Map
High Light of this Trek : Poon Hill Sun rise, Tatopani-Hot Spring, Ghasa Village ( Bird watching), Marpha Apple farm & Monastery, Kagbeni, Muktinath.
Jomsom is in the upper Kali Gandaki valley at the elevation of 2713 m. it is also known as Dzongsam or New Fort. The chaotic view of Mt. Dhaulagiri and Mt. Nilgiri is attractive. Jomsom area is not only the most popular trekking destination in Nepal but also the access to Upper Mustang and Muktinath shrine, the important pilgrimage place for both Buddhists and Hindus.
The views of the mountains are spectacular, and the route actually crosses to the other side of the main Himalayan range for some unusual views of the northern flanks.
It is reputed in Nepalese as a skyline trek. Jomsom is the gateway of the Nepal's hidden treasure "Mustang", the trekker can see the landscape of mustang and reach to the Hindu's and Buddhist's sacred pilgrimage Muktinath.
Upon your arrivals at kathmandu airport,our airport representative will pick-up and transfer to the hotel and in the evening briffing about your trek.
After breakfast you will drive to pokhara by tourist bus that will be 6 hours senic drive.Pokhara is beautiful lake town so you can explore a bit in the evening time.
After breakfast you will drive to nayapul that will be 45 drive and trek to Tikhedunga for overnight it will be 3 hours walk.
Leaving Tikhedunga, we begin our journey with steep climb to Ulleri. Ulleri is a large Magar village at 2070m. Then the trail continues to ascend more gently, through fine forests of oak & rhododendron towards Banthanti at 2250m. Then we make our trek towards Nangethanti at 2460m. After an hour walk brings you to Ghorepani at 2775m.
We begin the trek for hiking to Poon Hill. It takes an hour to climb from here to Poon Hill, offering you one of the best Himalayan viewpoints in Nepal from where spectacular Himalayan ranges with amazing sunrise view can be seen very closely.
After observing the wonderful Himalayas views, we return to Ghorepani and we will have hot breakfast. After breakfast, we continue our journey to Tatopani. Tato means 'hot' and pani is 'water', a name earned courtesy of the hot springs by the river. Tatopani is one of the popular shorter trek spot out of Pokhara.
Today, the trail continues up the Kali Gandaki gorge. This is considered to be the deepest in the world which is situated as it is between the two 8000m peaks of Annapurna and Dhaulagiri. From there, trail rises gently up to Dana at 1400m, & on to Rupse Chhahara at 1550m, there you can see a stunning waterfall. As the trail crosses to the eastern bank of the river, you will reach Kopchepani, & then crosses back to the western side on a suspension bridge at 1935m. From here it is a short climb to Ghasa at 2080m. The trail continues to ascend & pass through Lete at 2470m, shortly before arriving at Kalopani at an elevation of 2560m, where we obtain superb views of the Nilgiri peaks to the east.
This day we start the trek by crossing to the eastern side of the river, but cross back again further up the trail before entering Larjung at 2560m. The trail continues on a short distance to the interesting village of Khobang with its narrow alleyways. Then will have our lunch at the ancient Thakali village of Tukuche at 2590m.
After Tukuche, the trail continues up the Kali Gandaki. As we pass through the gorge, the terrain becomes much more barren & the breeze increases. We continue towards Marpha at 2665m passing a Tibetan refuge settlement & then a horticulture research station. Marpha is a large Thakali village with many excellent teahouses, however it still retains the typical architectural features of narrow alleyways, flat roofs, & whitewashed buildings. There we will visit a superb Nyingmapa Buddhist gompa.
From Marpha, we climb along the side of the valley to Jomsom at 2713m. Jomsom is a large, bustling settlement, & it is the administrative centre of the region that contains the airport, army camp, & numerous hotels, shops, banks & government offices.
On the way, we cross the river to the eastern bank, we then walk onwards to Eklai Bhatti at 2730m. From here we catch a direct route to Muktinath that ascends the hill behind the village, however we follow the trail along the river to Kagbeni at 2810m which is situated at the junction of the Jhong Khola & the Kali Gandaki, the northernmost village that can be visited without a permit to continue on to Mustang. This village fascinates rich Tibmetan cultures & their unique hospitality, influences us much.
We make a steep climb up the Jhong Khola valley leaving Kagbeni, we then join the direct trail to Muktinath just below Khingar at 3200m. From here trail continues high above the Jhong Khola to the imposing village of Jharkot at 3500m which is well worth exploring. We, therefore, take a break here for lunch before continuing on to Muktinath.
As we leave Jharkot, the trail climbs up to our ultimate destination of Muktinath at 3800m. We initially visit Ranipauwa, there are many teahouses and shops. Our overnight stay will be here. Further 10 minutes walks up the hill, we will be rewarded with the actual religious site of Muktinath & this area is kept free of hotels and camping sites. Muktinath is a pilgrimage center for Buddhists and Hindus. There we can see Tibetan traders as well as sadhus from the far south of India. There is shrines in a grove of trees including a Buddhists gompa & the Vishnu temple of Jwalamai. An old temple nearby shelters a spring and natural gas jets that provide Muktinath's famous eternal flame. It's the earth-water - fire combination that accounts for Muktinath's great religious significance.
Afterbreakfast you will walk all the way to Jomsom for overnight that will be 4 hours easy walk or if you drive it will be an 45 munites to reach to jomsom.
What Type of Trek is This?
This is tea house trekking tour thus you will be eating ans sleeping at the tea houses during your trekking period.
A Day on Trek
Each morning after packing our bags and a healthy breakfast, we set off on the day’s walk. After walking for 3-4 hours we stop for lunch at around midday. The afternoon’s walk is generally shorter and we usually arrive at our destination in time for afternoon tea. The remainder of the afternoon can be spent exploring the village, doing a bit of washing or simply relaxing with a good book. On some days we will arrive at our destination by lunchtime and the entire afternoon will be free. After dinner, the evening will often be spent playing cards and reliving the day’s adventures, before retiring for a well-earned sleep.
Meals and Accommodation
In Kathmandu we use 2 star hotel to ensure a comfortable stay and relaxed environment before and after your trip. All breakfasts are included at the hotel in Kathmandu. Rooms are generally twin share - depending on group size and room availability, triple share may be offered to your request.
While on the trek, we provide good quality food in sufficient quantities from Tea Houses/Mt. lodges. We provide all meals on full board (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and tea & coffee) from the teahouse menu during the trekking period. Most of the accommodation is in guesthouses which are basic structures, generally with shared facilities but very comfortable. In some guesthouses, showers are available; where there are no showers; there are private facilities in which you can sponge bath.
Luggage while on Trekking
During trek your main luggage will be carried by porters or pack animals (usually yaks or cross breeds). You simply carry a day pack with water bottle, camera, sun-screen, spare jacket, etc. - a small load that allows full enjoyment of the trek. A trek bag is ideal for your main luggage, plus a small lockable bag for travel clothes or anything that you do not need during trek which you can leave at hotel’s locker room/safe deposit box in Kathmandu for free of charge. Weight allowance at Nepal’s domestic airlines is 15 Kgs, excess weight is chargeable at USD 1 or more per Kilo depending on sectors.
Ground Leader and Crew
1) Trained Nepali Trek leader (experienced and knowledgeable)
2) Sherpa Guide (handles the logistics and guides you and your team on the trek)
The Sherpa guide (commonly called Sirdar) will be accompanied by a crew of porters. On camping trek, there will be 2/3 porters for each members while on GAP and on Lodge trek 1 porter for 2 members.
Join a group or private Trip:
Our trips are available on both fixed departure and private basis. If you are looking for a group to join this trip please check our ‘departures’ link for availability, dates and price. If you would like to travel independently, or with your friends, families & colleagues you are invited to choose any of the trips at your convenient timeframe for any number of people (minimum 1 & maximum 100 at a time).
If you want to do something that is not included in our trip list we are ready to tailor a trip to suit your exact requirements. In short, we will make every effort to get you on the trip you want, when you want.
Group Size and Fixed Departure Date:
If you opt to join our ‘fixed departure trip’, you are likely to be joining people from different countries of any age group except minors. The size of group varies, minimum no of persons required to operate a trip is 2 the maximum is 15 people.
Personal Expenses
Personal expenses depend largely on the type of trek, duration and the trekking region.
If you are on Camping or Tea house trek all meals will be provided. You only need money for table drinks (alcoholic/non alcoholic beverages), snacks while walking (a few smaller shops are available along the trail in some areas) tips, souvenirs, hot shower (available in some places).
If you are on ‘GAP’ trek style you need to pay for all your meals. NPR 1000-1500 a day should be enough to cover your meals. We pay for your accommodation at mountain hut (tea house) along the trail and bear all the expenses of staff assigned by us.
Tips are appreciated by your support team after the trip. The amount depends on your budget and appreciation of their work. As a suggestion, we advise you to allocate 5 - 10% of the total tour cost as tips.
Flight and Transfers
You can choose any mode of transport to commute from Kathmandu to Pokhara. Please do check for piece difference. From Kathmandu, you take a 30 minutes scenic flight to Pokhara and by driving it will take 7 hours along the Prithvi Highway to Pkhara. The starting point of the trek is Nayapul. On your return, our car/bus shall pick you from Nayapul and drive to Pokhara. You can choose between flying or driving back from Pokhara to Kathmandu. We will arrange the transportation from your hotel to the airport (Kathmandu).
Communication and Electricity:
While trekking in the remote parts, you may not have an access to telephone facility for some days or weeks. However, en route there may be few places where telephone facilities may be available and likely to be working. There is electricity facility entire trekking trails in Nepal thus there won’t be any problem to re-charge your battery and cameras.If it is crucial for you to keep in contact with your family or others, Adventure Magic Treks can provide you a mobile satellite phone (rental charge on request).
How do you find us in Kathmandu ?
You need to pass on your International flight details to us for a “meeting and greeting” service at airport. You just pass on the Customs and come out of the Terminal building where you will see someone standing with a placard with either ‘Adventure Magic Treks’ or your name written on it. Our airport representative or tour officer will greet you and welcome you with a garland.
Climate and Best Time to go .
The best seasons to trek in the Annapurna region are Autumn (from mid-September till November end) and Spring (from the beginning of March until mid-May). Temperatures will drop considerably as you trek higher everyday. The nights are cold (between -20 C to 5C) but the days are sunny and hot (between 10C to 30C). The mornings are usually clear, with clouds building up during the afternoon, disappearing at night. Trekking during the monsoon is not recommended, as the visibility during monsoon is limited. Trekking in the winter is possible; however, it is much colder than Autumn and Spring.
March, April, October and November are the most popular and favored months for traveling. Please choose the date that is convenient for you.
Itinerary Changes
The itineraries for each trip should be taken as a guideline only. Depending on the prevailing situation, you can modify it to some extent after consulting with your guide. However, the date of trek completion should always coincide with the original itinerary.
You should keep in mind that this is an adventure trip into the remotest region, where many unforeseen events may contribute to the need for a change in itinerary. In such cases, we or your guide will suggest the best alternative similar to your original.
Trek Duration
We ensure liability as per indicated itinerary and list of services. If the holiday is cut short or completed earlier than the projected period upon client’s wish, we shall not be responsible or make refund against unutilized days or services. Clients need to pay extra for Hotels/services incurred in Kathmandu or elsewhere in such cases.
Vaccinations
As vaccination requirements change frequently, we suggest you to consult your doctor at least 2 months prior to the beginning of your trip. We recommend protection against malaria, tetanus, typhoid, hepatitis and polio.
First Aid Kid
We supply a medical bag with standard medicines prescribed by trekking doctors. Since our staffs/guides are not qualified for suggesting medications to western clients, we would request you to use the medicines upon your own risk. It is safer and more reliable if you have your own medicine kit and not depend on what we have.
Altitude :
Altitude Sickness has the potential to affect all travelers from 2500m and higher our itinerary is planned in such a way that you make very gradual ascend, spending some days at a low elevation to build necessary acclimatization before walking up to Annapurna south base camp at 4130m (the highest point on this trek). When you are at high altitude, your body needs time to adjust to smaller quantities of oxygen in the air at 5500m/18,044ft; the air pressure is approximately half that of sea level, i.e. there is half the amount of oxygen.
Check out "Altitude illness" by Dr Jim Duff
Rescue and Evacuations
In case of a serious sickness or a casualty, which we believe will not happen; we will do everything to transfer you to the nearest hospital. Since you are entirely liable for all the expenses incurred in evacuation please make sure that it is covered by your insurance before assigning for it or be prepared to pay on your own after getting back to Kathmandu.
Insurance
Before joining a tour, we recommend you to take a travel insurance which should cover cancellation, medical expenses, helicopter evacuation and emergency repatriation.
Responsible Travel
Wonderful environment of the Himalayas is also an extremely fragile one. Increasing population density and numbers of trekkers threaten the very beauty of Nepal. At Adventure Magic Treks , we are extremely conscious about the environment and aim to minimize our impact as much as possible.
As deforestation is one of the greatest environmental threats, we do not have camp fires and use kerosene for cooking as an alternative fuel to wood. We also discourage trekkers from using wood-fuelled hot showers in lodges along the way. Many lodges, however, now provide solar hot showers, a far more eco-friendly alternative.
Garbage disposal is another major problem and some of the busier trails can, at times, appear strew with litter. Our staff members are well motivated towards eco-friendly practices. We carry out all our garbage, apart from that which can be safely and easily burnt at the campsite. Our aim is to help protect and preserve this beautiful environment for future generations of trekkers to enjoy.
Trip Extensions
In addition to your trek, we can organize extensions both within Nepal and other neighboring countries. You may want to try water rafting or a jungle safari in Nepal or Nepal Cultural Tour. You may as well take a trip to Tibet, India or Bhutan, whichever seems more appealing to you. Since the trek ends in Pokhara, one of the most popular tourist destinations in Nepal, it would be nice and relaxing for you to spend a day or two taking in the sights and sounds of this scenic city.
Social Responsibility
Adventure Magic Treks works with the motto ‘Development through Tourism’. Keeping in line with this motto, Adventure Magic Community Service Project was imagine to authorize deprived, marginalized, poor and minority section of Nepal.
Staff’s Care:
We ensure that all the porters and other staffs going into high altitude conditions are provided with adequate clothing and equipment. We are the first ever company to supply high-altitude porters with crampons. Therefore we are lifetime member of Keep.
Booking conditions:
Booking Procedure:
If you still have any questions regarding this trip, please feel free to contact us. We answer all enquiries within more or less then 12 hours. If you want to book a trip, you can e-mail us at info@adventuremagictreks.com or contact us straight by phone: +977-1-4410361
Clothing and Equipment List for Trekking in Himalayas:
Our main paramount is to offer safe and enjoyable trek for your clients.As part of the booking process, we will provide you with a comprehensive clothing and equipment list for proposed trekking .Experienced trekkers will often take only a selection of these items based on what has worked in the past.Please find the equipment list below for your personal use during your traveling period.
Foot wear:Walking boots, Wool and liner socks, sandals
Clothing:
Waterproof jacket and trousers, Trekking trousers, Long sleeve shirts, Micro fleece, Mid to heavyweight fleece, Sleeveless or body warmer type fleece, Thermals or base layer for top & bottom (merino wool or synthetic), Fleece pants, Medium weight down jacket
Hand wear: Fleece gloves, Warms mittens and/or gloves
Head wear: Wool or fleece hat, Sun hat, Scarf, Head torch and extra batteries,Sunglasses
Personal Equipment:
Sleeping bag, Backpack large enough to carry water bottles, camera and extra clothing, Stuff sacks for keeping your gear dry and organized, two water bottles (Nalgene wide mouth bottles are the best), Sunscreen and lip salve with a high SPF, Insect repellent, Water purification tablets (Pristine, Biox Aqua or Aqua Mira), Favorite snack food, Books, iPod and cards etc, Trekking poles, Camera with spare batteries and memory cards, Insurance certificate.
Travelling:
Duffle bag or large backpack for your personal gear on the trek (carried by a porter), Bring a small combination padlock to secure the bag, Travel clothes. You will need casual clothing for air travel days and time spent in Kathmandu, Toiletry bag include toilet paper, soap, towel, toothbrush, etc.
Personal first aid kit:
Any personal medications, Diamox (optional) helps with acclimatization.
Adventure Magic Treks always provide down jackets and down sleeping bags for all our trips.The above list is one 'rough guide' of kit which you'll need to consider before leaving home. Each trekker should carry one backpack for items required during the day.Your day backpack will contain items such as warm clothes, jacket, camera, water bottles, and personal first aid kit and day snacks. The rest of your personal equipment packed in a duffel bag or backpack will be carried by a porter.The maximum weight allowance is 15kgs/33 pounds that we strongly care of porter rights and solely against any exploitation on its operation.