Khopra Ridge trek itinerary, day by day

The Khopra Ridge itinerary here takes eight days from Pokhara. You drive to Nayapul, follow the Ghorepani trail for two days, climb Poon Hill at sunrise, then leave the crowds along a ridge through Chistibung (about 3,000 m) to Khopra Danda (3,600 m), rest there for a day, drop to the Gurung village of Swanta and return to Ghorepani via Chitre before descending to Nayapul. It is the quiet, harder cousin of Poon Hill, with community-run lodges and views of Dhaulagiri, Annapurna South and Nilgiri.

The plan below lists sleeping altitudes and hours and explains where the trek is easy to get wrong. The route data is on the Khopra Ridge route page, and the area is described in the Ghorepani and Poon Hill area guide.

The 8 days at a glance

Days 1 and 2: the standard Poon Hill start

Day 1 drives from Pokhara to Nayapul, then walks through Birethanti, where permits are checked, up the Bhurungdi valley to Tikhedhunga and up the Ulleri staircase to Ulleri (about 2,070 m). The steps are steep and the day is warm and humid, so start early and drink water. Day 2 climbs through oak and rhododendron forest, past Banthanti and Nangethanti, to Ghorepani (2,860 m), a pass village that is busy with trekkers in season. Rest, eat well and set an alarm for Poon Hill. Both days are the same as in the Poon Hill itinerary.

Day 3: Poon Hill, then the ridge to Chistibung (about 3,000 m)

Climb Poon Hill before dawn for sunrise over Dhaulagiri and the Annapurnas, then return to Ghorepani for breakfast. After that you leave the main trail. The path climbs through Deurali and forest to Dobato and the ridge, passing Bayeli and its grassy meadows, and becomes narrower and quieter. Chistibung, at about 3,000 m, is a small settlement with a few simple lodges. The day is six to seven hours with ups and downs, on top of the pre-dawn climb, so it is a long one. Eat, rest and prepare for tomorrow.

Day 4: Chistibung to Khopra Danda (3,600 m)

A steady climb through rhododendron forest and open slopes to Khopra Danda, a bare ridge with a community-run lodge. The path is steep in places and the air is cold. On a clear day Dhaulagiri, Annapurna South and Nilgiri fill the view to the north. The lodge is simple, with a dining room and shared rooms, and nights are very cold. This day takes five to six hours and the sleeping gain from Chistibung is about 600 m, which is above the 300 to 500 m a night suggested for ground above 3,000 m by the Wilderness Medical Society and CDC Yellow Book, so watch for symptoms.

Day 5: rest day at Khopra Danda

Take it. If you feel well, hike toward Khayer Lake, a high lake on the ridge, but go only as far as you are comfortable, because the altitude is considerable and the weather changes fast. Otherwise walk a short way along the ridge and enjoy the views. The community lodge is a good place to talk to other trekkers and local staff about how the community maintains the trail.

Days 6 to 8: down, round and out

Day 6 descends from Khopra Danda through forest and meadows to Swanta, a Gurung village at about 2,200 m with terraced fields and a few simple lodges. It is steep and long, six to seven hours, and poles help. Swanta sees far fewer trekkers than the main trails. Day 7 climbs from Swanta through Chitre and the ridge to Ghorepani, six to seven hours with steep sections. If you want a second Poon Hill sunrise, set an alarm. Day 8 descends via Nangethanti, Banthanti and the Ulleri staircase to Nayapul, five to six hours of steep steps, and a jeep or taxi takes you to Pokhara in about 1.5 hours.

Where this trek goes wrong

Three things catch people out.

The first is the pace on day 3. Poon Hill at dawn followed by a six to seven hour ridge walk is a long day, and the final climb to Chistibung is not the place to be short of food or water. Carry extra water between Ghorepani and Chistibung, because water sources are limited.

The second is the jump to 3,600 m on day 4. You sleep 600 m higher than the night before, at a ridge exposed to wind and cold, with a simple lodge. If you have a headache that does not clear, stay at Chistibung for a second night rather than push on. The rest day at Khopra is your second chance, and the Khayer Lake hike is optional for good reason.

The third is the descent. Swanta is a long, steep drop, and the stone steps to Nayapul on day 8 are hard on knees. Poles help.

Permits and the guide rule

You need an Annapurna Conservation Area entry permit. As of October 2026 it costs NPR 3,000 for foreigners, NPR 1,000 for SAARC nationals, with children under 10 free; online payment adds 2.9 percent and a permit issued at a check post costs double. A TIMS card may be requested; the Nepal Tourism Board lists it at NPR 2,000 for foreigners (SAARC nationals NPR 1,000), plus any agency service charge. See the ACAP permit explainer.

On guides, a licensed guide through a registered agency is required in restricted areas, and under the Nepal Tourism Board rule of April 2023 in national parks and conservation areas, where 2026 operator reports say checkpoints enforce it in Annapurna and Langtang but not in Khumbu (checked 19 October 2026). Our route data marks a guide as required for Khopra, and the ridge trails are less well signed than the main routes, so a guide is sensible on practical grounds as well. See the guide rule by region.

Lodges, food and costs

Lodges at Chistibung and Khopra Danda are community-run, simple and small, with limited menus of dal bhat, noodles, soup, potatoes and eggs. Rooms are unheated and nights are cold, so a warm sleeping bag matters. Hot showers are rarely available. Order meals in advance and be patient. The income supports local projects. As of October 2026 the Annapurna cost data gives a dal bhat of NPR 500 to 1,000 below 2,500 m and NPR 700 to 1,200 between 2,500 and 3,800 m, a guide day of NPR 2,700 to 4,000 and a porter day of NPR 2,100 to 3,400, as operator market ranges rather than official rates. The route data counts eight guide days and eight porter days, and treats the Nayapul transfers as lines to check. Carry rupees, as there are no machines.

Season

October and November have clear skies and stable weather. March to May has rhododendron and warmer days. Winter brings snow and cold on the ridge and the monsoon is wet and cloudy. See trekking in Nepal in October and trekking in Nepal in April.

Photography and packing

The ridge catches first light when Dhaulagiri and Annapurna South glow, and clouds often cover the peaks by mid-morning. A telephoto compresses the peaks, and the meadow and rhododendron forest make good foreground in spring. Pack waterproof boots, warm layers, a down jacket, hat and gloves, a sleeping bag rated to about -10 C, poles, a headlamp, water purification and a first-aid kit. The Nepal trek packing list covers more.

Sharing and alternatives

A guide and a porter for eight days are the biggest costs, and a partner halves them. Use the Khopra Ridge partner page to post dates, and see Poon Hill versus Mardi Himal if you are comparing quiet options. The route guides category and the day-by-day itineraries hub list the other plans, and the Annapurna region trekking guide shows where Khopra fits among the five treks.

The regional data is on the Annapurna region page.