12 Days Family Trekking in Nepal (Annapurnas) - Family Adventure Tour

Duration: 12 Days | 11 Nights
Dates: October to mid June
Countries to be visited: Nepal
Departure & Return Locations: Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu

This hike on the Annapurna foothills in Nepal is designed exclusively for families. On our Nepal family trekking holiday, we include time in traditional villages, where the local children regard the Himalayas as their playground. Our fully supported lodge-to-lodge program allows you to enjoy the comfort of staying in teahouses. We can join our delightful crew playing board or card games or even volleyball and cricket in each place we stop. There is also time to visit the local schools and markets, where cultural horizons are so different from your own.

In all, there are many opportunities and learning experiences to keep both you and your children occupied while getting enthralled. We hike through magnificent oak and rhododendron forests during this introductory graded trek as we ascend to alpine meadows that provide spectacular views of the Annapurna Range. Meals on your trek are provided by trained chefs for added comfort, convenience, and safety. They cater to your family’s dietary requirements and ensure a high level of hygiene, along with the most varied and healthiest meals in the Himalayas.

Children will see lots of local children on the trails and their homes. We can even go to visit a school or two to make it interesting for your kids. They might be able to interact or maybe even play together. Do bring some games such as “toss the pigs,” UNO, etc.; this will keep your children entertained or can be a way to invite local children to join in the fun.

Nepal Region: Annapurna Region
Difficulty: Moderate
Meals: Lunch, Dinner, Breakfast
Transportation: Flight, Private vehicle
Accommodation: Lodge
Best season: October through May
Altitude (max): 3250 m
Max. group size: 16

Day 1 - Welcome to Kathmandu
Arrive in Kathmandu. Our representative will meet you and transfer you to your hotel. Your trek leader will brief you on the next day’s program and take you on an orientation walk around Thamel.

Day 2 - Kathmandu Walking Tour
You will be taken on a walking tour of Ason, the old bazaar, visit Patan Durbar Square, a world heritage site, and Boudhanath Stupa. In addition, you can make some last-minute purchases of gear you need for the trek. Your trek leader will brief you for the next day’s program

Day 3 - Fly to Pokhara and trek to Banthanti. 2300 meters
Fly to Pokhara and trek to Banthanti. 2300 meters. 3 hours. We go to the domestic terminal after breakfast to fly to Pokhara. We take a 30-minute flight to Pokhara. We have a drive of two hours to the starting point of our trek. Then, we have a steep ascent of two hours to the village of Ulleri, where we stop for lunch. We continue climbing (on a less steep gradient) to our stop Banthanti for the night. We stay in a lodge run by an amiable family. Most people do not stop at this village.

Day 4 - Trek to Ghorepani. 2,850 meters. 3-4 hours hike
We start our hike to Ghorepani after breakfast. The trail takes us through thick Oak and Rhododendron forests with cascading streams along the way. We will be climbing at different gradients to Ghorepani. This is a lovely settlement at the top of a ridge. Wonderful Panorama can be enjoyed when the weather is clear. If the weather is clear, you can hike up to Poonhill for sunset over Mount Dhaulagiri, Nilgiri, Barahi Shikhar, Annapurna South, Hiunchuli, Machapuchare, and numerous other peaks to the east. Thus, you can avoid the crowds who usually come for sunrise.

Day 5 - Trek to Tadapani. 2640 meters. 6 hours of hike
We will have an early-morning excursion to Poon Hill (3210m) for the fantastic sunrise and Panorama of the high Himalayan peaks. It takes about 45 minutes to walk up the 400 meters. After that, we return to the lodge for breakfast; then, we trek to Tadapani (2540m). If you want to avoid the crowd at Poonhill, you can trek towards Tadapani and enjoy the sunrise in solitude from a high point on the trail. This will also make your trek shorter for the day. You can discuss this option with your trek leader the day before

Day 6 - Trek to Ghandruk. 1960 meters. 4-5 hours hike
We will have breakfast with the Panorama of the Annapurna range at Tadapani. Then, we start our hike by walking through a lovely Rhododendron and Oak forest on a broad trail. We will pass through a couple of settlements and some lodges on the way. Finally, we will come to n opening in the woods with views of Annapurna South and Mount Hiunchuli. We will be taking the stairs for the final part of our hike to Ghandruk. Ghandruk is the largest village on the trek. It is a lovely village with traditional architecture and new Lodges and Hotels for trekkers to stay comfortably.

Day 7 - Trek to Syauli Bazaar. One thousand meters. 4 hours hike
We will start our morning by having breakfast with Annapurna South and Hiunchuli looming above us. Then, we will be walking downhill through the remaining to Ghandruk Village. We will be outside this large village in about 40 minutes and walk on a broad path on a gentle descent for about one hour. We will be passing mule caravans carrying goods to Ghandurk on the way. Finally, we will descend quite steeply from the village of Kyumi. We will stop for lunch on the way, depending on how much ground we have covered. We will walk on the fairweather road for about half-hour before taking the trail to Syauli Bazaar, our stop for the night. Syauli Bazaar used to be a stop for trekkers before the road was built. There are a few lodges here; we can enjoy the solitude. You can go to the Modi River nearby during the afternoon.

Day 8 - Trek to Nayapul and drive back to Pokhara
We have an easy downhill and level walk on the fairweather road. We will be hiking parallel to the Modi River, passing by small hamlets to Nayapul. We will board our waiting vehicle at Nayapul and be driven back to Pokhara. We will bid farewell to our support team either at Nayapul or at Pokhara. We will check in to our hotel, and you have options of resting at the hotel or taking a walk by the many shops and cafes at Lakeside

Day 9 - Day in Pokhara
You have the option of going for a tandem paragliding session in the morning. We book you with the company that is owned by the National Geographic Adventurer of the 2012’s. He and his partner climbed Everest and paraglided from the Summit and kayaked to the Bay of Bengal. In the afternoon, you have a choice of doing a sightseeing tour of Devi’s fall, the Tibetan refugee camp, and the mountain museum or relax or go shopping.

Day 10 - Fly back to Kathmandu
We fly back to Kathmandu either in the morning or afternoon, and we give you the liberty to choose your preference. You have the option of visiting Bhaktapur Durbar Square in the afternoon if you choose to fly back to Kathmandu in the morning. Bhaktapur is a world heritage site, and it is also called a living museum.

Day 11 - Kathmandu
We can bring you to the Kathmandu Zoo so your children can have fun watching the animals and even go for an elephant ride in the morning. Then, if they are not too tired, you can walk to Patan Durbar Square – another World Heritage site. You can watch the artisans at work at Patan.

Day 12 - International Departure
You will be brought to the airport three hours before your international flight time.

Tour Price
• Price shown is for a person based on twin share accommodation, for the travel period indicated.
• All prices displayed are subject to availability and can be withdrawn or varied without notice.
• Prices are guaranteed once booking is confirmed by us and paid in full by the due date.
• Depending on your needs and group size (individual, couple, family, group, etc.) we will provide the final pricing for your tour.
• Flexible booking terms and conditions are available for tours in 2022. Contact us for enquiries

Inclusions:
• Boutique hotel in Kathmandu on a bed and breakfast basis
• Hotel/lodges during trekking on a twin sharing basis
• Expert trek leader
• One assistant guide between four trekkers
• One porter between two trekkers
• Use of trekking kit bag during the trek
• All Trekking mentioned in the itinerary
• Insurance / Proper clothing for porters and crew
• Food for porters and crew members
• Domestic airfare (where applicable)
• Boutique hotel in Pokhara on a bed and breakfast basis
• All transportation
• Complimentary T-shirt
• All permits
• All meals on the trek. Healthy and varied food available on trekking holidays.

Exclusions:
• International airfare to and from Nepal
• Travel Insurance (compulsory to have insurance that covers helicopter evacuation)
• Airport taxes and charges
• All optional additional tours or activities during free time
• Any Private Expenses
• Meals not mentioned
• Personal Incidentals such as Telephone calls, Room Service, Laundry
• Tip to Guide/Driver, Porterage Fee and others which are personal in nature
• Anything else not specifically mentioned in the inclusions above

Notes from the tour providers in Nepal
This trip focuses on providing local employment and professional development. We pay fair wages and ensure good working conditions. We support local businesses, and our tours benefit the local community. We practice inclusive and non-discriminatory hiring, connect travelers to local culture, products and activities and work hard to create as authentic an experience as possible. We participate in carbon offsetting and act to protect and preserve the environment and employ a “leave no trace” policy.

This trip promotes tourism dispersal by taking you to a more remote, less-trafficked region of West Nepal. Our trekking chefs use superfood ingredients to give our trekkers the much-needed nourishment after a rigorous day of hiking. In addition, our wellness meals help to strengthen the immune system. This trekking expedition provides employment opportunities for many locals as all camping gear, equipment, and food need to be carried by porters or pack animals.
We filter our water on the trek, reducing the need to boil water using kerosene (unless guests ask for hot water)

Special precautions:
We take our trekkers away from the crowds of the popular trekking areas to provide a “high value, low impact” experience to the people and environment we bring you to. This form of sustainable tourism is no longer a luxury but an absolute necessity, especially in the wake of COVID.

Socially Distant:
We have handpicked areas that are less busy or off the beaten path, where a small number of other trekkers might appear on the trekking trail. Even on the popular routes, our trekkers will be experiencing authentic Himalayan cultures with Social Distancing. We have chosen the night stops in the less busy villages or lodges that are either slightly away from the busy ones to allow social distancing easily. Our team provides a “Private Social Bubble” for as long as it is possible. However, on the popular sites/points for views, monuments, etcetera, we will meet the other trekkers/tourists. Your trek leader will suggest going very early in the mornings or later in the evenings to avoid the crowds, but the final decision lies with you.

Extra Sanitation Measures:
Our team provides hand sanitiser before each meal and with increased frequency throughout the trek. In addition, we are the first and only company that uses biodegradable toilet bags for our camping treks.

Wellness on the Trail:
Our usage of superfood on our wellness adventure has consistently helped our clients to boost their immune systems during and after the trek. In addition, the trekking team prepares various healthy and nourishing meals and purchases fresh organic food along the trail.

Food and nutrition on the trek
We are pioneers in gastronome trekking in the Himalayas. We provide a varied, interesting menu on treks throughout the Himalayas. Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free meals can be catered for upon request, and other special diets can be accommodated with advance notice.

Trekking is not only fun, but it is beneficial for you. It helps in detoxifying the body while also nourishing the soul. Although to provide a better experience, we also tailor our meals to include superfoods as part of the ingredients to keep you fit and healthy while also assisting in acclimatization to high altitudes. The combination of hiking in the pristine mountain air and healthy food makes trekking with us a complete culinary adventure.

Please refer to our Standard Booking Conditions for booking terms and conditions.