The Jomsom Trek

Duration	10 Days	Per Day Walking	4 - 6 Hours
Max Altitude	3,800m	Accommodation	Teahouse
Trek Grade	Moderate to Strenuous ***	Best Season	February, March, April, May, October, November

 

The Annapurna region is probably the best known, and most popular trekking area in Nepal - and not without good reason, containing the massive peak of Annapurna 1, which at 8,091m is one of the eight highest mountains in the world.

The Jomsom Trek is indeed a classical trek, essentially the final third of the Annapurna Circuit, follows the Kali Gandaki Valley between the soaring peak of Annapurna & Dhaulagiri. Finally, it emerges to the north of the main Himalayan range, on the dry, desert- like Tibetan Plateau. A several days walk beyond Jomsom, takes you the final destination, Muktinath, the holy temple. This trek allows access to the high mountains of the Himalayas within a reasonable timeframe and without ascending to extreme altitude. You will then return to Pokhara by taking a flight from Jomsom.

Itinerary:

Day 01	Kathmandu to Pokhara - 4-5 hours drive by car / van / bus - your choice!
Day 02	1 hour drive to Nayapul by private Car / Van, we then begin trek to Tikedhunga. We begin our trek at Nayapul, driving to the end of the road. A 15 minute walk along the bank of the Modi Khola River brings us to Birethanti (1065m), a large village with many shops & teahouses. From there, the trail continues through the village, and follows the north bank of the Bhurungdi Khola. From there the trail climbs steadily up the side of the valley to Hille at 1495m, and further short climb to Tikedhunga at 1525m. This is a short and relatively easy day, allowing us to become used to the experience of trekking in Nepal.
Day 03	Trek from Tikedhunga to Ghorepani (2775m) After a hearty breakfast we leave Tikedunga, we begin with a steep climb to Ulleri. Ulleri is a large Magar village at 2070m. Then the trail continues to climb more gently through fine forests of oak & rhododendron towards Banthanti at 2250m. From there we trek towards Nangethanti at 2460m. An hours further walk brings us to Ghorepani at 2775m.
Day 04	Ghorepani - Poon Hill (3195m) - Tatopani (1180m) Today, very early in the morning, we rise to hike the 1 hour climb to Poon Hill (3195m). A brilliant spectacle, this vantage point provides an unobstructed view of sunrise over the high Himalayas. We spend around 40 minutes taking in the wonderful spectacle, before returning to Ghorepani for a well deserved breakfast. After breakfast we start off for Tatopani. The trail makes a descend steeply to Chitre at 2390m. As the trail drops down through Sikha, the hills are extensively terraced. Sikha is a large village with shops and hotels at 1980m, from there the trail descends gently to Ghara at 1705m. A further steep descent of 500m takes you to the Ghar Khola where the trail crosses the river on a suspension bridge. We then climb up above the Kaligandaki River before crossing that too, before turning north to Tatopani. Tato means ‘hot’ and pani is ‘water’, a name earned courtesy of the hot springs by the river.
Day 05	Tatopani to Kalopani (2560m) 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 cross 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.
Day 06	Kalopani to Marpha (2665m) 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 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.
Day 07	Marpha to Kagbeni (2810m) From Marpha, we climb along the side of the valley to Jomsom at 2713m. Jomsom is a large, bustling settlement, and is the administrative centre of the region, containing the airport, army camp, numerous hotels, shops, banks & government offices. On the way, we cross the river to the eastern bank, and then walk onwards to Eklai Bhatti at 2730m. From here 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 is rich in Tibetan culture and their unique hospitality.
Day 08	Kagbeni to Muktinath (3800m) We make a steep climb up the Jhong Khola valley upon leaving Kagbeni, and 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 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. 10 minutes further 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 a shrine 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.
Day 09	Trek back down to Jomson
Day 10	Fly back to Pokhara (20 min scenic flight)

back to Top