Sikles is a large Gurung village above the Madi valley, reached on foot from Pokhara’s roadhead through forest and terraces. You stay in homestays or lodges and walk village lanes, the monastery, and nearby viewpoints. Homestays, the village monastery, and terrace walks are the days; Annapurna II is the skyline.
Annapurna II and Lamjung fill the skyline on clear mornings. The trip is cultural and mid-altitude, with a straightforward walk back to the jeep. Madi-valley forest and a short jeep back to Pokhara keep the four days cultural rather than high.
Bhagwat started as a porter in 1998, is a licensed guide, and still joins short Gurung weeks when he can. You'll leave Pokhara for Mahendra Cave, climb through Ghale Kharka to Sikles above the Mardi Khola, then walk out via Taprang and Yangjakot. We book ACAP in Pokhara so the four days stay on village lanes, the Eco Museum, and terrace viewpoints.
Homestay or lodge rooms in Sikles are confirmed before hotel pickup, so monastery walks are the days, not a scramble for beds. Your guide knows the Royal Hiking Path toward Nyauli Kharka and which clear morning opens Annapurna II and Lamjung. Porters still carry fair lodge loads at one per two guests, with kit renewed yearly.
Our Sikles village trek will take off today from Pokhara as we drive towards the marvelous Mahendra Cave, one of the prime tourist natural sites in Pokhara. Once we reach the cave, we will tie our light walking shoes and set forth along the Pokhara Baglung Highway via Jaimure Gufa road towards Milanchowk.
The path ahead will gently elevate through the velvety green terrain of Lhachowk and Ghachowk. Sel Roti of Brahmins and Chhetris people is the highlight of these towns.
Our day will be initiated with a very peaceful organic breakfast at Ghale Kharka. Then, getting on with our Sikles Village trek, we will ascend gracefully along the green slope of Byaule Hill. The route ahead will now bend sometimes up and sometimes down along the hilly slopes of Harbu Danda, Bayule Danda, Chipli, and Jaljala Danda.
The bending jungle route will continue on up to Nyaulikharka (2550 m). Now, the trail will, to some level, flatten, taking us to Chipli and Parche Gurung Communities.
It is time for us to leave the historical allure of the Sikles Village trek and start the journey back towards Pokhara. After Sikles, our route will navigate through numerous very attractive and charming locales of Talche, Tauneswanra, and Tantang.
Walking tenderly through the lushness of the green primeval jungle, we will slowly and calmly ascend the ridge wall of the Paiyon Danda. Next, we will then progress downhill through Bagaletha, Setikholagaon, and Chansu before resting ourselves in the warm lodge of Taparang.
The Mardi River from Taprang will keep us company as we begin to walk back towards Pokhara. Sabal Danda will soon arrive to greet us, and a little further beyond this village, finishes the border of the Annapurna Conservation area. The road will then uplift towards Yangjakot, which is only 18 km farther from Pokhara.
The our team ride will be ready at this point, which at first will drive along the rustic dirt track and then proceed along the paved highway of the Kahukhola-Majhadihi route. After the final look at the rural countryside scenery of Majhadihi, Madbensi, Chitepani, Sunpandheli, and Kaseri, we will soon be relaxing in the luxurious of Pokhara.
Most guests fly into Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu. Share your arrival time ahead of travel so a Thamel hotel transfer can be arranged, or make your own way to the meeting hotel.
Many departures include a road transfer to Pokhara before walking starts from Nayapul or a nearby trailhead. Allow a little extra time after the trek before international flights home.
Twin or double rooms in a comfortable Kathmandu hotel cover your first nights and your return from the trail, with breakfast on those city stays when included in the package. Briefings happen at the hotel, and airport collection from Tribhuvan is available when flight times are shared in advance.
Family-run teahouses or lodges line the route with twin beds and a shared dining room. Rooms get simpler and colder as you climb, with shared bathrooms common at higher villages. Hot water, Wi-Fi, and charging are paid at the lodge when offered.
March to May rhododendron bloom and October to November crisp air are peak windows for this itinerary. July and August mean leeches and cloud on lower slopes; December to February can ice steps above village level.
Your guide reads the forecast before long cols or sunrise hikes. Shoulder weeks need an honest weather call before high passes or dawn viewpoints.
You should be comfortable on steep stone steps and forest paths for four to six hours with a daypack. Hill training and longer weekend walks in the months before travel help your legs and lungs on uphill trail days.
Hill training, stair climbing, and longer weekend hikes in the months before travel help your legs and lungs, even when acclimatisation days are built into the route. Break in boots before you fly and carry a light daypack on practice walks.
Guided trekking with licensed leaders, lodge nights on the trail, meals as described for walking days, and permits for the regions crossed are included when they are part of this trip. Domestic flights, porters, and airport transfers apply only when they are part of this trip.
Domestic flights, road transfers, porter support, and airport transfers apply only when they are part of this trip. Permits for the regions you cross are arranged in Kathmandu or Pokhara when included.
International flights to Nepal, visa fees, compulsory travel insurance, personal trekking clothing, snacks and drinks outside included meals, and tips for crew are not covered. Hot showers, Wi-Fi, and battery charging in lodges are usually paid locally when offered.
Charges for hot showers, Wi-Fi, or battery charging in lodges are paid locally when offered unless your trip notes say otherwise. International flights, visa fees, and personal insurance stay outside the trek package.
Airport collection to your Kathmandu hotel is available when flight times are shared in advance. Thamel hotels are the usual meet point; drivers need flight numbers to meet you at the international terminal.
Pokhara hotel meet applies when your package starts lakeside; allow a full day for the drive from the capital if that sector is included. Allow a little extra time after the trek before international flights home in case mountain roads or flights move.
Guides set a steady pace and watch for headache, nausea, or dizziness as you gain height. Weather can shift daily plans, so your guide keeps a steady pace with regular breaks.
Tell your guide early if symptoms appear so tomorrow's stage can shorten or descent can start before conditions worsen. Trail conditions are checked each morning before the group moves.
Road transfer from Kathmandu to Pokhara and a short drive to Nayapul or another start point are common when transport is included. Your guide confirms departure times at briefing.
Motion sickness medicine helps on winding mountain roads. Your crew would rather wait for a safe window than rush marginal weather.
Annapurna Conservation Area Permit and TIMS registration apply on this route. The team arranges paperwork in Kathmandu or Pokhara when you provide passport copies and trek dates.
Keep copies in your daypack for checkpoint stops. Monsoon cloud sits lower on the hills while winter brings ice on steps above village level.
Families join when children can manage the daily hours and terrain on this specific route. Pace and daily hours can be adjusted on private departures, though that may extend the calendar.
Ask our Kathmandu team if you are planning with younger walkers. Private departures can shorten daily hours, though that may add a day or two to the calendar.
Comprehensive travel insurance that covers trekking to the highest altitude on your itinerary, medical evacuation, and helicopter rescue when applicable is essential. Many standard policies exclude high altitude by name.
Read the wording before you travel so you can adjust cover if trekking above 5,000 metres is not named. Many standard policies exclude high altitude by name, so read the wording before you fly.
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About the centre
Kathmandu
You'll travel with a Kathmandu-based team that plans treks, peak climbs, helicopter flights, motorbike journeys, and cultural trips across Nepal, Tibet, and Bhutan. Routes range from classic teahouse walks and high passes to luxury lodge itineraries and longer expedition-style climbs, with departures shaped around how you want to pace the mountains.
Licensed guides and office staff train regularly on mountain safety and guest care. Porters are insured, fairly paid, and equipped for the trail, with sensible load limits on lodge routes. We work with remote communities through sustainable tourism, including support for education in village areas, so your booking helps local people as well as your own adventure.
Operated by Himalayan Adventure Treks & Tours, a partner of adventuro.
