- Length
- 3 days
- Highest point
- 2,055 m
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Best months
- All Year Round
- Starts
- Pokhara (drive to Kaskikot)
- Ends
- Hemja / Melbot (drive to Pokhara)
- Group size
- 2–20 People
- Sleeping
- Tea House / Homestay
An easy 3-day trek from Pokhara over Kaskikot, Australian Camp (2,055 m) and Dhampus, with Annapurna and Machhapuchhre sunrise views, a night in a family homestay at Hyanjakot and lunch in Astam village. Made for families, beginners and anyone short on time.
- 360° Panoramic mountain views from Kaskikot Darbar over Annapurna Range, Pokhara Valley, and Phewa Lake
- Scenic ridge trail trekking through lush oak and rhododendron forests up to Australian Camp at 2,055m
- Unobstructed sunrise views directly over Annapurna South, Machhapuchhre (Fishtail), and Hiunchuli
- Authentic Nepali village lifestyle experience with an overnight local homestay in Hyanjakot
- Delicious organic home-cooked local meals including fresh Dal Bhat, millet bread, and traditional snacks
- Cultural exploration of traditional Gurung villages, terraced farm fields, and ancient stone pathways
- Eco-hospitality experience and ridge-top mountain view lunch at Annapurna Eco Village Resort in Astam
- Quick, hassle-free logistics centred on the Pokhara valley
The climb, day by day
Day 1Pokhara (820 m) to Kaskikot, Nagdanda and Kande, then up to Australian Camp (2,055 m)2,055 m
At 8:00 your private car collects you from your Pokhara hotel and climbs 40 minutes to Kaskikot. A short uphill walk to the Kaskikot Darbar viewpoint gives a full 360°: the Annapurna range to the north, Pokhara Valley and Phewa Lake to the south. From there we follow a ridge trail through villages for about 2 hours (6 km) to Nagdanda and have lunch at Himalaya Deurali Resort. To reach Kande you can walk an hour (3.5 km) on a village trail near the road, or take the 15-minute local bus or van we recommend so your legs are fresh for the climb. The last 1 to 1.5 hours (4.5 km) climb stone steps through oak and rhododendron forest to Australian Camp. Its real name is Thula Kharka, the Big Pasture, where villagers once grazed cattle; so many Australian trekkers camped here that the new name stuck.
- Distance
- 40 min drive (11 km) · about 14 km on foot
- Walking
- 4–5 hrs
- Meals
- Lunch & Dinner
- Night
- Local guest house, Australian Camp
Day 2Australian Camp (2,055 m) to Dhampus (1,650 m), Dhital (1,450 m) and Hyanjakot (1,250 m)1,250 m
Sunrise comes straight up over Annapurna South (7,219 m), Machhapuchhre (6,993 m), Annapurna III (7,555 m), Annapurna IV (7,525 m) and Hiunchuli (6,441 m), and breakfast has the same view. We walk downhill through forest via Pothana to the Gurung village of Dhampus (1,650 m, about 3 km, 1.5 to 2 hours), explore its stone paths and old houses, and eat lunch facing the peaks. The afternoon drops gently through Dhital (1,450 m) on farm terraces and dirt tracks (about 6 km, 2 hours) to Hyanjakot (1,250 m). Tonight you stay with a local family: fresh dal bhat, seasonal vegetables from the farm, millet bread (kodo ko roti), homemade tea and coffee, a clean bed and hot water. Stay like a local, eat like a local.
- Distance
- about 9 km
- Walking
- 4–5 hrs
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Night
- Village homestay, Hyanjakot
Day 3Hyanjakot (1,250 m) to Astam (1,500 m) and Hemja / Melbot (1,000 m), drive to Pokhara (820 m)820 m
After an organic breakfast at the homestay, gentle village tracks climb about 4 km (2 hours) to Astam (1,500 m), with farming life around you and the mountains in view all the way. Lunch is at the Annapurna Eco Village Resort on the ridge. Then forest steps lead downhill about 4 km (1 hour) to Hemja / Melbot (1,000 m) on the highway; if you would rather skip the descent, we can send a private vehicle to collect you at Astam after lunch. On the way back we can stop at the long Seti River suspension bridge for photos, and you are dropped at your Pokhara hotel before 4:00 pm.
- Distance
- about 8 km on foot · 12 km drive
- Walking
- 3–4 hrs
- Meals
- Breakfast & Lunch
- Night
- Back at your Pokhara hotel (not included)
The price includes
- Private car transfers for the whole trip: Pokhara to Kaskikot on day 1, and Hemja / Melbot (or Astam) back to Pokhara on day 3, with hotel pickup and drop-off
- Accommodation: 1 night in a local guest house at Australian Camp and 1 night in a family homestay at Hyanjakot (standard single or double room, hot water, clean bathroom, wifi)
- Full-board vegetarian meals on the trek with local food (breakfast, lunch and dinner) and 2–3 litres of safe drinking water per person per day
- All permits and fees: ACAP, TIMS, local entry fees and government taxes
- Licensed English-speaking mountain guide with a first-aid kit (porter on request)
- Trekking map, trekking poles and a sleeping bag if you need one
- Insurance, food, salary, accommodation and equipment for your guide and porter
- All government taxes and our service charge
You pay separately
- International flights, Nepal visa fees and your personal travel insurance
- Hotel nights and meals in Pokhara before and after the trek (see the hotel options on this page)
- Personal trekking gear, clothing and footwear
- Rescue and emergency evacuation insurance (covering accidents, medical costs and trip cancellation)
- Soft drinks, alcohol, phone calls and laundry
- Tips for your guide and porter
- Snacks, personal expenses and anything not listed under Included
The Australian Camp, Dhampus and Astam Village Trek is a short Himalayan escape for families, beginners and anyone with only a few days in Pokhara. In three easy days you drive up to the Kaskikot Darbar viewpoint, walk a village ridge to Australian Camp (2,055 m) for an Annapurna sunrise, drop through the Gurung village of Dhampus to a family homestay in Hyanjakot, and finish with lunch in Astam before a short drive back to Pokhara.
The trip at a glance
- Duration: 3 days, 2 nights
- Grade: easy to moderate, family and nature friendly, with forest steps
- Highest point: Australian Camp, 2,055 m
- Distance: 25 to 27 km in total, 3 to 5 hours of walking a day
- Route: Kaskikot (1,780 m) to Hemja / Melbot (1,000 m)
- Season: all year round
Why this trek
Few short treks put this much mountain in front of you so close to town. Australian Camp faces Annapurna South, Machhapuchhre and Hiunchuli head on, so the sunrise needs no early climb. The second night is spent with a local family in Hyanjakot, eating dal bhat and millet bread from their own farm, which is the part most of our guests remember longest. Because the highest point is barely over 2,000 m there is no altitude to worry about, and the trek works in every season: rhododendrons in spring, the clearest skies in autumn, crisp views in winter and green terraces in the monsoon.