Ghandruk is a remote mountain village in Nepal that comes in the Annapurna Circuit range and is mostly inhabited by Gurung people. Most of the trekkers who go for the Annapurna Circuit Trek spend a night here before moving further. But if you are not a typical trekker and yet do not want to miss a tryst with the majestic snow capped mountains, then you can always plan a short trek to Ghandruk. The village is insanely beautiful and you can enjoy close views of Annapurna, Himchuli and Machhapuchhre (Fishtail) mountains from here.
Permit
The most important part of Ghandruk trek is obtaining the required permits. As Ghandruk lies in the Annapurna Conservation area, you need an ACAP (Annapurna Conservation Area Project) entry permit in order to be able to enter the region. Apart from the entry permit, you also need a TIMS (Trekkers Information management System) card which is used to keep track of all the trekkers entering the area. A part of this fee is also maintained to help and rescue trekkers in any adverse situation. Both the permit and TIMS card can be obtained from Nepal Tourism Office in either Kathmandu or Pokhara.
Where to start
Depending on available time and fitness level, you can decide from which point you want to start the trek to Ghandruk.
Starting from Ghnadruk Bus/Jeep stop:
This is the last point till which bus, jeeps or any vehicles can go and from here you have to trek for around 30 minutes to reach Ghandruk village. The trekking path is a set of uneven steps in stone and is steep. If you decide to stay in any of the lodges high up in the village, then your trek time may vary from 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Starting from Kimche:
If you want to enjoy the trek a little longer, then we recommend starting from Kimche village. We did our trek from here and it took us around one and half hours to reach the entrance of Ghandruk village. From Kimche, you can keep walking on the main road or be a little adventurous and take down the road just below the dusty main road. You will come across herds of sheep, beautiful uninterrupted views of villages and mountains and a beautiful hanging bridge on this route.
Starting from Nayapul:
If you are a regular trekker, then you may start from Nayapul and make your way to Ghandruk in a 5-6 hours trek.
Shared/Reserved Jeep
There are shared jeeps available from Pokhara to Ghandruk. Total charge for the jeep comes to 6000 NPR and depending on the number of people, the per head cost is decided. For example if there are 10 people sharing the jeep, per head cost would come to 600 NPR. If you are a bigger group or can accommodate the cost in your budget, then you can also reserve a jeep for your trip which is a faster option.
Car Hire
Car is also available for hire, but it will take you only till Nayapul. They charge around 2500 NPR from Pokhara to Nayapul by car and from there you have to go by shared/reserved jeep as the roads are in very bad condition and not suitable for cars.
Accommodation
Ghandruk being quite popular among trekkers has many lodge and hotels set up for accommodation. If you look at the board listing all the accommodations at the entrance of the village, there are around 50 of them. So even if you do not book and reach there directly, you can easily get some place to stay in.
We stayed in Gurung Cottage and definitely recommend it. The best part of the stay is the gorgeous views all around and the delicious food prepared from organic home grown vegetables. You can contact them on the following numbers for a booking.
What to do
Nothing! Yes, you read it right. Do nothing. Just sit back, relax, soak in the views, enjoy authentic Nepali food, have lots of coffee and may be read a book in the warmth of the sun. In case you get bored from all this, you can also visit a small museum in the area called Gurung Museum to know about the history of Gurung people and their practices. Read More….
