Khopra with Poon Hill trek is also known as the Khopra Ridge Trek, Khopra Danda and Khayar Lake trekking in Nepal. Khopra trail is a community trek designed to support the local community residing along the way route.
Khopra Danda and Ghorepani trek is an untouched trekking route in the Annapurna region that goes to beautiful Khopra Danda and the holy Khayar Lake and Ghorepani Poon Hill.
Khopra Danda with Poon Hill trek also combines a hike to the famous Ghandruk and Ghorepani villages. It is a perfect trekking trip in the western Himalayas. It offers breathtaking mountain views, intimate interactions with locals, authentic countryside experience, and adventure.
Khopra Danda with Ghorepani trekking route is offbeat, with no crowds and a great hiking experience. The walking trail passes through dense forests, pastures, and rice fields. Because it is a relatively new route, and the region is unspoiled.
Located northeast of Pokhara, the Khopra Danda trail leads you away from the mainstream trails into the complete wilderness and dense forests. You will walk around the shadows of the Annapurna range and witness surreal views of mountains like Dhaulagiri (8,167 m), Annapurna I (8,091 m), Annapurna South (7,219 m), Annapurna II (7,937 m), and Annapurna III (7,555 m).
The landscapes from Ghorepani and Ghandruk villages are phenomenal, you will hike to Poon Hill while returning from Khopra Danda, which offers gorgeous sunrise and stretching views of the western Himalayan mountains like Annapurna (8,091 m), Dhaulagiri (8,167 m), Gangapurna (7,455 m), Nilgiri (7,061 m), Tukuche (6,920 m), Fishtail (6,993 m), Dhampus Peak (6,012 m), Gurja Himal (7,193 m), Hiunchuli (6,441 m), etc.
There are many attractions during Khopra Ridge with Ghorepani Poon Hill Trekking in Nepal and we have highlighted some of them as below.
To make the Khopra Danda with Poon Hill trek itinerary thrilling and adventurous, we have combined hikes to Ghorepani and Ghandruk villages on our itinerary.
The village will give you more insight into the life of the mountain people and the opportunity to interact with the closing. These villages are famous for their kind, welcoming residents and incredible mountain views.
Khopra Danda with Poon Hill hiking route is inside the Annapurna Conservation Area. You will trek through dense forests of pine, oak, rhododendron, bamboo, etc. Moreover, on the way from Swanta village to Ghorepani, you will see 14 species of rhododendrons, Nepal's national flower.
Likewise, you will encounter numerous other vegetation and wildflowers along the way. Similarly, the trekking route is home to several wildlife and birds. You may see danphe, Nepal's national bird, wild boar, monkeys, Himalayan tahr.
Mahabir Poon opens Khopra danda walking trail to help the communities residing in the area. You will have a very raw trekking experience. Some overnight stays are in community lodges run by locals, which will offer you a close insight into their lives.
Joining Khopra Danda trekking will allow you to enjoy tranquil trekking and superb landscapes, contribute to the community, and have an excellent trek to support a cause.
Khopra Danda is 3,660 meters high and borders the Myagdi and Kaski districts. At the top of the ride is a small, lovely community that will welcome you during your stay.
Khayar Lake is a sacred lake situated behind the Annapurna II, which can easily be reached from Khopra Danda. It is a famous side hike from Khopra Danda.
The lake is 4,500 meters above sea level and offers outstanding views of peaks and glaciers. The trail from Khopra Danda to Khayar Lake is challenging.
It passes through waterfalls and snow/dry lands as per the weather. Here, you will visit the Khayar Barahi temple. Janai Purnima, in August, sees a massive crowd of pilgrims at the lake.
Just like Poon Hill, Mulde Peak offers beautiful sunrise and heavenly views of Dhaulagiri and Annapurna. It is also a hill station located 30 minutes from Dobato, a moderate walk away.
From Tadapai, Mulde Peak is situated a 3 to 4 hour walk away. You can ask your guide for a short side excursion to Mulde Peak.
You drive from Pokhara to Kimche, which takes about 2 hours and short hike to Ghandruk village and to Tadapani (2,630 m). From Tadapani, you will leave behind the ABC trail and join the route that leads to Khopra Danda.
The trail to Khopra passes dense rhododendron, pin, bamboo, etc. forests and ascends to Dobatato (3,426 m) via Masher (2,969 m) and Haire (3,137 m). You then walk past small settlements to Bayli Kharka (3,440 m) and continue to Upper Chistibung (2,950 m). First, the trail drops down to the pastures of Lower Chistibung. It passes by buffalo grazing sites before reaching Upper Chistibung.
Leaving Upper Chistibung, we will gradually trek uphill above the tree line to Khopra Danda (3,660 m). During the acclimatization day, you will hike to Khayar Lake (4,500 m), located at the bottom of Brahashikhar. The next part of the trail descends to Ghorepani village (2,874 m) via Sawanta (2,200 m), hikes to Poon Hill (3,210 m), and descends to Hile (1,948 m).
From Hile, Nayapul is located 3 to 4 hours away. You then drive to Pokhara and the trip ends.
Khopra Danda with Poon Hill Trek begins from Pokhara. It is about 2-hour drive from Pokhara to Kimche and a short trek to Ghandruk Village. The Village offers breathtaking mountain views of Annapurna South, Fishtail, Nilgiri, etc.
After a warm breakfast, we leave Ghandruk and trek through lush forests to Tadapani. Along the way, we will see diverse flora and fauna. Along the way, many species of birds and flowers, including the national flower of Nepal, the rhododendron, are seen.
Likewise, the trail is decorated with views of Annapurna I, II, IV, Fishtail, etc. We will trek through small settlements on the way, watching the daily lifestyle of the locals. After Tadapani, we will leave the main trail to Annapurna Base Camp and join the route to Khopra Danda.
The trail goes through dense rhododendron, pin, bamboo, etc forests. Mount Fishtail and other western Himalayan mountains will accompany us along the way. We'll reach a rest point at 2,969 meters called Masher and continue ascending towards Haire (3,137 m) and reach to Dobato.
We will hike to Mulde view Point to see the Himalaya view and follow a downhill route through open ground, continue trekking through forests, and descend to the pastures of Lower Chistibung, where we will stop for lunch.
After lunch, we will walk through lush forests to the Chistibung. On the way, we will pass many buffalo grazing sites. In Chistibung, we will stay overnight in a small community lodge. The trail will get offbeat for the next few days, and we will spend close time with locals. This trail is designed to benefit the local community and schools. It will allow you to experience an authentic village lifestyle.
On this day, we will finally reach the Khopra Danda (ridge). Leaving Upper Chistibung, we will gradually trek uphill to above the treeline. We may see wildlife like Himalayan tahr and Danfe (the national bird of Nepal) while trekking.
As most of the trail involves a climb, we must maintain our pace. Once we reach Khopra Danda, the towering mountains Fang and Nilgiri can be seen in the north. Annapurna South is directly above us. Likewise, Mt. Dhaulagiri dominates the western skyline above the Kali Gandaki valley.
Today is an acclimatization day in Khopra Danda. We will explore the holy Khayar Lake and the local community. In the morning, we will hike to Khayar Lake, located at the bottom of Brahashikhar. It is a beautiful mountain that looks like a boar. According to the locals' beliefs, Lord Vishnu, the deity of preservation and operation of the Universe in Hindu mythology, took the form of a wild boar and resided here.
Khayar Lake is a pilgrimage site. Visitors learn a lot about the beliefs and traditions surrounding this lake. Later in the day, we spend time exploring Khopra Danda.
From Khopra danda, we trek to Swanta village. The trail descends through lush forests and small villages. Diverse flora and fauna and striking mountain views make the trek fantastic. In Swanta village, we visit the community cheese factory and taste the cheese. We then spend the remaining day relaxing and observing locals doing their daily chores.
The trail ascends and descends through rhododendron forests. On this route, we can see more than 14 distinct rhododendron species. Likewise, we will cross small streams and settlements. Ghorepani is another beautiful village that offers a superb panorama of mountains like Annapurna I, Hiunchuli, Dhaulagiri, Fishtail, Nilgiri, Tukuche, and Annapurna South. Gurungs and Magars mainly inhabit this Village.
We will go on a hike early in the morning today to Poon Hill, from where we can behold a gorgeous sunrise, along with a lovely stretching view of the western Himalayan Mountains around us.
The hiking route ascends along a forested path. After the hike, we will return to Ghorepani and have breakfast before leaving the Village. Walking on a stone-paved path, we will descend to Ulleri. The trail drops through dense forests.
We will have lunch in Ulleri and drive to Pokhara.
We suggest you hire a porter to carry your bag pack while on a trek. Trekking with a light day pack is much easier, and you will enjoy your trekking holidays to the fullest. A trekking porter carries about 20-22 Kg (about 10-11 Kg from each of you), and we suggest hiring a porter between two trekkers.
Khopra Danda with Poon Hill trek level is moderate. The trail has a combination of uneven and offbeat walking. Beginners can do this trek with proper preparation.
The trail runs through dense forests and small villages. There are a few steep rocky sections along the way, too. Overall, Khopra Ridge with Poon Hill trekking is a beginner-friendly trek.
Khopra Danda with Poon Hill trekking ascends to 4,500 meters, including altitude sickness risks. As our Khopra Danda trek itinerary involves a slow pace and an acclimatization day, the chances of altitude sickness are low.
Moreover, our guide will monitor your health during the trek and give you first aid if needed. Do the following things to stay away from altitude sickness:
A moderate level of fitness is required to complete the Khopra Rige hiking, with daily walking between 3 to 8 hours. You reach an altitude of 3500m above sea level on this trek.
You do not need previous trekking experience. However, if you have, it is an extra benefit. You must be healthy and have the desire and stamina to complete the trek with positive thoughts. If you have health concerns, please consult your doctor before booking the Khopra ridge trekking.
To do the Khopra Ridge Trek in Nepal, you need some trekking permits, including an Annapurna conservation area entry permit and TIMS. We at Outfitter Himalaya Holidays apply for and obtain these permits once you book a trek with us. So, you do not need to worry about it when you book a trekking trip with us.
Khayer Lake trekking is doable all year. However, autumn (from mid-September to mid-December) and spring (from the beginning of March until May end) are the best times. The weather is mostly clear, and all the Mountains are visible this month. You walk in green jungles with the best temperature in Autumn, as the temperatures are not hot and not too cold just after the monsoon. The weather is a little foggy in spring.
However, the mountains are visible, the temperature is suitable, and the Jungles are colorful with Rhododendron flowers blooming. The nights are chilly (between -20 C and 5 C), but the days are sunny and hot (between 10 C and 30 C). The mornings are usually clear, with clouds building up during the afternoon and disappearing at night.
I was recommended Outfitter Himalaya by a friend who had trekked with them a month before my trip. I exchanged numerous emails with Arjun to gather the information I needed...
