Khopra Ridge Trek

It is easier on every day except one. The days are four to six hours rather than five to eight, the highest overnight stop is 3,660 m rather than 3,700 m, and there are far fewer stone steps. The exception is the Khayer Lake day, which is harder than any day on the Annapurna Base Camp trek.

No. There are no ropes, no crampons and no pass to cross. The route is on forest trails and open pasture. The only section that needs care is the traverse towards Khayer Lake when it holds snow, and in those conditions your guide will cancel that day.

Yes, it is one of the best. The altitude profile is gentle, a road is never far away, the days are short, and you reach a 3,660 m ridge facing Dhaulagiri without the crowds of the better-known routes. Treat the lake day as an optional extra rather than the main goal.

There is no upper age limit, and we have taken trekkers in their seventies onto this ridge. The minimum age is ten, with a parent, and children usually do well here because the days are short. Your walking experience matters more than your age.

Ten at most, and departures run from one person. From 11 people we add a second guide. In practice the size of the lodge on the ridge sets the limit, which is why we cap this trek lower than our Everest treks.

It takes eight to ten hours, covers about 16 km there and back with roughly 850 m of climbing, and starts before dawn. There is no lodge or shelter anywhere on the route. It is the hardest day on any of our moderate treks. Many trekkers choose to stay on the ridge instead, and they still see the best of the trek.

In October, November and April, the chances are good. In March and December they are about even, because old snow stays on the traverse long after the trail below is dry. In January and February, expect it not to go ahead. Your guide decides on the morning, and sometimes the decision at five in the morning is not to go.

About 4,500 m, although different maps give heights from 4,500 m to 4,660 m. It is the highest point on this trek, roughly 850 m above the ridge where you sleep, and the altitude makes the return walk feel longer than the walk out.

The itinerary does not change and there is no refund, because the cost is the same either way. You spend the whole day on the ridge facing Dhaulagiri, with the option of a shorter walk up towards the shepherds' pastures, and a hot lunch at the lodge while the others eat a packed lunch at 4,500 m.

The lodges at Chistibung, Khopra Danda and Swanta belong to the villages rather than to families. Households take turns running them for a few months at a time, and a large share of the profit goes to village funds for the school and the health post. The model dates from about 2014 and was promoted by Mahabir Pun.

They are simpler. There are fewer rooms and shorter menus, the solar power can run out after several cloudy days, and hot water may come in a bucket. The dining rooms are warm, the blankets are thick and the food is good. If you need a private bathroom and a wide international menu, this trek is not the right choice.

We book every night in advance, and in October this is important: there is one lodge on Khopra Danda and it fills up. We also aim to arrive there before lunch. Independent trekkers who arrive late in high season are sometimes sent back down to Chistibung.

It is possible. Acute mountain sickness can start around 2,500 m, and on this trek the most difficult night is usually at Dobato, after the biggest climb. Your guide measures and records your oxygen saturation every evening from day 4, and the route drops back to 2,975 m the next day, which resolves most symptoms.

On the ridge at Khopra Danda, expect roughly −3°C to −8°C after dark in the trekking seasons, colder in December and January, and windier than the figures suggest. Daytime temperatures on the trail are 13°C to 18°C and pleasant in the sun. The bedrooms are not heated, so you will need the sleeping bag.

You need a policy covering trekking to 5,000 m, with helicopter evacuation and repatriation. We ask to see the certificate before you leave Pokhara. A rescue here costs $2,500 to $4,000, and the helicopter will not take off without a guarantee of payment.

There is usually free wifi at Khopra Danda, and it works better than the phone signal at Dobato. Ncell and NTC cover the villages reasonably well. Buy a SIM card in Kathmandu or Pokhara, because you cannot register one on the trail.

Yes, for $2 to $3 per device in the dining room, from solar panels. After two cloudy days in a row the lodge on the ridge may have no power available. Bring a 20,000 mAh power bank, charge it in Pokhara, and keep it in your sleeping bag overnight.

At Tadapani, Swanta and Ghorepani, for $2 to $4. At Dobato and on the ridge there is a bucket of hot water when the lodge has fuel to spare, which is not every day. Plan on using wet wipes for those two nights.

Yes. Dal bhat is the best choice on every menu: it is cooked fresh and refills are free. Avoid meat above Dobato, because it has been carried up without refrigeration. Vegetarian food is easy to find, and vegan and gluten-free diets can be managed with notice, so please tell us when you book.

You need two permits. The first is the ACAP entry permit, NPR 3,000 (about $22), issued at Nepal Tourism Board counters in Kathmandu or Pokhara on behalf of the National Trust for Nature Conservation. The second is a TIMS card, NPR 2,000 (about $15), which only a registered agency can issue. Both are included in your trek price, and we arrange them before you leave the city.

Yes. Since April 2023 foreign trekkers must have a licensed guide in Nepal's conservation areas, and the TIMS card is only issued through an agency. On this route a guide is also important for navigation: above Chistibung the junctions are unmarked, and in cloud the ridge looks the same in both directions.

$150 to $250 changed into rupees, in small notes. This covers showers, charging, drinks, snacks and tips. There is no ATM after Ghandruk and no lodge on the route accepts cards, including the community lodges.

You fly or drive to Pokhara on day 2, then take a three to four hour jeep ride up to Ghandruk at 1,940 m on day 3. No mountain airstrip is used on this trek, so there is no spare day at the end and bad weather causes delays of hours rather than days.

For October, book two to three months ahead, because the single lodge on the ridge fills first. For April, six weeks ahead is usually enough. Outside the peak season a week is often enough, and if you are already in Pokhara we can usually start your trek within two days.

Yes, and most people do. You can add a second night on the ridge so the lake day has a spare morning, finish down the Kali Gandaki to the hot springs at Tatopani instead of over Poon Hill, shorten the trek to nine days from Pokhara, or continue west to Mohare Danda. From five people, a private trek costs the same as joining a group.

Treat Khayer Lake as an optional extra rather than the goal. Trekkers who feel the trek only counts if they reach the lake are the ones who continue in poor snow conditions. The ridge at sunrise is the main reason to do this trek.