Ìrìn Kori Himal -Ọjọ́ 10

Arriving in Kathmandu counts as the 1st day of the Kori Himal Trek. Your flight to Nepal will be a scenic one as you get to see many peaks of the northern Himalayan region.

After you reach the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, you will have to get a tourist visa before you exit the terminal. For this, you have to fill out a visa application form that you can get at the immigration booth.

After filling out the visa application, you are supposed to pay your visa fees as per the number of days you want to spend in Nepal.

For this trek, you can choose the 15-day visa option, which will cost you USD 30. Or you can go for the 30-day visa if you want to stay a little longer and explore other places in Nepal. This one will set you back USD 50. After you pay your visa fees, you will get a receipt of payment.

Along with the receipt and visa application, you must submit your return tickets, passport, proof of accommodation, and two passport-size photos to obtain a tourist visa. This entire procedure should take around 60 minutes or so to complete.

Alternatively, you can apply for a tourist visa from the official website. This comes in handy during the peak travel season when airports are a little crowded. You will get your visa code via email, which should take about 3 to 5 business days.

Kathmandu is the capital city of the nation, and it’s also the historic capital where many ancient temples and buildings are located. Your time in Kathmandu will be anything but boring and uninspired.

After our breakfast, we will be moving towards the bus park to catch our bus ride to Pokhara. We will arrange a comfortable tourist bus ride for your travel to Pokhara; these buses are quite spacious in comparison to normal ones and also feature more comfortable seating.

First, we will get out of the Kathmandu valley via a winding road west of the city center. Climbing out of the hill takes us to Naubise, where we get on the Prithvi Highway that connects Kathmandu to Pokhara.

Soon, we will pass Malekhu and start following the Trishuli River on our right. After about 8 hours of riding, we will have driven past Dumre, Kurintar, Damauli, and arrived at the heart of Nepal, Pokhara city.

This ride covers about 200 km, and our lunch will be served at a hygienic highway restaurant along the way. This meal is not a part of the Kori Himal Trek package. After arriving at Pokhara, the first thing we have to do is check into our accommodation for the night.

Following that, you are free to stroll around the city and enjoy the serene scenes of the Phewa Lake. You can also experience the nightlife of Pokhara, but do not get too deep into it; you have a trek to complete first.

Day 3 of the Kori Himal Trek features yet another driving day. First, we will have a scenic breakfast by the lake in Pokhara, pack our bags, and get on a jeep. We will take a 4WD jeep to Sikles since buses are not the best choice for the rugged terrain that we have to traverse.

The total driving distance is around 40 km, but it will take us about 4 hours to complete the drive since the road conditions are very poor and winding. Some sections along the way are pretty well paved, but as we approach Sikles, the road turns rugged.

Leaving Pokhara at about 8 in the morning, we will drive over blacktopped roads for about 2 hours, heading northeast from the city center.

Passing by villages like Thak, Tapran, Chipli Gaun, and Khilang, we will arrive at Sikles and check into a local guest house. From a nearby viewpoint, you can enjoy a stunning scene of Annapurna II, Machhapuchhare, and Lamjung Himal.

Sikles is one of the largest Gurung villages in Nepal, and it is also one of the oldest ones in the Annapurna region. The village showcases traditional Gurung houses and countryside houses made of stone, wood, and clay. The alleyways of the entire village are paved with stones, and the wooden houses make for an aesthetic and charming look.

You can visit the Eco-Museum for a detailed showcasing tour of the costumes, traditions, attire, and culture of the Gurung people.

After spending a restful night at Sikles, we will wake up at 1980 meters above sea level and get on the trail to 2016 meters, reaching Hugu Goth. This elevation change of the day is pretty minimal, with an estimated trek duration of 4 to 5 hours.

We have to cover about 6 km of distance, passing through pasture lands, lush forests, and a couple of Gurung villages en route. You will get to enjoy views of the Annapurna range on today’s Kori Himal Trek.

Leaving Sikles, the trek starts with a steady ascent, winding our way up terrace farmlands and tiny settlements. Soon enough, we will enter a lush forest of rhododendron and oak, covering us from the sun.

This part of the trek is vibrant during the spring season, as the rhododendron flowers bloom brightly. Up to this part, the trail is fairly easy with a few stone step sections.

After crossing the forest, we will be greeted with an inspiring view of the Annapurna Himalayan range and the Lamjung Himalayas. Enjoying the scene, we will cross a handful of small streams as we pass by tiny Gurung villages.

Soon after, we will reach the destination of the day. Thus, we will end the 1st trekking day of the Kori Himal Trek. For the time being, you can explore the village on your own.

Day 5 of the journey features an 8 km trek with an estimated duration of 5 to 6 hours. Note that these estimated durations are based on the average time it took for tekkers to reach the destination.

Based on our personal pace, we might reach the destination sooner or later. The elevation gain of the day is 984 meters, taking us to 3000 meters above sea level, starting from 2016 meters. Today’s Kori Himal Trek is a bit more demanding than the previous day, with steep climbs.

The initial part of today’s trek goes through a dense forest of pine and oak, steadily gaining elevation. As we climb further, the trail turns steeper, going over rocky terrains and occasional stone stairs that are a signature of any trekking destination in Nepal.

After we make it out of the forest, we have a great scene of Fishtail (Machhapuchhre), Annapurna IV, and Annapurna II. Passing by a local water source, you can refill your bottles if you have to.

From there, we will pass by seasonal settlements and arrive at Nohthe, eventually. This destination is more like a campsite with wide open pasturelands.

The crew members will prepare a meal for you after we get there and also set up the camps for the night. This campsite is a great place to stargaze, as there is very minimal light pollution.

On the 6th day of the Kori Himal Trek, we have to reach Kori Danda, covering a total distance of 8 km from Nohtha. This trek leads us to 3800 meters above sea level, starting from 3000 meters at Nohtha.

The estimated trek duration of the day is 6 to 7 hours with an elevation gain of 800 meters. Compared to the previous days, today is going to be the most difficult trekking experience as the steep sections are very demanding. This day can also be graded as a strenuous trek.

Today, we have to start our day at around 6 in the morning with a hearty breakfast. After packing our essentials, we will hit the trail, gradually climbing through a wide, open pastureland.

Soon after, the trail turns into rough terrain, full of loose rocks, leading us to stone steps and narrow ridgelines. As we leave the tree line behind, the terrain turns arid, dominated by short bushes and grassy patches.

Since we are at open ridgelines, we have clear views of the Annapurna II, Annapurna IV, Machhapuchhare, and Lamjung Himal. As we get closer to Kori Danda, the temperature drops, and sudden gusts of wind can be expected.

This climactic destination is the highest point of the trek, figuratively and literally. After reaching the campsite, the crew members will set up the camps and begin preparing dinner.

This is the last trekking day on the Kori Himal Trek. After spending a night at Kori Danda, we will start the day with a filling breakfast and enjoy a stunning sunrise view from a nearby viewpoint. The total trek distance of the day is around 10 km with an estimated duration of 6 to 7 hours.

By the end of the day, we will reach 1980 meters above sea level, which is an elevation loss of 1820 meters, starting from 3800 meters.

Starting the day at around 6 in the morning, we will soon pack our bags, have breakfast, and hit the descent to Sikles. The initial part of the trek is a steep descent over a ridgeline leading us into the tree line.

After about 2 hours of trekking, we will enter a forest of oak, rhododendron, and pine. Soon enough, we will pass by a couple of Gurung villages and terraced hills. With a lingering view of the Himalayas in the north, the lush valley features many streams en route.

After our arrival at Sikles, we will check in at a local lodge and rest our tired bodies. It will be a huge relief to get to spend a night in a proper bed. After a strenuous descending day, we will have a filling dinner and head to bed.

Day 8 of the Kori Himal Trek marks the end of trekking days. Today, we will drive back to Pokhara, which should take around 3.5 hours as it is mostly downhill.

We will begin the day with a sunrise view from Sikles and leave the village after lunch. The drive is just 3.5 hours, so we can spend some daytime hours in a village, exploring the different attractions.

The next day on the Kori Himal Trek, we have to get back to Kathmandu. This drive is 8 hours long, and your lunch will be served at one of the highway restaurants along the way. There will be refreshment breaks along the way.

The 10th day of the Kori Himal Trek is the final day of the journey. After we are done with the final processing, we will hold a short farewell ceremony, congratulating you on the successful trek. One of our reps will escort you to the airport for your flight back home.