Australian Camp and Dhampus Trek

The Australian Camp and Dhampus trek is an easy three-day walk from Pokhara through villages and forest to a meadow viewpoint on the ridge above the city. A drive of about an hour reaches Phedi, a stone staircase climbs to the Gurung village of Dhampus, a ridge path leads through Pothana to Australian Camp, at about 2,050 m, where Annapurna South, Machhapuchhre and the rest of the range fill the horizon, and the third morning walks down to Kande for the drive back. On our map the walking is about 11 km with 1,010 m of climbing over three days, so it suits families and first-time trekkers. It needs no flight and no gear beyond a rain jacket and sturdy shoes, the best months are October to November and March to April, and the Annapurna Conservation Area permit of NPR 3,000 may apply, so confirm with your agency.

The plan follows operator itineraries from Explore-Share, Trekking in Nepal and Lokalee, which agree on the Phedi start, the night at Dhampus and the stop at Pothana. Operator heights differ for the camp, from 2,045 to 2,232 m, and the elevation model gives about 2,060 m, so we use 2,050 m. The best months are October to November and March to April.

What the trek is like

The first day is a short climb up stone steps. The second is a longer ridge walk with forest and views, and the camp is a grassy ridge with lodges and tents. The last morning is a short descent to Kande. The Mardi Himal trek follows the same path on its first day.

Permits and rules

Dhampus and Australian Camp lie in Kaski District, which is part of the Annapurna Conservation Area, and the NTNC entry permit costs NPR 3,000 for foreigners. Operators we read do not always mention it, so confirm with your agency.

Best season

October to November and March to April. The monsoon brings leeches and cloud.

Getting there and away

Pokhara to Phedi is about an hour by road, and Kande to Pokhara is about an hour.

Difficulty and fitness

The trek is easy. The steepest part is the stone staircase from Phedi to Dhampus, about 520 m in 2.1 km, and the other days are short. Children and older walkers manage it with a day pack and a guide or porter. It makes a good first trek and a good warm-up before the Mardi Himal or Annapurna routes.

Budget notes

The costs section uses Nepal-wide lodge and meal ranges for low-altitude nights, the Annapurna Conservation Area permit of NPR 3,000 and transport lines that we show as items to check, since we found no published fares for the Phedi and Kande transfers.

What to pack

A day pack, a rain jacket, a warm layer for the camp, sun protection, a head torch for the sunrise and sturdy shoes for the stone steps.

Guide rule

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). See the guide rule by region.