Explored and started by England’s Royal PRINCE CHARLES, the royal trek is one of the shortest treks in Nepal. The trail follows along the foothills of Annapurna, north of the Pokhara valley.

The royal trek journey begins from the beautiful Phewa lakeside (the largest Lake in the zone) of Pokhara and passes through amazing Gurung hamlets. It ends in Begnas Lake (2nd largest lake in the zone), which is 30 km west of Pokhara. Mainly recommended for passive trekkers (though it’s suitable for all), royal trekking offers significant cultural experiences to visitors when they can see a diverse mix of people and cultures. The mesmerizing landscapes and the incredible panoramic mountain views are no exception.

For people with short holiday duration who cannot go to the mountains for more challenging trekking, the royal trek could be the perfect solution. This Annapurna region is less crowded, so there is more chance to get closer to the locals and Mother Nature. This trek can be done at any time of the year except during the monsoon season.

The Royal Trek Outline Itinerary

Day 01:Drive from Kathmandu to Pokhara, B, Hotel

Day 02:Trek from Pokhara to Kalikasthan, BLD, Lodge

Day 03:Trek from Kalikasthan to Syaklung, BLD, Lodge

Day 04:Trek from Syaklung to Chisapani, BLD, Lodge

Day 05:Trek from Chisapani to Pokhara & to Kathmandu, BL.

Kathmandu sightseeing: $80 per person (gets cheaper with bigger PAX)

Porter service: $20/day per porter

The Royal Trek detailed itinerary

***BLD denotes breakfast lunch and dinner

Day 01: Drive from Kathmandu to Pokhara, BL, Hotel

Early morning drive to Pokhara, the wonderful city blessed with the surrounding snow-capped mountains and the superb views. Boating in the lake and walking by the lakeside.

Day 02: Trek from Pokhara to Kalikasthan, BLD, Lodge

After breakfast, we drive early to Bijaypur Khola, the beginning point of our trekking. We pass through the paddy fields for an hour or so and then hike upward to get to Kalikasthan for the night.

Day 03: Trek from Kalikasthan to Syaklung, BLD, Lodge

Normal day trekking as we walk through the local villages first and then through the ridges to enjoy the panoramic views of the Annapurna and Jugal Himal.

Day 04: Trek from Syaklung to Chisapani, BLD, Lodge

We pass through the traditional Gurung villages today when we can observe their local lifestyles closely. Some ascending and some other descending will take us to Chisapani which is one of the best viewpoints to observe the Himalayan ranges.

Day 05: Trek from Chisapani to Pokhara & to Kathmandu, BL.

First thing we do today is climbing downhill to Rupa Tal and later getting to Begnas lake where we can relax in the tranquil water while boating in the lake. Drive at last to Kathmandu to end the journey.

Cost for 1 PAX: $590 /-

Cost for 2 or more PAX: $400 per person

Note: Trip cost varies with the group sizes.

The Royal Trek Cost Breakdown

Cost Include

• All ground transfers in public vehicles (added cost for private vehicles)
• Hotels in Pokhara on BB twin sharing basis
• Guesthouse or lodge accommodation during the trek on twin sharing basis with full meals
• An experienced trekking guide, assistant guides with their salaries and insurances
• All necessary paper work and permits (ACAP, TIMS)
• Complimentary company t-shirt, route map & certificate of appreciation
• A comprehensive medical kit bag with pulse oximeter
• All government and local taxes and VAT

Cost Exclude

• Extra accommodation or meals behind schedule
• Any personal expenses
• Gratuities to the field staffs (highly expected)
• Porter service
• Sleeping bag, down jacket, walking stick and duffel bag (can be hired in Kathmandu at a minimal cost)

The Royal Trek Useful Information

The Royal Trek departs from Kathmandu as per our fixed departure dates. You can join any available fixed departure groups if you are a solo or small group travelers if you wish to, when the trips cannot be customized.

But if you are in a private group, fixed departure dates are not suitable for you and so you need to choose your own dates and packages, when you can customize the trek as per your travel needs. For further information, please kindly contact your own friendly neighbor, Nature Lovers Treks and Tours.

You will be staying in a hotel in Pokhara while in the teahouse lodges or guesthouses during the trek.

Nature Lovers Treks and Tours has the best accommodation arrangement for you from the beginning to the end. We believe after the tough walking day, everyone deserves the proper rest and the right ambience to relax and chill. Therefore, our choice of accommodation is the best when it comes to the trekking days. The rooms will be clean and comfy. Our entire accommodations will be on twin-sharing basis as you can see, so you have to let us know if others; let’s say if you want triple or quadruple sharing or if you want a double bed, etc. There will be extra charge for the single supplement.

If you wish to change the accommodation category to a better ones in Pokhara, please let us know and we can change it for you on added cost.

Nature Lovers Treks and Tours offers you a complimentary trekking map and the company t-shirts.

Hydrating yourself is the most important thing to do during the trek. You should drink at least 3 liters of water every day or more. The main reason is to avoid the altitude sickness and to avoid other health issues. Nature Lovers Treks and Tours provides you water purification tablets or liquids to purify the water in the mountains. You can even buy mineral water or boiled water on extra cost.

Nature Lovers Treks and Tours has the best guides and porters in the whole tourism industry. We can guarantee you on that. Ask yourselves a question. What do you look for in a guide and a porter? Are they fully insured and are they paid well? Well, they are the staffs of Nature Lovers Treks and Tours so they are hundred percent happy with their treatment by the company. They are experienced, licensed and knowledgeable in the field. They are well paid and fully insured for their journey as well as for the medicals.

Now, let’s talk about our backbones. The leader or a guide should have a significant knowledge in the climbing and trekking so that he can wonderfully and safely lead you, clearing any obstacles on the way. We, Nature Lovers Treks and Tours can proudly say that our guides (climbing, assistant, trekking guide) are highly qualified for the role. They are fully trained, experienced and licensed. They have undergone through a whole lot of training to make themselves useful in various situations and to make your journey a smooth and pleasant one.

Our guide knows the local areas, the cultures, the traditions and the lifestyles much more than anyone do. Some of the things he tells you, might even be hard to find in the travel guide books. Depending upon the situations and weather conditions, the daily plans might change slightly which when happens, he will inform you beforehand. You should always be flexibly ready to accommodate to your guides’ instructions. Let him know if you have any health problems as well since he will act accordingly to the situation. Depending upon the group size, we will also provide you assistant guides and extra Sherpas if needed.

Our porters are always fully equipped with the gears they need and as per the company policy, they are always insured and completely looked after. They are our backbone. We allow maximum weight of 25/30 kg to be carried by one porter. They are the strongest in our group with less communication skills. We also closely work with IPPG {International Porter Protection Group} and follow their ethics and guidelines.

Nature Lovers Treks and Tours puts your safety as the top priority. We provide you our own comprehensive first aid medical kit bag along with the professional team of guides and porters. We are always in communication with our field team members to keep track of your safety and concerns. Your entire journey will be monitored by us and we make sure you enjoy your journey in full scale. We are available 24/7 for your health and safety checks during The Royal Trek.

The Royal Trek Frequently Asked Questions

The cost of the The Royal Trek varies from $200-$1200 depending upon the number of days you choose to trek. The longer the trek, more expensive it will become. Similarly, the price will differ with the accommodation choices also. Normally, Nature Lovers Treks and Tours offers a comprehensive package which is inclusive of all the cost and expenses for the entire journey from the moment you land in Nepal till the moment you fly back home. However, you could also choose to buy only service-based package from us when we will be providing you only the supporting field staffs plus trekking permits and you have to arrange the rest by yourselves.

In The Royal Trek, we will provide you the teahouse accommodations. A teahouse is typically a mountain lodge which is a combination of a lodge or a guest house and a restaurant or a café with basic furniture and interiors suitable for the social hangout. Many teahouses even have attached bathrooms and the central heating furnace. Some teahouses provide the European toilets these days while Asian style of toilets are available in every teahouses. Sleeping blankets are usually provided but we recommend you to carry your own sleeping bags for the hygienic purpose {can be arranged on request}. At the same time, it’s better to carry your own toiletries including the towels.

For The Royal Trek, you will need to make two permits: ACAP permit (Annapurna Conservation Area Project) and TIMS Card (Trekkers' Information Management System).

Tipping is not compulsory for The Royal Trek however tipping is all about showing your gratitude and appreciation. We care about our staffs in the fields so we expect you to look after them in return for them looking after you throughout your journey. They are your closest friend in the remotest parts and also your protector whenever anything seems to happen to you. So tipping is highly expected and we’ve made it mandatory too. The amount of gratuities can be determined by yourselves. Normally, a guide and also a porter expects around $10 or more per day.

You can easily charge your electronic devices during The Royal Trek but by paying small amount or fees for charging. Don’t forget to buy a plug adapter or socket fittings before you leave Kathmandu.

The Royal Trek route has good mobile network coverage, thanks to the Nepalese telecommunication companies called Ncell and NTC. You can buy one of these Sim cards from any local phone shops in Kathmandu. It is wiser to buy a sim card with around 4 GB data in Kathmandu and use the mobile data in the trek.

WiFi is also available on most of the teahouses in The Royal Trek route. However, the signal varies from place to place and please don’t expect to receive the fast data coverage in the trek.

The Royal Trek can be done throughout the year. However in average, Spring {March, April and May} and Autumn {September, October and November} are the best times or seasons to trek in Annapurna region. Spring and Autumn are known as the Peak season or Busy season in Nepal. It’s because the temperature is moderate during these seasons and the best panoramic mountain views are guaranteed while during other Summer {June, July and August} and Winter {December, January and February} season, the clear weather is not guaranteed. But if you are an explorer, a photographer and a peace lover, less busy season can also be the right time to do The Royal Trek.

You don't have to worry at all regarding the altitude sickness in the Royal trek.

When it comes to trekking in the mountains, health and fitness of a person plays a vital role. If you are a healthy person without any serious medical problems, The Royal Trek is for you but if you have any sorts of medical issues, please consult to your doctor before coming to Nepal for the trek.

Now when it comes to the fitness level required, The Royal Trek does not demand any of such physical fitness. The trekking includes daily walks of about 4-8 hours and involves moderate walks during the day which means you need little practices before you start the trekking journey. If you do not have the previous trekking experience, that’s fine but obviously if you have previous experiences, it will be lot easier. For those not having previous trekking experiences, please exercise regularly for at least few weeks prior to your trekking departure. Go for the morning walks, do some jogging as you get time, participate in some cycling activities, etc. This way, you will be good to go for trekking in The Royal Trek.

Only breakfast is included in Pokhara while full board meals or full meals are included during the trek. Tea and coffee will also be provided during the entire trip. During the trek, you will have your breakfast and dinner in the same teahouse where you spend the night while the lunch will be served en route towards the next destination of the day. There are a varieties of choices to choose from; Nepalese, Tibetan, Indian, Continental, etc.

The most common and the highly recommended food during the The Royal Trek is typical Nepali Dal Bhat {rice and lentil}. You can also eat other food items such as seasonal vegetables, noodles and spaghetti, pastas, pizzas and French fries, soups, etc. depending upon the availability. For the beverage, you can either choose warm, hot or cold beverages; soft drinks, beer and hard drinks. For the breakfast, you can order cereals, breads, noodle soups, egg dishes, etc.

You don't really need an insurance for this trek but it's better to have one in case of unfortunate lost or stolen cases or some sorts of urgent medical issues.

Choosing the right gear and equipment is important as well for the successful trek to Annapurna region. Pack the right gears and equipment but remember, packing as light as possible is the best way to go when trekking in The Royal Trek. You should read this What to take for travel to get all the details on what you need to pack or carry.