Located at an altitude of 2,095 meters, Ghale Gaun is the ancestral home of the famous Gurung people. This beautiful village offers community-based homestay facilities providing a unique experience in a typical village in the Annapurna region of Nepal. The village is located at around a hundred and twenty-five kilometers north-east of Pokhara.
Situated along a section of the popular Annapurna Circuit, reaching this unspoiled habitat at the foot of the mountains is an adventure in itself. On an easy trek done in strikingly beautiful surroundings, one has to pass through Gurung settlements, forests, rivers & streams, and waterfalls. To reach there, the first route goes from Besisahar to Baglung Pani to Kapurgaun and to Ghale Gaun. Another one is from Besisahar to Khudi to Simpani to Ghale Gaun – which is the preferred route of many trekkers. Apart from these two, there are at least a few other routes, too.
From the village, one can have majestic panoramic views of Annapurna II (7,939m), Annapurna IV (7,525m), Dhaulagiri (8,167m), Himalchuli (6,747m), Manaslu (8,163m) and Machhapuchchhre (6,997 meters). Once you reach here, the accommodations are anything but luxurious; but they are indeed comfortable – fit for trekkers who want to bring some rest to their muscles. Be prepared for ethnic food here – no fancy breakfast of sorts, no sausages and bacon, no chips either. Locally produced food like cereals, milk and dairy, vegetables, eggs and meat, are prepared and served twice a day. And, it is completely normal for your host didi to sprinkle some ghyu (ghee) over your plate of steaming rice!
Here, people still follow traditional cultural practices – ones that encompass births, deaths, marriages, and other indigenous rituals. As a form of merry-making, locals still perform cultural dances using traditional musical instruments, wearing traditional hand-woven dresses.
An easy trek to Ghale Gaun and back takes around 5 to 6 days from Kathmandu. Nestled in alpine valleys, this village is best trekked during autumn to early winter, and also in spring to early summer. Offering a mosaic of experience in culture, environmental beauty, and panoramic views of the famed Himalayan ranges, this trek will enrich you like nothing else.
In recent years, Ghale Gaun has attracted tremendous attention among foreign and domestic visitors. One reason could be the ease of travel, and second, it simply could be the likes of Himalayan giants lined up, waiting to be photographed! Such pristine is the beauty on all sides, that no matter which of the several routes you prefer to take, you will always be traveling with beautiful landscape in view.
Experience a wonderful trek to Ghale Gaun with Orbit Alpine.
