Khopra Danda Trek - 9 Days

Khopra Danda Trek—9 Days Information

Welcome, Arrival, and Start

When you get to Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM), our agent will be waiting for you in the arrivals area. They will be carrying a sign with your name on it and will greet you in the traditional way with a marigold garland or a Khada, which is a white ceremonial scarf that stands for respect and good luck. After a short introduction, we will take you in a private car to the hotel of your choice in Kathmandu. Please make sure you get to Kathmandu at least one day before your trek so you can get ready and go over the details. An English-speaking, government-licensed guide is included on every tier and stays with you for the whole trek.

Day 1 is a 7–8 hour drive (about 210 km) from Kathmandu to Pokhara: by local shared vehicle on Budget, in a shared tourist vehicle on Standard and in a private luxury vehicle on Luxury. You stay the night in Pokhara. On Day 2 we drive to Ghandruk (1,940 m) and walk to Tadapani, which is where the trek starts. It finishes on Day 8 at Nayapul after the Poon Hill sunrise, and we drive you back to Pokhara. Day 9 is the drive back to Kathmandu. Flights are not part of this trek, but you can arrange them for an extra fee.

Lodging

During the trek you stay in simple, family-run teahouses at Tadapani, Dobato, Swanta and Ghorepani, and in the community-run lodge on the Khopra ridge at 3,660 metres. Rooms are basic, with beds, warm blankets and shared bathrooms. The Khopra lodge is the simplest of them, so do not expect an attached bathroom every night. Dining rooms are warm, the hosts are friendly, and you will meet few other trekkers between Tadapani and Swanta. In Pokhara you have two nights in a tourist hotel (a good hotel on Luxury) with breakfast. Rooms are shared on Budget, twin rooms on Standard, and private rooms with an attached bathroom wherever one exists on Luxury.

Each tier (Budget, Standard, Luxury) includes different levels of accommodation, meals, and extras. See the What's Included section for the full breakdown.

Food

On Standard and Luxury tiers we provide three meals daily throughout the trek. On Budget tier you order and pay for your own meals at the lodges along the trail, about US$25 a day. The menu is mostly Nepali, Asian and Western dishes. We recommend healthy, hydrating choices like fresh vegetables, green tea, hot lemon, ginger tea and garlic soup. For a hearty, energising meal, try the local favourite, Dal Bhat Tarkari (lentil soup, rice and vegetable curry). The package does not include personal expenses such as alcoholic drinks or snacks at lodges and cafes, and cold drinks on Budget and Standard.

No meals are included in Pokhara except breakfast at your hotel, and none during the drive between Kathmandu and Pokhara, as there are many places to eat on the highway and in Pokhara.

Baggage

Budget has no porter, so you carry your own bag. Standard has one porter for every two trekkers, carrying up to 20 kg in total, so 10 kg of luggage each. If you are a solo trekker on Standard, there is no porter and your guide carries up to 10 kg of your bag instead. Luxury has one dedicated porter per trekker, and your bag can weigh up to 20 kg. Porters are limited to 20 kg by government rule, and we never overload ours. You will still need to carry a small daypack for your water, camera and valuables, so bring only essentials. Extra baggage can be stored for free at your hotel in Kathmandu or Pokhara, or with us. All luggage and gear is checked before the trek begins.

Important Things and Facilities

Water

You can buy bottled water from shops along the trekking route or drink boiled or filtered water provided at the lodges. We strongly recommend bringing a reusable water bottle and refilling it with boiled water to help reduce plastic waste. Avoid drinking untreated tap, river, or well water, as it may cause sickness. For added safety, carry water purification tablets or buy them at local shops on the trail. To avoid altitude sickness and keep your energy up on your walk, drinking plenty of water at high altitudes is essential.

Permits

Khopra Danda is an ordinary Annapurna route, so there is no restricted-area permit. You need the Annapurna Conservation Area permit (NPR 3,000 for foreigners, NPR 1,000 for SAARC nationals) and a TIMS card (NPR 2,000, or NPR 1,000 for SAARC nationals). We arrange both and include them in your trek price.

Travel Essentials

Communication

We will provide you with a Nepali SIM card in Kathmandu and show you how to set up data and top up credit. Mobile signal is available in Pokhara and the lower villages but patchy higher up, and on the Khopra ridge you should not count on any. Signal comes and goes between villages, so tell family not to worry if you are out of reach for a day. For safety, our guide keeps in touch with our Kathmandu office whenever there is signal.

Budget: SIM card provided. You'll be shown how to buy a data package and recharge, but data costs are not included.

Standard: SIM card with a data package set up and ready to go.

Luxury: SIM card with unlimited data, so you can call home and share photos, as far as the signal allows.

Visa

Foreigners require a visa to enter Nepal, but Indians don't. Most people can get a visa on arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport. The current fees are US$30 for 15 days, US$50 for 30 days and US$125 for 90 days. Citizens of China and SAARC countries receive a free visa. We also recommend registering your trip with your home country's embassy or consulate before you fly.

Travel insurance

Travel insurance is mandatory for all trekkers in Nepal. Khopra Danda is a moderate trek, but the optional day walk from the Khopra ridge to Khayer Lake reaches about 4,660 metres. Your policy must cover medical expenses and emergency helicopter rescue up to 5,000 metres. We ask our clients to provide detailed insurance information within a week of booking. In case of an emergency, we will use your insurance details to arrange a quick evacuation and transfer to medical facilities. Please buy your policy in your home country before you fly.

Currency Exchange

The Nepali Rupee (NPR) is the country's official currency; one US dollar is equivalent to around 150 NPR, though the rate moves.  In Kathmandu, you may find banks and approved money exchange centres where you can exchange major foreign currencies. ATMs are widely available to withdraw NPR, but extra service fees may apply. Make sure your notes are new and undamaged, as old or torn bills may be refused. Indian travellers can now use UPI and other Indian payment apps at many Kathmandu shops and trekking lodges. For physical cash, only the 100 INR note from India is officially exchanged in Nepal. It’s best to exchange money in Kathmandu before heading to trekking regions, as exchange options in remote areas are limited. You pay us in US dollars or euros; Nepali rupees are only for your own spending on the trail.

Extra Expense

While our package covers most of your expenses during the trek, you will need to budget for some personal items like meals and accommodation in Kathmandu, visa fees, snacks, hot showers, charging, drinks, personal equipment, tips for the crew, etc. On Budget you also pay for your trek meals, about US$25 a day. We recommend budgeting approximately US$20 per day for these personal expenses during the trek.

Trek Season and the Weather

October and November are the clear months and the best time for Khayer Lake. March and April bring the rhododendrons, and the forest between Ghandruk and Dobato is at its best then, with some afternoon cloud. December to February is cold on the ridge, with minus ten at night normal, but the skies are the clearest of the year and the Khopra lodge keeps a good fire. We do not run this trek in the monsoon (June to mid-September).

A Typical Day on the Trek

Around 7 AM you have a big breakfast to start the day. A normal trekking day lasts 3 to 6 hours with a lunch stop on the way. The long day is the walk from Khopra to Khayer Lake and back, 7 to 8 hours, and we skip it if the weather is bad or you are not feeling well. In the evenings you can rest or explore, and your guide briefs you on the next day's plan.

Reservations and Rules

Personal trek

We can only provide a personal trek, so you will only be trekking with your group. We never merge separate private bookings. All the treks are customisable per your schedule.

Solo and group bookings

Our treks run with a minimum of one person, so a solo traveller or a couple is welcome and your trek stays private. If you would rather share the trail, we can also post your dates as a group departure that others can choose to join. It is always opt-in, and we never add strangers to a private booking.

Trust trek booking

The Everest Holiday is a registered Nepali trekking company. We are members of the Trekking Agency Association of Nepal (TAAN). Shreejan's father, Ganesh Prasad Simkhada, has held senior positions in the Nepal Tourism Board and served as General Secretary of the NMA. To confirm your booking, we require a 10% advance payment.

You pay the deposit online by card through the Himalayan Bank portal on our website, and we cover the card fee. The balance is paid in Kathmandu in US dollars or euros, in cash or by card (card payments carry a 3.5% bank charge). You can reschedule for free to any date within one year, as long as you tell us at least 72 hours before departure. If you cancel instead, the deposit is not refunded. If we are the ones who cannot run your trek, we refund what you have paid, less taxes, bank or card charges and any money already spent on permits or flights. Please send us your important travel documents, such as a passport copy, within one week of booking, and make sure your passport has at least 6 months of validity left on your arrival date in Nepal.

Last-minute booking

We recommend booking your trek in advance. However, we also offer a last-minute booking option, which requires full payment 24 hours before departure. For the last-minute booking, please contact Shreejan at +977-9810351300 or email us at info@theeverestholiday.com. Please note that last-minute treks may face delays due to circumstances beyond our control. 

Flexible Schedule

Our trip schedule is determined by your travel date, and you can make any changes to it. If our scheduled trek dates don't work for you, please let us know, and we will be happy to arrange a trip according to your time and schedule.

Trip Extension

You can easily extend your stay with other adventures. We can arrange exciting activities for you, such as a jungle safari (Chitwan and Bardiya), Bungee jumping (Pokhara, Bhote koshi,  Kushma),  Rafting  (Bhote  koshi,  Trishuli,  and  Seti  river)  and  kayaking(Trishuli,  and Pokhara), paragliding (Pokhara and Kathmandu), zip flying (Kathmandu, Pokhara and Kushma), canyoning (Pokhara and Sukute Beach), and hot air ballooning (Pokhara), according to your interests. We can also set up sightseeing tours around the Kathmandu Valley if you're interested in culture and history.

These tours will take you to UNESCO World Heritage sites like Bhaktapur Durbar Square, Patan Durbar Square, Kathmandu Durbar Square, Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple), Boudhanath  Stupa,  Changunarayan  Temple,  and  Pashupatinath  Temple.  We  suggest  a  trip  to Nagarkot  and  Dhulikhel,  hill  stations  just  outside  of  Kathmandu,  around  sunrise  for  a  serene getaway. We can also set up spiritual trips for Buddhists and Hindus that take you to temples, stupas, monasteries, and meditation centres. When you're booking a trip, please have a look at our ADD-ON package for ideas to add during the trek.

Ecotourism practices

We ask you to join our eco-friendly trekking practice as part of our commitment to protecting the oak and rhododendron forests between Ghandruk and Dobato and the pasture on the Khopra ridge. Every guest gets their own eco-waste bag at the start of the trip. Please use it to collect your personal rubbish that can't be composted, like snack wrappers, plastic bottles and batteries, and don't leave anything on the trail. Carry the bag with you as we go down, and our guides will show you where to dispose of it properly. We need your help to keep the Himalayas clean and beautiful for future generations.

Why Book With Us

We are a family firm, registered in 2016, with three generations of family guides behind us. We believe that all of our employees and teams are family. Our professional and experienced guides will be with you the whole time to make sure your trek is safe and memorable. They are trained in wilderness first aid, high-altitude safety and crisis management, and they speak good English. They know this area well. We take care of their insurance, food, housing and medical needs. Please treat our workers like family, and don't hesitate to ask for help or have questions at any time.

End of the Trek

Trek Certificate

Standard and Luxury guests receive a trek completion certificate to mark the achievement. Tell us how the trek went, we read every message.

Departure

To arrange your airport transfer, please let us know your hotel name, room number, and flight departure details. We will take you from your hotel to Tribhuvan International Airport so you may catch your flight home. We sincerely hope you had an amazing journey and hope to see you again soon for another trip in Nepal. 

Tipping

Tipping is a common practice in Nepal. We recommend giving a group tip to your guide and porters at the end of the trek. The amount is up to you and can depend on the quality of service, trip length, your budget, and the overall cost of the trek.

Read before you go: Mardi Himal and Khopra Danda in 12 Days · Swanta · Dobato on the Khopra Danda Trail