Pokhara City, with its peaceful lakes, excellent views of the Himalayas and access to the stunning Annapurna region is often considered the best place to visit in Nepal for tourists. There are plenty of standard long trekking routes, such as the Annapurna Circuit and Annapurna Base Camp, but there are also many shorter local trekking routes that would suit people who are very inexperienced or in Nepal only for a short amount of time.

These shorter trekking options will give visitors a wonderful variety of culture in the form of local villages, beautiful greenery in the form of forests, mountain views, and beautiful natural sights such as the Himalayas within a few days instead of weeks by taking a long trek. Visitors can either get to see the Annapurna beauty in couple of days or trek to not only many high points around this range with awesome views, but also be introduced for a short distance through a scenic Gurung village as well.

Here are the five best short treks that are within a short distance of Pokhara and can be done in one to five days.

Panchase Trek (3–4 Days)

For those of you who want to have a peaceful and isolated trekking experience, there are plenty of fantastic opportunities in Panchase Trek west of Pokhara. Another great discovery of this area is that it has no tourists leading to much less traffic compared to more popular trekking roads.

The highest point on your trek which is called the Panchase Summit will give you a bird’s eye view from an altitude of around 2500 m above sea level of not only the Annapurna Mountain Range but also the Dhaulagiri, Machhapuchhare, and Manaslu mountain ranges.

To reach the beginning of your trek you will take a longtail boat across scenic Phewa Lake to one of the Bhumdi or Bhadaure villages. From either of these villages you will trek uphill through a lush forest full of trees such as Orchids and Rhododendrons and you may be fortunate enough to spot some of the most stunning birds that can be found in this area. The forests are quite varied and have been established as protected forest areas.

The trip from Panchase Hill to the Panchase Dham is a fantastic opportunity to see an exceptional sunrise location in Asia, making this area of the globe among the most stunning locations to view the sunrise over an entire geographical region covered by the Himalayan mountains.

If you enjoy the outdoors, are seeking a spiritual experience, or just need an opportunity to escape your daily routine, then this trip will provide you with just what you desire.

Some points of interest along the way are:

Phewa Lake boat rides
Rhododendron and orchid forest
Panchase Dham Holy Site
Visibility of Annapurna and Dhaulagiri mountains
Good walking paths and experiencing life in a "real" village

2. Ghandruk Trek (2-3 Days)

Ghandruk Trek is one of the amazing short treks in the Annapurna region that begin from Pokhara. Ghandruk is a beautiful village with mostly traditional stone houses, very nice local villagers and great views of the Himalayas.

The Ghandruk trek starts either from Nayapul or Kimche (approx. 3-4 hour drive from Pokhara) and will include climbing through places of terraced farming, forests and local villages to arrive in Ghandruk. You will be rewarded with views of the Modi Khola valley and surrounding hills throughout this stretch of the trek.

Ghandruk is a popular destination for those having an intention to observe Annapurna South, Hiunchuli and Machhapuchhre (Fishtail Mountain). In addition to this, Ghandruk has a Gurung Cultural Museum so that you can see how the Gurung people have traditionally lived and dressed in their culture over the years.

This trek combines cultural and scenic highlights, making it a good choice for those in search of a quick glimpse of traditional village life in the Himalaya.

Some points of interest along the way are:

Gurung traditional village life
Gurung Cultural Museum
Views of Annapurna South and Machhapuchhre
Terraced agricultural fields and scenic mountain trails
Authentic local hospitality

3. Begnas Kot Trek (1-2 Days)

The Begnas Kot Trek runs along the northern shore of Begnas Lake and the Pokhara Valley; it’s the most accessible, low-level trek around the city.The trek begins at the village near Begnas Lake. The second largest lake in the Pokhara Valley after Phewa. Many people will take a boat ride on the lake prior to beginning their trek to Begnas Kot.

The trek will ascend gradually through Sundari Danda, which is a rural village where trekkers have an opportunity to see traditional agriculture, terraced fields, and village life. The trek will continue to reward trekkers with breathtaking views throughout, including views of the lake and the rolling green hills that surround it, along with views of the spectacular distant peaks of the Himalayas as it continues to climb to the top of Begnas Kot Hill.

The Begnas Kot Trek is one of the least populated of the various trekking routes in the Pokhara Valley, so it gives the newcomer to trekking some interesting and tranquil combination of lakeside and rural village scenery thanks to the low level of traffic on the trail.

Some points of interest along the way are:

Beautiful Begnas Lake views
Boating experience on the lake
Traditional farming villages
Sundari Danda hill scenery
Easy and beginner-friendly trail

4. Dhampus Trek (2 Days)

For those just starting out on your hiking adventure, this is a great trek to start with since it is one of the shorter treks available to you and the trail is very easy to follow. This trek takes you to the location of Dhampus, which is a Gurung village located at an altitude of 1,650 meters (5,413 feet) above sea level.

Additionally, you can get some great views of sunrises and sunsets with the Dhampus Trek and look over the Annapurna range of mountains. Most people who attempt this trek start with a leisurely ride of about 30 minutes to get to Phedi, a small village outside of Pokhara, and then a leisurely 2-3 hour hike through the mountains using stone steps and a few other trails to get to the location of Dhampus.

Once you have arrived at the location of Dhampus, you have an easy hike to the top of the hill to get an amazing view of Annapurna South, Machhapuchre (Fish Tail) and Hiunchuli. All of these factors, in addition to the fact that there is only a short drive to get to Pokhara, make this an ideal trek for families.

Some points of interest along the way are:

Short and beginner-friendly trek
Beautiful Gurung village atmosphere
Sunrise and sunset Himalayan views
Close proximity to Pokhara
Views of Phewa Lake and Peace Stupa

5. Ghorepani Trek (4–5 Days)

One of the most famous short treks that you can find will be the Ghorepani Trek, situated within the Annapurna mountainous region, with treks usually being completed in less than a week and at a maximum elevation of approximately 3200 meters, you will be able to enjoy many different sights of the magnificent Himalayas while not having to hike extremely steep trails or hike for long periods of time.

During your journey along the Ghorepani Trek, you will come across stunning piles of rhododendron trees, numerous waterfalls, and the villages of the Gurung and Magar ethnic groups and during the spring timeframe, you will walk along the same path, which is illuminated by many colorful rhododendron blossoms.

Of all the attractions of the Ghorepani Trek, the major attraction is the sunrise and view that you will have from Poon Hill. Located at the top of Poon Hill will be one of the greatest places to see the sun rise over some of the biggest mountains in the world, including the Annapurna, Dhaulagiri, Machhapuchhre, and Nilgiri ranges of mountains.

The Ghorepani Trek is the ideal solution for individuals seeking a great trekking experience in the Himalayas over a short timeframe of less than one week.

Some points of interest along the way are:

Sunrise at Poon Hill viewpoint
Rhododendron forests
Traditional Gurung and Magar villages
Views of Annapurna and Dhaulagiri ranges
Classic Annapurna trekking experience

Conclusion

There are many trekking routes in Pokhara that lead to the stunning Himalayas and provide hikers with many options to choose from. There are short trekking routes throughout the Himalayas including the treks to Ghandruk, Panchase, Begnas Kot, Dhampus and Ghorepani. These trekking routes will provide you with amazing views of the Himalayas that will be a great trip for beginning hikers because they do not require a long distance of walking.

With so many options available for hiking, many more people have the opportunity to see the beautiful Himalayan landscape without having to travel through the Himalayas for extended periods of time. The adventure of hiking allows visitors of the area to see the incredible beauty of the Himalayas while experiencing the generous hospitality offered by the local residents.

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