After an early breakfast, we will take a tourist bus to Pokhara. The bus ride will take six to seven hours. On the way, you will see the picturesque Trishuli and Marsyangdi rivers. Pokhara is a beautiful valley set on the banks of the Phewa Lake, known for its panoramic views of Annapurna ranges, Machapuchare in the north, Dhaulagiri in the west, Manaslu and Lamjung Himal in the east. Pokhara is a tourist paradise complete with modern amenities.

Early in the morning, we will drive around 2hrs to reach Dhampus from where the trails begin. The hike takes us through ethnic Brahmin, Magar, and Gurung villages while being greeted by panoramic views of the Annapurna peaks. Our walk continues through the rhododendron, forest to Pothana, and finally to Deurali (2100m). At Deurali, you will get to witness the high glaciers on one of the greatest Himalayan peaks – Annapurna South – looming in the distance. 

We leave Deurali early morning and head to Forest Camp. The path ascends fairly through rhododendron, birch, oak, maple, and hemlock forest. On your path, you get glimpses of wildlife – leopards, deer, monkeys, and several bird species. We will spend the night at Forest Camp.

Today’s trek will take us from Forest Camp to High Camp via Low Camp. The trails are steep, but you will be rewarded with breathtaking views of Machhapuchhre (fishtail mountain), the Annapurna Range, the  Annapurna Base Camp valley, and Mardi Himal. 

After walking for some hours, the forest finally opens into a clearing allowing you to see the face of Annapurna South. Then the trail breaks into a combination of scrub forest and open meadow. 

As we climb the ridge becomes narrower, and you can see the deep valleys on both sides. To your left, you will be looking straight down on the Modi Khola river valley alongside villages that lead up to the Annapurna Sanctuary. To our right, you will see the Mardi Khola and Seti river valleys. On clear days, you can even see  Pokhara Valley. We continue walking the narrow ridgeline to High Camp (3900m), where we stop for the night.

We wake up early at High Camp to appreciate the most spectacular sunrise views on the mighty Himalayas. Then we will climb along the narrow ridge to reach Mardi Himal Base Camp at 4500 meters. 

From Mardi Himal Base Camp, you can see the sun lighting up the full face of Annapurna South while Fishtail Mountain looms directly overhead. After spending some time at the Mardi Himal Base Camp, we descend back to High Camp for lunch and then descend further to  Low Camp, where we will spend another night. 

We descend from Low Camp down on a very steep trail that passes through the forest. After an hour’s hike, we reach a broad clearing where we will rest for a while. But our descend continues to hillside village Siding, which lies about 500 meters above the river valley. Trek descends through the village of Landruk – an ethnic group of Gurung settlement. Depending on the situation, we might stay at Landruk or continue to Jhinu Danda. There are natural hot springs near Jhinu Danda, where we can relax our tired muscles in the hot springs. 

We have reached our final day on the trekking trails. Today we make a pleasant hike along the Modi River and head down to reach Siwa/Ghandruk Phedi. We then say goodbye to the trails and make a return drive through picturesque countryside to Pokhara.