Forget Everest: Why I Decided To Trek This Lesser-Known Nepalese Trail

Explorer Julia D’Orazio discovered that peak adventure in Nepal is so much more than the well-known treks and mountain views, over five days on the Annapurna Community Trek.

I’ve never had any desire to climb Everest, or bow at its feet after trekking to its base camp. Ascending the world’s tallest mountain, peaking at 8,849m above sea level, is an expensive exercise. Besides not being easy on the bank balance, the other costly factor is the risk of death, an unfortunate outcome for some expert climbers, and I’m definitely not one!

Another deterrent, for me, is overcrowding. Do I really want to be part of the problem? With hordes of trekkers leaving rubbish behind, increasing environmental impact, and disrupting local populations by putting pressure on local infrastructure, it’s a hard pass from me.

But the Himalaya is more than Everest. And the home of Everest, Nepal, is more than the Himalaya.

Julia (left) wanted to connect with more than just big mountains

‘When you try to find the first image of Nepal, it’s either a big snow-capped mountain or the big stupa with prayer flags, colourful Buddhist flags, and all those things. But apart from that, Nepal is very diverse’, says Community Homestay Network tour guide Ashish Gupta.

‘We have more than 120 different ethnic groups, and they speak different languages. And Nepal is not only about a big mountain [Everest], but it is also divided into three different geographies.’

Bordered by China and India, the landlocked country’s main three geographical regions are the Himalayan, Mid Hill, and Terai: a mixture of lowlands and jungle with altitudes ranging from 60 to 30 metres. Roughly 30 million people call Nepal home, and building the bridge between understanding the country’s diverse landscapes and ethnicities is Community Homestay Network.

The Community Homestay Network hosts over 50 treks through villages across Nepal

What’s Community Homestay Network?

Established in 2012, Community Homestay Network operates to empower people in remote communities through tourism social enterprise, including people like Ashish.

The community-led initiative by tour company Royal Mountain Travel was established in Ashish’s hometown, Panauti, 34km northeast from the capital, Kathmandu. His mother was one of seven families who first began welcoming international guests as a way to generate income and offer a cultural exchange.

With his family hosting visitors, Ashish acted as the family translator, which inevitably kick-started his 15-year career in tourism with both companies.

‘It’s a fairytale story. I started as a porter, then became an assistant, and now a guide and community expert’, Asish says proudly.

While the mother company organises treks throughout Nepal, Community Homestay Network is focused on getting people to venture beyond the so-called ‘Coca-Cola Trail’; that is, Nepal’s other famous trail, the Annapurna Circuit, and instead explore the paths less travelled, such as the Annapurna Community Trek.

The trek supports dozens of local jobs and focuses on sharing Nepal’s diverse cultures

Annapurna Community Trek vs the Annapurna Circuit

Same same but different? Well yes, and no. Think of the Annapurna Community Trek as a little sister of the renowned Annapurna Circuit. The latter is one of Nepal’s most popular hiking trails, with the full loop (roughly 230km) weaving through villages around the 10th highest mountain in the world, Annapurna (8090 metres).

The 16-day trek traverses the main Himalayan range and the dry Tibetan Plateau with the highest point, Thorong-La Pass, at 5414 metres.

A far less strenuous workout is the Annapurna Community Trek. While there’s some crossover with the famous circuit, this low-to-mid-altitude trek is suited to experienced hikers and those keen to venture the paths less travelled in the Himalayan region. The community-minded, five-day trek connects remote villages and farmlands where few tourists visit, and summits Mohare Hill at 3300 metres.

Mohare Hill is still high enough to give you altitude sickness, but less extreme than other Nepalese hikes

‘If one person travels in Nepal for one week, more than 30 people get an indirect job’, Asish says of hiking the Annapurna Community Trek.

‘Drivers, [visiting] five different places, five different teahouses, renting gear, buying water, buying fresh produce from someone.’

When’s the best time to trek Annapurna Community Circuit?

It is best to hike the Annapurna Community Circuit in autumn (September to November) or spring (March to May), when comfortable temperatures, clear skies, and ideal weather conditions are experienced.

Things To Know Before You Go

A trek briefing is given to the group a day before the hike. A porter will carry most of your belongings – clothes, sleeping bags, toiletries – and day packs are advised to be no more than 7kg. Along the trek, showers are a luxury. Some guesthouses have hot and cold showers; others have tubs and a bucket scooper.

Other must-have items include altitude sickness and water purification tablets, hiking poles, a backpack with a hydration bladder, and snacks.

As we live in a day and age where Wi-Fi is pretty much everywhere, the same goes for the Himalaya. Most guesthouses have a connection, but don’t expect it to be that fast.

Porter Sajan takes a well-deserved rest

What It’s Like Hiking the Annapurna Community Trek

Day 1 – Pokhara via Galeshwor to Baskharka

Distance: 7km
Elevation: 1525 metres
Trekking duration: 3-5 hours

Leaving Pokhara at 8am, we travel for three hours along winding roads sandwiched between mountains to arrive at the ‘Motherland’ – the Motherland Hotel & Restaurant, that is! It’s here, in the remote village in the Beni Municipality, that we demolish a big meal – well-oiled egg noodles topped with omelette slices – before hitting the high road, literally.

It’s less than a five-minute drive to the trailhead, where things are off to a slow start. After crossing a rope bridge, it’s a steep ascent following a series of uneven stone stairs bordered by dense vegetation. It’s a sure-fire way to burn off the previous carb overload, with the first section one of the trek’s most gruelling climbs, covering an elevation of over 700 metres. Thankfully, the staircase workout is mostly shaded. Still, my layers of clothing are quick to come off.

There’s some respite with flat sections, including the trail meandering through numerous vibrant orange groves, with fruit ripe for the picking. Our porter Sajan Thapa shakes some oranges off the tree with a hiking pole to add to our snack rations over the next few days.

The trek begins by winding higher through remote villages

The trek continues past farmlands and small stacked stone houses dotting the hillsides, exchanging a friendly ‘Namaste’ with passing locals, until arriving at Bas Kharka roughly four hours later. Our community hosts greet us with a hot ginger and lemon tea; a warm welcome we become accustomed to over the next few days. We sit outside on wooden chairs to take stock of the views of the seventh highest mountain in the world, Dhauligiri, and the Nilgiri ranges – a mix of forest green mountains with white-capped peaks – in the distance. Gorgeous.

Kicking back like this each day doesn’t get old

Wait, there are more stairs? The homestay is a four-minute walk from the main ‘communal’ house. There are six rooms, each with two single beds topped with a firm mattress, windows with doily curtains, and wood-effect lino flooring. A shared bathroom and a hot water bucket (for a shower) sits in a simple, small ablution block behind the wooden guesthouse. A single blue vanity is attached to the block, open to the elements.

Come sundown, surrounding village lights begin to illuminate the silent mountains. We assist our hosts in the kitchen making homemade momo: traditional steamed dumplings shaped like mountains. Yum!

Hosts for the night

Day 2 – Baskharka to Nangi

Distance: 12km
Elevation: 2300 metres
Trekking duration: 5 – 6 hours

There’s nothing like waking up to fresh, crisp mountain air with Himalayan peaks on show.

After a frisbee-sized apple pancake breakfast, we hit stony roads roughly around 8am. It’s beautiful to see the sunlight slowly change the colour of the mountains. Today involves more stairs, but thankfully it’s not as intense as day one, when I questioned my life choices for doing the climb.

Higher we go!

Crossing rope bridges, we pass villages that are a mix of stacked stone, bricks, and thatched-roof houses. We wave to locals, as we walk by small temples and a patchwork of terraced farmlands skirting the mountainside, with the Himalayas peek-a-booing above green highlands – it’s as serene as it gets. Better yet, I’m not navigating switchbacks with other tourists.

We eventually reach Nangi Community Lodge and restaurant: a yurt-shaped stone building with two lodge buildings mere metres away. Ravenous, we quickly devour a late lunch – a large serving of dal bhat (spiced lentils and rice) in a shoe-box-sized room with locals. It’s surely the most popular place in the village, with all tables occupied, the soundtrack of chatter reverberating across the room. I feel like a local among it all.

The trekking crew, Sajan Thapa, Ashish, Katie, and Julia

Arriving earlier than expected, the receptionist, a woman named Nanu, offers to show us around the village, taking us to her favourite scenic spots and introducing us to fellow villagers, who proudly show off their homes and crops. Before sundown we’re encouraged to make the most of a solar hot shower – and I do mean hot! With the brisk air, it’s a welcome indulgence.

Fried noodles seem to be the hiker’s choice of food, and we all demolish our heaped plates within minutes in the yurt-shaped lodge. After dinner, we sit around the fireplace, which takes centre stage, each cupping a hot chocolate before we retire to our firm mattresses.

The rooms are simple, but comfortable

Day 3 – Nangi to Mohare Danda

Distance: 14 km
Elevation: 3300 metres
Trekking duration: 6 – 7 hours

Bring on the most gruelling day of the trek! The day starts at 5:30am, as we look to hike to the summit, avoiding warmer temperatures as much as possible.

Unlike the first two days passing villages, it’s all mountains galore. The slow ascent provides plenty of IMAX-worthy scenes of the Himalaya. The terrain is a mixed bag: few stone stairs, tree roots, flat pathways, and tall straw grasses.

More climbing! The trees are starting to thin out

We take a well-deserved breather sitting on the golden grasses, snacking on the diminishing stockpile of oranges while soaking in the views. It’s a beautiful moment to savour before the next, albeit gruelling, leg of the journey.

From here, it’s more winding bends, mostly unshaded, with the wind factor picking up. We pass some small patches of ice along thirsty grasses until we reach hillside café Dhima Danda Lunch Place: a simple wooden and tarpaulin-roofed hut in the middle of nowhere. Fried egg noodles are again on the menu, and I’m hardly mad about a diet on repeat; I’m loving all the carbs I can get!

Food is always available, no matter how remote it seems

The rest of the day’s hike includes a slow uphill climb for roughly 45 minutes along narrow paths close to the mountain edge, which proves to be a little nerve-racking. Yet it’s all worth the sweat, noodles, and exertion to reach the summit of Mohare Danda.

Heading toward the summit of Mohare Danda

Located on the outskirts of Pokhara – the gateway to Annapurna – Mohare Danda is sandwiched between Annapurna and Dhaulagiri mountains. What stares back at us appears like a painting: layers of mountain ranges, each with different hues, from faded greens, sunlit reds, and sugar-coated peaks. The cyan-blue sky is clear except for two oval-shaped clouds resembling speech bubbles. Colourful Buddhist prayer flags flutter along the boundary fence. It truly is a scene to behold – and we almost have it to ourselves.

The peak attracts few hikers, with many trekkers opting for the popular Ghorepani Poon Hill trek. That said, this is the first time we meet with other tourists, a small group of Swiss trekkers.

As the clouds begin to roll, we all head inside the community hall as the chill factor becomes too much (that’s even with five layers on!). The fireplace roars as dinner is served. This time around, fried rice and egg, which gets demolished within minutes.

After dinner, a Buddhist guide sings while another guide plays on a madal (Nepalese drum), much to the delight of everyone around the long table. Shots of homemade raski, Nepalese moonshine, are passed around. Our liveliest night.

Day 4 – Mohare Danda to Sikha

Distance: 12km
Elevation: 1950 metres
Trekking duration: 4 – 5 hours

We wake up to darkness to try and catch the sunrise over the mountains, including famous Macapuchare/Mount Fishtail and Nilgiri. There’s a handful of us braving the cold as orange streaks appear over the clouds; the peaks appear like glass shards. The clouds eventually dissipate, giving way to clear blue skies.

It’s time to head down the mountain, passing through rhododendron forests. I decide to hang at the back of the pack, to take stock of the still landscapes which become animated every now and then as a lone bird or buffalo herd comes into view.

We stop by a hut aptly named Open Sky for a peppery masala tea. I’m pinching myself while sipping a much-appreciated warm drink, just basking in Nepal’s countryside. The scenery never gets old. Donkeys with chunks of wood strapped onto them pass us by – we’re on a main gravel road en route to Sikha, our next destination.

It’s just after midday as we arrive at our teahouse in the terraced village – a popular stopover for various trekking routes. Hot showers, rooftop beers, and a perfect day to wash underwear! It feels like such a treat to be here, sitting at the rooftop and admiring the mountains while feasting on dal bhat.

Day 5 – Sikha to Narchyang

Distance: 11km
Elevation: 1400 metres
Trekking duration: 5 hours

Car beeps, roaring motorcycle engines: we are back into the grind.

The descent continues through farmlands but not without a lavish moment: a dip in Paudwar Hot Springs in trekker town Tatopani. It’s heaven-sent for our aching muscles as we sit in the no-frills, concrete, open-air geothermal pools for roughly an hour, a handful of tourists joining us.

An hour soak for our weary legs

There’s one small hill climb to go until we reach our final destination, Narchyang. Located at the foothills of the Annapurna range, the town, home to the Magar people, used to serve as the gateway to the North Annapurna Base Camp trek, made famous by French mountaineer Maurice Herzog. As trekking routes changed, the small riverside village became isolated.

En route to the remote Narchyang Community Homestay

Community Homestay Network is helping to bring tourists back to Narchyang, with four homestays located in the village. We arrive at house ‘one’, with our host waiting outside and readily greeting us with marigold garlands (Sayapatri Mala). She’s beautifully dressed in traditional Nepalese attire: a long-sleeved blouse (Cholo) with a black saree draped across her shoulder and a headscarf. She’s bejewelled with a thick, multi-strand beaded green necklace, red bangles and a red Tika on her forehead. We sit and enjoy our masala tea while looking at Narchyang waterfall opposite the house, reflecting on the journey that was.

In the evening, we help our host prepare a banquet – curries, momo, vegetables – on the kitchen floor. It’s a wholesome moment as Ashish translates conversation with our host, who tells us how Community Homestay Network has helped bring the world to her. And we are lucky to be part of hers.

Our trek ends in gorgeous Narchyang, what an adventure!

The Trip

The Annapurna Community Trek is a nine day trip with five days of trekking, $1439 (based on two people, prices decrease with more attendees).

Julia D’Orazio was a guest of Community Homestay Network. All thoughts and opinions are her own.