Siklis Trek

Upon your arrival at the Tribhuwan International airport a representative from Naata Trek and Tours will be waiting for you at the airport displaying a playcard imprinted with your name. He/she will then transfer you to the designated hotel. In the evening we can enjoy a welcome dinner hosted by Naata Trek and Tours. During the dinner we can enjoy Nepalese cuisine which will introduce us to the country’s food culture.

We will have a pre trip meeting after breakfast where you will be introduced to your Guide. During the meeting you can assure yourself with any queries regarding the trip.
We visit Boudhanath Stupa, one of the biggest Buddhist shrines in the world, where we observe Buddhist monks praying in the monasteries surrounding the stupa. After Boudhanath Stupa we visit Pashupatinath Temple, the most famous Hindu temple in the country, located on the banks of the holy Bagmati River. Here we see Hindu holy men (sadhus) meditating, pilgrims bathing and occasionally funeral pyres burning on the ghats. We will also visit Bhaktapur Durbar Square, which is a collection of pagoda and shikhara–style temples grouped around a fifty-five window palace of brick and wood. The attraction of the Bhaktapur Durbar Square is the Lion gate, the Golden gate, the Palace of Fifty-Five Windows, art galleries, the Statue of King Bhupatindra Malla.

We will drive from Kathmandu to Pokhara early morning and have lunch on our way. The drive is a rather pleasant one as we drive along the banks of Trishuli River. Upon reaching Pokhara we meet our crew members and start the drive to Mardipul. We walk towards Baglung and Jomsom and after walking for an hour the trail diverts to the banks of Seti River. We continue to follow the trail until it reaches Mardipul. From here, the sunrise view of the Annapurna Himal is a nice one.

Leaving Mardipul behind, we follow the banks of Seti River and reach a small Brahmin and Chettri villages. We cross a river and head north through the villages of Lhachok and Ghachok. The village has an array of terraced fields which reflects the fertile soil there. Today’s walk is easy and we only gain a small amount of altitude. The river narrows down into a V-shaped gorge. Our campsite is at the Gurung village of Khairpani (also known as Dhipang).

A short distance upstream from the village, the trail moves east crossing the Seti River. A few meters downstream there are a few small hot springs. We gradually climb through the terraced fields and steep staircases after which the path levels. The trek continues up a ridge and then descends to the Gurung village of Chyaglung. We descend to the Sardi Khola for lunch. Next, we climb up through steep terraced field s and to the village of Kyabrang. We continue further up a ridge and to our campsite which offers beautiful views of Annapurnas and of Mt. Macchapuchare (also known as Fish Tail)

Today, the trail passes through a densely forested ridge which seperates the Seti and Mardi Valley. The trail leads us through oak, rhododendron, bamboo forests and if you are a wildlife enthusiast, there are varied species of birds on this trail. We have lunch and continue to ascend to the top of the high ridge and slowly descend to our campsite in Baradhara.

After breakfast, we ascend through thick forests and towards the largest Gurung village in the Annapurna region, Siklis. The village has a long standing reputation of providing fine soldiers to the Bristish and the Indian armies. The mighty ‘whaleback’ peak of Lamjung Himal (6,986m) looms over the hills. Our campsite is above the village and the sunset, sunrise views are great from here.

Today, we explore the quaint village and it’s a good opportunity to see the culture and their lifestyle. We can also chat with them and even with the soldiers there.

Leaving behind Siklis we walk downhill all the way to Mardi Khola Valley, which is some 800 meters. After reaching the bottom, we follow the river downstream and head through small villages with farms. We walk for two hours to reach Tabrang Pheding where we have our lunch. The views of the mountains in the backdrop are quite a sight. We walk for a couple of hours more and reach our campsite which is by the river.

We walk on the trail following the river downstream and cross the Mardi Khola. We continue on an easy trail and have our lunch at Bhainse. From here, we climb gradually through terraced landscapes and reach Kalikasthan. Our campsite is a just a short walk from here. On a clear day we can get splendid panoramic views of Mt. Dhaulagiri (8,167m), Annappurna (8,901m), Manaslu (8,156m) and Himalchuli (7,839m)

The trail descends through a field for an hour or so, and then descends steeply down stone steps in to a small valley near Rupa Tal (lake). We continue our walk for a short while through rice fields. We make one last ascent to a ridge that divides Begnas Tal and Rupa Tal. The views of the adjacent lakes are sure a thing of beauty. Next, we descend to Begnas Bajar from where we drive for half an hour to reach Pokhara. We stay the night in Pokhara.

After breakfast we drive back to Kathmandu along the same route that goes along the twisty Trishuli River. In the evening Naata Trek and Tours will organize THANK YOU a farewell dinner program.

Today is the last day of our trip and a Naata Trek and Tours representative will drop you off at the international airport on a tourist vehicle.