Mohare Danda Trek Highlights:
- Relatively new trekking route with an off-the-beaten-path adventure.
- Less crowded than the popular Annapurna routes.
- Stunning panoramic views of the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri ranges.
- Community-based lodges support the local economy.
- Overnight at the most spectacular vantage point of Mohara Danda.
- Passes through popular Ghorepani.
- Opportunity to visit the popular vantage point of Poon Hill.
- Meet the Gurung, Magar, and Thakali communities.
- Moderate difficulty, suitable for beginners and families.
- Diverse landscape with lush rhododendron forests, terraced fields, and alpine meadows.
- Sustainable tourism model trek.
- Lower altitude trek, reducing the risk of altitude sickness.
- A unique blend of natural beauty and cultural richness.
Mohare Danda Trek Overview
The Mohare Danda Trek is a relatively new trekking route in the Annapurna region of Nepal. Mohare Danda may not be as popular as Annapurna Base Camp or the Annapurna Circuit trek, but it has the potential to deliver a great trekking experience within a short period of time.
This beautiful vantage point of Mohare Danda is located at an altitude of 3,300 meters / 10,826 feet. It provides you with one of the best sunrise views in the region. Besides, the Mohare Danda rewards travelers with the most magical panoramic vistas of the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri massifs. No wonder it is now considered one of the Best viewpoints, better than POON HILL.
This less-trodden trekking destination of the Mohare Danda trek is certainly an epic trek. It is also very popularly known as the Eco-Community Lodge Trek. We use Community Eco Lodges, which, despite being basic, support the Local community projects and sustainable tourism policy.
This 9-day delightful trekking route offers anyone the experience of trekking in the wilderness. Additionally, it is a trip that takes you away from the commercial trekking trails and a maddening crowd into the very untouched terrains with a serene atmosphere.
You may encounter various species of birds, including the colorful Danphe (Himalayan Monal), as well as mammals like Musk Deer, Himalayan Tahr, and Langur monkeys.
Unlike many other destinations of Nepal, the Mohare Danda trek is a classic trek that is very pure and away from the tourism influence. The trek provides an excellent vantage point to witness the majestic peaks, including the Annapurna range, Nilgiri range, Holy Machhapuchhre (Fishtail), and Dhaulagiri.
Furthermore, when you stand on this ridge, the view of the hills that extend like a sea before your eyes is phenomenal. As the clouds settle on these valleys, it creates a white sea which is heavenly.
Watching the sunrise and sunset from Mohare Danda is an unforgettable experience. During dusk and dawn, when the color changes in the sky and in the soaring mountain, it creates a magical atmosphere that will leave you mesmerized.
Eco-Community Lodge Trek:
Unlike some of the more popular treks in the Annapurna region, the Mohare Danda Trek sees fewer trekkers. Since it's a less-trodden area, it allows you to experience the tranquility and peacefulness of the mountains. Furthermore, it allows trekkers to explore remote villages and feel a genuine off-the-beaten-track experience.
The Mohare Danda Trek is known for its eco-community-based teahouses. In most of the places, we will spend nights in these community lodges that are run and managed by the local villagers. Staying in these basic but beautiful community-based teahouses directly benefits the local economy.
It actually aims to benefit the local communities while preserving the natural and cultural heritage of the region. The local villagers actively participate in managing these lodges.
Spending our nights at accommodations built in traditional eco-lodges run on renewable energy gives us an Eco-Friendly experience.
So there is a lot of fun in staying at the community-managed eco-lodges along the trail. These lodges provide comfortable accommodation and delicious traditional meals.
By choosing this trek, you are supporting sustainable tourism practices and contributing to the well-being of the local communities.
Mohare Danda Trek Trip Profile:
Our Mohare Danda Trek starts with an arrival to the city tour in Kathmandu. You will soon be transferred to the hotel located in the center of the city at Thamel, a tourist hub.
Next day we will take the most scenic flight to the beautiful city of Pokhara. However, there is an option for driving as well, and it all depends on your preference. This short 25-minute flight to Pokhara gives you the most magical view of the diverse landscapes of Nepal. You will see deep valleys, gorges, vibrant hills, and soaring snowcapped mountains like Langtang, Ganesh Himal, Himal Chuli, Manaslu, Lamjung, Annapurna, etc.
Once we land at the beautiful lake city of Pokhara, we will explore the lake, and if time permits, we will do a short hike to the Peace Pagoda. The city of Pokhara is the second biggest city, and it is also called the second home of tourists. Pokhara was declared 'The Tourism Capital of Nepal' in 2024. Significantly, it is the starting base of almost all Annapurna Trekking other than the Annapurna Circuit Trek.
Leaving Pokhara, we will drive for 5 hours to the small town of Galeshwor and then trek to Baskharka. This scenic drive includes the most beautiful panoramic view of Annapurna with Holy Machapuchhare (Mt. Fishtail) dominating the horizon. Furthermore, you will get to see the diverse landscapes of lush forests, vibrant hills, valleys, and traditional terraced farming lands over the included hills.
After trekking for about 3 hours on our first day, we will spend a night at the community lodge at Baskharka. As the name suggests, Baskharka means Bamboo-Pasture, so you will get to see ample bamboo growing in this area.
Our next trek will include a walk through the lush forest to a small settlement of Naangi. After Naagi, we will walk to the beautiful vantage point of Mohare Danda. The majestic view of the Annapurna, Nilgiri, and Dhaulagiri range is simply magical from Mohare Ridge.
We highly recommend not missing the sunset view at this point. We will spend a night at one of the biggest community lodges at the ridge of Mohare Danda, which sits at a height of 3300 meters. The next morning, we will wake up early for the most mesmerizing sunrise view.
After breakfast, we will walk to another vantage point of Poon Hill and descend to the most popular town of Ghorepani, where we will have lunch. After lunch, we will steeply ascend to the high ridge and gradually descend to our next destination, Deurali.
This section of the walk is exceptional as you will be walking through the world's largest Rhododendron protected area. Here, the trail cruises through a lush Rhododendron forest with a very dramatic setting. During spring, this section will be simply mesmerizing due to the blooming of colorful Rhododendrons.
From Deurali, we will further descend through lush forest to the biggest GURUNG village of Ghandruk. From Ghandruk, we will drive back to Pokhara, and our trip will conclude with another scenic domestic flight to Kathmandu.
Once we get to Kathmandu, a half-day city tour will be organized. This tour will include a visit to the two most popular religious sites and also the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Boudhanath (Buddhist Shrine) and Pashupatinath (Hindu Temple). In the evening, we will have a farewell dinner.
