Api Himal Base Camp Trek

Beautiful mountains, hills and terraced land will greet you once your aircraft enters the Nepali airspace. Very soon, you will land in Kathmandu Valley. Upon arrival at Kathmandu airport, complete immigration formalities and meet your representative outside the arrival lounge. Get transferred to your hotel. In the evening, meet your guide and attend a trek briefing session.

After a leisurely breakfast, start packing for your trek. Your guide will escort you to the domestic airport for an hour-long flight to Dhangadhi. Dhangadhi is a small town lying on the lowlands of far-western Nepal. Upon arrival in Dhangadhi, your guide will transfer you to your hotel. Remaining time is free for independent activities. You can take a stroll in your hotel neighborhood to experience the life in the far-western lowlands of Nepal.

Today, you will drive to Gokuleshwar on the Mahakali Highway. The road is initially on the lowlands but makes a climb to Dadeldhura which is a popular hill station in far western Nepal. It provides magnificent views of mountains on the north. Continuing further, the road climbs up the Chamelia valley to Gokuleshwar – a small hilly town – where you will stop for the night.

Start driving after having breakfast. A drive of some two hours will take you to a place called Latinath. On the way, you can see far western Nepal’s biggest hydropower project on Chamelia River. At Latinath, meet your support staff who will carry your loads to Api Himal Base Camp and back. A walk of two hours will take you to your campsite at Paribagar. In the afternoon, you can explore the village.

Your trek begins in earnest today. Today, you will be trekking to Makarigaad – a small village by the side of Makarigaad River. The trail passes through traditional villages, terraced land and stone-roofed houses. You will reach to your lunch place after a walk of some three hours. After lunch, a walk of about two and half hours through forests of fir, hemlock, oak and rhododendron will take you to Makarigaad. You can also see ruins of a historic fortress near the village.

This is going to be a long day. So, resume the walk after having early breakfast at your camp. From Siti, the trail climbs up steeply through the gorge until you reach the village of Pato (2198 m). Pato is your lunch spot. After a sumptuous lunch, walk uphill until you reach to top of a ridge. From ridge, the trail is leveled till Siti where you will stop for the night.

The trek is easy initially as it’s a downhill walk till the Khayekot (2036 m) where you will stop for the lunch. From Khayekot, the trail is more or less leveled with small ups and downs to Domal. Domal sits on the confluence of Chamelia and Rokap River. Your camp will be set up near the confluence.

Today, you will trek to Lower Base Camp of Api Himal. The trail is steep and you will need to gain altitude from the river bank. Continue walking till you reach forests and grazing grounds. Dhaulo Odar, which serves as the lower Api base camp is an open grasslands with rhododendron forests topped by high mountains. As the name Dhaulo Odar suggests, ‘Odar’ means cave in Nepali, there are caves in the area. After lunch, you can explore the surrounding areas.

It takes about two and half hours to climb to the high camp. The high camp is an open space surrounded by mountains like Mount Api, Mount Nampa (6929m) and Mount Bobaye (6808m). Lunch will be served after you reach your campsite. After lunch, explore the base camp area. Visit Kalo Pokhari Lake. Going further, you can also visit the source of Chamelia River that you have been seeing by your side since the first day of your trek.

After exploring the base camp, you begin your return journey today. The trip is downhill until you reach the Khayekot village. Your lunch will be served at this village. From Khayekot, it’s an uphill climb initially and lots of ups and downs of Siti where your camp will be set up.

It will be a relatively shorter day today. The journey will take around six hours. Gradually, you will come back into civilization. You will see villages, people toiling in field and children coming back home from school. After a walk of some three hours, you will come to a small settlement called Pato where your crew will prepare lunch for you. After lunch, it’s an easy walk to Makarigaad.

Today will be another short day. After breakfast at the camp, make a gradual descent toward Latinath from where you started the trek. The trek to Latinath takes approximately four hours. You bid adieu to your amazing support staff today. After lunch, you can take rest in your camp and explore the village.

After early breakfast at your camp, board a waiting car and start driving toward Dhangadhi. After a drive of some four hours, stop at Khanidanda – a small hill station -- for lunch. Resume driving toward the southern plains of Tarai. You will reach Dhangadhi late in the afternoon. Upon arrival in Dhangadhi, check into your hotel.

After a leisurely breakfast, you will be driven to the airport for your flight to Kathmandu. Watch the mountains one last time from hour aircraft seat. Upon arrival at Kathmandu airport, your guide will transfer you to your hotel. Remaining time is free for independent activities. You can just laze around in your hotel room or step outside in the market to buy souvenirs for your friends and families back home. In the evening, we will organize a farewell dinner for you at a restaurant serving typical Nepali cuisines to celebrate the success of your trek.

Our representative will drive you to the airport for your return flight. While returning home, you reflect on the good memories that you had during your trek and plan your next holiday.