Detail Itinerary
Day 01: Pokhara - Lumle - Tikhe Dhunga ( 1491m)
We drive to the large village of Lumle and the hamlet of Chandrakot. From here the trail descends steeply to Birethanti on the banks of the Modi Khola. We follow the east bank of the Bhurungi with some detours to avoid cliffs. Along the way, various hamlets offer ample camping possibilities but if Ghorepani is the objective for the next day it is better to push on to Tikhe Dhunga.
Day 02: Tikhe Dhunga - Ghorepani (2,774m)
The trail ascends a steep stone staircase to Ulleri village then more pleasantly through rhododendron forest. There is a hut with water and a small camp site about 1 hr. above Ulleri, and further, on the stream is followed, providing water for a meal stop. Arrive at the top of the Ghorepani pass and Camp there.
Day 03: Ghorepani to Tatopani (1,190m). 5 hours
Early in the morning, hike up to Poon Hill (3,100m) for more panoramic views of the mountains and out to the Ganges plain before thermals bring the steamy clouds up from the jungle below. Back down to your hotel for breakfast and then begin the long descent down to Tatopani which lies between two 8000 metre peaks, Annapurna I (8091m) and Dhaulagiri I (8167m). It is situated at the bottom of the Kali Gandaki gorge which is considered to be the deepest in the world using the two peaks on either side as reference points. Tatopani, which aptly means 'hot water'. The hot springs that give the village its name provide the perfect opportunity for a good scrub and relaxing tired muscles. The food and hospitality is amazing.
Day 04: Tatopani to Ghasa (2,120m). About 5hours
As the canyon narrows the trail is forced high up the cliff, at one point passing through a tunnel carved into the rock. The trek passes by a most beautiful Rukse Chhahara (waterfall) before reaching Ghasa, the first Tibetan- style village of the upper Kali Gandaki where the stone houses are characterized by the flat roof and narrow covered always.
Day 05: Ghasa to Tukuche (8900ft.) 5 hours walk
The Kaligandaki now opens up into a wide gravel bed as the trail travels through coniferous forests past Kalopani to Tukche. During the day, there are good views of the Dhaulagiri Icefalls to the west. On a hill above Larjung an interesting Gompa with many old painting. Over night at Tukche.
Day 06: Tukuche to Jomsom (2,760m) 6 hours walk
After break fast in the morning, the trek trail is now through several typical Thakali village such as Marpha, a lovely village of whitewashed houses and fertile fields, famous for its apple brandy and jam. This large Thakali village exhibits the typical Thak Khola architecture of flat roofs and narrow paved alleys and passageways. It is quite wonderful to wander its streets and shops â?? entirely different from towns in the West and still without automobiles. After this a gentle walk takes us to beautiful city area called Jomsom, the administrative headquarters for the region, straddling both sides of the Kali Gandaki. Convection winds grow stronger in the afternoon and exhilaratingly, we walk with the wind assisting us northward. The major inhabitants of Jomsom are government officials, army and merchants engaged in distribution of the goods brought in by plane and pony caravans.
Day 07: Jomsom to Kagbeni (2,840m)
After breakfast in the morning, our trek begins by 8:30 a.m. crossing the Kali Gandaki river by bridge then trek about three hours to reach Eaklibatti village; another hour brings us to Kagbeni which is lies at the bank of two rivers: Kali Gandaki (flows from Muktinath) and Nilgiri (flows from Mt. Nilgiri). There are good current of wind that blows 10 A.M. to 5 P.M. through the trail. This village is picturesque with old fortress ruins, 'desert badland' landscapes and villagers going about their peaceful lives.
Day 08: Kagbeni to Muktinath (3,817m) 4 hours walk
After taking breakfast, the trail rises up out of the valley to a high desert bench overlooking the river below. We walk onwards to Muktinath â?? an important pilgrimage destination for Hinduism and Buddhism with a Gompa and Pagoda style temples. The most interesting importance of the area however is the spot with burning natural gas.
Day 09: Muktinath to Jomsom (2,760m) 5 hours walk.
The trail descent to the valley for over 1525m. below as we retrace our steps to Jomsom through the beautiful arid landscapes. The new perspectives upon the mountains and ease of descending makes this a great final day of trekking.
Day 10: Jomsom to Pokhara by flight.
Take breakfast early in the morning, then short walk to airport and fly back to Pokhara.
Note: You can do the itinerary in reverse order.
Trip Facts
Country: Nepal
Area: Everest Trekking
Activities: Trekking and sightseeing
Accommodation: Lodge
Starting and ending points: Lukla / Lukla
Maximum altitude: 5545 meters
Duration of the trip: 16 Days
Grade: Streneous
Group size: 1 - 12 packs
Best season: October - December and March - May
Notes To Be Remenbered
Entry Procedures & Visa Rules
a. Tourist Visa
Visa Facility Duration Fee
Multiple entry 15 days US$ 25 or equivalent convertible currency
Multiple entry 30 days US$ 40 or equivalent convertible currency
Multiple entry 90 days US$ 100 or equivalent convertible currency
b. Gratis (Free) Visa
• Gratis visa for 30 days is available only for nationals of SAARC countries. However, for extension of visa for SAARC nationals, the rule is same as that of other nationals.
• Indian nationals do not require visa to enter into Nepal but Need to carry Passports to travel by Air.
For Visa Extension:
Tourists can stay for a maximum of 150 days in a visa year (Jan 1 to Dec 31) extending the visa at the rate of 2 US $ per day. However, a minimum amount of 25 US$ has to be paid for a period of 15 days or less.
(For further information, please, contact Department of Immigration, Kalikasthan , Kathmandu, Tel: 00977-1-4221996/ 4223590/ 4222453, Web: www.immi.gov.np )
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Custom Formalities
Customs:
All baggage must be declared and cleared through the customs on arrival at the entry point. Personal effects are permitted free entry. Passengers arriving at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) without any dutiable goods can proceed through the Green Channel for quick clearance without a baggage check. If you are carrying dutiable articles, you have to pass through the Red Channel for detailed customs clearance.
Import:
Apart from used personal belongings, visitors are allowed to bring to Nepal free of duty: cigarettes (200 sticks) or cigars (50 sticks), distilled liquor (one 1.15 liter bottle), and film (15 rolls). You can also bring in the following articles free of duty on condition that you take them out with you when you leave: binoculars, movie or video camera, still camera, laptop computer, and portable music system.
Export:
The export of antiques requires special certification from the Department of Archeology, National Archive Building, Ram Shah Path, Kathmandu. It is illegal to export objects over 100 years old, such as sacred images, paintings, manuscripts that are valued for culture and religious reasons. Visitors are advised not to purchase such items as they are Nepal's cultural heritage and belong here.
For more information on customs matters, contact the Chief Customs Administrator, TIA Customs Office (Phone: 4470110, 4472266).
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Foreign Currency and Credit Cards
Payment in hotels, travel agencies, and airlines are made in foreign exchange. Credit cards like American Express, Master and Visa are widely accepted at major hotels, shops, and restaurants. Remember to keep your Foreign Exchange Encashment Receipt while making foreign exchange payments or transferring foreign currency into Nepalese rupees. The receipts may be needed to change left-over Nepalese Rupees into hard currency before leaving the country. However, only 10 percent of the total amount may be converted by the bank. ATM is widely in use in Kathmandu.
Major banks, hotels and exchange counters at Tribhuvan International Airport provide services for exchanging foreign currency.
Exchange rates are published in English dailies such as The Rising Nepal, The Kathmandu Post and The Himalayan Times. Nepalese Rupees are found in denominations of Rupees 1000, 500, 100, 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1. Coins are found in denominations of Rupees 5, 2 and 1. One rupee equals 100 paisa.
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Time and Business Hours
Nepal is five hours 45 minutes ahead of GMT.
Business hours within the Valley: Government offices are open from 10 am to 5 p.m. from Sunday through Thursday and close at 3pm on Friday in the Kathmandu Valley. During the winter, they close at 4 pm. Most Business offices are open from 10 am to 5 p.m. Sunday through Friday. Embassies and international organizations are open from 9 am to 5 pm Monday through Friday. Most shops open after 10 am and close at about 8 pm and are usually closed on Saturdays.
Business hours outside the Valley: Government offices outside Kathmandu valley open from 10 am to 5 p.m. from Sunday through Thursday. On Fridays they remain open until 3 pm. Banks are open from Sunday through Thursday from 10 am to 3 pm. On Fridays, banks remain open until 12 pm only. Business offices are open from 10 am to 5 pm Sunday through Friday. Recently many private banks have re-organized to have different branches open at various different times making banking hours longer. If one branch is closed another will be open.
Holidays: Nepal observes numerous holidays, at the least a couple in a month. So please check the holiday calendar. The longest holiday in Nepal is during the Dashain festival in late September or October. Government offices observe all the national holidays and banks observe most of them. Businesses observe major holidays only.
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Communication Facilities
Postal Services: The Central Post Office located near Dharahara Tower, is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday through Friday. The counters are open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and provide stamps, postcards and aerograms. Post Restante is available Sunday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Express Mail Service (EMS) is available at GPO and at Thamel, Basantapur and airport postal counters.
Telephone Services: Telephone and fax services are available at the Nepal Telecommunications Corporation at Tripureshwar. Hotels and private communications centers provide long distance telephone and fax facilities. For calling from outside, country code for Nepal is 977 and the area code for Kathmandu is 1.
Internet Services: There are countless Internet cafes and communication centers have opened up in the Valley and around the country. Visitors only have to find a place they are most comfortable in to use the facilities to keep in touch with home. Internet services are also offered by hotels.
Media: Nepali media has made a gigantic leap ahead in just a few years time and what used to be a controlled and tight knit community, is no more. The government audio and television news networks are Radio Nepal and Nepal Television respectively. However, numerous FM radio stations and regional television stations are dominating the market. Major Nepali daily newspapers are Gorkhapatra and Kantipur, while the English dailies are The Rising Nepal, The Kathmandu Post and The Himalayan Times. A number of other newspapers and magazines are also available.
Electricity: Major towns have electricity and the voltage available is 220-volts and 50 cycles. Load shedding is a seasonal phenomenon during the dry season and eases off once it begins to rain. However, most major hotels have uninterrupted power supply through their own generators.