Gandaki Province
Annapurna, Manaslu, Dhaulagiri and Pokhara's lakes — the trekking capital of the world.
Legend
- Treks
- Hikes
- Passes
- Mountains
- Lakes
- Waterfalls
Quick Stats
- Spots
- 53
- Landforms
- 6
- Terrain
- Annapurna & Manaslu
Trails & landmarks
Annapurna I
The goddess of harvest — tenth-highest on earth and the deadliest eight-thousander.
Annapurna II
Eastern anchor of the Annapurna range — a long ridge seen perfectly from Chame.
Annapurna III
The central Annapurna cone — its south ridge is one of Nepal's most coveted unclimbed lines.
Annapurna IV
Classic 7500er linked to Annapurna II by a long snow ridge — first climbed from the north.
Annapurna South
The pyramid at the head of the ABC sanctuary — a 2 km wall above Machhapuchhre BC.
Machhapuchhre (Fishtail)
Sacred to Shiva and forever unclimbed — the twin-peak fishtail over Pokhara's Phewa lake.
Dhaulagiri I
The 'White Mountain' — seventh-highest on earth, with a classic circuit via French Col and Thapa Pass.
Manaslu
The 'Mountain of the Spirit' — eighth-highest, dominating the Budhi Gandaki valley above Samagaun.
Nilgiri
Three summits framing the Kali Gandaki — the backdrop for every sunrise in Marpha and Jomsom.
Tilicho Peak
A shining wall above the world's highest lake — climbed via the north col from Siklis.
Ngadi Chuli (Peak 29)
Manaslu's southern sister — 7800 m of pure ice, rarely summited, above the Manaslu circuit.
Himlung Himal
A recently opened 7000er in Nar Phu — straightforward but remote, on the Tibet border.
Annapurna Base Camp
The classic 7-day ABC — rhododendron forests into the amphitheatre of Annapurna South, Fang and I.
Annapurna Circuit
Nepal's classic apple-pie trail — Besisahar to Jomsom over the Thorong La, through six climate zones.
Tilicho Lake
Among the world's highest lakes — a turquoise basin held in by the Tilicho-Khangsar ridge.
Poon Hill
Nepal's most famous sunrise — Dhaulagiri, Annapurna South and Machhapuchhre all in one panorama.
Ghorepani
A rhododendron-ringed pass village on the Poon Hill circuit — tea houses and pink blooms in spring.
Ghandruk
A stone-paved Gurung village — museum of the Gorkha regiment, with Annapurna South straight above.
Chhomrong
The last Gurung village before the ABC sanctuary — famous for apple pie and the Mod Khola gorge.
Machhapuchhre Base Camp
A meadow staging camp below the Fishtail — the last stop before ABC's stunning finale.
Thorong La
The crux of the Annapurna Circuit — high camp at 4900 m, a long climb to prayer flags at dawn.
Larkya La
The big pass on the Manaslu Circuit — a long, flat summit between Samdo and Bhimtang.
Kang La (Nar Phu)
The high crossover from Nar Phu valley back onto the Annapurna Circuit — wild and little-used.
Mesokanto La
A low-traffic alternative to Thorong La — Tilicho Lake to Jomsom via a glaciated traverse.
Manaslu Circuit
A two-week restricted-area loop around the eighth-highest — Tibetan border villages and few crowds.
Tsum Valley
A hidden Buddhist beyul branching off the Manaslu Circuit — Mu Gompa, Rachen and ancient hermitages.
Upper Mustang
The walled kingdom of Lo — sky caves, red cliffs and a trans-Himalayan desert behind the Annapurnas.
Lo Manthang
The walled capital of Upper Mustang — 15th-century monasteries and the Tiji festival in May.
Muktinath
Vishnu's 108-waterspout shrine — sacred to Hindus and Buddhists, with eternal flames in the rock.
Jomsom
The windy heart of the Kali Gandaki — Thakali apple brandy and Nilgiri's snow on three sides.
Kagbeni
A medieval mud-walled village at the Mustang gate — where the Kali Gandaki meets the Mustang plateau.
Marpha
Nepal's apple capital — whitewashed Thakali village below Nilgiri, famous for brandy and dried fruit.
Tatopani Hot Springs
Natural hot pools on the Kali Gandaki — the reward at the end of the Annapurna Circuit descent.
Kali Gandaki Gorge
The deepest gorge on earth — Dhaulagiri and Annapurna rising 6000 m either side of the river.
Phewa Lake
Pokhara's signature lake — Machhapuchhre reflected on its still water, paddle-boats till dusk.
Begnas Lake
Pokhara's quieter second lake — fish farms, paddy terraces and Manaslu on the horizon.
Rupa Lake
A mirror lake beside Begnas — birding boardwalks and a ring trail through Newar villages.
Sarangkot
Pokhara's paragliding ridge — dawn gives Annapurna and Dhaulagiri glowing over the lake.
World Peace Pagoda
A white Shanti Stupa overlooking Phewa — cross the lake by rowboat and climb through pine forest.
Davis Falls
Phewa's outflow disappears into a sinkhole — a roar of water and the Gupteshwor cave below.
Gupteshwor Cave
A 3 km limestone cave beneath Davis Falls — Shiva shrines and the roaring underground river.
Mahendra Cave
A limestone cave north of Pokhara — stalactites, bat colonies and a natural Shivalinga chamber.
Mardi Himal
A trekking peak on the ridge between Mardi Khola and Modi Khola — close-up Fishtail views.
Mardi Himal Base Camp
A short, steep ridge trek out of Pokhara — low camp, forest camp and a final scramble to the viewpoint.
Khopra Ridge
Alternative to Poon Hill — a community-run ridge camp with Dhaulagiri right in your tea cup.
Khayer Lake
A sacred high-altitude lake above Khopra — a long side trip rewarded by Annapurna South's reflection.
Panchase Trek
A 3-day community ridge trek west of Pokhara — orchids, village homestays and a full Annapurna line.
Damodar Kunda
A remote Hindu pilgrimage lake behind Upper Mustang — a rarely done 5300 m pass trek.
Kalika Bhagwati (Baglung)
Baglung's cliff-top Shakti temple — perched above the Kaligandaki with a panorama of Dhaulagiri across the gorge.
Ghalegaun
Lamjung's model Gurung village — stone-paved lanes, terraced fields and a face-on view of Lamjung Himal and Annapurna II.
Devghat Dham
Nawalparasi East's sacred confluence of Kaligandaki and Trishuli — ashrams, ghats and a Makar Sankranti mela on the sand-bar.
Srinagar Hill
Syangja's pine-wooded viewpoint above Waling — Machhapuchhre, Annapurnas and Dhaulagiri lined up in one frame.
Bandipur
Tanahu's cliff-edge Newari bazaar — traffic-free stone streets and a Thani Mai sunrise bench over the whole Annapurna wall.