A two-day walk from Pokhara up to Australian Camp (2,060 m) for sunset and sunrise over Machhapuchhre and the Annapurnas, returning through Pothana and the Gurung village of Dhampus to Phedi. The shortest way to sleep under the big mountains from Pokhara.
A two-day walk from Pokhara up to Australian Camp (2,060 m) for sunset and sunrise over Machhapuchhre and the Annapurnas, returning through Pothana and the Gurung village of Dhampus to Phedi. The shortest way to sleep under the big mountains from Pokhara.
Australian Camp is a grassy ridge-top clearing above Pokhara with one of the widest mountain views in the foothills. Machhapuchhre rises straight ahead, with Annapurna South and Hiunchuli to the west and Mardi Himal, Annapurna II and the Lamjung Himal to the east. A handful of lodges sit at the edge of the meadow, which makes it the easiest place near Pokhara to watch the light change on the peaks at both ends of the day.
We drive from Pokhara to Kande on the Baglung road, about an hour, and climb through forest to Australian Camp in under two hours. The afternoon is free to rest, walk to the edge of the ridge and watch the sunset. Next morning we are up for sunrise, then walk on to Pothana and follow the old trail east through forest and terraced fields to Dhampus, a long Gurung village with views back to Machhapuchhre. From Dhampus stone steps lead down to the road at Phedi, where our vehicle takes you back to Pokhara.
The highest point is 2,060 m, so altitude is not a concern, and the walking is short: under two hours on the first day and four to five hours, mostly downhill, on the second. It suits first-time trekkers, families, and anyone with two days to spare in Pokhara who wants a night in the hills.
You stay in a simple teahouse at Australian Camp with twin rooms and a dining room facing the mountains. Your guide arranges the ACAP permit and the transport and knows the best spots on the ridge for sunset and sunrise.
Anyone in reasonable health who can walk for a few hours can do this trek. The first day is a climb of about 300 m on stone steps and forest paths from Kande, taking an hour and a half to two hours. The second day is four to five hours, mostly downhill, with a long flight of stone steps from Dhampus to Phedi that is hard on the knees. The highest point is 2,060 m, so altitude does not affect most people. Some walks on hilly ground or stairs before you come will make the descent more comfortable. Children who are used to walking usually enjoy it, and it makes a good first taste of trekking before a longer route.
We drive from Pokhara to Kande on the Baglung road, about an hour. From the roadhead a trail of stone steps and forest paths climbs for an hour and a half to two hours to Australian Camp, where Machhapuchhre appears across the valley. The afternoon is free to rest, and we walk to the edge of the ridge for sunset over the Annapurnas.
We are up early to watch sunrise light Machhapuchhre, Annapurna South and Hiunchuli. After breakfast a short walk takes us to Pothana, and from there we follow the trail east through forest and terraced fields to Dhampus, a long Gurung village with views back to the mountains, for lunch. Stone steps lead down to the road at Phedi, where our vehicle drives you back to your Pokhara hotel in about half an hour.
Permits we arrange: Annapurna Conservation Area (ACAP)
Australian Camp, Pothana and Dhampus lie inside the Annapurna Conservation Area, so you need an ACAP entry permit even for one night. The fee for foreign nationals is NPR 3,000 per person; children under ten do not pay. We get it in Pokhara before you start, so we need a scan of your passport photo page and a passport photo. Nepal Tourism Board rules from 1 April 2023 require foreign trekkers to walk with a licensed guide booked through a registered agency. A TIMS card is not checked on Annapurna routes at present. Every trek we run is led by a licensed guide.
The trek starts and ends at your hotel in Pokhara. From Kathmandu it is a 25-minute flight or six to eight hours by tourist bus. We usually leave Pokhara in the morning, but the walk on day one is short, so a late start is possible if you arrive in Pokhara that morning.
The view is the reason to come, and cloud is the main risk. October to December gives the best chance of clear sunsets and sunrises. In spring the mornings are often clear but haze and cloud build by midday. In the monsoon, from June to September, the peaks are hidden most days.
There are no ATMs on the trek. Bring Nepali rupees from Pokhara for drinks, snacks, charging, hot showers and tips. The lodges at Australian Camp have electricity and most charge a small fee for charging devices.
Do not drink untreated tap or stream water. The lodge will fill your bottle with boiled water for a small charge, or bring a filter, tablets or a UV pen. Refilling keeps plastic bottles out of the conservation area.
Everything is yours to bring, except items marked “We provide” or “Rent locally”.
Moisture-wicking base layer top
Fleece or light insulated jacket
Down jacketWe provide
On loan from us; evenings and sunrise on the ridge are cold
Waterproof jacket
Trekking trousers
Warm hat, sun hat and light gloves
Spare socks, underwear and a change of top
Trekking boots or sturdy trail shoes with good grip
The steps down to Phedi are steep
Daypack of 20 to 30 litres with rain cover
Sleeping bagWe provide
On loan from us
Trekking polesRent locally
Easy to hire in Pokhara; helpful on the descent
Head torch
For the walk out to the ridge before sunrise
Water bottle and a filter, tablets or UV pen
Power bank and charging cables
Sunglasses
Sunscreen and lip balm with SPF
Personal medicines and blister plasters
Toothbrush, small towel and hand sanitiser
Passport and one passport photo
Needed for the ACAP permit
Nepali rupees in cash
No ATMs on the trail
Nobody is quite sure. The meadow was a grazing pasture before trekkers arrived, and the name dates from the early days of trekking, when foreign groups camped here. Lodge owners tell several versions, some involving Australian trekkers and some Austrian ones. What matters today is that it is a small cluster of lodges on an open ridge, not a campsite.
About 2,060 m. You will see figures up to 2,230 m quoted, but most maps and guides give about 2,050 to 2,060 m. Dhampus is about 1,650 m and Phedi about 1,130 m.
From Kande to Australian Camp is an hour and a half to two hours uphill. Day two, from Australian Camp through Pothana and Dhampus to Phedi, takes four to five hours with stops, mostly downhill.
Machhapuchhre is the centrepiece, with Annapurna South and Hiunchuli to the west and Mardi Himal, Annapurna II and the Lamjung Himal to the east on a clear day.
Yes, as a day hike from Pokhara, but you would miss sunset and sunrise, when the views are usually clearest. The overnight trek is the better choice if you have the time.
Yes. The walking is short and the altitude low, so it is one of the best family treks near Pokhara. Smaller children may need help on the long steps down to Phedi.
Yes. From Pothana the trail continues to Landruk and Ghandruk, or north along the ridge towards Mardi Himal. Ask us about our Ghandruk Village Trek and Mardi Himal Trek.
Australian Camp and Dhampus Trek
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