Ghandruk village trek guide: two days from Pokhara

The Ghandruk village trek is a two-day, one-night walk from Nayapul, 1.5 to 2 hours by road from Pokhara, up to the large Gurung village of Ghandruk at about 2,000 m, then a morning walk down past old Ghandruk to Kimche and a vehicle back to Pokhara. It covers 16.5 km with 1,090 m of climbing, most of it on the first day, it needs the Annapurna Conservation Area (ACAP) permit and it is rated moderate. It is the shortest real teahouse trek from Pokhara, and the best choice if you have only two days and want mountain views and a village night. The Ghandruk route page has the day plan.

Day by day

Day 1: Nayapul to Ghandruk. Drive from Pokhara to Nayapul along the Baglung highway, have your ACAP permit ready, and start walking. The trail follows the river through Birethanti and Syauli Bazar, then climbs through terraced fields, forest and small villages, partly on the village road, to Kimche and on up to Ghandruk. On our map the day is 11.9 km with 1,080 m of climbing and takes four to six hours: operators give four to five hours, one gives five and another six. The climb is steady and partly on stone steps, so go slowly and drink often. Ghandruk's stone houses with slate roofs line the village, and the Gurung Cultural Museum is worth an hour. Wikipedia lists the views as Annapurna South at 7,219 m, Machhapuchhre at 6,993 m, Gangapurna and Hiunchuli.

Day 2: Ghandruk to Kimche and Pokhara. After breakfast with the sunrise view, walk through Ghandruk to Purano Ghandruk, the old village about a kilometre north, where narrow lanes and stone houses show how the Gurung lived. Then follow the path downhill to Kimche, about 45 minutes by the Ghale Treks account and longer with village stops. On our map the morning is 4.6 km, mostly downhill, in two to three hours. A vehicle takes you from Kimche to Pokhara in about two hours.

Who it suits

The trek suits anyone who walks regularly and can climb about 1,100 m in a day. It is a good first teahouse night, a sensible way to test your boots and knees before a longer trek, and a good fit for families with older children. If you have three days and want a ridge with a panorama, compare the Australian Camp and Dhampus trek; if you have four and want the classic sunrise, compare Poon Hill, whose route also passes through Ghandruk. Our Pokhara day hikes roundup puts all of them in one table.

Permits and the guide rule

The ACAP entry permit is NPR 3,000 for foreigners and NPR 1,000 for SAARC nationals, per the NTNC e-permit page; permits issued at check posts cost double, and online payment adds a gateway charge. Operators also list a TIMS card, which one 2025 guide prices at NPR 2,000, so confirm the current rule before you go. Carry both at the checkpoints. Our ACAP permit guide explains where to buy the permit.

On the guide: this route lies in the Annapurna Conservation Area, so the Nepal Tourism Board April 2023 guide rule applies: 2026 operator reports say the ACAP checkpoint checks for a licensed guide (checked 19 October 2026). The written rule is the Nepal Tourism Board announcement of April 2023, and we found no separate Department of Immigration or DNPWC notice, so enforcement reports come from operators rather than an official notice. Ask your agency or guesthouse to arrange a licensed guide when you book, and see the guide rule by region and our guide rule explainer.

Getting there and back, and what it costs

Nayapul is 1.5 to 2 hours from Pokhara by road. A 2025 cost guide gives a local bus at USD 2 to 5 and a shared jeep at USD 8 to 10 per person, and USD 4 to 5 from Ghandruk back to Pokhara by jeep or bus; the pack converts the bus and return figures at NPR 134 per USD, which is about NPR 270 to 670 out and NPR 540 to 670 back. Those figures are from one 2025 guide and may have changed, so ask before you board. Add the ACAP permit, a room and meals in Ghandruk, and a guide if you hire one. The pack's dated cost data (checked 18 October 2026) gives a guide day rate of NPR 4,000 to 6,000 and a porter day rate of NPR 2,100 to 3,400 for the Pokhara region, with 2 guide days and 2 porter days on this route.

A guide for two days is the biggest single cost for a solo walker, and the one that sharing cuts. If you want company, post your dates on the Ghandruk partner page or read how matching works on the trekking partner hub. Our guide to splitting guide and porter costs fairly works through the arithmetic.

Making the most of two days

The first day is the climb, so start early. Leave Pokhara by about 7 am, reach Nayapul by 9 and aim to arrive in Ghandruk by mid-afternoon, which leaves time for the museum and the village lanes before the light fades. The second morning is the mountain view: Annapurna South, Hiunchuli, Gangapurna and Machhapuchhre catch the first light, and clouds usually build by mid-morning, so do not sleep in. Walk down through Purano Ghandruk rather than taking the village road, because the old village is the part that shows how the Gurung lived. If you have a spare day, stay a second night and walk the ridge paths around the village with no pack, or ask your agency about joining the Poon Hill route, which also passes through Ghandruk. If the weather turns, the road to Kimche means you can always end the trip by vehicle.

Best season

Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November), according to the Ghale Treks page. Winter nights are cold and the monsoon brings cloud, so you may not see the mountains at all. Book a teahouse in advance in peak months, because Ghandruk is popular with both day-trippers and Poon Hill trekkers. For the months in detail, see trekking in Nepal in October and November.

What to carry

A small pack, water, a rain jacket and a warm layer for the evening are enough. Wear boots or shoes with grip for the stone steps, and bring small rupee notes for tea and the museum. If you are going on to a longer trek, our Nepal trek packing list has the full kit, and the Nepal trekking regions guide shows where else you can go.

Respecting the village

Ghandruk is a working Gurung village as well as a trekking stop. Ask before photographing people, keep to the paths between houses and fields, and buy your meals and tea in the village to keep the money local. Our trail etiquette guide has the general rules, and the Gurung Cultural Museum is the best place to learn how local people see their own history.

Verdict

Ghandruk is the easiest way to spend a night in an Annapurna foothill village: two days, one steady climb, a museum, a sunrise and a downhill morning. Go in autumn or spring, carry your ACAP permit and arrange a guide, and take poles if your knees dislike stone steps.