If you are beginning in Kathmandu, leave around 5:30–6:00 AM for the Prithvi Highway. The drive to Pokhara usually takes 7–9 hours door to door, depending heavily on traffic, roadworks, and stops; budget for a breakfast or tea break and a simple highway lunch. A private car or tourist bus is the most practical option, and your hotel in Kathmandu can arrange either. Keep water, snacks, and motion-sickness medication handy—the winding sections can be tiring. After checking in around Lakeside, leave a little time to freshen up before the afternoon outing.
Spend about 1.5 hours at Phewa Lake, ideally taking a colorful wooden boat from the Lakeside waterfront and drifting toward the quieter southern shore for views of the hills. Boat hire commonly costs roughly NPR 800–1,500 for a short private outing, depending on duration and negotiation; life jackets are available and worth requesting. Continue by boat to Tal Barahi Temple, the small two-storey pagoda on the lake island. Allow around 45 minutes including the crossing and a respectful visit—the temple is active, so dress modestly and expect local worshippers rather than a formal museum-style attraction.
From the Lakeside boat area, take a taxi toward World Peace Pagoda on Anadu Hill; allow roughly 30–45 minutes each way because the approach road is narrow and can slow near sunset. The viewpoint is free, though you may need a small parking or local access fee, and the final walk is uneven, so wear shoes with grip. Arrive about 45 minutes before sunset for clear views across Pokhara and, if the weather cooperates, the Annapurna range. Return to Lakeside for dinner at Moondance Restaurant, where Nepali dishes and international comfort food make an easy first-night meal; budget approximately NPR 1,000–2,500 per person. December evenings are cool, so carry a light layer, and confirm your next morning’s jeep or trekking arrangements with the hotel before turning in.
Leave Pokhara around 6:00–7:00 AM in a private 4WD jeep, allowing four to five hours via Nayapul, Birethanti, and Kimche. The road becomes particularly rough after Kimche, so keep valuables secured and expect the final section to take longer than the map suggests. A private jeep usually costs about NPR 8,000–12,000 per vehicle; arrange it through your hotel or trekking agency, ideally the day before. On arrival, confirm where the jeep can drop you—some lodges require a short uphill walk with luggage.
After checking in and having lunch at your teahouse, visit the Ghandruk Cultural Museum for about 45 minutes. Opening hours can be informal and may vary in the off-season, so ask your lodge to confirm locally; a small entrance fee is generally charged. The museum is a useful introduction to Gurung traditions before you wander through the Ghandruk Village Trail, a relaxed 1.5-hour walk along stone lanes, terraced slopes, prayer flags, and traditional slate-roofed houses. Wear shoes with good grip—the lanes can be uneven or slippery, particularly after rain.
Continue uphill to the Ghandruk Viewpoints in time for the changing light over Annapurna South and Machhapuchhre. Allow roughly an hour, but start back before it becomes fully dark because village paths are poorly lit. Return to your lodge for a local teahouse dinner of dal bhat, vegetable tarkari, or seasonal Nepali dishes, typically NPR 500–1,000 per person. December evenings are cold at altitude, and hot water or charging may be limited, so carry a headlamp, keep your water bottle filled, and ask tonight about the early departure arrangement for tomorrow’s trek toward Chhomrong.
Leave Ghandruk around 7:00 AM after breakfast and begin the 5–6-hour trek toward Chhomrong, following the mountain trail via Jhinu Danda. The route is scenic but demanding, with long flights of stone steps, exposed sections, and frequent changes in elevation. Keep water and snacks accessible, and allow extra time if the stonework is wet or icy in December. A guide or porter typically costs about NPR 600–1,200 for the day, depending on the arrangement.
Reach Jhinu Danda around late morning or midday and take the signed path down to the Jhinu Hot Springs beside the Modi Khola. The descent and return usually take 1.5–2 hours, so leave your main pack at your lodge or with your porter if practical. Bring a swimsuit, towel, and small cash—facilities are basic, and the trail back is steep. This is best treated as a proper rest stop rather than a rushed dip; eat a simple dal bhat or noodle lunch in the village before continuing.
Continue across the Modi Khola Suspension Bridge, allowing roughly 30 minutes for the river crossing and approach. From here, the trail climbs again toward Chhomrong, so pace yourself and use trekking poles if you have them. Once you arrive, check into your teahouse, then spend about an hour wandering through Chhomrong Village and its terraced hillside paths. Choose a lodge with a clear mountain-facing common room if possible, since evening temperatures drop quickly and electricity or hot showers may cost extra.
Have an early dinner at your Chhomrong teahouse, budgeting around NPR 600–1,200 per person for a filling meal. Dal bhat is the most practical choice before tomorrow’s long ascent, while ginger tea is useful for warming up. Confirm breakfast and an early departure time with the lodge tonight, charge devices while power is available, and keep your sleeping bag and dry layers close—the next stage becomes colder and more remote.
Leave Chhomrong around 5:30–6:00 AM, after a substantial breakfast and with a packed lunch or trail snacks. The route climbs through Sinuwa, then follows the Modi Khola valley toward Bamboo, Dovan, Himal, and Machhapuchhre Base Camp. This is a long 8–10-hour trekking day, so keep a steady, acclimatization-aware pace rather than trying to make up time on the early stone steps. Carry at least two litres of water per person; teahouses along the trail usually sell boiled or filtered refills, generally around NPR 100–300 per litre.
The Bamboo Forest Trail is especially atmospheric in the late morning, when the shaded rhododendron and bamboo corridor offers relief from the exposed climbs. Allow about 1½ hours for the Bamboo–Dovan section, stopping briefly rather than taking a long break in the cold shade. Beyond Dovan, pause for roughly 30 minutes at Hinku Cave, a distinctive rock overhang in the Modi Khola gorge. The trail becomes more rugged and the valley narrows here; watch for ice, wet stone, and changing weather, particularly in December.
Continue through Himal toward Machhapuchhre Base Camp, allowing about 45 minutes for a rest and warm drink among the dramatic mountain walls. From there, the final approach to Annapurna Base Camp usually takes another 1½–2 hours, depending on snow, wind, and how your body responds to the altitude. Aim to arrive by late afternoon for the best chance of seeing the sanctuary walls before cloud or darkness; do not push onward if anyone develops a persistent headache, nausea, dizziness, or unusual breathlessness—descend and seek help instead.
After checking into your teahouse, keep the evening quiet and warm rather than wandering far from the lodge. Have a simple set meal at the ABC teahouse, typically dal bhat, noodles, soup, or porridge, costing approximately NPR 800–1,500 per person, and hydrate generously with hot water or tea. Electricity and charging can be limited and often costs extra, so keep a headlamp, power bank, warm layers, gloves, and sleeping bag readily accessible; temperatures can fall well below freezing overnight.
Be outside your lodge before dawn for Annapurna Base Camp’s sunrise, allowing about an hour for first light across Annapurna I, Hiunchuli, and the surrounding sanctuary walls. December mornings are bitterly cold, and the stones may be icy, so use a headlamp, gloves, and trekking poles; keep your camera batteries warm inside an inner pocket. After sunrise, have a hot breakfast and refill water before beginning the long descent—there are no useful shortcuts or transport options from here.
Start downhill around 7:00–8:00 AM, retracing the Modi Khola valley through Machhapuchhre Base Camp, Himal, Dovan, and onward to Bamboo. The descent still takes roughly six to seven hours because the stone steps are steep and slippery, and tired knees often make downhill walking slower than expected. Take a 30-minute scenic rest at Machhapuchhre Base Camp, where the broad mountain amphitheatre is especially impressive in the morning light, then continue carefully through the forested sections. Plan a 45-minute lunch at a Dovan teahouse, where dal bhat, noodles, or soup generally cost about NPR 500–1,000 per person; carry cash, as card payments and reliable mobile service are unlikely.
Continue from Dovan toward Bamboo, arriving in the late afternoon if the trail is dry and your group maintains a steady pace. Once checked into your lodge, spend an hour resting beside the forested river valley near Bamboo rather than attempting another outing—the air is cooler here and the descent will have taken a toll. Dinner is usually a simple high-trail meal, such as dal bhat, fried rice, noodles, or soup, costing around NPR 600–1,200 per person. Confirm your room and arrange the following day’s early departure with the lodge tonight; tea houses are basic, electricity may be limited, and it is sensible to charge devices and keep a headlamp, warm layer, and water ready for the pre-dawn start.
Leave Bamboo around 5:30–6:00 AM with a headlamp, water, and a quick breakfast packed by your lodge. The trail descends through the Modi Khola valley via Dovan toward Jhinu Danda; allow roughly 3–4 hours to reach Jhinu, with slippery stone steps and tired legs making the descent slower than it looks. At Jhinu Danda, stop for a proper 45-minute meal—dal bhat, noodles, or eggs are the most dependable choices—before continuing. Budget around NPR 500–1,000 per person, and carry some cash because card payment is unlikely.
After lunch, continue through the forest and riverside sections toward New Bridge, allowing another 2–3 hours for this final trail stretch. Keep your pace steady rather than rushing for the road: the route can be uneven, and the last section is tiring after several days of trekking. At New Bridge, meet the 4WD jeep arranged with your lodge the previous evening; the road transfer through Nayapul to Pokhara commonly takes several hours, and delays are possible on rough or busy sections. A shared jeep costs roughly NPR 500–1,000 per seat, while a private vehicle is about NPR 3,000–6,000.
On reaching Pokhara, check in, shower, and keep the evening deliberately light. An easy 1.5-hour walk around Lakeside and the shore of Phewa Lake is a good way to loosen up without adding another demanding activity; avoid committing to a boat ride or long excursion if you arrive after dark. Celebrate the trek with a Thakali set meal at Thakali Cuisine Restaurant in Lakeside, allowing about 1.5 hours and roughly NPR 800–1,800 per person. Order dal bhat with seasonal vegetables and pickles, and confirm the kitchen’s closing time on arrival, since hours can vary outside the busiest season.
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