Trip Route: Pokhara – Nayapul – Ghorepani – Poon Hill – Tatopani – Ghassa – Marpha – Kagbeni – Muktinath – Jomsom – Pokhara
Himalayan Sights: Dhaulagiri Range & Annapurna Range, Himchuli, Machhapuchhare, Gangapurna, LamjungHimal, Manasalu,
Annapurna I, II & III, Annapurna South, Nilgiri, Thorungtse, Yak Gawa, Dhampus Peak, Tukuche Peak, Tilicho Peak
Highlight: Extremely Varied Landscapes, Mountain Desert, Old Buddhist Monasteries, World’s Deepest River Gorge of Kali Gandaki, Rice-Terraces, River Valleys, Sunrise, Sunset,Water Falls, Local Flora & Fauna
Morning:
Morning Meditation
Stretching & Loosening Exercises (Pre-Asana Practices – helps to release muscle pain and prevent muscle tension, prepares the joints for the trek ahead)
Yoga Session – Asanas, Sun Salutation, Pranayama
Trekking (on the way we do stretching & Asanas)
Afternoon:
Afternoon Trekking – on the way we do some stretching
Depending on the weather & trail condition we sometimes do an open nature relaxing meditation and postures (could be on the bank of the river / inside a dense forest / in a garden / in the open air in front of the mountain panorama etc.)
Evening:
Complete Guided Relaxation to rejuvenate the body & mind (yoga
Overnight in Kathmandu Guest House
Sightseeing in Kathmandu – Bhaktapur/Patan
• Transport from Kathmandu to Pokhara – car/bus/or flight.
• Overnight stay in Pokhara – Waterfront Hotel
• Preparation activities for yoga trek – detailed briefing, last minute shopping and packing
• Morning yoga
• After breakfast trekking from Nayapul after a 1.5 hour drive with a private vehicle from Pokhara. After 15 minutes short walk along the bank of the Modi Khola, we reach Birethanti – a large village that has many shops and teahouses. From there, the trail follows the north bank of the Bhurungdi Khola and we trek steadily up the side of the valley to Hille where we spend the night.
• Evening relaxation yoga
• Morning yoga
• Trek towards a steep climb to Ulleri. Ulleri is a large Magar village at 2,070m/6,790ft. The trail later continues to ascend more gently, through fine forests of oak and rhododendron towards Banthanti. Then we trek towards Nangethanti at 2.460m, still walking through a dense forest of rhododendron and oak. After another hour of walking from here, we will finally reach Ghorepani at 2,860m/9,380ft. Ghorepani is an interesting place with small shops and stalls selling local products and crafts. The town has two parts: upper part and the other a few hundred feet lower. We stop at the higher part of Ghorepani village that offers panoramic views of the surrounding mountains including Annapurna South and Nilgiri. We can do some midday yoga postures in this area
• Evening relaxation yoga
Very early in the morning around 4am, we start an hour hike to Poon Hill at elevation of 3,210m/10,500ft, a brilliant spectacle; this vantage point provides a superb view of sunrise over the high Himalayas, including the Annapurnas, Dhaulagiri and Machhapuchhare. In Poon Hill we will spend about 2 hours. At Ghorepani we take a hot breakfast at the hotel and continue our trek on a down trail to Sikha.
• Morning yoga
• We continue our walking down a stone steps trail and sometimes off-road until we reach Tatopani where we spend the night. There is a hot spring here where we can enjoy a hot soak after a few days of trekking.
• Evening relaxation yoga
• Morning yoga
• After breakfast we start walking alongside Kali Gandaki river gorge which is the deepest river gorge in the world as counted from the top of the snowy peaks to the river’s lowest point. This is a day of a gentle uphill trek. Overnight at a teahouse.
• Evening relaxation
• Morning yoga
• The trail is easy following the same wide trail and local road, occasionally diverting through a forest or crossing the river through a foot bridge. We stop for lunch at Kalopani and we continue through the wide road to Larjung from then on, still following the river, which now changes and widens its riverbed significantly. Overnight at a teahouse in Larjung.
• Evening stretching and relaxation
• Morning yoga
• From Larjung we walk through the villages of Khobang and Thukuche before we reach Marpha. This is a short walking day as we get time to explore the village of Marpha and its monastery with great views over the valley. Marpha is famous for growing apples and it’s a charming stone village where you will feel like you’ve stepped back in time. There is an old monastery and many narrow stone paved streets to explore here and you can have the famous Marpha apple pie. Overnight at a teahouse.
• Evening relaxation and stretching
• Morning mediation and yoga
• The trail continues along the valley side, rising gradually up to Syang village, before crossing over a low ridge to Jomsom. Syang is another small stone village with great views over the valley and a small monastery. We eat lunch at Jomsom and from Jomsom onwards it is very windy in the afternoon and the trek continues on the gradual path on the windswept Kali Gandaki river bed for about 3-4 hrs and finally reaching Kagbeni village. Kagbeni lies at the bank of two rivers. Kagbeni is an interesting old stone village situated on the main age old Trans himalayan salt trade route to Tibet via Upper Mustang area. Kagbeni has some interesting ancient sights like the 15th century rammed earth monastery and the ancient sculpture of the village protector. The riverbed here is known for black stones, which contain ammonite fossils within them. Overnight at a teahouse.
• Evening relaxation and stretching
• Morning yoga
• Today we take a day to relax in Kagbeni and to explore the surroundings. There is a small very old monastery to visit here and wonderful views over the Nilgiri mountain (7061m) in this charming traditional settlement. We have an option for a day excursion to the village of Tiri, a small village in Upper Mustang, where we can climb up to the nunnery, from where we can admire a great view into the valley of Upper Mustang and great mountain views. You may also wish to try your luck in searching the riverbed of Kali Gandaki for Nepal’s famous black stones containing ammonite fossils millions of years old. There is also a little café here serving real Italian coffee in support of the local monastery’s development. Overnight at a teahouse • Evening relaxation and stretching
• Morning yoga
• We take the north side of the valley to enter Muktinath from northern direction and we pass through the windswept hillside of Upper Mustang and the village of Jhong – village built in Mustang style and part of the Sakya Buddhist tradition. We pass through some beautiful barren landscapes and sandy rock formations which are very characteristic to the region of Upper Mustang (restricted area which we cannot enter). We arrive in Muktinath in the afternoon and visit the holy sites here or just stroll around the village with many local Tibetan sellers and splendid mountain views. Overnight at a teahouse. • Evening relaxation and stretching
• Morning yoga
• The trail from Muktinath to Jomsom goes downhill and you will find it quit easy to walk. On the way down to Jomsom you will get to see a village called Jharkot where you can visit one more old monastery and see some more ancient sculptures of a male and female village protectors. From here we can see the way to Thorung La pass and Thorung peak behind us. The walk offers some stunning landscapes in the valley. Overnight in teahouse in Jomsom.
• Evening relaxation and stretches
• Morning yoga
• Today we take an excursion to the beautiful turquoise Dhumba Tal, a small lake nestled between the mountains, with amazing views of the surrounding area, Nilgiri mountain and mountainous desert formations of various hues of brown, red and yellows. We pass through the village of Thini, the only one of three villages in the area that has a Buddhist monastery in the Bon tradition. The village is very quiet and has a great natural setting with apple orchards and wheat fields. From here we walk to the tiny turquoise lake and after taking some beautiful photos there, we walk further up to visit the old Buddhist monastery nearby. The views from this monastery are breathtaking. Overnight in a teahouse in Jomsom.
• Evening relaxation and stretching
• Morning yoga
• We take a morning flight back to Pokhara. In case that flight is cancelled due to bad
weather, we have to drive down using local jeeps and buses (8-9hr drive).
Overnight in Pokhara.
• Sightseeing (Boudha/Pashupatinath) and shopping in Kathmandu
• Overnight in Park Village Resort/Maya Manor