Khopra Danda Trek Guide: Day by Day, Cost, Difficulty and Who It Suits

Last updated 11 October 2026.

Short answer: The Khopra Danda trek is a 9-day walk in the Annapurna foothills that sleeps no higher than the Khopra ridge at 3,660 m, with an optional day to Khayer Lake at about 4,660 m, and it finishes with Poon Hill at sunrise. It is moderate, and it is far quieter than Annapurna Base Camp. Our Khopra Danda Trek, 9 days costs USD 749 (Budget), USD 1,449 (Standard) or USD 2,249 (Luxury) per person for 1 to 4 people, with the Annapurna Conservation Area permit and the TIMS card included. The best months are October to November and March to April.

I like this trek for a particular kind of traveller: someone who wants the big Annapurna and Dhaulagiri skyline but does not want to queue for a bed. Khopra gives you that, and it asks for a little more effort and a lot more comfort with simple lodges. This page walks you through it day by day, so you can decide if it is yours.

Khopra Danda trek at a glance

What is the Khopra Danda trek like, day by day?

The first two days are the easy way in. On day 3 you leave the crowds: the Annapurna Base Camp trail goes right at Tadapani and we go left, up a long forested ridge to Dobato, a handful of lodges at the tree line. If the evening is clear, the ridge behind the lodge looks straight at Dhaulagiri. Day 4 starts before breakfast with the walk up to the Muldai viewpoint for sunrise over Annapurna South, Hiunchuli and Machhapuchhre, and then you cross to the Khopra ridge. The lodge there is run by the village committee, the rooms are simple and the view across the Kali Gandaki to Dhaulagiri is the reason people come. Read my guide to Tadapani for the first night and my Khopra Danda village guide for the ridge itself.

Is the Khayer Lake day worth it?

For most people, yes, and you do not have to do it. It is the big day: you leave early with a packed lunch, follow the ridge north on open ground, and climb to a small holy lake in a bowl under the mountain, with a shrine to Khayer Barahi. Local pilgrims come in August for the festival. It is 13 km there and back, seven to eight hours, and the highest you reach is about 4,660 m. If the weather is closing in, or anyone struggles with the height, we turn around. The guide decides, and his word is final. Because you spend two nights on the ridge, the lake is a day walk from a 3,660 m bed and not a push from lower down, which is the sensible way to do it.

How hard is Khopra Danda?

It is moderate, but moderate with a bite. You are never on a technical path, and you sleep no higher than 3,660 m. The difficulty is in the length of the days and in the descent. Day 3 climbs steadily for six hours, day 5 is a long high day, and day 6 is a long drop of about 1,450 m from the ridge to Swanta that is hard on the knees and easy on the lungs. Walking poles help. If you have done Poon Hill and enjoyed it, you can do this. If you have never walked more than a couple of hours, start with Poon Hill, and my fitness guide will tell you what to practise.

Altitude is real at 3,660 m, even if it is modest. Your guide carries a pulse oximeter and checks your oxygen levels. Drink water, eat properly and tell him about a headache early. My altitude sickness guide goes into it.

Khopra Danda or Mardi Himal or Poon Hill?

If you only have five days, Mardi Himal is the shorter choice; my complete Mardi Himal guide has the detail. If you want both ridges, we have a 12-day Mardi Himal and Khopra Danda trek. If this is your first trek in Nepal, my honest advice is Poon Hill first. Khopra is the one I give to people who say they have done the famous trails and want the mountains without the traffic.

When is the best time for Khopra Danda?

Our listed 2027 departures begin on 1 March, with further dates through April and May, and again from 1 September. Every trek is private, so we can move the start day to suit you. Read my April 2027 guide for spring and the September 2027 guide for the autumn start.

What does the Khopra Danda trek cost?

Prices are per person and are the same whether you travel privately or in a group. The Annapurna Conservation Area permit (NPR 3,000) and the TIMS card (NPR 2,000) are in the price, along with the licensed guide, the transfers and two nights in a Pokhara hotel. Budget has shared rooms, no porter, and meals paid at the lodges. Standard has twin rooms, three meals a day and one porter for every two trekkers; a solo Standard trekker has no porter, and the guide carries up to 10 kg. Luxury has the best rooms available, meals with fruit, nuts and soft drinks, and a dedicated porter for every trekker. An extra porter on Budget or for a solo trekker is USD 25 a day plus 13 per cent VAT and the 3.5 per cent bank charge. Hotel nights in Kathmandu are not included. Sleeping bag and down jacket are free to use.

Where do you sleep and what do you eat?

The nights are in simple teahouses at Tadapani, Dobato and Swanta, and in the community-run lodge on the Khopra ridge. Expect basic rooms, limited menus (dal bhat, noodles, eggs, soup) and cold nights from Dobato up. On Standard and Luxury your meals are in the price. In Ghorepani on day 7 you are back on the busy Poon Hill trail, with bakeries and hot showers, and after four quiet days you feel the difference. My Ghorepani and Poon Hill guide covers the end of the trek.

Questions people ask

How long is the Khopra Danda trek? Our trek is 9 days from Kathmandu to Kathmandu, including a day of driving to Pokhara, seven days in the hills and a day of driving back. You walk on seven of them.

How high is Khopra Danda? The ridge is at 3,660 m (12,008 ft). Khayer Lake, the optional day walk, is at about 4,660 m (15,289 ft).

Is Khopra Danda difficult? It is moderate. The days are long and the descent on day 6 is steep, but there is no technical climbing. If you can walk five to six hours a day on stairs, you can do it.

Do I need a permit for Khopra Danda? You need the Annapurna Conservation Area permit (NPR 3,000 for foreigners) and a TIMS card (NPR 2,000). We arrange both and they are in the price. It is not a restricted area.

What is the best time to trek to Khopra Danda? October and November for the clearest views, then March and April. December to February is clear but very cold on the ridge.

Is Khopra Danda better than Mardi Himal? It is quieter and takes longer. Mardi Himal is shorter and reaches 4,500 m at the base camp. Choose Khopra for the Dhaulagiri view and the empty trail, and Mardi for a shorter trip.

Can I do Khopra Danda without a guide? Every trek we run has a licensed guide. The rules for independent trekking have changed, and my guide on whether you need one explains them.

Can I add Poon Hill? It is already part of the route. Day 8 starts with the Poon Hill sunrise.

How are the terms for this trek?

Group size is 1 to 20, and you can trek solo. The deposit is 10 per cent and it is non-refundable, with no refund if you cancel. You can reschedule free of charge with at least 72 hours notice to any date within one year. The balance is paid on arrival in Kathmandu in USD or EUR, cash or by card. Card carries 3.5 per cent and cash in Kathmandu carries none. We do not take Nepali rupees from foreign clients. Buy travel insurance at home that covers helicopter evacuation to 5,000 m. We do not recommend insurance bought in Nepal.

How do you plan this with us?

Message me on WhatsApp on +977 9810351300 with your dates, how many of you there are and which Annapurna treks you have already done. I will tell you which tier and which route I would choose, and send you the exact quote.

Written by Shreejan Simkhada, CEO of The Everest Holiday, from a family of three generations of family guides. TAAN Member #1586. WhatsApp +977 9810351300.