The Khopra Danda trek (also known as the Khopra Ridge trek) is a great alternative to the more popular (and more crowded) Ghorepani trek, taking you higher still to another great viewpoint of the Annapurnas.

Highlights

  • Enjoy an amazing sunrise over Dhaulagiri and the Annapurnas
  • Stay at a teahouse with one of Nepal's best panoramic views
  • Descend through pastoral villages to Tatopani
  • Hike to sacred Khayer Lake at the foot of Annapurna South

Planning Your Trek

Fast facts
Duration 5-7 days
Max. elevation 3640m (Khopra ridge) / 4660m (Kayer Lake)
Start/finish Tirkhedhunga/Tatopani
Difficulty Moderate
Trek-style Teahouse

If you're looking for the perfect week-long trek, a little off-the-beaten-path and with great views, this trek is a great choice. It combines the best of what Nepal has to offer: amazing mountain views, pastoral villages, and rice fields layered on top of each other, descending down into the valley. The best part is that so few people know about it.

The route follows a local trail that takes you down into the valley north of Ghorepani, before climbing up another ridge, known as "Khopra Ridge". Without a doubt, one of the best short treks in Nepal.

To make this trek even more memorable, consider camping high above Khopra for one night. Read about this experience here.

To organize your trek to Khopra Danda, get in touch with one of our local specialists in Nepal who can get everything organized for you. You'll have an experienced licensed guide, a well thought through itinerary, and the flexibility during the trek to move at your own pace. Connect with a local specialist

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Brief Itinerary

Day Destination Altitude Trekking Time
Day 1 Arrival in Kathmandu 1400m -
Day 2 Flight to Pokhara, trek to Tirkhedhunga 1488m 2 hours
Day 3 Trek to Tirkhedhunga 1488m 2 hours
Day 4 Trek from Tirkhedhunga to Ghorepani 2875m 4-5 hours
Day 5 Trek from Ghorepani to Upper Chistibung 3000m 5-6 hours
Day 6 Trek from Upper Chistibung to Khopra Danda 3640m 3 hours
Day 7 Rest day in Khopra Danda, Day-trip to Khayer Lake (4660m) 3640m 7-8 hours
Day 8 Trek from Khopra Danda to Tatopani 1250m 4-5 hours
Day 9 Drive from Tatopani to Pokhara 815m 4 hours (private jeep)
Day 10 Morning flight to Kathmandu 1400m -
Day 11 Departure    

Route Description

The route follows the same trail to Ghorepani, but then dips down into the valley before climbing back up again to a ridge (Khopra Danda) north of Poon Hill. This takes about a day unless you want to break it up into two days and stay at a teahouse in the village Swanta. Atop the ridge, you'll find a single teahouse run by a caretaker that comes up each day from the villages below.

During this trek with my brother, we brought a tent and camped on a small outcrop just up the ridge from the teahouse. The views were superb, both at sunset and sunrise, when the valley filled with clouds below us with Dhaulagiri towering clear above. In the evenings, local yak herds are brought to overnight and graze on the slopes just below us.

Khopra Danda
Atop Khopra ridge
En route to Khayer Lake
En route to Khayer Lake
Nilgiri South
View of Nilgiri South
Yaks
Yaks returning to pasture
The above photos were taken by Alex Buri

From Khopra Danda, it takes a day to reach Tatopani where you can catch a bus back to Pokhara (you'll have to switch in a nearby town on the way). As you descend back down into the valley, you'll pass through villages and terraces and can stop for lunch or even spend an extra night in one of the village teahouses. At Tatopani, you'll find a built-up hot spring open to the public.

En route to Tatopani
En route to Tatopani
Camped above Khopra
Camped above Khopra
farm fields
Layered crop terraces
stone steps
Stone steps to Khayer Lake

Request a Custom Itinerary

Have one of our local specialists in Nepal put together a custom itinerary that's unique to your interests and time frame. To start organizing a custom tour, click here to get started.

Map

Map of Khopra Danda Trek: Best Way to Organize this 5-8 Day Trek in Nepal
Map of Khopra Danda Trek: Best Way to Organize this 5-8 Day Trek in Nepal