Annapurna Extension

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Walking & Trekking

Ways to Travel :

Activity :

Trip Extensions

Activity Levels :

3 out of 7 - Moderate

Group Size :

1 - 16

Ages :

16+

Trip Code :

XIN

Discover the foothills of the Annapurna region

This short 4 day trek is a perfect introduction to trekking in Nepal. The route takes us through the foothills of the Annapurna region, one of the most spectacular of Nepal's Himalayan massifs. We will also pass through Gurung villages set amongst the steeply terraced fields with splendid mountain vistas.

This extension starts 2 days before the end of the main tour. At the end of the trek, you will then continue to Kathmandu and follow the rest of the main tour's itinerary.

Highlights

Traditional Nepalese villages
Magnificent views of Annapurna South

Key Information

6 nights / 7 days land only (Pokhara and Kathmandu included as part of your main tour)
3 nights teahouses; 3 nights hotels
Price - from £429
Compulsory single supplement from £90 (hotels only)
Compulsory single traveller supplement from £275

Countries visited: Nepal

What's Included

All breakfasts
All accommodation
All transport and listed activities
Local guide and porters on trek

What's Not Included

Single accommodation (available on request)
Visas or vaccinations
Travel insurance

4 Days of Trip Extensions

Pace:

3-5 hrs per day

Day 1

3 km / 1.9 miles

Day 2

7 km / 4.3 miles

Day 3

4 km / 2.5 miles

Day 4

8 km / 5 miles

Itinerary

We say goodbye to the rest of the group this morning as they drive to Kathmandu. We will set off with our guide and porter(s) and drive a short way (1hr) to Khare where we start our trek. From here it is pleasant gradual walk up through the forest to Australian Camp, where on a clear day we have a magnificent panorama of the Annapurna South and Machhapuchhare ‐ the sacred Fishtail Mountain. We arrive at the lodge by lunchtime and after lunch there is an optional bird watching walk.

Teahouse

Meals Included: Breakfast

The trail continues to ascend through the forest past Potana and then we climb up to Deurali, where there are a few tea shops ‐ ideal for a tea break. We then descend quite steeply through the forest to Tolka, from where we enter farmland, and the trail then undulates around a few corners to the pretty Gurung village of Landrung (1,648m). We have plenty of time to explore the village; the people who live in this area come mostly from the Gurung tribe and the houses are made from a distinctive orange mud brick. Mainly subsistence farmers' crops are grown on every inch of land and the terraces extend for miles up and down the hills.

Teahouse

Meals Included: Breakfast

Ahead are fine views of Annapurna South and Huinchuli and across the valley, we can see Ghandrung. To get there we must descend on a stone staircase to the Modi Khola River. Crossing the river by bridge we then have a long climb up through farms and hamlets to Ghandrung at 1,951m where we spend the night. Ghandrung is the largest Gurung village in the area and we have time this afternoon to explore the old part of the village, which is a maze of narrow alleyways separating the neat slate-roofed houses. From the lodge, we can watch the sunset on Annapurna South.

Teahouse

Meals Included: Breakfast

Today is an easier walk and mostly downhill. We follow the trail out of Ghandrung on a magnificent stone staircase all the way down to Birethanthi. Way below us the Modi Khola roars down the valley and above us the rocks and hills soar ever upward to the snowy peaks. We have lunch in Birethanthi and then take a local bus or taxi back to our hotel in Pokhara. We stay in a simple hotel near the lakeside.

Standard Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast

This morning we take the tourist bus to Kathmandu, and our guide will travel with us. The distance is only 200km but it is a slow climb through the mountains and the journey will take most of the day (7‐8 hours). The views, however, are stunning as we follow the Marsyangdi and Trisuli rivers, passing numerous villages and terraces stretching thousands of feet up the hillside. We arrive in Kathmandu in the late afternoon and check into our centrally located hotel.

Comfortable Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast

As Day 16 of the main tour itinerary.

Comfortable Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast

As Day 17 of the main tour itinerary

Meals Included: Breakfast

Essential Info

Visa

Nepal

Travellers from the UK, US and EU normally need a visa to enter Nepal. Visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/asia/nepal
Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/nepal
United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/nepal/entry-requirements
USA: www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Nepal.html

You can obtain your visa in advance or on entry. If possible, apply in advance as queues on arrival can be very long. Please note, the Immigration Department of Nepal has suspended visas on arrival for certain nationalities – please check if this applies to you with your nearest embassy or consulate .

When you arrive at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, there will be three lines. If you have already secured you visa, go straight to the Immigration line. If not:

Fill in a tourist visa form at the electronic kiosks. After inserting your passport, the machine will automatically fill out an application form, take an electronic photograph of you and print a paper slip. If the machine won’t read your passport, complete the details manually using the touchscreen. We recommend taking a passport photo with you just in case.
Proceed to the visa fees collection counter and pay the visa fee (in cash, if possible). Make sure to keep the receipt.
Go to the relevant immigration desk and present your tourist visa form, payment receipt and passport to obtain your 15-, 30- or 90-day visa stamp. Please check you have been given the correct visa duration.

Vaccination

Nepal

There are no required vaccinations. However, recommended vaccinations include tetanus, typhoid, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, cholera, Japanese encephalitis, rabies and tuberculosis. You will also need a yellow fever vaccination certificate if you're arriving from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission or transiting for more than 12 hours through a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. Some travellers may also need proof of a polio vaccination. Please confirm with your doctor or travel clinic.

There is little to no risk of malaria in Nepal; therefore, antimalarial tablets are not usually advised although may be considered for certain high-risk groups. You may wish to consult your doctor or travel clinic for further advice.

Additionally, dengue fever, a tropical viral disease spread by daytime biting mosquitoes, is a known risk in Nepal with an outbreak in September 2022. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis, so take extra precautions (such as wearing full-length trousers, long sleeves and applying insect repellent during the day, dawn and dusk) to prevent being bitten.

Most of our trips to Nepal go to high altitudes where there is a risk of being affected by Acute Mountain Sickness. Our itineraries are designed to enable everyone to acclimatise to these altitudes, but you should be aware that it is still possible for you to be affected. Please refer to the Altitude Warning within the Trip Notes for further advice on AMS.

Eating and Drinking

Breakfasts are included. Please allow £10‐ £15 (approx. US$15‐25) per day for other meals and drinks in Kathmandu and Pokhara and on trek. We do not include lunch and dinner on trek, allowing you to eat what you want when you want; each teahouse has an extensive menu.

Weather Charts

Kathmandu

Is this trip for you?

Activity Level: 3 (Moderate)

Most people who enjoy a weekend walking at home will enjoy a Moderate trip. You do need to be in good health and reasonably fit. This trek stays uner 2000 meters throughout so it is not a difficult trek.

This extension starts in Pokhara, 2 days before the main trip ends. This is Day 13 Land Only of the main trip, when the group travels from Pokhara to Kathmandu. At the end of the trek, you will travel to Kathmandu and will follow the rest of the main tour itinerary.

This is a moderate trek with 4 days point-to-point walking. We walk 3‐5 hours each day and stay in local mountain lodges (known as teahouses).

Please note that while we provide a tour leader for the main trip, there is no Exodus leader on the extension detailed above. We will provide you with an English speaking Nepali guide and porters to carry your luggage.

Although fairly basic the lodges have twin bedded rooms, dining room and some kind of toilet and shower facility. We do not include lunch and dinner on trek, allowing you to eat what you want when you want; each teahouse has an extensive menu.

Your guide will meet you at your hotel in Pokhara on Day 13 (Day 14 ex London) of the main trip and brief you on the trek.

Teahouses & Hotels

3 nights teahouses; 3 nights hotels. On trek we stay in local mountain lodges (known as teahouses). In Pokhara, we stay in a simple hotel near the lake. We then move into a more comfortable hotel in Kathmandu.

Please note that a single supplement is not applicable for the teahouses on the trek (available only for the 3 hotel nights)

The teahouses are basic but adequate; please be realistic about what to expect in the mountains. We ask that you read our Nepal Destination Guide for further details about the lodge facilities.

The hub of the teahouse is the dining room, usually decorated with colourful traditional rugs, sometimes with a stove or heater (some lodges charge a fee to put the heater on). All teahouses sell snacks and other essentials such as tissues, soap and toilet paper. Most lodges have electricity but it is not wholly reliable and lighting may not be bright enough to read by – a torch is essential. Electrical charging facilities are generally available only in the dining room (charged at approx. Rs150-350 per hour per device). Many lodges have Wi-Fi these days but it is generally slow and temperamental and often cannot cope with more than a couple of people logging into it at once.

The bedrooms are mostly twin-share but occasionally during peak seasons, you may be asked to share a dormitory room (3-5 people max) for the odd night. Beds with foam mattresses, bedsheets and a pillow are provided. Bedrooms are generally unheated and can get cold at night – please note we will provide you with a sleeping bag for the trek ‐ your guide will bring it to Pokhara.

Most lodges have only one or two basic toilets and sometimes these are located outside the main lodge building. Toilets are usually Asian ’squat’ style; although many lodges have now installed ‘western style’ seated ones. Toilet paper is not provided so you should bring your own or buy it locally (please dispose of it the bin provided – do not put it in the bowl). If there is not a flush handle, there should be a container of water to pour down – if it is empty (or frozen) please either refill it or ask the lodge to.

Some lodges now have gas or solar hot showers (charged at approx. Rs250-500 per shower) but don’t expect them every night. Sometimes a hot shower is simply a bucket of hot water and not a shower head.

Standards of cleanliness vary especially in the peak trekking season and in winter when the water freezes at night. Please report any problems to your leader or the lodge and be vigilant in your personal hygiene regime – use soap or hand sanitizer gel before and after toilet breaks, snacks and meal times.