Kimche on the Annapurna Base Camp Trail: The Jeep Drop-Off and Gurung Village Before Ghandruk

Last updated 14 October 2026.

Kimche is the place where the jeep stops and your walk begins. It is a Gurung village on the lower Annapurna Base Camp trail, a short ride up from Nayapul, and almost every Annapurna Base Camp, Khopra and Ghandruk trip I run starts day one here. You will not find Kimche in many guidebooks, because most people only hear its name from the jeep driver.

Short answer: Kimche is the jeep drop-off on the way to Ghandruk. On our trips we drive from Pokhara to Nayapul, about 90 minutes, then take a short jeep ride up to Kimche, which saves roughly 90 minutes of road walking. From Kimche you climb on stone steps through terraced farmland and Gurung homesteads to Ghandruk at 1,940 m, about 3 hours. It is day one of our Annapurna Base Camp Trek, 9 days, and the same start is used on the Khopra Danda trek and the Ghandruk village tour. There is nothing to book and nothing to see in Kimche itself. You pass through, and the walk starts.

I want you to know about it for one reason. Some trekkers ask why we do not walk from Nayapul, and a few worry that the jeep is a shortcut that spoils the trek. It is not. The road section is not the part of the trek people remember, and the good walking starts at Kimche.

Kimche at a glance

Which of our trips go through Kimche?

Four trips start here and two more pass through it.

For 2 to 4 people the 9-day Annapurna Base Camp Trek is USD 725 (Budget), USD 1,310 (Standard) or USD 2,095 (Luxury) per person, and the 7-day version from Pokhara is USD 605, USD 1,045 or USD 2,045. The price falls as the group grows, and I list every band on the package pages. Kathmandu hotels are not in a trek price. Both are walked privately with your own licensed guide.

What does the walk from Kimche to Ghandruk feel like?

It is a gentle first day, and it is meant to be. After a long drive your legs are stiff and your head is still in the city. From Kimche the path climbs steadily on stone steps through terraced fields and past Gurung homesteads. The steps are wide enough for two people. Mule trains use the same trail, so step to the uphill side when you hear the bells. If you want to know more about the people whose land you are crossing, my piece on the Gurung and Magar hill tribes is a good read.

You are walking for about three hours, and you gain height all the way. Ghandruk sits at 1,940 m, and Pokhara is at 820 m, so you sleep more than 1,100 m higher than the night before. Much of that gain comes in the vehicle, so go slowly and drink water. In spring the rhododendron comes into flower on the upper part of the climb. In October and November the air is usually at its clearest.

Ghandruk itself is one of the best villages on the whole trail. My guide to Ghandruk tells you what to do in the evening, and Ghandruk in two days is the page for the short trip.

Why do we use the jeep and not walk from Nayapul?

Three reasons, and I will be straight about the trade-off.

First, time. The stretch between Nayapul and Kimche is road, and it takes about 90 minutes on foot. That is time on a road that adds nothing to the trek. Second, energy. A first day that ends in Ghandruk at 1,940 m is already a climb, and I would rather your legs go into the stone steps than into the tarmac. Third, the day itself. On the 7-day trip, day one has to fit the drive from Pokhara, the walk and a rest in the village, and the jeep keeps it comfortable.

The trade-off is that you do not walk every metre. If that matters to you, tell me and we can talk it through. Walking from Nayapul works if you are happy to add about 90 minutes to day one. We confirm the road to the trailhead 48 hours before you go. If jeeps cannot run, I tell you before you travel and we find an alternative route or starting point.

My Nayapul trailhead guide covers the town where the trail begins, before the jeep ride to Kimche.

What if you are coming back down to Kimche?

On the Poon Hill trek the route runs in the other direction on the last day. From Ghandruk you descend steeply to Kimche, and the whole day is five to six hours of walking, mostly downhill, before the jeep takes you to Nayapul and on to Pokhara. The stone steps are steep and sustained. Trekking poles make a real difference, and my Poon Hill and Ghorepani guide explains the route. On the Annapurna Base Camp trek you walk out to Nayapul on the last trekking day, so Kimche there is a day one place.

A jeep from Kimche back to Pokhara can also be found, but it is infrequent and can be late, so do not plan a tight flight around it. We arrange our own transport on every trip.

What does the first day look like?

Pack your daypack at the Pokhara hotel with water, a rain jacket, sun hat and a warm layer. Budget has no porter, so you carry your own bag. Standard shares one porter between two trekkers, and Luxury has a porter of your own.

When is the best time to walk from Kimche?

For 2027 my pick is the second half of October or April. If you want a longer look at the next days, read my Annapurna Base Camp teahouses and food guide.

Questions people ask

Where is Kimche? It is a Gurung village on the lower trail between Nayapul and Ghandruk, in the Annapurna foothills north of Pokhara.

How do I get from Pokhara to Kimche? By road to Nayapul in about 90 minutes, then a short jeep ride up to Kimche. We arrange both.

How long does it take to walk from Kimche to Ghandruk? About 3 hours at an easy pace on stone steps, climbing to 1,940 m.

Does the jeep save much time? Yes. It saves roughly 90 minutes of road walking from Nayapul.

Is the Kimche section hard? No. It is a steady climb on good steps. The effort is in the height, not the distance. My difficulty guide for Annapurna Base Camp rates every day.

Do I need a permit before Kimche? You need the Annapurna Conservation Area permit and a TIMS card. Both are arranged by us and included in the price.

Can I stay overnight in Kimche? Our trips do not stop there. Ghandruk, an hour or two further on, is the first night.

What if the road is closed? We check it 48 hours before departure. If the jeep cannot run, you walk the longer road section or we change the start, and I tell you before you travel.

What are the terms for this trek?

Group size is 2 to 20, and you can also 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.

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 trail you have in mind. 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.