Ghandruk trek, a short and easy trekking for beginner trekkers

Ghandruk trek is the most famous trek in the Annapurna region of Nepal. Ghandruk trek is one of the delightful treks and will give you the most thrilling experience of the rural and pristine nature of the Annapurna region.  The main attraction of this trek is the marvellous “Ghandruk Village”. Ghandruk village is the second largest place for Gurung settlement. Gurung and Sherpa are the indigenous groups in Nepal and live mostly in the Himalayan region of Nepal. There are about 270 Gurung families in Ghandruk village sharing their culture and happiness.  You will get to see the typical Nepali house made of a charming cluster of slate-roof and surrounded by fresh fields.  Ghandruk village lies at an altitude of 1940 meters from sea level. During the trek, you will get a glance at the magnificent mountains like Mount Annapurna South (7219 meters/ 23684 feet), Mount Machhapuchhre/ Fishtail (6993 meters/22943 feet), and Mount Himchuli (6441 meters/ 21132 feet).

How to get there?

Ghandruk trek is a popular trekking destination for tourists in Nepal. Tourists love the simplicity and Spectacular Mountain views of Ghandruk. This trek starts with the flight from Kathmandu to Pokhara. Pokhara is the main city of tourists and refers to the city of lakes. From Pokhara, you will have to take a flight to Phedi, which takes about 35 minutes. Your actual trekking begins from Phedi to Damphus ridge. The trail might take you through the charming rhododendron and orchid hang forest. From Damphus your next trekking destination is Pothana and after that go downhill towards Tolkha. You can stay overnight at Tolkha.

The next day in the morning after a short trek you will finally again continue your trek. On the trail, you will have to cross the suspension bridge at Modi kola. After that, you climb gently uphill and you will finally reach Ghandruk village. Visiting Ghandruk is worth it, you will not regret it, as here along with the brilliant views of the mountains you will also get to visit Gurung Traditional Museum, Buddhist Monasteries, and the visitor centre of Annapurna Conservation Area Project. You can explore the Gurung culture and observe their local lives. Syauli Bazar is another place that falls on the trail. It is the market where locals buy and sell the product. After that while returning from the trek you will have to follow the trail through Nayapul to Pokhara and then back to Kathmandu. Ghandruk trek suits every age group of people. Ghandruk trek is suitable for people of all ages from children to old age people.

The major attraction of the Ghandruk trek is the peace and simplicity of Ghandruk village. Staying at Ghandruk village will provide you with an amazing experience.  The entire village gives you a welcoming and friendly vibe along with a great view of Himalayan giants Annapurna, Himchuli, and Macchhapuchre (Fishtail). Typically, the Ghandruk trek can be completed within 3 to 4 days but you can extend the days if you wish.

Culture of Ghandruk village

Most people of Ghandruk village are from the Gurung community so you will get to know more about the Gurung culture. Gurung has one of a kind culture and unique identity. Most of the people in Ghandruk village follow Buddhism, so there are hundreds of flags on the trail where Buddhist encrypts are written. However, people tend to say that the Gurung of Ghandruk is pre Buddhists because their tradition mostly relies on the Tibetan culture.  There is an old museum in Ghandruk where you can see all kinds of traditional attire that the people of Ghandruk used to wear. Ghandruk museum is the place that you must visit once you are in Ghandruk.

Best time to travel to Ghandruk

Although people have been traveling to Ghandruk throughout the year, the spring and autumn season is considered a great time to travel to Ghandruk. You can also travel to Ghandruk village during winter and summer. However, during the spring and autumn season, you can observe the real beauty of this village.

• Spring season

The spring season is the most famous time in Nepal for trekking and hiking experience.  During this time, the route to Ghandruk will be full of flowers and lush greenery. The sky also remains clear providing you the perfect view of the mountains.  The temperature during this season ranges from 20 to 30 degrees, which is fine for trekking. One of the major drawbacks of trekking to Ghandruk during the spring season is the crowd. The trails generally remain crowded and even finding a good hotel is a huge deal.

• Autumn season

After spring, autumn season is the favourite season for trekkers to trek in the mountains of Nepal.  Autumn season last in Nepal from September to November. The autumn season is the perfect time for Ghandruk village as the temperature during this season is 9 degrees on average. The crowd during the autumn season is quite less than in the spring season but not completely silent.  The major reason for trekking in Ghandruk village is many Nepali festivals take place during this season. Therefore, you can enjoy the festival with the locals in the village in their traditional ways.

Is Ghandruk travel expensive?

The cost of traveling to Ghandruk is different for Nepalese and Tourists due to various factors. For the flight from Kathmandu to Pokhara, it is quite cheap so you can easily afford this.  In addition, from Pokhara, you choose between a tourist bus or a local bus according to your budget and comfortless.  You can reduce the expenses by trekking in a group instead of trekking Solo. If you are a foreigner then you will have to take a permit for traveling. You can buy the permit in Kathmandu easily. The price of the food and drinks are the same for everyone. The price of the hotels and teahouses differ according to the time you are visiting.  If you are trekking in peak seasons like autumn and spring season then it might cost more.