Luxury treks are ultimate way of exploring Nepal in style – staying in the comfortable lodges in the Annapurna region while trekking. Special lodges are used which provide services which are not available in most of the treks. Bedrooms with attached bath, hot showers and western toilets, landscaped gardens, comfortable lounges, bonfire, three course set evening meals, drinks and appetizers are provided. For those of you who feel extra cold down jackets, wool gloves and hats are provided in each of the rooms.
| Trip Duration | 10 Days (Kathmandu to Kathmandu) |
| Trekking destination | Annapurna |
| Trip Grade | Easy |
| Activities | Trekking & cultural sightseeing tours in Kathmandu |
| Altitude | 2,012m |
| Best Seasons | Mid-September to November & mid-March to May) |
| Accommodations | Luxury hotels/lodges |
| Meals | 9 Breakfast, Lunches & dinners |
| Transportation | Private vehicle |
Arrival and airport welcome with garland
The guests will be met and welcomed by our guide upon arrival and will be driven to Dwarika’s Hotel in a private vehicle. Inside the vehcile, guests will be offered mineral water and soft drinks with the cold towel.
Arrival at Dwarika’s Hotel
Dwarika’s Kathmandu (Heritage Hotel) – www.dwarikas.com
Built upon a rich tradition of Nepali hospitality and incorporating some of the country’s most exquisite architectural traditions, The Dwarika’s Hotel in Kathmandu is an authentic experience of Nepal’s ancient cultural heritage.
The hotel houses an extensive collection of art facts from the 13th century onwards, and the buildings and courtyards house some of Nepal’s best craftsmanship – capturing the beauty and spirit of an ancient city. The amalgamation of Nepal’s heritage with its longstanding tradition of hospitality makes The Dwarika’s Hotel in Kathmandu an intimate experience of a refined Nepali lifestyle. Located just a stone’s throw from the famous Pashupatinath temple and the Buddhist Stupa at Bouddhanath and yet just a few minutes away from the airport, The Dwarika’s Hotel is an ideal base from which guests can explore Nepal’s infinite charms. The spacious rooms, elegant setting and Nepali warmth make it a luxurious retreat, and an experience to treasure.
Upon arrival at Dwarika’s Hotel, guests will be offered welcome drinks and room key will be distributed.
According to flight detail of guest, we can arrange the sightseeing tour within Kathmandu Valley
Overnight at Dwarika’s Hotel
Kathmandu/ Nagarkot/ Bhaktapur/Kathmandu
Breakfast at Dwarika’s Hotel
Guests will be transferred to Nagarkot
Nagarkot is approx. 20 km from Bhaktapur, approx. 32 Km east of Kathmandu, Nagarkot is situated on top of a ridge at an altitude of 2,099 meters above see level. it overlooks the majestic peaks of the Himalayas. On a clear day it provides unforgettable experience – the magnificent view of snow-clad peaks of the Himalayas including Mt. Everest.
En-route, guests will visit Changu Narayan Temple
Changu Narayan Temple, where Newari artisans carved beautiful stone carvings to Lord Vishnu in the sixth and seventh centuries is one of the oldest temples. The stone still standing on the west side of the temple is said to be the earliest known inscription in Kathmandu Valley, recounting King Mandev’s military conquests in the fifth century.
After visiting the temple, guests will be hiking from Changu Narayan Temple to Telcot (approx. 2 hours easy walk). The walk will take guests through the villages letting them enjoy the rural lives of Tamang community. There will be coaches waiting for them at Telcot and all will be transferred to Club Himalaya Nagarkot Resort and have lunch there.
After lunch, guest will visit to the local school. The guests can enjoy the interaction with the children and school authorities. We will buy things required by the school and our guests can give it to them personally. This would give you sense of satisfaction seeing many faces with a smile!!
Group will be transferred to Bhaktapur, visit Bhaktapur Durbar Square.
Bhaktapur (UNESCO World Heritage Sites) means “the city of devotees” in Nepali language. It is also known as Bhadgaon and was founded in 889 AD by King Anand Dev. Today it covers an area of four square miles and is flanked by Khasa Khusung and Hanumante Rivers. The Durbar Square in the middle of the city portrays the prosperity of the Malla years and the details at which the crafts people then worked. The Palace of Fifty-five windows stands in the square, which was also home to many kings of Bhaktapur.
Among the other monuments in Bhaktapur are the big bell, the Golden Gate, the five-tiered temple of Nyatapola (scene of the film Little Buddha), the Bhairab Temple, and the Dattatreya Square with its woodcarving and metalwork museums. Surrounded by beautiful farming area, visitors to Bhaktapur will easily fall in love with the city.
Drive back to Dwarika’s Hotel
Overnight at Dwarika’s Hotel
Kathmandu/Pokhara flight
Early morning optional tour of Everest Flight
Flights will take off from Kathmandu in the early morning for an hour of spectacular mountain scenery. As the aircraft lifts up and heads towards the East, you will not have to wait too long to find out what’s in store – there they are; the tallest mountains in the world! Only awe-stricken silence can come close to matching the experience of going on a mountain flight to encounter the tallest mountains of this earth. These flights offer a panoramic view of the Himalayas in just one hour. Even those visitors who like the rigours of a trek still don’t miss the opportunity to “conquer” the mountains in one fell swoop.
Breakfast at Dwarika’s Hotel
Transfer to Kathmandu Domestic airport for flight to Pokhara (it will be approx 30 minutes flight)
Pokhara is one of the most picturesque spot of Nepal. The beauty of Pokhara is enhanced by its lovely lakes, which have their source in the glacial region of the Annapurna range of the Himalayas. Situated 200 KM west of Kathmandu at an altitude of 827 meter from the sea-level, for the mountain viewers Pokhara offers a magnificent view of Dhaulagiri, Machapuchre (Fishtail), five peaks of Annapurna and others. Pokhara is the only place in the world to provide such a dramatic views in a sub-tropical setting. Machapuchre, for example, is only 28 km from Phewa Lake and not a single mountain range intervenes between the two.
Check in at Temple Tree Resort & Spa
Temple Tree Resort & Spa is a boutique hotel combining western standards with the distinctive architecture and culture of Nepal’s Western Himalayas. Named after the fragrant temple tree plant frangipani found here, we offer a peaceful and relaxed atmosphere, privacy when preferred and attentive service. Nestling close by Fewa Lake in the Pokhara Valley, Temple Tree is framed by the foothills and majestic peaks of the Annapurna Mountain Range. The air here is pure and clean, and the sub-tropical climate warm and pleasant.
Boat ride at Phewa Lake and visit lakeside Market
Phewa Lake, the second largest lake in the Kingdom, is the center of all attraction in Pokhara. It is the largest and most enchanting of the three lakes that add to the resplendence of Pokhara. Here, one can sail or row a hired boat across the lake to visit the island temple in its middle. The eastern shore, popularly known as lakeside or Baidam, is the favorite home base for travellers and is where most of the hotels, restaurants and handicraft shops are located.
Lakeside-The eastern shore of Phewa Lake, popularly known as lakeside or Baidam, is the favorite home base for travellers and is where most of the hotels, restaurants and handicraft shops are located.
Transfer back to Temple Tree Resort & Spa
Overnight at Temple Tree Resort & Spa
Trek to Birethanti (Sanctuary Lodge) – 1150m About 1 ½ hours walking.
After breakfast, drive to Nayapul (Approx: 1 ½ hrs drive)
We transfer by road with guides & porters to our trek start point {1-hour}. Our walk will follow a ridgeline in the lower foothills of the Annapurnas with surrounding views of the Pokhara Valley. This route then drops to the Modi River Valley, where Ker & Downey’s Sanctuary Lodge is located.
Sanctuary Lodge, situated on a promontory overlooking the Modi River just north of the scenic village of Birethanti, the Sanctuary Lodge (a Kerr & Downey lodge at 3,600 ft) has half a mile of river frontage, dramatic views of Machapuchare – the sacred ‘Fishtail’ mountain, and beautifully landscaped gardens.
Sanctuary Lodge offers an unusually high degree of style and comfort. Hand-built by local craftsmen, the lodge accommodates just 16 guests in spacious and comfortable en suite rooms. There is also a central lounge / dining area with a library. Excursions can be made to the school at Birethanti and to watch colourful mule trains cross the suspension bridge over the Modi Khola. The nearby subtropical forests are excellent for botanical and bird watching expeditions.
Lunch is at the lodge with the afternoon free to explore the surrounding river valley.
Overnight at Sanctuary Lodge in Birethanti
Trek to Ghandruk (Himalaya Lodge) – 2,012m About 5-6 hrs walking
Breakfast at Sanctuary Lodge
After breakfast we leave the lodge and walk briefly back along the Modi river valley, before beginning the long climb to Ghandruk. The steep steps lead across fertile terraces and up into forests of rhododendron and oak. All around are the friendly people of the foothills, tilling the fields with their buffalo-drawn ploughs and sharing our path with their cattle and flocks of multi-colored goats. The trail gives splendid views across the terraces to the River Modi far below. Each village passed gives a fascinating glimpse of Nepalese life – with families using traditional tools to pound corn, weave cloth, re-thatch their roofs and build neat dry-stone walls and houses. After 3 hours, we pass through the village of Kimche and stop for a satisfying picnic lunch on a shaded terrace, at 5,100ft with a spectacular view to show the height you have gained since leaving the riverbank.
Refreshed from our lunch stop, we continue our trek to Ghandruk. There are plenty of level sections where you can look down over the terraces and villages far below as hawks swoop and soar on the air currents rising from the valley. After two more hours we reach the welcoming arch of Ghandruk and a final climb, winding through the village streets, leads up to the Himalaya Lodge.
The first thing you notice on arrival at Himalaya Lodge is the massive peaks of Annapurna South (7219m) and its neighbour Hiunchuili (6441m) towering over the valley. The lodge is built around a 19th cuntury Gurung village house perched above the ancient village of Ghandruk in the Modi Khola Valley at an altitude of 1980m (6500 ft).
The village is a major recruitment centre for Gurkha soldiers and is the hub of the Annapurna Conservation Area Project which promotes many varied ecological projects. A wander around the village reveals small shops and farm houses, tea houses and the comings and goings of local people transporting goods from one village to the next in the company of donkeys, mules and chickens.
Himalaya Lodge has 10 rooms are simple but very comfortable, with en-suite bathroom and shared veranda. The lovely staff ensures you are well looked after before leaving guests to share stories around a roaring log fire (the only heating in the lodge) after dinner. The sunrise views from here, viewed through the steam of a hot cup of tea brought to your door, must be some of the most spectacular in Nepal.
Sitting on its terrace lawn, encircled by mountains and with a refreshing glass of lemonade in your hand, you can congratulate yourself on reaching the highest part of the trek.
Overnight at Himalaya Lodge
Trek to Majgaun (Gurung Lodge) – 1,400m Walking time 5-6 hrs.
Breakfast at Himalayan Lodge
After watching the sunrise illuminate the surrounding peaks, including Annapurna South and Machhapuchare, we enjoy a leisurely breakfast on the lodge lawn. Then we retrace our footsteps out of the village and descend to reach a landslip and the remains of bridges washed away by the monsoon torrents. We trek down past terraces filled with crops and tiny villages, some with shops and restaurants inviting you to rest awhile. All around the communities hum with activity, each household busy with cooking, washing, cleaning and other everyday chores. As we walk downwards we pass groups of smiling children and a constant stream of villagers, carrying everything from firewood to soft drink bottles in traditional back baskets, attached to a headband. Buffaloes and goats graze in the surrounding fields and you may have to make way for the donkey and mule trains that convey goods to and from the Gorkha settlements. You may also meet some of the trekkers coming down from or heading up to the Sanctuary itself.
We continue descending until after about 2 or 3 hours we reach Shauli Bazaar. From here, we follow along the Modi River until reaching the cable bridge we negotiated on our first day. The field just under the bridge is an ideal spot for a picnic lunch alongside the rushing river that pours down the hillside. Then we ascend again partly on well-paved steps and partly on switch-backs, reaching the welcome sign of the Gurung Lodge after about 2 hours.
Gurung Lodge is located on the edge of the village of Majgaun, and views of the surrounding valley and mountains, especially Annapurna South and Annapurna One, are spectacular.
Gurung Lodge, built in the style of a traditional Nepalese village, the lodge has ten large ensuite rooms all housed in tribal style cottages with antique carved windows. The cottages are dotted around the grounds, therefore the whole lodge feels spacious, and each cottage has a couple of sun loungers outside.
There is also a centrally located dining room, serving delicious food, and bar with a large open fireplace.
Overnight Gurung Lodge
Trek to Dhampus (Basanta Lodge) – 933m
Breakfast at Himalayan Lodge
After early morning tea on your verandah, you’ll have the opportunity to photograph the stunning scenery of the Annapurnas from several different locations around the Lodge. We then start our trek to Dhampus, where we’ll have lunch. Our walk takes us through sub-tropical forests that include tree orchids, rhododendrons and magnolias. We also pass through the village of Potana where many Tibetan traders live and sell their souvenirs. We arrive at the Basanta Lodge for lunch. (Trek time to Dhampus is about 3 hours) From the lodge, there are sweeping views of the entire Annapurna Range. The altitude of Dhampus is 5000 ft / 1525 meters.
Basanta Lodge is set on the outskirts of Dhampus, one of the first villages on the Annapurna Circuit treks; this lodge has a large terrace which overlooks the valley back towards Pokhara. Basanta Lodge has 8 twin rooms set in a row, all of them facing the fantastic panoramic views of the Annapurna Range – the closest and most impressive being Machhapuchhare, also known as Fishtail Mountain. The lodge has a large grassy terrace where drinking lemonade and watching the sun set over the mountains is a wonderful experience, as well as a cosy dining room with a fire and small bar for the evening’s meal and drinks
Overnight Basanta Lodge
Trek from Dhampus to Phedi and drive back to Pokhara
After breakfast, we will walk to Phedi. It will take approx: 2 hrs walk. Guest will be picked up from Phedi and drive to Pokhara.
Overnight at Temple Tree Resort & Spa
Pokhara/ Kathmandu flight
Free time for own activities
Overnight at Dwarika’s Hotel Kathmandu
Depart Kathmandu
Breakfast at Dwarika’s Hotel Kathmandu
Transfer to Kathmandu International Airport for final transfers