This time, I am traveling to Khopra Danda with 5 Malaysian guests. As per our flight schedule, we drove to the airport at 6:30 am from Thamel and reached the airport at 6:45 am. After reaching the airport, we did all the processes and flew to Pokhara at 7:40 am. It took just 25 minutes to reach Pokhara, and it was my first time at the new Pokhara International Airport. This airport was quite good and more facilitated than the old one. After collecting the baggage, I called the Jeep driver, and he was waiting for us.
We loaded our luggage into the Jeep and were ready for our Jeep adventure to Kimche village. When we were driving to Kimche, the weather in Pokhara was not clear, so we were unable to enjoy the breathtaking view of the snowy peaks. When we reached Naudanda, we stopped for a tea break. Having a break while driving is always a pleasant moment, so we enjoyed our short tea break there.
Our porters are already at the Kimche Village, they took a night bus to Nayapul from Kathmandu and then another bus drive to Kimche from Nayapul. After a 2-and-a-half-hour drive, we reached Kimche and met our entire team. Then we commence our day one journey of Khopra Danda from Kimche to Ghandruk Village. It was quite heavy to walk in the sun, especially for elderly people to climb up. After around 1 hour’s hike, we reached the Hotel in Ghandruk.
We explored the Ghandruk Village after having lunch, and we visited the Gurung Museum, the monastery, and the whole of Ghandruk Village. While we were exploring Ghandruk, we met a number of Nepali visitors, mostly students and young people. At the same hotel, where we are staying, there are many Nepali tourists.
Short walk to Tadapani
On day 2 of the Khopra Danda Trek, we started our walk to Tadapani at 7:30 am. In the beginning, it was a bit cold, but after walking for a few minutes, my body started to warm up. The first part was climbing up, and the second part was in the jungle, mostly Nepali flat. Again, need to climb up before taking a tea break at the Bhainsi Kharka. We had quite a long break at Bhainsi Kharka before starting to climb for 30 minutes to reach the Nepali flat. It took around 55 minutes to reach Tadapani from Bhainsi Kharka.
Tadapani is a small town with around 8 guest houses, so we spent the whole day playing cards and relaxing. In the evening there was full of people, so it was fun to be there.
On the third day, we started quite early because all the group members wanted to start early in the shadow and cool weather. Because during the day, it was a bit hot and difficult to walk. We had a bit of a change in our itinerary during the Khopra Danda Excursion because there was no room available at the Byali Kharka.
The first part was inside the jungle and a bit cold, and gradually went up. While climbing up, we took short breaks at Mesher Danda and Isharu Danda. We took short breaks along the way at the resting places, too. Climbing up is not easy for elderly people, but we managed it, and we reached the Dobato at 11:45 am.
After reaching there, we ordered lunch and then went to our rooms. Everyone was a bit tired because it was almost up all the way there. Unfortunately, the view was not as spectacular as it used to be because of the clouds. We had lunch, then everyone took a hot shower and had a free day. In the evening, we played a game, which was very fun, and everyone on the team was involved.
Long Lunch Camp to Dobato
The fourth day was a bit tough and challenging for us because it was a very long day from Dobato to Khopra Danda. We started early at 7 am. We followed the trail to Byali Kharka. It took us one and a half hours to reach Byali Kharka. The trail to Byali Kharka was not that difficult, but in some parts was icy and a bit slippery. From Byali Kharka, we descended all the way to the river and from there gradually up to Sistibung.
When we reached Sistibung, there were some groups also having lunch. We also had lunch at the Sistibung and then ascended to Khopra Danda. While climbing up, the weather became a bit cloudy and a bit cold, but it made it a bit easier to walk. We took a couple of breaks, too, and followed the electric poles to the lodge. And finally, we reached there at 4:45 pm. When we were there, there were a lot of trekkers in the lodge.
From Dobato, it is possible to hike up Mulde Hill for sunrise and Mountain views. But we didn’t plan it for the next day because we had to go a long way to Khopra. However, people who stayed in the same guest house went there for the view.
Khopra Danda
Khopra Danda Trek can be the next best trekking trail in Nepal because from there we can enjoy the panoramic view of the mountains. Not only the mountains, but the views of the surrounding areas are spectacular, and this trek can be combined with the Poon Hill Trek, Mohare Danda Trek, and many more. Such a potential trekking region has one big problem – accommodation, especially on top of the Khopra Ridge.
At Khopra Danda, there is only one lodge, and this is very expensive for one night; it will cost 1000 to 3000 rupees for a room. Then, other costs are not much, and the second problem is the people who run the guest house there. They don’t have good hospitality or business ideas. They must learn many things about how to run a hotel in the Himalayas.
As a trekking guide, I have been on many trekking trails and places I never had such a bad experience. At first, when we reached there, I asked for the room key 3 times, then they responded to me because I booked a room there 15 days ago. Then, after we had to wait for dinner till 9 pm, there was not enough food for everyone. Additionally, they gave us one room with 3 beds for 5 of us, which was very uncomfortable to sleep in. And the next day, there was no breakfast for the Nepali guides and porters. In the end, they gave a small piece of pun bread without any curry or pickle for our breakfast.
All the way downhill to Swata
Day four was very heavy for all of us. On day five, we woke up quite early for the sunrise view. Unfortunately, today was not our day, so there was no good view and no sunrise either. Luckily, we had a glimpse of Mt. Annapurna South, Nilgiri, Dhaulagiri, and Annapurna first, and many more mountain peaks. Took some photos and made some videos before going back for breakfast at the lodge.
Breakfast took a long time to arrive at the table, so the porters packed the luggage and were ready to move to Swata. And then started our journey to Swata. It was all the way down to Sistibung, a river view resort, and then to the electric hydropower near the river. From the river, it took another one and a half hours to reach Swata.
We had a late lunch there around 2:30 pm. After lunch, we set up our room and then tried to find local chicken for dinner. Luckily, we can find the chicken in the hotel where we are staying for a night. We bought two chickens, and one of the group members (Mooi) cooked both chickens for the Nepali staff and her friends. OMG, we finished two whole chickens, and all of us were very full and a bit uncomfortable.
Walking through the rice field and the Rhododendron forest to Ghorepani
After breakfast in Swata, we commenced our journey to Ghorepani via Chitre village on the sixth day of the Khopra Danda Trek. Our first part of the journey was on the terraced land, and the second was on the Rhododendron forest. On the field, there were barely any potato plants, which made the land look beautiful. While walking in the jungle, we see many kinds of flowers blooming in Rhododendron trees.
It took us five hours to reach Ghorepani, had lunch and spent the whole day. In the afternoon, we went to the local restaurant to eat Momos, and luckily, we got Momos there. Today, there (Ghorepani) were 184 Chinese tourists, and the hotel we were staying at was booked for 65 people. Around 4:30, they started to arrive at the hotel and started to make noise. Chinese are the number one noise makers on the trekking routes after Nepali and Indian tourists.
At night also made noise; similarly, their guides made noise after drinking free alcohol in the hotel. It was a horrible night for all the other tourists who were at Ghorepani on that day.
Crowded Poon Hill and a long jeep drive to Pokhara.
The Chinese tourists woke up at 2:30 am and started to make noise and disturb our sleep. Then at 4:30 they started their hike to Poon Hill. After them, at 4:50 am, we also started our trek to Poon Hill. It took us around 1 hour to reach the summit of Poon Hill. When we were there, the noise of the Chinese people was loud, and many of the other trekkers were not enjoying themselves. And we also just took a couple of photos and descended to Ghorepani.
Our plan was to take the Jeep from Ghorepani to Pokhara. So that after breakfast, we packed our luggage and put it in the jeep, and started our drive to Pokhara. The drive was longer than I expected; it took around 6 hours to reach Pokhara. After we reached Pokhara, we all went to a Korean restaurant for lunch with the porters and then said goodbye to them.
Paragliding and Pokhara City Tour
Pokhara is an adventure base camp; there you can do many activities such as Paragliding, Bungee jumping, Rafting, Hiking, Cycling, and many more. That is why we also planned to do Paragliding in Pokhara. As per our plan, we drove to the Paragliding spot. The paragliding take-off spot was changed because of the new airport in Pokhara. It took around 30 minutes to get there.
When we reached there, there was a preparation going on for a grand welcome for 80 Chinese tourists. The chief minister of the Gandaki Province was there, and there were traditional musical instruments. They welcome Chinese tourists with music and a bunch of flowers. The first ones to fly were the CM and his security personnel, and then, turn-by-turn, tourists, after 21 people in our group had the opportunity to fly. It was an amazing experience for all of us, and we flew for around 25 minutes in the sky.
After Paragliding we had lunch at a Chinese restaurant and then started our Pokhara Tour. First, we drove to the International Mountain Museum, where we spent around one and a half hours. Secondly, we visited the Gupteswore Cave and Devis Fall, in these two places we spent around 45 minutes, and then drove back to the Hotel. In the evening, we enjoy the Aarati Puja at the Barahi Ghat Lakeside of Pokhara.
Flight delay for 5 hours
At the end of the Khopra Danda Trek, as per our schedule, we have to fly back to Kathmandu. Our flight time was at 9 am, and we drove to the airport after breakfast at 7:30 am. I was a bit afraid that there might be no flight because the previous day, there were not even a single flight to Kathmandu. When we reached the airport, the flight was delayed, and the airline was requesting everyone to wait.
We waited until 12 noon and then decided to cancel the flight and drive to Kathmandu. I called the vehicle service office for a Jeep, and they sent a Jeep, but that Jeep was not enough for 6 of us. So I had to find another Jeep. While I was calling my friends and vehicle companies for a Jeep, there was no Jeep available. At the same time, I got the info that the airport is open for flights.
I ran inside the airport to reissue the ticket and waited for the flight. Finally, at 3:30 pm, we flew back to Kathmandu and drove back to the hotel in Thamel. Then the memorable journey to the Khopra Danda ended.
