Departure: 07^th Oct 2023 (from The Netherlands) Returning back 22^nd Oct 2023

Day 01: 07^th Oct 2023 Departure from Amsterdam to Kathmandu
Day 02: 08^th Oct 2023 Arrival in Kathmandu (1337m)

You are welcomed to Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal renowned for historical monuments, Hindu Temples, and Buddhist Stupas/Monasteries. We meet our guests at the Tribhuvan International Airport. A representative will be waiting with a Himalayan Vacation Treks and Expedition placard with our guests’ names displayed. After dropping luggage at the hotel, guests are taken for a short sightseeing tour. In the evening, guests are invited to a Welcome Dinner at a Nepali restaurant.

Day 03: 09^th Oct 2023 Sightseeing in Kathmandu(1337m)

A local guide will be available. According to your wishes, the guide will escort you for sightseeing. Sightseeing may include the Kathmandu Durbar Square, Pashupati,  Boudhanath, Patan Durbar Square, and the Swoyambhunath areas.  Starting after breakfast, usually at 9.00am, the exploration of Kathmandu Valley can continue until 5.00pm. Lunch and dinner, you will be responsible for.

Day 04: 10^th Oct 2023 Kathmandu – Arughat Bazar- Soti Khola to Machha khola (869m) by bus/jeep 7-8 hours hold night.

We set off early morning from Kathmandu through Prithvi Highway by bus. The bus goes down through the zigzag road and from a point the road splits and we turn right crossing a bridge over Trisuli River.  The road to Arughat from the main road is not very good and we just drive slowly. But the view around the road is very beautiful. It goes through green jungles and villages in some places.  We cross a large mountain village called Arughat. Gurung and Newar people live in a majority here. The bus service is available for up to Arughat. After Arughat we have to hire a jeep for Machhakhola via Soti Khola. The main part of the journey we follow is the Budhi Gandaki River upstream. The landscape of the valley is full of is terraced farm fields.   We pass several villages and small settlements. We spend the night in a lodge beside the bank of the river in Machha Khola. Telephone and mobile phone service are available. We can witness the northeast view of Ganesh Himal from here.

Day 05: 11^th Oct 2023 Machha Khola – Dobhan (1070 m) 4-5 hours

From today walking starts. The path still goes along the Budhi Gandaki River. Today we have a short trek. We cross in many places, tributaries or the small streams that finally go to the Budhi Gandaki River. We cross Khorla Besi, in this point the route becomes slippery if the weather is rainy. So we need to walk carefully.  From Khorla Besi we can have a spectacular view of Ganesh Himal.  At Tatopani, there is hot water spring. After this, in some places, we must be careful because the pieces of rock may come down from the hills where landslides have taken place. We cross a suspension bridge over Dobhan Khola and camp beside the river at Dobhan. Dobhan means a meeting point of two rivers or streams.

Day 06: 12^th Oct 2023 Dobhan – Ekle Bhatti  (16000m) 4-5 hours

The path is slightly uphill, flat and downhill since we are walking in the hilly region of Nepal. The path goes through landslide area in some section of the path where we must be careful because the pieces of rock may come down falling from the cliffs. We have a spectacular view of waterfall on the way. The path goes sometimes along the river too. Along the way, we view the Shringi Himal, a 7161-meter high summit in the north, close to the border with Tibet. We cross a village called Jagat has several lodges. It is a Gurung village.  But we don’t stay here. Maybe we have lunch and stroll through the upper part of the village or visit the Chhyoling Sandu gompa. There is a check post of Manaslu Conservation Area Project. We head to Philim. In Philim, there is a kind of village cinema hall which is often crowded by local people. We can make telephone calls from here. From Philim to walk around 40 minutes to Ekle Bhatti. Spend night at Ekle Bhatti.

Day 07: 13^th Oct 2023 Ekle Bhatti  to Bihi (2130 m) 4-5 hours

The path for today also goes uphill, flat and downhill. We cross several small streams and river through wooden and suspension bridges.  Such a path is common in the hilly region.  We sometimes walk through villages and sometimes through a beautiful ancient forest. The view in the hills of opposite side sometimes is full of beautiful villages and waterfalls. Since we are in the Buddhist area, prayer flags and prayer wheels are part of the landscape.  After the village, we cross the new suspension bridge over Budhi Gandaki River. From this point before we cross the bridge our trail splits. One goes to the Tsum Valley. The other leads us to village Bihi. After crossing the River, in one hour’s walk at the place called Nyak, the ending point of Rupina La treks meets with our path. We catch the route that takes us to the village called Bihi where we will spend the night in a lodge.  After Nyak, from Deng, we can have a spectacular view of Shringai Himal. Deng is a small Gurung village where the Buddhist culture is practiced. So Mani walls and prayers flags welcome us here. After Deng, the path goes downhill up to Budhi Gandaki River. We cross a Trust bridge over Budhi Gandaki River and walk uphill to Bihi.

Day 08: 14^th Oct 2023 Bihi – Lho (3180 m) 5-6 hours

In the beginning, slowly going uphill but after lunch, we walk through a steep path and we have to walk through the trail that has landslides, wet pieces, and slippery stones. We are now completely turned to the west and the Tibetan border is less than 10 km from of us. We are now entering the area inhabited by Tibetan refugees. Hence, the sight of Tibetan culture and lifestyle is common in this area.  The trail goes uphill and downhill both. At Namrung, our special permit will be checked. This is a village where there is a hydropower station. This is the viewpoint of Shrigai Himal and Ganesh Himal. There is a famous beautiful gompa called Namla Gompa. We can make a telephone call here. We pass the gompa of Lihi and continue to rise until we go through the stone gates of Sho. Lihi is the viewpoint of Himchuli too. A little later, we have a magnificent view of the Naike Peak, Manaslu north and eventually Manaslu Peak. Lho is a beautiful village. In the east we have a view of the peaks of Ganesh Himal and north to the glaciers on the mountains that form the border with Tibet. We can visit the Kandjur Scripts monastery of Lho and Ribung Gompa. Lho is the viewpoint of Manaslu.  We can make a telephone call from Lho.

Day 09: 15^th Oct 2023 Lho to Samagaon (3520 m) 3-4 hours

We walk downhill to the river in the beginning. Then the path goes slightly uphill along the river. We cross a small jungle area in several places. We arrive in Shyala. It is a comparatively new village and is populated by Tibetan refugees who are still on the old trade route through the pass called Lajyung Bhanjyang. We cross Numala Khola through the suspension bridge and walk to Samagaon which is a very beautiful Tibetan village. We stay her e for 2 nights.

Day 10: 16^th Oct 2023 Samagaon Acclimatization / Rest day in (3350 m)

Today as it an acclimatization day, we can have just rest for the whole day or there are so many things we can do. Maybe we can get a hold of Puja (prayer) in the gompa or the monastery. We can bathe and make washing. If we wish to observe Tibetan culture, we can walk through the village and see how the Tibetan villagers live and work in this region. We can make a walk to the Birendra Lake or a piece of a way to Manaslu BC or a longer walk to Pung Gyen Gompa also is the things we can make. The Gompa is in the altitude of about 3900 m on one of the slopes along the Numla Khola. This is a point from where we can see the view of Manaslu, Larke, Naike Peak, Manaslu glacier etc. Himalayan Vacation Treks and Expedition guide will arrange for our visit to the various places today.

Day 11: 17^th Oct 2023  Samagaon- Samdo to (3875 m) 2-3 hours

Today we have a short trek along the Budhi Gandaki River. Since we are walking in the high altitude, we slowly acclimatize. We climb uphill gradually. Slowly we feel the cold wind as we climb up. So, the warm clothes in your rucksack are suggested. We follow the Budhi Gandaki in a northwesterly direction to the last inhabited village before the pass. We walk through yak Weiden with dozens of meters long manimuren.  We camp in Samdo in a lodge. Telephone service is available here. Mani walls and stupas can be seen everywhere here. We can visit the viewpoint from where we can witness Naike and Pangboche Peak.

Day 12: 18^th Oct 2023 Samdo – Dharmashala (Larke Phedi) (4460 m) 3-4 hours

We walk today flat first then slightly uphill. We have to take it easy because today we rise about 800 meters and tomorrow await us a hard day as we will cross the pass Larke La. On the south side of the path we have a view of the North Peak, Naike Peak, and the Larke Peak and the Manaslu massif and to the north, the barren, rough stone desert that lies between us and the Tibetan plateau. This will be the coldest night on this trip and probably also the shortest. We spend the night in a lodge in Dharmashala in the other word Larke Phedi.

Day 13: 19^th Oct 2023 Larke La BC – Larke La( 5160 m) – Bhimtang (3590m) 6-7 hours

We get up very early and leave early because of today because maybe most of the snowy pass and which may, in particular, make the long steep descent difficult and time-consuming. The run-up to the pass is gradual and hopefully, it’s a bright sunny day so that, once the light is able to enjoy the impressive landscape.  Moraines, glaciers, snow-capped peaks which stand out stridently against the blue sky and the icy glacier lakes are the view of the surrounding. The pass is not really showing signs of a sharp transition but the prayer flags tell us that we have arrived at the highest point. We too, hang our prayer flags in there. In the succeeding descent, it goes again slightly uphill and then comes the long and very steep down but we occasionally take the time to enjoy the extraordinary view. Only at the moraine path becomes less steep and the going easier. Along the moraine-shore, we walk to the large lawn with some houses. We walk for long hours today; we must bear in mind that average of 9 to 10 hours walks including a few short breaks along the way. But the duration can vary since it depends on the local conditions like weather. In the evening we are very much exhausted but contented today. We stay in a lodge for the night in Bhimthang. Bhimthang has telephone service facility. There is a viewpoint of Lamjung Himal, North-East face of  Manaslu, South face of Phungi, Cheo Himal and North-West face of Himlung.

Day 14: 20^th Oct 2023 Bhimthang – Tilije (2300 m) 5-6 hours

Today our journey goes down slowly. In the beginning, we walk through glacier shore.  Then beautiful forests with great views of the peaks of the Manaslu behind us,  we walk quietly along the river to Kharche. This is just off the Suti Khola, a river coming from the northwest and flows into the Dudh Khola. We walk along the Dudh Khola down south. Small villages with tea houses are on the way. First a horrible climb over the Pass of Kharche but then mostly down along moraines, yak kharka, white beaches, and rocks along the river that swirls down and called Dudh (milk) delivers. Also, we see a beautiful view of waterfalls and the forest with mosses. We love the path that has a view of the magnificent mountains around us. We slowly head to the big Gurung village of Tilje, where we will spend the night in a lodge. We can visit Tilije Gompa here and telephone and NTC mobile service are available here. Apple Wine and brandy is produced here since the apple farm is there. We can have a taste of local wine, alcohol and other products here.

Day 15: 21^st  Oct 2023 Tilije – Kathmandu (1340m) 8 to 6 hours

We leave the Gurung village Tilje and walk downhill to the point where the Dudh Khola comes together with the Marsyangdi River. We reach the Annapurna trail. It may take about 45 minutes walk. At Dharapani we hire vehicle to Kathmandu . We go over the bridge to the west bank of the Marsyangdi and we will check with the postmark to let our permits. We are now in a completely different world with many tea-houses, restaurants, and lodges in comparison of the routes we walked in the past. We pass typical villages like Tal and Chamje and finally reach Jagat. Further we drive to Besi Sahar; the headquarter of Lamjugng District. Until Besisahar the road is rough as it is just graveled. But from Besi Sahar, the road is pitched. At Dumre we reach the road that runs from Pokhara to Kathmandu. As well as on the way we will have lunch in Muglin. The drive will take 8 to 9 hours. It depends on the situation of the road traffic and especially the pass to the Kathmandu valley can sometimes cause delays.

Day 16: 22^nd Oct 2023 Departure from Kathmandu (1337)

Today, we check the list of all necessary documents and goods of our guest. We confirm the flight tickets before 72 hours of departure flight. We advise our guest to put passport and tickets at their handbag for convenience. Himalayan Vacation Treks and Expedition staff representative will take our valuable guests to the airport (3 hours prior to your flight) and bid goodbye. It will be not only goodbye but also the welcome for next visit to Nepal.