Mohare Danda Community Eco Trek
Mohare Danda is an 11-day trip from Kathmandu with six days walking through Magar villages in Myagdi, topping out at 3,300 m on Mohare Hill for an Annapurna–Dhaulagiri panorama. Expect rhododendron forest, terraced millet and buckwheat, and community-owned lodges in Bas Kharka, Nangi, Mohare, Danda Kharka, and Tikot — a quieter ridge west of Poon Hill.
About this trek
Mohare Danda is an 11-day trip out of Kathmandu with five trekking nights through the Magar villages of Myagdi district — Bas Kharka, Nangi, Mohare, Danda Kharka, Tikot. The walk tops out at 3,300 m on Mohare Hill, a forested ridge that opens north to Annapurna South (7,219 m), Nilgiri, and Dhaulagiri I (8,167 m). Lodges along the route are community-owned and operated by the villages themselves rather than by outside operators; the trail was developed as a community-based tourism circuit in partnership with local cooperatives. Days are short (5–6 hours), elevation gain is gradual, and the trail stays below the altitude-sickness threshold throughout.
This is a walk for travellers who want a Nepal trek explained through the people who live on the trail — millet harvests, Chiuri (butter tree) groves, paper-making at Nangi, schoolyards funded by community-tourism revenue — rather than a Himalayan altitude objective. The route sits a ridge west of Poon Hill and gets a fraction of the foot traffic, with a comparable panorama from a quieter trail.
Birdlife runs through the mid-hill oak–rhododendron belt, and the rhododendron (Rhododendron arboreum) forest between Nangi and Mohare is at its peak bloom in March and April. The final trekking day descends to the Kali Gandaki river valley, by some measures the world's deepest gorge.
Trip Facts
- Best season
- September–November and March–May; walkable year-round
- Group size
- 2–10 trekkers
- Total distance
- ~45 km
- Avg walking
- 5–6 hours
- Start / end
- Kathmandu → Kathmandu (walk from Galeswor road-head → Beni)
- Accommodation
- Community-owned lodges on trek; tourist hotels in Kathmandu and Pokhara
- Guides & porters
- English-speaking licensed guide, plus 1 porter per 2 trekkers; porter loads capped at 25 kg per IPPG guideline (porter ratio estimated — operator to confirm)
- Minimum age
- 8+
Trek Highlights
- Sunrise from Mohare Hill (3,300 m) with Dhaulagiri I (8,167 m) and Annapurna South (7,219 m) on the same horizon
- Five nights in community-owned lodges across Bas Kharka, Nangi, Mohare, Danda Kharka, and Tikot — owned and run by the villages, not franchised to outside operators
- Rhododendron (Rhododendron arboreum) forest between Nangi and Mohare — peak bloom March–April
- Magar village life in Myagdi — terraced millet, buckwheat, and Chiuri (Diploknema butyracea) groves
- Cultural evening at Tikot — songs and dances hosted by the village, not a staged commercial show
- Descent to the Kali Gandaki river valley on the final trekking day, into one of the world's deepest gorges
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Airport transfer to your hotel, followed by a welcome dinner with your guide. Accommodation: Hotel. Meals: D.
Book a Departure
No published departures right now — get in touch and we'll set up a private date.
Upcoming Departures
Year-round
1 departureCustom and private departures available year-round on request.
What's Included
- Tourist-standard hotel accommodation in Kathmandu and Pokhara
- Private chartered land transport throughout (Kathmandu–Pokhara–Galeswor–Beni–Pokhara–Kathmandu)
- Half-day guided heritage tour in Kathmandu
- English-speaking licensed trekking guide
- Porter and trek support staff; wages, food, and insurance covered (porter loads capped at 25 kg per IPPG guideline)
- All accommodation on trek (five nights in community-owned lodges)
- All meals on trek (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
- Community visit and cultural evening in Tikot
Not Included
- International and domestic flights
- Nepal visa fee, airport tax
- Travel insurance (compulsory; must cover trekking to 4,000 m and emergency evacuation)
- Meals in Kathmandu and Pokhara beyond the welcome dinner
- Bottled drinks and beverages
- Extra porter (if requested)
- Tips for guide and porter
- Personal expenses and costs from unforeseen events (weather, road closures, evacuation)
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this trek suitable for first-time trekkers or families?
Yes. Days average 5–6 hours on graded village trails and stone steps. Max altitude is 3,300 m, below the altitude-sickness threshold. Children aged 8 and up have completed the route.
Do we sleep in tents?
No. Five trek nights are in community-owned lodges in Bas Kharka, Nangi, Mohare, Danda Kharka, and Tikot. Rooms are twin-share with shared bathrooms; expect basic but clean facilities.
What's the best time to walk this trail?
The route is walkable year-round. Optimal windows are September–November (clear post-monsoon air, stable weather) and March–May (rhododendron bloom between Nangi and Mohare). June–August is monsoon; trails are slippery and views limited.
Will I see Annapurna and Dhaulagiri?
On a clear sunrise from Mohare Hill (3,300 m), yes — Dhaulagiri I (8,167 m), Annapurna South (7,219 m), Nilgiri, and the Hiunchuli ridge are all visible on the same horizon. Weather can close in, so we plan two opportunities: sunset on Day 6 and sunrise on Day 7.
How is this different from the standard Ghorepani / Poon Hill trek?
Mohare Danda sits a ridge west of Poon Hill, gets a fraction of the foot traffic, and the trail is built around community-owned lodges rather than commercial teahouses. The panorama is comparable; the route is quieter.
Are permits included?
The route runs inside the Annapurna Conservation Area, so an ACAP permit and a TIMS card are required. Whether these are included in the package price or paid separately is confirmed at booking — ask when you book.
What's the group size?
Minimum 2 and a maximum of 10, the typical cap for the community lodges on this route.
More treks like this
Rhododendrons of Milke Danda
A 16-day botanical walk from Basantapur to Tumlingtar along the Tinjure–Milke–Jaljale ridge in east Nepal's Koshi hills, topping out around 3,200 m on Milke Danda. Expect rhododendron forest in bloom — Rhododendron arboreum among them — and mid-hill cloud forest, not megafauna. Small group (min 4), naturalist-led, walking through Basantapur, Chauki, Gupha Pokhari, Milke Danda, and Khandbari.
Snow Leopard Tracking — Nar Phu Valley
A trans-Himalayan expedition of 18 days into the Nar Phu valley behind the Annapurna massif, tracking snow leopard (Panthera uncia, IUCN Vulnerable) and its blue sheep prey (Pseudois nayaur). Naturalist-led, with a community wildlife tracker on every expedition. Nar Phu is a restricted area; passes here sit above 5,000 m. Sightings are not guaranteed — come for the landscape, treat the cat as a bonus.
Langtang Bird Trek
A walk-in birding trek through Langtang National Park, north of Kathmandu, with habitats running from riverside creeks to alpine pass. Park records list 380 bird species, ten of them globally threatened. The route names Ibisbill (Ibidorhyncha struthersii) on the Langtang Khola and crosses to Gosainkunda. Naturalist-led, locally-owned teahouses, IPPG-aligned porters.