Standing on the shoulders of giants in the Himalayas

Beginning in Pokhara our trekking route is a journey to the sacred lakes and to the enclaves of the towering mountains of central Nepal dominated by the mountains of Annapurna and Dhaulagiri. 

Leaving the sub-tropical Pokhara Valley, we walk by rice paddies and up into the middle foothills where ingeniously terraced fields are tended by Gurung and Magar people. We follow the Damphus ridge, which offers fine views of the Annapurnas, to the large Gurung village of Ghandrung and then continue up to ever higher villages and ridges for great views. Thrusting upward from the valley is Dhaulagiri, one of the world's most awe-inspiring massifs.

The grandeur of the Nepalese Himalaya is hard to imagine until you actually stand and stare at this impressive chain of snow-capped mountains stretching into the distance; even then it is difficult to comprehend the true scale of the mighty 8000m peaks. It is only when you start to trek and try to get close to them that you realise the head of a valley is a week's walk away or sometimes more. After all your efforts you are standing in the shadows of the mighty rock walls gazing up towards the lofty peaks still 12000ft or more above you!

Trekking is not just about the mountains, you are following the ancient trails that link the remote village communities bringing you into close contact with the rural way of life, in some ways little changed for centuries. Walking through these villages is important both for local income generation and for giving villages a glimpse of the outside world. 

This is where ‘Sherpa Expeditions’ started in 1973, we are named after the Nepalese Sherpa guides, who are proud in the way that they look after their guests and lead with professionalism and a generous helping of good humour, as they have done for so many years. Cooks and porters are an essential part of the team working away in the background to ensure that you are comfortable and well fed throughout the trek.

A typical trekking day begins at 6am with an early morning mug of tea served through the tent flap in camp. After a hot breakfast, during which the camp will be struck and the porters set off, we begin our walking in the pleasant cool of the morning. Lunch is around 11am. This midday break usually lasts about an hour. After walking for three or four hours in the afternoon, we will pitch camp at around 4pm. You will have time to relax before the day is rounded off with a hot three-course meal. 

Accommodation and Itinerary

15 nights/16 days - Day 1 Arrive Kathmandu for 2 nights in a 5* hotel. 2 Morning guided sightseeing in Kathmandu, afternoon free. 3 Drive west to Pokhara (915m) by bus (7 hrs) and overnight in a hotel. 
4 -14 Drive to Pedhi. Commence trekking along less frequented areas, via quaint villages. Visit the Conservation Area project at the thriving village of Ghandrung. You then ascend to the small settlement of Tadapani, the last village until Chitre on day 12, and enter a world of rhododendron and magnolia trees. Rising above the tree line we ascend the old hunter's trail along the Kopra Ridge. Everywhere you turn glistening, icy mountains over 7000 metres soar into the blue skies, with hauntingly beautiful views of Dhaulagiri (8167m) and the Annapurnas (up to 8091m) separated by the Kali Gandaki Gorge, the deepest river gorge on earth. As we complete our walk we make a special stop at Poon Hill (3232m) for a last spectacular look at the natural beauty of the mountains, before making our way back down for a night in Pokhara. 15 Fly back to Kathmandu and your 5* hotel. 
16 Depart Kathmandu.

Sherpa Notes

Max Altitude
4725m. 

Accommodation and Meals
5* hotel in Kathmandu for 3 nights on a bed & breakfast basis, 1 welcome dinner on night 2 is included. 2 nights in a 3* hotel in Pokhara, dinner, bed & breakfast. Camping and all meals while on trek. All group camping, cooking, eating equipment while on trek.

Travel
Using the scheduled services of Qatar Airlines or Gulfair, London to Kathmandu flights can be booked through Sherpa, prices depend upon travel dates. Transfers between airport and hotel are included, as is a bus transfer to the start of the trek and a flight back to Katmandu at the end of the tour. 

Sherpa Expeditions, 131a Heston Road, Hounslow TW5 0RF, UK Tel: +44 (0)20 8577 2717 Fax: +44 (0)20 8572 9788
sales@sherpa-walking-holidays.co.uk
home | inn-to-inn walks | escorted tours | cycle tours | walkers britain | himalayas | tailor-made expeditions