Package Itineary

4 days Pony Trek plus jeep tour

Day 01:  Arrive Pokhara, city sightseeing, hotel

Arrive Pokhara, transfer to hotel, depending on time, visit Davi’s Falls and World Peace Pagoda in the afternoon. We see interesting waterfalls into the potholes of limestone creek in Davi’s Falls that disappears under the ground. The waterfall is located at the lower end of the Phewa Lake. Magical view of Annapurna, Manaslu and Dhaulagiri ranges, Phewa Lake, beautiful Pokhara valley, interesting mountain sequence is seen from the World Peace Pagoda. Return to hotel, dinner and overnight.

Day 02: Drive to Kalopani (2530m), 126km, about 6 hour

After having breakfast around 6:30am, leave hotel, visit Bindhyabasini Bhagawati Temple premises on the way to Kalopani. It is a most important and powerful goddess, another form of Goddess Parvati. Drive to Kande ridge through river valley, farmland and settlements. You can see beautiful Pokhara valley, majestic Annapurna range, series of mountains, interesting settlements and lifestyle of mountain people along the roadside. Descend to Modi Khola valley where the trails to Annapurna Base camp and several other trekking separate. Drive continue to Maldhunga then the road to Mustang follows along the Kaligandaki River valley.

Drive to Kalopani along narrow Kaligandaki River valley through Galeshwar holy monuments, several rivulets, hot spring, Gurung and Thakali villages, beautiful waterfalls, worldÚs deepest gorge DANA (6967m from Dhaulagari peak and 6891m from Annapurna I). Wonderful view of Annapurna and Dhaulagiri range, hanging icefalls and upstream wider Kaligandaki valley is seen from Kalopani and even from the guesthouse. This place is located at the base of the two giant Himalaya ranges; Annapurna and Dhaulairi. Depending on time and guests preference, lunch can be in Tatopani (hot spring) or Dana… dinner and overnight.

Day 03: Kalopani - Jomsom (2720m) - Kagbeni (2810m)

In the morning you can observe majestic view of the Himalaya, have breakfast, drive to Tukuche along the base of the Dhaulagiri range. There is paved road along the bank of Kaligandaki River. You can see hanging icefalls, sky soaring snowy peaks, raging waterfalls, herds of sheep and goats, typical lifestyle of mountain people along the roadside and beautiful apple gardens. The day is dedicated to the excursion to the villages of Tukuche and Marpha. Tukuche village (2,590m) grew in importance for the salt and wool trade with Tibet. There are four monasteries and some beautiful merchant houses which have now been turned into lodges. The road passing through juniper forests through small villages with white painted houses. We drive along the Kali Gandaki River considered sacred by the locals and often could see ceremonies of cremation. It is famous for its geographic peculiarity, which flows deepest valley in the world. Along its route, it passes between the Dhaulagiri (8167m) and Annapurna (8091 m) mountains. We will visit Marpha Gomba, Himalayan distillery in Marpha, observe apple orchard, beautiful farmlands, Dhaulagiri icefall and the lifestyle of Thakali tribal people.

Located at an altitude of 2,650 meters, the village of Marpha (mar means hard work and pha people) is inhabited by the Thakali tribe, an industrious and enterprising clan and is certainly not suitable for people looking for a comfortable life. Before 1959, most of the inhabitants were engaged in the salt trade with China and Tibet. Tourism and donkey breeding were important occupations. Today, many locals are directly or indirectly engaged in apple cultivation. This is due to the foundation of the Horticultural Farm in 1966 which meant a real revolution in the region, introducing different varieties of apples and valid production methods. Marpha is now known as the "Village of Orchards". Its apples are known throughout the country for being particularly tasty. Even the brandy made from apples and apricots is famous. Marpha is also and above all a pretty village with traditional Thakali architecture with quaint houses and cobbled streets. It is dominated by the imposing Samtenling Monastery which contains images of Guru Rimpoche and Chenresig, as well as strange animal-headed deities. A Japanese monk Ekai Kawaguchi visited Marpha in 1899. Depending on the time, we will have lunch in Marpha/Tukuche or Jomsom then drive to Kagbeni. Dinner and overnight.

Day 04: Day trek to Dhagarjong , pony trek started

Have breakfast, get ready for the pony trek, take light backpack with water bottles and day requirements. Trek to Dhagarjong through holy Kaligandaki sandy river valley, traditional beautiful villages of Pangling and Phalyak where you see little green patch of apple garden, colorful chhortens and monasteries and Bhotia Gurung tribal culture and typical lifestyle in the northeastern lap of Dhaulagiri Himalaya. Have lunch in Phalyak or Dhagarjong, explore the most traditional village, classic tribal culture and interesting lifestyle. Village tour along the narrow gulley among the traditional mud-rock wall houses and underneath the mud-roofs attached to many houses each other is very interesting. We see calves, lambs, kids, colts and interesting lifestyle of tribal people in the rooms while walking through the shadowy dark gully under the mud-roofs.

The most beautiful traditional villages is built up at the top edge of the gray colored conglomerate canyons and giant Dhaulagiri range is seen in the village background. We see hanging cliffs, juniper and silver birch forests, sandy hills, interesting settlements and Nilgiri mountain blue lakes and Kaligandaki River valley around the village. There is the way to upper Dolpo trans-Himalaya zone via Phalyak village. Return to Kagbeni. Dinner and overnight.

Day 05: Pony Trek to Muktinath (3670m) via Putak

Pack up everything before breakfast, your porters prepare their luggage during your breakfast time. Please be ready for another day of pony trek. Trek up to Ranipauwa in holy Muktinath green valley surrounded by Dhampus, Dhaulagiri, Nilgiri, Tilicho, Thorang and Muktinath Himalaya. Trekking through some most traditional isolated villages like Putak, Jhong and Purang where we see Bhotia Gurung tribal culture and their interesting lifestyle. The villages are built up in very few green patches due to water source in the arid rain shadow valley. Jhong village seems very interesting due to its traditional architecture built up in the conglomerate crest with serene Dhaulagiri and Nilgiri Himalaya background. We see classic tribal culture and typical lifestyle there. Muktinath valley just opposite side of the valley lies in the globally famous Annapurna circuit trek which are slightly influenced by modern culture but these villages are left isolated where we see more typical culture and lifestyle. We have lunch here. Arrive Ranipauwa widely known as Muktinath village, check in teahouse. Dinner and overnight.

Day 06: Explore Muktinath, trek to Ludak (2790m)

After breakfast, visit Muktinath -the combined holy shrine of Hindu and Buddhist, the lord of the liberation. The meaning of the two Sanskrit words from which the name Mukti-nath is the Place of the Lord of Liberation, while in the Tibetan language it is called the Place of the Hundred Springs. Muktinath (3765m), considered a sacred place even before the advent of Buddhism, is a very important religious centre and pilgrimage destination for Hindus and Buddhists and a starting point for some Annapurna circuits. In Muktinath, there is a gompa, the temple of Vishnu and further down, in an old temple there is a sacred flame released by a natural gas which we will visit on the way back, detaches from the one that continues along the river to Kagbeni. Visit the Muktinath temple, one of the most revered in the Himalayas; the view extends to the southwest the Dhaulagiri and Tukuche. Several shrines are built up around the main temple. Some colourful chhortens with the background of the Dhaulagiri range seem very beautiful. There are some new monasteries and nunneries in Ranipauwa area.

After visiting Jharkot beautiful village, we trek to an isolated hidden valley of Ludak at the base of Muktinath Himal where we see classic culture of Tibetan Bhotia Gurung tribal culture and their typical lifestyle. Arrive the village, have lunch then explore the valley, village and interesting lifestyle. The village is widely known as Lupra but the original name of the village is Ludak. In Tibetan language Ludak means snake. There is an interesting snake like rock in the cliff just opposite side of the village and the village was protected by the holy snake. Thus the village was named with Ludak in honour of the snake. Dinner and overnight.

Day 07: Trek to Jomsom Jomsom via Thini

After breakfast, trek to Jomsom via Thini village. Trek down to the main road then trek towards Thini -one of the most traditional Thakali tribal villages in Thak Khola valley which is located at the base of Nilgiri mountain from where we see wonderful view of holy Kaligandaki River valley, Dhaulagiri and Dhampus range, beautiful apple gardens, crazy rocky cliffs and settlements. After visiting traditional village of Thini and Bonpo monastery, we visit beautiful Dhumba Lake then trek to Jomsom. Check in hotel, have lunch. Relax in the afternoon. Dinner and overnight.

Day 08: Drive back to Pokhara

Have breakfast then drive to Pokhara on the same way through towns, river valleys, forests, farmlands, hills and hillocks, shrines, apple gardens, deepest gorge Dana and beautiful traditional villages at the base of 2 giant Himalayas Dhaulagiri and Annapurna. Lunch on the way.  Arrive Pokhara and check in hotel. Dinner and overnight.

Day 09: Explore Pokhara, hotel

The day is dedicated to visit World Peace Pagoda, Davi’s Falls, Mahendra cave and Phewa Lake. Depending on time, you may also visit Mountain museum. You see wonderful view of lakeside city Pokhara, Phewa Lake, the entire Pokhara valley and the magical Himalaya panorama from World Peace Pagoda. You see interesting waterfall in Davi’s Falls that disappears in limestone creek and flows under the ground. Have lunch then you also visit mysterious limestone cave where are see interesting natural idols and images in the cave. Visit Tal Barahi Island accessed by boating in Phewa Lake. You see the reflection of Fishtail mountain in the surface of the lake. Observe sacred oil lamps offering to the goddess in the evening. Return to the hotel. Dinner and overnight.

Day 10: Program over, fly back home.

After breakfast, program is over, transfer to airport, fly back home.