Trek Guide
The Royal Trek is an easy 4-day cultural walk east of Pokhara — Gurung villages, Annapurna views and Begnas Lake. Full 2026 guide, permits and costs.
By Travel Himalaya Nepal · Jun 14, 2026
One of Nepal's easiest treks — three short walking days on gentle ridge trails just east of Pokhara, with no high passes and a top point of only about 1,730m. Big mountains, low effort — sweeping views of the Annapurna range, Machhapuchhre (Fishtail), Lamjung…
Travel Himalaya Nepal · News
Most people come to the Annapurna region for Poon Hill or Annapurna Base Camp, and rightly so. But those routes mean longer days, more climbing and, for ABC, real altitude. The Royal Trek gives you a remarkably high reward-to-effort ratio. You spend your days…
Travel Himalaya Nepal · News
The classic Royal Trek is a point-to-point ridge walk that starts a short drive from Pokhara and finishes near Begnas Lake. Day 1 typically begins around Bijayapur or Kalikasthan and climbs gently to the village of Kalikasthan for the first big sunset over…
Travel Himalaya Nepal · News
This is genuinely an easy trek by Nepal standards. Walking days are short — usually four to five hours — and the terrain is rolling ridge and farmland rather than relentless stone steps. There are no high passes and no exposure. Anyone in reasonable everyday…
Travel Himalaya Nepal · News
Here is a point that often confuses people: although the Royal Trek is short and low, its trails lie inside the Annapurna Conservation Area . That means the Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP) is required, the same as for Poon Hill or ABC. For 2026 the…
Travel Himalaya Nepal · News
The prime seasons are autumn (October–November) and spring (March–April), when skies are clearest and the mountain views are at their sharpest. The Royal Trek's great advantage is that its low altitude makes it walkable almost year-round. Winter…
Travel Himalaya Nepal · News
Everything starts in Pokhara, a 25-minute flight or roughly 6–7 hour scenic drive from Kathmandu. From Pokhara the trailhead is only a short drive — around 30–45 minutes east towards Bijayapur or Kalikasthan. At the end of the walk, Begnas Lake is a similarly…
Travel Himalaya Nepal · News
Because the Royal Trek passes through inhabited villages, it can be done as a teahouse trek, staying in simple family-run lodges and homestays along the ridge. Rooms are basic — clean bedding, shared bathrooms, hearty dal bhat — but the warmth of the hosts is…
Travel Himalaya Nepal · News
You travel light here. Layers are key — warm mornings and evenings can still be cool on the ridges, especially in winter — so pack a fleece or light down, a windproof layer and a light waterproof. Good broken-in trail shoes or light boots, a sun hat…
Travel Himalaya Nepal · News
The Royal Trek is ideal for beginners, families with children, older travellers, and anyone wanting big Himalayan scenery without altitude or long days. If you have only a few days in Nepal, or you want to test your legs before committing to something bigger…
Travel Himalaya Nepal · News
At a maximum of around 1,730m, altitude sickness is essentially not a concern on the Royal Trek — you stay well below the elevations where acute mountain sickness becomes a risk. That is one of its biggest selling points for nervous or first-time trekkers…
Travel Himalaya Nepal · News
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