Hiking from Naudanda to Sarangkot

This is an interesting option that is a bit out of the ordinary and is a good opportunity to get a taste of rural life. Naudanda is on the Baglung road, which leads to the entire southern part of the Annapurna Mountains, north of Pokhara, while Sarangkot is the small village perched on a hilltop above Lakeside, which you will easily see because it is where the paragliders leave from.

The route follows an unpaved track linking the two locations along the ridge of the mountain (more or less). We cross some small villages, farmlands, a temple, a couple of small ponds, the school, and we come across busy villagers, water buffalo, school children, etc. Occasionally, but mostly in the Sarangkot area and what it is known for, we get a good view of the Himalayas (if the skies are clear).

The whole trek involves about 3 hours of effective walking, to which we will have to add the time of small stops here and there to take photos, exchange a smile with some children, maybe visit a school, go to a farm, whatever. Add approximately 1-hour walk down to Lakeside if you decide on this option (which is the one we contemplated). You can take the opportunity to have lunch during your hike, either in Naudanda, in some small place along the way (not many and the food will be simple) or Sarangkot, where there are different guest houses where you can even, why not, overnight.

The route can be done in either direction and each has its advantages over the other.

– From Naudanda to Sarangkot (the option we are considering here) the road climbs slightly, not much, and we have the advantage that we can walk down from Sarangkot to Lakeside in what is a slightly more or less 1h longer route, but very affordable and you save the vehicle to/from Sarangkot (or we can also go down by paraglider if we match the schedules). On the other hand, the mountains are behind us, but since we have the widest view of them only from Sarangkot, this is not a big problem either. Before arriving in Naudanda, we can take the opportunity to visit the Buddhist Monastery of Pema Ts’al Sakya and the Tashi Palkhel Refugee Camp (see details in the description of Pokhara).

– From Sarangkot to Naudanda the road descends slightly. Ideally, you should get up early to see the sunrise from Sarangkot (you can also choose to sleep here the day before). Many of the tourists who come to Pokhara come up here just to see the sunrise (there is a viewing platform where you pay an entrance fee, but it is not the only place to see the sunrise). Once you have seen the mountains, you can have breakfast in one of the guesthouses around here, and then start the route to Naudanda where your vehicle will be waiting for you to return to Lakeside. Of course, you can also visit the Buddhist monastery of Pema Ts’al Sakya and the Tashi Palkhel Refugee Camp.

All you need to bring is comfortable shoes, sun and rain protection and water to drink.

Our proposal, which is the one we quote here, is the one from Naudanda to Sarangkot and down to Lakeside on foot and includes a guide and vehicle from Lakeside to Naudanda, but of course, the price will vary depending on the final option you choose.

PRICE INCLUDES
·       Private vehicle from Lakeside to Naudanda

·       English-speaking local guide

·       All government taxes and VAT

·       Wages, food and accommodation, expenses, and insurance for all staff

PRICE EXCLUDES
·       Food

·       Any personal needs

·       Tipping

Contact us.

Depending on the number of people and the format of the final route, the price can range from about $30 to $100 per person.