Ghandruk Loop Trek: 3 Days Annapurna Hiking from Pokhara

5.00

(4 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

The morning air in Pokhara always feels a bit damp, especially if you’re up before the sun. We met our guide right at the hotel—he was already chatting with our porter, who looked like he could carry twice my pack without breaking a sweat. The drive out to Nayapul took about an hour, winding past rice paddies and tiny tea stalls where locals were already sipping their first cups of chiya. Once we hit the trail, it didn’t take long for the mountains to show themselves. I remember stopping just outside Birethanti to catch my breath and suddenly realizing Machhapuchhare—the famous Fishtail peak—was peeking out from behind a cloud. It’s hard not to stare.

The climb up to Ghandruk isn’t tough, but you’ll feel it in your legs by lunchtime. We passed a few herders moving goats along the stone steps and kids waving from doorways. By early afternoon, we rolled into Ghandruk—a Gurung village that feels almost frozen in time. Our guide took us straight to the old Gurung museum; it’s small but packed with old tools and photos. The best part? Sitting on the lodge balcony with a cup of sweet milk tea as Annapurna South and Hiunchuli lit up pink in the late light.

Next morning, I woke up early—couldn’t help it with all those roosters going off—and watched the first sun hit the snow peaks. Breakfast was simple: eggs, chapati, and more tea. The trail drops down to Modi Khola river before climbing again toward Landruk village. You’ll walk through terraces where women are usually working in the fields—sometimes they’ll wave or call out “Namaste!” The path winds through Deurali (there’s a little shop there selling instant noodles and biscuits) before reaching Pothana by late afternoon. Pothana sits right on a ridge; you can see almost all of Annapurna massif from here if the clouds behave.

On our last day, I lingered over breakfast just watching clouds drift across Fishtail’s sharp tip. The walk down to Phedi is mostly shaded by rhododendron trees—if you’re lucky and it’s spring, you’ll catch them blooming bright red. At Phedi, our driver was waiting (he’d brought fresh oranges for us). Back in Pokhara by lunch, legs tired but head full of mountain air and village sounds.