Ghandruk-Ghorepani Circuit
This circuit is one of the most popular short trek circuits of seven days. However two days can be shortened by reaching Birethanti by Bus instead of going from Dhanpus. Your trek starts from Birethanti where there is a check post of ACAP looking at your trekking permits. There is a good facility for accomodation but you can keep walking toward Thikedhunga because there is a steep climb towards Ghorepani.

So it is better to divide the climb in two days by reaching Thikhedhunga for the first day. The trail follows through bamboo forest with lots of butterflies and birds. You also pass through large waterfall

On the way there are small shops where you can buy refreshments. Thikhedhunga is small, beautiful Gurung village with good lodging and fooding facilities. The village electrified by micro-hydropower run by the villages themselves.

Second day, the trail is a steep climb to Ullen and on the way there are no tourist hotels but few tea shops. You can see Annapurna South and Nilgiri on the way. Ulleri is a Magar village lying at an altitude of 2,070m. There are hotels and from there the trail is gentle steep and passes through pastures and cultivated land. Then the trail passes through dense forests while climbing to Banthati (2,250m). After Banthati you can see one of the best forests oak and rhododendron. Then you reach  Nagthanti (2,460m) and from here it is an hour trek to Ghorepani (2,460m) which is a Gurung village with several facilities. The major attraction is Poon Hill (2,775m) which provides unobstructed view of high Himalayas. At Ghorepani it is better to stay at Deurali to view six different mountains.

Third day, the trek from Deurali to Ghandruk is long and if the trail is snow covered it will be more difficult  to walk. The trail from Deurali passes through forest and is muddy. It emerges grass knoll where mountains can be viewed. The climb will be upto 3,030m and then descends. There is a junction of trails leading to Chitre and Tatopani.

The Ghandruk trail descends steeply from here. After a few hours you wil be at Ghandruk (1,940m), which is a second largest Gurung village known internationally for the conservation efforts of the community and the development of the village by the initiation of the villagers themselves. The village provides all the facilities that a tourist requires. The village is known for the clean trails and healthy environment.

From Ghandruk it is only three hours descent to Birethanti. But there are other optional routes to Pokhara and one of them is via Landruk, a village known for "Honey Hunting". It takes an extra one day to reach Pokhara, Ghandruk is also a place from where the trail leaves to Annapurna Base Camp.

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Sikles Circuit
Sikles is another big Gurung village. It is 24 km north-east of Pokhara. It is situated at an altitude of 1,981m. There are many routes to reach Sikles which is only three days away from Pokhara. But it is best to travel via Ghalekharka. This route is designated as eco-trek route by Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) and the infrastructure required is already made.

The route takes three days to reach Sikles. From Pokhara there is facility of vechicles usually upto Puranchowr and it is better to start your trek from here. The trail leads through the cultivated land and the climb is gentle. After a walk of seven to eight hours you will be able to reach Ghalekharkha.  At Ghalekharka, there is a camp site designated by ACAP where you have to lodge.

All the way you have to walk through villages so there are facilities for food but there are strict rules as you are following eco-trek route; so you are not allowed to throw rubbish as you like. There are several rubbish bins and also lavatories on the way.

As soon as you are in Ghalekharka, you will find ACAP check post and you will get futher information there. After Ghalekharka, the trail passes through dense forests and theere is not any house or hotels in between Ghalekharka and Sikles but a camp site at Nyaulikharka where you will spend your second night. The trail rises upto 2,750m.

Third day, you have to continue your walking through dense forests and reach either Parche or Sikles for cmaping. There is one natural History Museum managed by ACAP. The village is facilited by the eletricity.

This snap features the pyramid view of Mount Fishtail (Machapuchhere) on the way to Sikles. Sikles is a gurung village and is worth a visit.

You can return to Pokhara via Thak and it is also two days walk and so you better halt at Thak and start the trek next day  towards Pokhara.

LONG TREK (Jomsom Route)
Trek to the Annapurna Himalayan range starts from Baglung but there is another route too.
Jomsom trek can also be started from Baglung Bus Parkin Aarchalbot. An hour bus ride will take us to Nayapool from where we start walking uphill towards a gurung village known as Ghankruk. Including this we can also take a direct flight to Jomsom from Pokhara. It is just 20 minutes flight from the Pokhara airport to Jomson. Some people do prefer flight and trek all the way back to Pokhara.

A caravan of horses and carrying donkeys going towards Kagbeni which is a 5 hour walk from Jomsom for normal walking people. This is the main source of transportation in this region. The river shown in the snap is River Kali Gandaki known to be the sister of Seti river. The difference is Seti river is white and Kali is black. In Nepali language White means Seti and Black means Kali.