This Dhaulagiri–Annapurna Community Trek guide covers the full 13-day itinerary, an honest difficulty breakdown, and the best months to go. The trek runs 13 days from Kathmandu to Pokhara, with 11 days of actual trekking between Galeshwor and Ghandruk, reaching a maximum altitude of 3,640m at Khopra Ridge (approx. 4,600m if you take the optional Khayer Lake side trip).
For the short, booking-ready version of this itinerary and current pricing, see the Dhaulagiri–Annapurna Community Trek tour page.
What’s Inside This Guide
- Dhaulagiri Annapurna Community Trek: Full 13-Day Itinerary
- How Difficult Is the Dhaulagiri Annapurna Community Trek?
- Best Time for This Trek
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Related Planning Guides
Dhaulagiri Annapurna Community Trek: Full 13-Day Itinerary
Below is the full day-by-day route with altitude, walking time, and trail conditions.
Day 1: Kathmandu to Pokhara
Altitude: 822m | Travel: Tourist bus, 6–8 hrs | Stay: Hotel, Pokhara
A full day of driving along the Prithvi Highway, following the Trishuli and Marsyangdi valleys. No trekking today — it’s a transport day to get into position.
Day 2: Pokhara to Galeshwor, Trek to Bas Kharka
Altitude: 1,526m | Ascent: +704m from Pokhara | Walking: 3–4 hrs | Stay: Community Lodge, Bas Kharka
A local sharing bus covers Pokhara to Galeshwor, where the road ends. The trail climbs through forest and terraced farmland — underfoot conditions are generally good, with some muddy stretches possible in shoulder season after rain.
Day 3: Bas Kharka to Nangi
Altitude: 2,300m (confirmed) | Ascent: +774m | Walking: 5–6 hrs | Stay: Community Lodge, Nangi
A genuine climbing day through forest and hillside settlements to Nangi, one of the larger, more established villages on this side of the route.
Day 4: Nangi to Mohare Danda
Altitude: 3,300m (confirmed) | Ascent: +1,000m | Walking: 6–7 hrs | Stay: Community Lodge, Mohare Danda
The single biggest ascent day on the trek — over 1,000m of climbing through rhododendron and oak forest. This is the day that sets the difficulty rating; we budget the full 6–7 hours and don’t rush it.
Day 5: Mohare Danda to Danda Kharka
Altitude: approx. 2,900m | Descent: -400m net | Walking: 5–6 hrs | Stay: Community Lodge, Danda Kharka
A descending day onto quieter ridge trail, moving away from the busier Mohare Danda viewpoint corridor. Danda Kharka’s altitude isn’t independently confirmed beyond our own route notes.
Day 6: Danda Kharka to Tikot
Altitude: approx. 2,250m | Descent: -650m net | Walking: 5–6 hrs | Stay: Homestay, Tikot
A descending forest and farmland day into Tikot, a traditional Magar village where we stay in a family homestay rather than a purpose-built lodge.
Day 7: Tikot to Khibang and Swanta
Altitude: approx. 2,200m | Descent: -50m net | Walking: 5–6 hrs | Stay: Homestay, Swanta
The trail passes through Khibang without stopping overnight, continuing to Swanta. Swanta’s altitude is disputed across sources (2,200m per our route notes vs. roughly 2,374m from an independent operator).
Day 8: Swanta to Chistibung
Altitude: approx. 3,000m | Ascent: +800m net | Walking: 5–6 hrs | Stay: Community Lodge, Chistibung
Climbing back up, the terrain shifts from village farmland into higher alpine landscape as we approach Khopra. Chistibung’s altitude, like Danda Kharka’s, isn’t independently confirmed.
Day 9: Chistibung to Khopra Ridge
Altitude: 3,640m (confirmed) | Ascent: +640m | Walking: 5–6 hrs | Stay: Community Lodge, Khopra Ridge
The trek’s standard high point. The ridge opens onto Dhaulagiri, Annapurna South, and Nilgiri from one vantage point.
Day 10: Khopra Ridge – Optional Khayer Lake – Khopra Ridge
Altitude: 3,640m overnight / approx. 4,600m at Khayer Lake if taken | Walking: 8–10 hrs round trip, or a rest day at Khopra Ridge
Optional and decided on the ground with your guide. Sources disagree on Khayer Lake’s exact altitude (roughly 4,600m to 4,767m) — treat any figure, including ours, as approximate. This is the only day that pushes meaningfully above 4,000m, and it’s optional.
Day 11: Khopra Ridge to Dobato
Altitude: 3,420m (confirmed) | Descent: -220m | Walking: 6–7 hrs | Stay: Community Lodge, Dobato
Descending from Khopra Ridge through forest and mountain terrain into Annapurna foothill territory.
Day 12: Dobato to Ghandruk
Altitude: 2,012m | Descent: -1,408m | Walking: 5–6 hrs | Stay: Teahouse, Ghandruk
A long descent to Ghandruk, a well-known Gurung village with a proper teahouse network — the first since Bas Kharka.
Day 13: Ghandruk to Pokhara
Altitude: 822m | Descent: -1,190m | Travel: Local sharing jeep, 3–4 hrs
A jeep ride back to Pokhara closes out the trek. The afternoon is free.
How Difficult Is the Dhaulagiri Annapurna Community Trek?
The tour page rates this trek Moderate. Here’s what that actually means day to day: 11 trekking days with a maximum standard altitude of 3,640m at Khopra Ridge (4,600m only if you choose the optional Khayer Lake side trip). Daily walking runs 5–7 hours on most days, with one clearly harder day — Day 4, Nangi to Mohare Danda, which climbs over 1,000m in a single push.
What makes it Moderate rather than Easy: the cumulative altitude gain over 11 days, several long walking days back to back, and trail underfoot that isn’t always maintained to the same standard as busier routes like Ghandruk or the ABC corridor. What keeps it out of Strenuous territory: no glacier travel, no scrambling or exposed sections, and a maximum non-optional altitude (3,640m) well below the 4,000–5,000m+ range where altitude sickness risk rises sharply on treks like EBC or the Annapurna Sanctuary itself.
Is it suitable for beginners? A reasonably fit first-time trekker who has done some regular hiking or walking training can complete this route — it doesn’t require prior high-altitude experience. What it does require is being comfortable with 5–7 hours of walking on multiple consecutive days, since there are fewer rest days than on some other Annapurna itineraries. If you’re unsure, the optional Khayer Lake day (Day 10) can simply be skipped in favor of resting at Khopra Ridge, which lowers both the altitude and the physical demand of that day without changing the rest of the trip.
Best Time for This Trek
Spring (March–May) and autumn (September–November) are the two recommended seasons, matching the standard Nepal trekking calendar. Autumn generally brings the clearest, most stable skies right after the monsoon clears. Spring brings milder daytime temperatures and rhododendron forest in bloom along the lower sections of the route, though visibility can be hazier later in the season as pre-monsoon humidity builds.
Winter is a workable off-season option here specifically because most of this route sits lower than the higher Himalayan treks — only Khopra Ridge (3,640m) and the optional Khayer Lake side trip go high enough for winter cold to be a serious factor. Expect cold nights, especially at Khopra Ridge and Mohare Danda, clear daytime skies, and noticeably fewer trekkers than the Annapurna Sanctuary corridor sees in winter.
Avoid monsoon (June–August). Trails through the forested lower sections — Galeshwor to Bas Kharka, Bas Kharka to Nangi — become slippery and leech-prone, and cloud cover removes most of the mountain views that are a core part of this trek.
Frequently Asked Questions
Day 4, Nangi to Mohare Danda — a single climb of over 1,000m through forest, taking 6–7 hours.
No prior high-altitude experience is required. Regular fitness and comfort with multiple consecutive 5–7 hour walking days matter more than technical trekking background.
Yes. Khayer Lake (Day 10) is optional and decided on the ground with your guide. Skipping it means resting at Khopra Ridge (3,640m) instead of pushing to roughly 4,600m.
Not necessarily. Most of the route sits below 3,000m, so winter cold is less of a factor here than on higher Himalayan treks. Expect cold nights at the higher points and clear daytime skies.
Related Planning Guides
- Dhaulagiri Annapurna Community Trek: A Quieter Alternative to ABC — how this route compares to Annapurna Base Camp
- Khopra Ridge and Khayer Lake Trek Guide — altitude, views, and access details for Days 9–10 of this itinerary
Know the Route, Know the Difficulty, Pick Your Season
We’re a Kathmandu-based operator running treks since 2018, and you’ll be talking directly with us, not a booking platform. The Dhaulagiri–Annapurna Community Trek runs $695 to $949 per person depending on group size, rated Moderate, best done in spring or autumn.
See full pricing and book the Dhaulagiri–Annapurna Community Trek or message us directly: chat with us on WhatsApp — we typically reply within 12 hours.