Multi-Day Treks Starting From Pokhara
Pokhara is the staging point for nearly every major Annapurna-region trek, and the rules around who can walk them changed in April 2023: the Nepal Tourism Board now requires every foreign trekker to hire a licensed guide, ending independent solo trekking inside the Annapurna Conservation Area. Every route below needs a registered agency and a licensed Nepali guide, on top of the permits.
Permits, every time
Two documents, checked at gates like Birethanti and Pothana: an ACAP entry permit (NPR 3,000 per person) and a TIMS card (NPR 2,000 per person). Both come from the Nepal Tourism Board office in Damside, Pokhara, or through your trekking agency; current rules are posted at ntb.gov.np . Neither substitutes for the guide requirement. Search licensed-guide trek packages on GetYourGuide to compare what a registered agency includes.
Ghorepani Poon Hill (4-5 days)
The standard introductory trek: Nayapul to Tikhedhungga, then the 3,200 stone steps of Ulleri up to Ghorepani at 2,860m, a pre-dawn climb to Poon Hill at 3,210m for sunrise over Dhaulagiri and Annapurna, then down through the Gurung village of Ghandruk. Teahouse accommodation throughout, moderate difficulty.
Mardi Himal (5-6 days)
A newer route along a forested ridge directly under Machapuchare: Kande to Australian Camp, then Forest Camp, Low Camp, and High Camp at 3,580m, with a final push to the Mardi Himal viewpoint at 4,500m. Steep drops and alpine meadows, with Fishtail Mountain close enough to feel touchable, though it remains permanently closed to any climbing.
Annapurna Base Camp (7-10 days)
Enters the natural amphitheater ringed by Annapurna I (8,091m), Annapurna South, Hiunchuli and Machapuchare, reaching 4,130m at the base camp itself. This altitude calls for a real acclimatization schedule, not an ambitious one; skipping rest days here is the most common cause of turning back.
Annapurna Circuit (12-16 days)
A longer trans-Himalayan crossing through Buddhist Manang, over the Thorong La Pass at 5,416m, down to the pilgrimage town of Muktinath and the arid Kali Gandaki Gorge. The highest and longest of the standard routes, and the one where altitude preparation matters most.
Upper Mustang (10-12 days)
A high-altitude desert trek into the walled former Kingdom of Lo and its capital, Lo Manthang. This is a restricted area requiring a special permit (around $500 for 10 days) on top of the standard ACAP and TIMS documents, arranged through your agency well ahead of departure.
Altitude and evacuation
Pokhara city sits at a comfortable 822m, but every route above climbs fast into thin air. Watch for AMS symptoms (headache, dizziness, shortness of breath), stay hydrated, skip alcohol above altitude, and carry acetazolamide (Diamox) if your guide recommends it. Evacuation from the Annapurna Sanctuary is by helicopter charter only, so travel insurance needs to explicitly cover emergency medical evacuation up to 5,000m.
Before you set out
Book your trek with a government-registered agency that supplies a licensed guide as standard, not as an add-on; this is now a legal requirement, not a suggestion. For the city sights worth a rest day before or after a trek, see the Pokhara sightseeing guide , and compare Lakeside hotels on Agoda for a night either side of the trail.