghandruk is a gorgeous Gurung village nestled very close to the Modi River at 1,940m in the Annapurna South. It boasts breathtaking views of the peaks of Machhapuchhre, Hiunchuli, and Annapurna South. The destination is quite well-liked by both domestic and international vacationers.
Max Altitude:
1940m
Duration:
3 hours
It is yet another beautiful morning amidst stunning tall mountains shining in sunlight. You will have a late morning breakfast in beautiful Ghandruk Village and slowly head towards Tadapani. You’ll pass by Deurali where a lot of trees and colourful rhododendrons can easily be spotted.
You‘ll click many photographs over here. After passing by a small mountain pass, you will finally reach Tadapani to spend the rest of the evening and the night.
Tadapani Village is full of mesmerizing views of mountains lurking on the top and the valley full of pink and red rhododendrons on the bottom. The village is so peaceful with only sounds of locals having their fun time. You can also have fun interactions with locals by carrying a cup of local alcohol.
Max Altitude:
2590m
Duration:
4 hrs
After an early morning breakfast at the community tea house at Tadapani, Dobato is your next destination of the day. You will pack your bags with all your belongings and head towards the dense rhododendron forest trail with oak trees here and there. Different kinds of animals and plants can be spotted in these forests.
The trekking to the Dobato settlement is a bit difficult past other days. After reaching Dobato, you will be staying in a guesthouse for the night. It’s a great sensation to kick back and relax at the teahouse after a strenuous day’s walking. You must go to bed early since you will need to get up early to see the sunrise.
Max Altitude:
3420m
Duration:
6 hours
Today you will be waking up early and hiking to nearby Munde View Point for a great sunrise view on Annapurna South. Then you will head down to the guesthouse and enjoy a nice morning breakfast before leaving for Chisitbung.
You’ll walk past several beautiful landscapes full of oak trees, rhododendron forests and alpine forests before reaching the destination. The trail mostly descends till the Chistibung. Finally, on reaching Chistinung you will warmly be greeted and welcomed by local Gurung residents into a community tea house.
Here you will be enjoying a nice set of Dal Bhat with all the curries before heading for bed.
Max Altitude:
2975m
Duration:
4 hours
Today you will be ascending to the ultimate destination of the trek, The Khopra Ridge. You can start your trek, after a late morning breakfast at the tea house you stayed in last night. The journey today is short, a little steep but easy to ascend. After a short 3-hour trek, you will be at the top of the Khopra Ridge.
The uninterrupted beauty of snow-capped mountain peaks and the breathtaking Kali Gandaki Valley serve as your reward from the top of Khopra Danda. The gorgeous view also includes the Nilgiri and Fang Sikhar, which are striking to the north alongside Annapurna South. You will be spending your beautiful night at a community tea house on the top of such a beautiful hill.
Max Altitude:
3660m
Duration:
3 hours
After a beautiful morning breakfast with all the beautiful sunrise views of Annapurna and Dhaulagiri Range, you will be starting your descent. Today you will be heading to the Swant village with a 5-hour trek. You will pass by several green farmlands and terrace farms.
On reaching, enjoy the typical alpine scenery of Nepal, which is full of ridge-top settlements and terraced crops. The village is covered by paddy and potato fields and full of traditional homes. Major locals residing in Swanta are from the Magar Tribe. Swanta Village is also known as a tiny town with tea houses and schools.
Max Altitude:
2200m
Duration:
5 hours
After an early morning breakfast, you will be leaving Swanta Village to reach Ghorepani by the evening. The trail today is through dense forests and paddy fields to crossing rivers and many suspension bridges along the way.
The trail is mostly crowded with Ghorepani as it is another popular destination amongst many tourists. You will also pass by many mule trains carrying the luggage of tourists and locals.
Ghorepani is a beautiful traditional village in the Annapurna Region which used to act as a trading route for Tibet and Nepal in the past. You will find plenty of tea houses for a stay and a nice dinner in Ghorepani.
Max Altitude:
2880m
Duration:
5 hrs
Today is the day you will be on your foot for the last time, as you will descend for Banthanti after an early morning breakfast to catch a jeep to Pokhara. But before that, you will head to the top of Poon Hill, best known for beautiful red, pink and white rhododendrons along with amazing morning views of Gangapurna, Annapurna, Machhapuchhre and Tukuche Peak.
From Poon Hill, it is a short walk to Banthanti. From here, it will be around 5 5-hour drive to Pokhara. You will reach Pokhara by the evening, where you can easily enjoy Aarti by the lakeside or have a nice time in the fun park beside the lakeside. You can also relax and have a sleep in the hotel at Pokhara.
Max Altitude:
890m
Duration:
Drive Duration: 5 hrs
You are near to ending the journey to the beautiful Khopra Ridge Trek. Today you will be returning to the capital after having a heavy breakfast at either a hotel or cafe by the lakeside. You can also have a nice alongside the Phewa Lake and past your morning time.
You will reach Kathmandu after seven hours of an enjoyable and engrossing ride filled with many memories from Khopra. You will be taken to the hotel as soon as you get to Kathmandu.
You will have the rest of the evening and nighttime to enjoy in Kathmandu. Thamel and Durbarmarg are two very famous streets to enjoy great nightlife in Kathmandu. You can also buy some souvenirs and gifts from these streets as a memory of the whole trek. You can also have a proper Thakali dinner and sleep in the room at the 3-star hotel.
Max Altitude:
1350m
Duration:
Drive Duration: 7 hrs
Today is the day you’ll be saying goodbye to the country and the beautiful Khopra Ridge trek. You will be given a great Nepalese farewell before we drop you at the Tribhuvan International Airport to catch the flight at the scheduled time.
Max Altitude:
1350m
Best Time for the Trek
The best season and time to be on the Khopra Ridge Trek is in the spring season in Nepal which goes on from March till May. The climate is very pleasant with slight rainfalls. The mountain views are completely clear with clear skies. The morning and night are a bit cold while the day is pleasantly warm for trekking.
The major attraction of Khopra Ridge Trek, the rhododendrons cover the whole hills in shades of pink, white, and red from top to bottom in March, April and May. The trail is completely beautiful. You can also see thousands of species of birds chirping throughout the rhododendron forests.
The terrace fields on the way are lush green. But as it is the peak season to go trekking, the less crowded Khopra Ridge trek also might get a little overwhelmingly packed at this time, so find yourself accommodation in advance.
Trek Difficulty
Khopra Ridge Trek is one of the shortest and easiest treks in the Annapurna region. It is also one of the shortest alternate routes to connect the trekkers to the Classic Annapurna Circuit Trail.
But some roadways on the trek are slightly tricky due to a lack of markers and map boards, as it is a recently opened trek. But interacting with locals and asking guide from them for directions will easily lead you to the top of Khopra Ridge.
It is the real way of trekking locally. It will provide knowledge and skills, unlike any other activity. This trek doesn’t lead to such greater elevation that a normal trekker cannot achieve, so there is very little chance of height fear or altitude sickness. The roadways are mostly paved with some places being paved right now.
Food & Accommodation
Accommodation on the Khopra Ridge Trek will be mostly in community lodges and tea houses. They provide clean and neat rooms but shared bathrooms in the majority of places. Private guesthouses and lodges are rare on the trail to Khopra Ridge neither are the luxury accommodations.
But you’ll be staying in 3-star hotels in Kathmandu and Pokhara with all the facilities like attached bathroom, hot shower, A/C and room services. In hilly remote villages, the rooms are usually with two single beds providing a pillow, mattress and blanket with a bathroom outside of the tea house.
The food is often quite good in the tea houses you will stay at during the Khopra Ridge Trek. You will often have the option of Dal Bhat rice, lentils, potatoes, Fried Rice, Momo, chowmein, chapati, soups or curry, tea and coffee for the food you will be eating during the trek. You will have your dinner and breakfast at the tea houses where you stay.
Lunch is usually provided at the tea houses that lie on the way. Most of the tea houses offer hot drinks, with a selection that includes standard black or milk tea and coffee, as well as Masala tea, lemon ginger honey tea, hot chocolate and bottles of water. Beer, rum, and whisky along with local wine and beverage can also be found in these tea houses.
Khopra Ridge Trek FAQS
Expand AllNo, solo trekking is forbidden in the Annapurna region. You will have to travel in a group or travel through a government-licensed travel agency.
Yes, Khopra Ridge Trek is perfect for amateurs and those who are on their first expedition. It is short and easy with very little chance of any danger or altitude sickness.
Spring is the most ideal season for Khopra Danda Trek as whole hills on the path are fully covered in rhododendrons, mainly on Poon Hill and Ghorepani. Colourful rhododendrons are the major attraction of this trek.
Mainly, community tea houses and lodges are prominent on the pathway to Khopra Danda rather than private tea houses.
Khopra Ridge is very famous for scenic and serene sunrise and sunset views on Annapurna I, II, III, South, Dhaulagiri, Lamjung and Machhapuchhre surrounding the whole ridge.
There are no major towns on the trail to Khopra Ridge. Hence ATMs are rare except in Kathmandu and Pokhara. Hence, we suggest you carry some cash in hand while trekking. Internet and communication services are easily available in the tea houses you stay.
Khopra Ridge Trek is an alternate route way to the Annapurna region that connects with the Mardi Himal Trek, Machhapuchhre Trek, and Classic Annapurna Circuit Trek opened recently. Hence, Many travellers are unknown or prefer the classic trail so this route is mostly less crowded.
Traveler Reviews
Explore authentic feedback from our past adventurers with Best Treks and Adventure, sourced from TripAdvisor, Google, Facebook, and Trustpilot.
Robin Lee (Spain)
Great Experience with Best Trek to Mardi Himal Trek
It was great experience with Best Trek and Adventure company to Mardi Himal Trek. This trek is short and perfect trek to beginner to real hikers. This company is one of the renounce tour company based in Kathmandu. Their team is an excellent, well managed from every corner. We (me and my wife) were fully satisfied through their services. Our guide Pradip and assistant Raju were also excellent and knowledgeable. They help and encourage us to do this trip easily. So we would highly recommend to all for your best experience trip to Nepal with Best Trek and Adventure. No need to spend your time to search others then Best Trek.
Robin Lee (Spain)
Great Experience with Best Trek to Mardi Himal Trek
It was great experience with Best Trek and Adventure company to Mardi Himal Trek. This trek is short and perfect trek to beginner to real hikers. This company is one of the renounce tour company based in Kathmandu. Their team is an excellent, well managed from every corner. We (me and my wife) were fully satisfied through their services. Our guide Pradip and assistant Raju were also excellent and knowledgeable. They help and encourage us to do this trip easily. So we would highly recommend to all for your best experience trip to Nepal with Best Trek and Adventure. No need to spend your time to search others then Best Trek.
Emma Johansson (USA)
I cannot speak highly enough about Best Treks and Adventure and the Annapurna Base Camp trek they organized for me and my friends. From the initial planning to the final farewell, everything was seamless. Our guide, Bishnu, was fantastic—his expertise and sense of humor made the trek so much more enjoyable. The trail itself was stunning, with diverse landscapes and amazing mountain views. The team ensured we were well-fed, safe, and motivated throughout the journey. This was hands down one of the best adventures of my life. I’ll definitely be trekking with them again!
Liam Carter
Australia
I had an unforgettable experience trekking to Annapurna Base Camp with Best Treks and Adventure. The team was professional, friendly, and made us feel at ease the entire time. Our guide, Dinesh, was outstanding—he shared fascinating stories about the local culture and ensured we were acclimatized and comfortable every step of the way. The views along the trail were spectacular, and the sense of accomplishment upon reaching Base Camp was overwhelming. This trek wouldn’t have been the same without such an incredible team. Thank you for the memories of a lifetime!
Olivia Martinez (UK)
Trekking to Annapurna Base Camp with Best Treks and Adventure was one of the most magical experiences of my life. The scenery along the way was breathtaking, from lush green forests to towering snow-capped peaks. The team was incredibly organized, ensuring everything went smoothly. Our guide, Rajendra, was amazing—always cheerful, knowledgeable, and attentive to everyone’s needs. The tea houses were cozy, and the meals were hearty, which kept us energized throughout the trek. Reaching ABC felt like a dream come true. I highly recommend Best Treks and Adventure to anyone planning this trek!
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