Indian travellers need no visa for Nepal and can reach Pokhara by road or air. Carry a passport or voter ID, check that your insurance covers camping and rescue, and build fitness and cold-weather gear before this short but demanding trek.
Entry and documents
Indian citizens do not need a visa and may arrive by air or by land. Carry a valid passport or voter ID card, the documents normally accepted, and check the rules shortly before you travel. Keep photocopies and a digital copy.
Getting to Pokhara
Fly to Kathmandu and on to Pokhara, or fly to Kathmandu and drive. Pokhara is the base, and the trek starts the next morning. Keep a spare day before onward flights.
Food
Vegetarian food is easy to arrange in camp, with dal, rice, vegetables, eggs and noodles. Tell the cook crew about preferences and allergies early.
Camping comfort
If you have not camped in cold, practise before you go. Bring a warm sleeping bag, a hot-water bottle and extra socks. Nights are much colder than in most of India, even in autumn.
Fitness and altitude
Many travellers come from sea level. Train for two or three months and, if possible, walk above 3,000 m on an earlier trip before this one.
Leave and timing
Autumn and spring are the windows. Allow a week with a spare day for weather and the road, and avoid tight flights home.
A sample budget plan
Plan to cover the transfer to Pokhara, the trek package, a night or two of hotel at each end, meals in the cities, tips, insurance, gear you need to buy or hire and a small cash reserve. Ask for a package quote that lists camps, crew, permits and transport, so you know what you are comparing.
Gear you can buy or hire in Pokhara
Pokhara has shops that sell and hire sleeping bags, down jackets, poles and boots. Prices are lower than in the capital for some items, but quality varies, so check zips, seams and warmth ratings carefully before you leave town.
Money and shopping
Carry Indian rupees for Kathmandu and Pokhara if accepted, but you will need Nepali rupees on the way. Cash machines are not available on the trek. Buy extra snacks, warm socks and a hat in Pokhara.
Preparing for cold nights
Hire or buy a proper sleeping bag, and test it at home on a cool night. Thermal innerwear, a down jacket and a woollen hat make a bigger difference than any other gear.
Group travel from India
Friends and families often travel together. Check that everyone can walk six to seven hours, and agree a plan for who turns back if someone struggles.
Plan it
