Skip the Poon Hill crowds: Khopra Danda is the Annapurna trek in the know

Poon Hill is glorious — and, on an October morning, packed shoulder to shoulder. So here is the trek the experienced crowd is switching to: Khopra Danda. A newly opened ridge route in the same Annapurna foothills, it serves up arguably better, closer views of Dhaulagiri with a tiny fraction of the trekkers. If you want the Annapurna sunrise without the queue, this is it.

Why it is the locals' pick

Khopra Danda branches off the classic Ghorepani–Poon Hill trails into genuinely quiet country, climbing a ridge that stares straight across at the huge south face of Dhaulagiri (8,167m) and Nilgiri. It is run largely through community-owned lodges, so your money stays in the villages, and because it is newer and lesser known, you often have the viewpoints to yourself — a rarity in the Annapurnas. The fit and the curious can add a long day up to Khayar Lake, a sacred glacial tarn at 4,665m.

Who it suits

Khopra Danda is ideal for trekkers who want the Annapurna foothills — the rhododendron forests, the Gurung and Magar villages, the dawn light on the giants — but cannot stand crowds, or who have done Poon Hill and want something fresh and a little higher. It is moderate, scenic and short enough for a one-week trip, and it links easily with Poon Hill or Mohare Danda if you have extra days.

Source: The Longest Way Home; Annapurna community trekking operators.

Cover photo: Vyacheslav Argenberg via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0).