Swanta: The Magar Village on the Khopra Danda Descent, and What the Walk Down Is Like

Last updated 13 October 2026.

Swanta is a Magar hill village at 2,214 m, the night stop after the long drop off the Khopra ridge. It is where the terraces, the gardens and the warm evenings come back after two cold nights on the high ridge, and it sits one day below Ghorepani and the Poon Hill sunrise. Both of our Khopra treks sleep here.

Short answer: Swanta is the overnight village between the Khopra ridge and Ghorepani. The walk in from Khopra Danda is 12 km and takes 5 to 6 hours, nearly all of it downhill, and the next day is about 9 km and 5 hours to Ghorepani. You sleep in a simple teahouse with a garden, and there is a small monastery in the village. Our Khopra Danda Trek, 9 days includes the night, with meals on Standard and Luxury. There is no permit for Swanta alone, because the Annapurna Conservation Area permit and TIMS card for the whole trek are in the price.

Swanta at a glance

Where does Swanta sit on our trips?

• Khopra Danda Trek, 9 days: day 6 walks from the ridge down to Swanta, and day 7 climbs to Ghorepani. It costs USD 749 (Budget), USD 1,449 (Standard) or USD 2,249 (Luxury) per person for 1 to 4 people.
• Mardi Himal and Khopra Danda Trek, 12 days from Pokhara: the same two days, as days 10 and 11, after Mardi Himal Base Camp and Khopra.

The longer route starts from USD 1,245 (Budget), USD 2,015 (Standard) or USD 3,810 (Luxury) per person for 2 to 4 people, and a solo traveller pays USD 2,245, USD 2,945 or USD 6,455. Hotel nights in Kathmandu are not in either price. For the whole route, read my Khopra Danda trek guide.

What is the walk down from Khopra like?

It is the longest descent of the trek. You leave the ridge after breakfast, cross open pasture first, and then the trail drops back into forest. By the middle of the day you are among trees you have not seen since the second day, and the air feels thicker with every hour. The last stretch comes out onto terraces, and Swanta appears below you among its fields.

Your lungs have an easy day. Your knees do not. The drop from the ridge to the village is about 1,450 m in 12 km, and the path is steep in places and loose in others. Walking poles help a great deal here. Take it slowly, let your guide set the pace and eat lunch properly, because the hardest part comes after the meal.

What is it like to stay in Swanta?

You sleep in a simple lodge with a garden. After two cold nights up on the ridge, the first thing people notice is the sun on the terrace. Sit there with a hot drink and take your boots off. The village is small, and a small monastery stands in it. Ask your guide about a short walk along the lanes before dinner.

The menu is the usual trail menu: dal bhat, noodles, fried rice, eggs, soup and local vegetables. You will have a better night's sleep than on the ridge, and Wi-Fi or a charging socket may or may not work, so charge your devices at Ghorepani where I can rely on it. Our Khopra Danda village guide covers the ridge you leave behind, and my Tadapani guide covers the first night of the trek.

Who are the Magar people?

Swanta is a Magar village, and it helps to know a little about the people whose hospitality you are using. In the 2021 census of Nepal, 2,013,498 people, which is 6.9 per cent of the population, identified as Magar. They live right across the middle hills. Magars have traditionally followed animist and shamanist customs alongside Hinduism and Buddhism, and the Magars are the largest group among Gurkha soldiers serving outside Nepal.

I am not going to tell you what any family here believes or how they live, because I do not know every household, and each one is different. I will tell you how to behave. Ask before you photograph a person. Greet people with namaste. Do not walk through a field or a yard without being invited. Buy your tea and your dinner in the village, and and tip your guide and porter at the end of the trek. That is how the money stays in the hills.

How does Swanta fit the Poon Hill finish?

The next morning is the opposite of the first: you go down to the river, cross a suspension bridge and climb for the rest of the day through Chitre, a village on the way to Ghorepani. Ghorepani, at 2,860 m, is much busier than anywhere you have slept on this route, with bakeries and hot showers. You will notice the difference after the quiet days. Then you go to bed early because the alarm is set for Poon Hill. My Poon Hill and Ghorepani guide explains that sunrise, and Nayapul is where the trek ends. If you only want the Poon Hill part, our Poon Hill trek covers it in 6 days, and the guide to Ulleri describes the main approach from the other side.

When is the best time to walk through Swanta?

Our listed 2027 departures begin on 1 March, with more dates through April and May, and again from 1 September. Every trek is private, so we can move the start day to suit you. My Poon Hill month-by-month guide covers the same hills for the last two days.

Questions people ask

Where is Swanta? It is a Magar village at 2,214 m on the descent from the Khopra ridge towards Ghorepani, in the Annapurna foothills.

How long is the walk from Khopra Danda to Swanta? About 12 km and 5 to 6 hours, with a descent of about 1,450 m.

How far is Swanta from Ghorepani? About 9 km and 5 hours on our itinerary, down to a river, over a suspension bridge and up through Chitre.

Is the descent to Swanta hard? It is not hard on the lungs. It is hard on the knees because it is long and steep. Poles help, and so does a slow pace.

Where do you sleep in Swanta? In a simple lodge with a garden. Your guide books the best rooms available for your tier.

Is there a monastery in Swanta? There is a small one in the village, and your guide will tell you if it is open to visitors.

Do I need a separate permit for Swanta? No. The Annapurna Conservation Area permit and TIMS card for the whole trek are included in our price.

Can I trek to Swanta 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.

How are the terms for these treks?

Group size is 1 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 whether you want the 9-day or the 12-day route. 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.