Annapurna Three View Points Trek (Muldai View, Khopra Danda, and Poon Hill) - 11 days

After landing at Tribhuvan International Airport, you can complete the immigration process and walk out to the terminal building. You will find our guide waiting for you, holding a signboard with Third Rock Adventures and your name written on it. After welcoming you, he will take you to your hotel by car and help you check in. Enjoy a welcome drink at the hotel's lounge while filling out the check-in form. Later you can check in your room and rest.

Your trekking guide will be with you later today to give you an update on the trail and journey ahead. Review your trekking packing list with the guide. If you need any gear or equipment, you can either hire or buy it from a shop in Thamel. Thamel has several trekking gear shops and rental outlets from where you can purchase and rent high-quality gear for a reasonable price. You can also purchase snacks and get some local currency, which you will be needing during the trek. Card payment is not accepted on the trail, and whatever you purchase has to be paid for in local currency. Make sure you complete the packing before retiring, as you will be leaving early tomorrow. 

Overnight in Kathmandu.

Following breakfast, you will drive with your guide to the domestic airport where you will board an early flight bound for Pokhara. The flight is short and hardly lasts for half an hour; however, you can enjoy amazing views of the mountains during the flight. 

Once you reach Pokhara Airport, you will head towards the main city and board a jeep or a bus heading for Kimche, the trailhead of your trek. The drive to Kimche takes you past scenic countryside dotted with terraced paddy fields, rivers, waterfalls, traditional farms, hillside villages, and small, lively towns. If the sky is clear, you can enjoy fantastic views of the Fishtail Peak, Annapurna South, and Hiunchuli. 

For the most part, you will be riding on an asphalt road, and the ride is comfortable and smooth. However, as you get closer to Ghandruk, the condition of the road deteriorates, and you may encounter some bumpy patches and landslide-prone areas. At Birethanti there's a checkpoint where your trekking permit will be checked. After driving on a winding mountain road, you will finally arrive at Kimche, the trailhead of your trek. You can get out of the vehicle and follow your guide to Ghandruk.

The trail takes you past a dirt jeep track, and then you will climb a stone staircase all the way to the village. The village of Ghandruk sits on the slope of a hill overlooking the Annapurna mountains. This village is a Gurung cultural heritage site and is one of the largest and oldest villages in the Annapurna trekking region. Ghandruk has ancient traditional houses made of stone, mud, and wood as well as modern concrete buildings. A network of narrow stone paths and alleyways connects the village's houses. 

On reaching Ghandruk, head to a teahouse or lodge where your accommodation has been booked and enjoy a good rest. 

Overnight in Ghandruk.

Since today’s trek is short, you will make a leisurely start in the morning after breakfast. Leaving the teahouse, you will exit the village by climbing a series of stone steps. As you make your way out of the village, you can observe the villagers starting their day. After leaving the village, a dirt road will lead you to a steep stone staircase. You can enjoy scenic views of terraced fields and other Gurung villages en route. The stone staircase glides past a pretty tea garden. After crossing the tea garden, you will come across a lush jungle filled with moss-covered trees.

The trail is flat and even with few uphill ascents. After an easy walk you will finally reach today’s stopover point, Tadapani. Tadapani is another Gurung village set in a picturesque location. It lies in the middle of one of the largest rhododendron forests in the world, which explodes into a riot of pink and red rhododendron blooms during the spring season. Mesmerizing views of Fishtail Peak, or Machhapuchhre, Annapurna South, and Hiunchuli can be enjoyed from the village.

Overnight in Tadapani.

Leaving Tadapani, you will make your way towards Dobato. The route to Dobato takes you across a dense forest filled with mossy paths and moss-covered trees. The trail is a mix of up and down and gentle flat. After being on the trail for a couple of hours, you will reach Meshar, where you can stop for refreshment. Later continue your journey and keep a steady pace. A steep climb will bring you to the village of Isharu, where you can have lunch. If the weather is clear, you can enjoy grandiose views of Annapurna II, Annapurna IV, and Gangapurna.

The next hour or two until Dobato will have a mixture of steep ascents and descents. As you approach Dobato, the treeline disappears and short tufts of grass cover the ground. A steep climb leads to the isolated hamlet of Dobato, which has only a few teahouses. 

Walk to a teahouse and take a well-deserved rest. 

Overnight in Dobato.

Wake up early, while it’s still dark, and hike towards the Muldai View Point, which lies above Dobato. A long stone staircase leads you to the top of Mulde Peak, from where you can enjoy stunning 360-degree views of more than 22 Himalayan mountains. The snow-capped spires of Dhaulagiri (the seventh highest mountain in the world), Annapurna South, Baraha Shikhar or Annapurna Fang, Hiunchuli, Gurja Himal, Machhapuchhre, and Tukuche Peak surround the viewpoint. You will cherish this stunning sight for a lifetime.

Muldai Viewpoint is one of the most underrated viewpoints in the Annapurna Region. Trekkers who have been there love it, as it’s less crowded and the views are fantastic. Once you're finished enjoying the mountains and taking pictures, you will hike down to Dobato, have breakfast, and then continue on the Khopra Trail to Chistibung or Dhan Kharka.

The trail proceeds to the western side of the Annapurnas, and you will traverse small ridges to reach the settlement. The trail narrows down and winds past steep slopes of ridges with a sheer exposed drop. Be vigilant about your footing as you move forward. As you continue further, you will lose sight of Machhapuchre, or Fishtail Peak, and the Dhaulagiri Range will dominate the horizon. While walking on the Khopra trail, take in the stunning views of green hills and mountains. After an easy hour of trekking, you will reach the beautiful pasture of Bayeli, which lies close to a verdant rhododendron forest where you can stop for lunch.

The teahouses here are limited. You can choose one to grab lunch and take a break for a while. After leaving Bayeli Kharka, you will descend approximately 600 meters through a lush forest, and then come across a stream that you will have to cross. Later make a steep ascent to Chistibung, After trekking for about 2 or 3 hours, you will finally reach Chistibung or Dhan Kharka.

The Magar villagers run a community-run lodge in Chistibung, where you can stay overnight. The profit collected from this community lodge goes to fund the welfare schemes run at their villages.

Overnight in Chistubung.

The hike today is only a short one, so why not start with a leisurely breakfast? Then, later, you can take the trail and climb steeply to the Khopra Danda. The trail passes through tall trees of rhododendron and grassy grazing pastures. Right in front of the trail, a long line of black rocky hills in a crescent shape covers the horizon. As you go higher, you will come across the ruins of a sheep herder's camp, which used to be the site of a community game called 'thelo,' played by the local buffalo and sheep herders in the bygone days.

The game involved competitors throwing a heavy stone, and the winner was the one who threw it the furthest. The prize included lumps of butter collected from each herder’s hut. 

The trail gradually climbs a winding stone staircase shaded by rhododendron shrubs. After a short while the trees disappear and tufts of grass cover the hills. Those who suffer from vertigo might find this section of the trail a bit scary, as the narrow trail is carved on a steep hill with an exposed and sheer drop. However, the breathtaking views of the snow-capped mountains and the far-off hills and villages will surely keep you motivated to move ahead. A series of stone steps carved on the side of a hill brings you to your destination, Khopra Danda, or Khopra Ridge. 

Sitting on a long ridgeline, Khopra Ridge is one of the few places from where you can get the entire view of Dhaulagiri Himal, the seventh highest mountain in the world, from its base to the summit. Upon getting to Khopra Danda, you can check in at the community-operated teahouse, which is the sole teahouse on the ridge. The teahouse offers wifi and electricity, modern amenities that you can enjoy at this remote place, all thanks to the efforts of Dr. Mahabir Pun, a Nepali scientist and innovator who belongs to this region. He played a crucial role in opening this route for commercial tourism in 2014.

In the past, Khopra Danda served as the summer camp of Magar cattle herders. A large buffalo shelter used to be at the place where the community lodge now stands. One can still see the ruins of the buffalo shelter and the large stones that the cattle herders used to play ‘thelo,’ a game (like shotput) that offered them the only form of entertainment in this remote and isolated ridge. This was the last summer camp for villagers, and they used to keep their buffalo here from spring to late autumn and used to migrate to their own villages in the lower reaches as winter approached.

Upon reaching Khopra, you can have lunch at the teahouse and then marvel at the beauty of the landscape. Just a few steps above the teahouse is a viewpoint from where you can enjoy enticing views of Dhaulagiri and other snow-capped mountains. 

Overnight in Khopra Danda.

This morning, you will wake up early to take in the breathtaking sunrise view from Khopra Ridge. You can take advantage of the open porch of the teahouse to enjoy the view. Close-up views of Annapurna South, Baraha Shikhar or Annapurna Fang, Nilgiri Himal, Tukuche Peak, the entire Dhaulagiri Himal, and Gurja Himal can be enjoyed from the viewpoint.

After enjoying the sunrise view, you will have your breakfast and bid goodbye to the locals running the community lodge. The downward trek from Khopra to Chistibung is steep and can be hard on your knees and ankles. Be careful and watch your footing as you traverse the narrow trail carved on the steep hillside. Leaving Chistibung, you will come to an intersection where one route leads to Bayeli while another takes you to Swanta Village. The path that goes down to Swanta is the one you will take. You will slowly make your descent to Swanta Village, a beautiful Magar village situated on a sloping plateau.

The trail to Swanta is surrounded by a dense and pristine forest that has no settlements in between, making it untouched and pristine. The tall oak and rhododendron trees offer ample shade from the sun (if it’s sunny). However, the trail can be slippery and muddy if it rains or snows. So be careful. Before being introduced to tourists, this route was only utilized by cattle herders and villagers. Even now there is minimal traffic along the route, making it possible for you to enjoy your walk in peace.  

Along the way you will come across a lone café or teahouse named ‘Evergreen Cottage,’ where you can stop for refreshments. Your journey will continue after you fuel up your body with food and take a short break. Swanta is only a few miles away from this location and you won’t have to walk for long. Right on the outskirts of the village is a beautiful waterfall and river known as Dhaske Khare Khola. The water from this river is used to power the Dhaske Khare mini hydropower plant, which was built by Dr. Mahabir Poon. The electricity generated from this mini hydropower station lights up the teahouses along this route, including the one at Khopra Danda. 

After a short descent past a lush forest, you will finally reach the village of Swanta. A traditional Magar village, Swanta lies on a wide plateau surrounded on both sides by towering hills. This beautiful village is dotted with terraced paddy fields and traditional houses. You can spot some old stone houses built in the traditional ‘round’ style. One of the most developed villages along this route, the villagers of Swanta run a community cheese factory, homestays, and lodges.

The profits from these establishments are shared by all the villagers and are used to fund their community welfare schemes. One can say Swanta Village is a model village where one can experience the villagers working for the good of the community. 

On reaching Swanta, you can head to a community-run lodge or homestay and enjoy a well-deserved rest. You can explore the village and the cheese factory if you still have the energy to stroll around. 

Overnight in Swanta.

Today you will leave Swanta village and head towards another popular destination on this trail, Ghorepani Poon Hill. The Ghorepani Poon Hill trek is one of the most popular short treks in the Annapurna Region as well as Nepal. This trail is famous for the beauty of the rhododendron forest and the panoramic mountain views. Trekkers usually walk to this place to enjoy a spectacular Himalayan sunrise from Poon Hill, which lies at an elevation of 3240 meters. The Ghorepani route was also part of an old Tibet trade route and was used by traders and pilgrims for centuries before the Chinese occupation of Tibet. 

After a hearty breakfast at the teahouse or homestay, you will say goodbye to Swanta and the hospitable villagers and head down to a river valley. There are well-built stone staircases that are easy to navigate. After crossing the Ghar Khola (river) via a suspension bridge, you will walk past a lush forest and make a steep ascent. Along the way you will hike past traditional farms, terraced fields, and quaint village houses. As you approach Ghorepani, the trail gets covered by a lush rhododendron forest.

Enjoy the forest walk to the sound of chirping birds and hoots of the gray langurs. After a tiring ascent, you will finally reach Ghorepani, your stop for the night. Guesthouses and lodges cover the slope of this tiny settlement, and you will head to a comfortable lodge where your stay has been booked. 

Overnight in Ghorepani.

Wake up before dawn breaks and get dressed to head to Poon Hill to witness one of the epic Himalayan sunrises in Nepal. Poon Hill stands behind the settlement of Ghorepani and can be reached by ascending a long concrete staircase. It’s a tiring hike to the top and can take around an hour or more depending on your pace. If you are feeling breathless, you can stop at intervals to catch your breath. There’s a small viewing deck at the midway point from where you can enjoy a view of the snow-covered Himalayan mountains. The whole hillside is filled with rhododendron trees that were planted by the villagers years ago.

Poon Hill used to be a grazing ground for livestock before Tek Bahadur Poon, a retired army man, realized the potential of this viewpoint and worked tirelessly to make it a popular tourist spot.

Once you reach the top, you can savor a panoramic sunrise while sipping a hot cup of tea or coffee. You can see the summits of eighteen peaks from here, including Machhapuchhre or Fishtail Peak, Dhaulagiri, Hiunchuli, Annapurna South, Nilgiri Himal, Tukuche Peak, Dhampus Peak, Baraha Shikhar, Tukuche Peak, Gangapurna, and Annapurna I, II, and III from the top. After enjoying the view and taking pictures, you will descend to Ghorepani. Have your breakfast and start your trek. 

Your destination is Hile, and today is the final day of your trek. The trek can be considered easy due to the fact that you will be hiking down into a lush forest full of rhododendron and oak. There are hardly any difficult ascents on the way.  En route you will stop for rest and refreshment at the small settlements of Nangethanti and Banthanti. There are small river crossings, streams, and waterfalls, and you will encounter some wildlife as you head down. Sightings of colorful birds, butterflies, and gray-faced langurs will make the last day of your Annapurna Three View Points Trek (Muldai View, Khopra Danda, and Poonhill) memorable. 

Once you leave the river, you will make a steep ascent to a dirt track. Follow this track, and you will soon reach the jeep station of Banthanti. You will continue your journey and walk down a staircase and reach Ulleri, a Magar village and another popular stop on the Ghorepani Poon Hill trekking trail. From Ulleri, it’s a long descent to Hile via a stone staircase with crossings over metal bridges. On reaching Hile, you will board a bus or a jeep and drive back to Pokhara. Enjoy the beautiful mountain landscape and terraced fields as you head back to the city. 

On reaching Pokhara, your guide will take you to your hotel, where you can enjoy a nice shower and good food. If you still have some energy, you can relish a pleasant evening stroll by the Phewa Lakeside.  

Overnight in Pokhara. 

Today you will leave Pokhara and head to Kathmandu. If you have ample time before your flight, you can take time out to enjoy a half-day city tour (this is not included in the package and has to be booked with extra charges). You can also stroll around Phewa Lake or Lakeside, a popular tourist hub in Pokhara, and shop for souvenirs. On reaching Kathmandu, you can check into your hotel and spend the rest of the day as you wish. You can explore Thamel and shop for souvenirs or take a rickshaw ride or walk around Ason Bazaar.  

Overnight in Kathmandu. 

Your Annapurna Three View Points Trek (Muldai View, Khopra Danda, and Poon Hill) ends here. It's finally time to bid goodbye to Nepal and the people you have befriended on this trip. Our driver will pick you up from your hotel and drop you off at the international airport at least three hours before your flight departs. Let us know if you wish to extend your vacation and explore more destinations in Nepal. Third Rock Adventures also runs trips in Bhutan and Tibet, and if you are interested, our travel consultant will be more than happy to assist you in planning another memorable adventure.