(B) Royal Trek (modified)
DAY 1: We start slightly late in the morning from Pokhara with a drive to Kangkhola on the eastern outskirts of town. After a picnic lunch in the paddy fields, we walk past hay-stacks and scattered farm houses as the trail slowly leads upwards ascending continuously along stone steps. We set up camp tonight above Kalikasthan village a renowned vantage point for viewing the Himalayas. (4 hours walk).
DAY 2: After a spectacular panoramic mountain view and a hearty breakfast we continue eastward along this ridge. To the west is the Pokhara valley floor, in the north the great mountain ranges of Annapurna and Lamjung Himal, in the east the Manaslu range and to the south, a small secluded lake named Dipang. We stop for lunch in a small Gurung village called Patale Bhanjyang. From here, we will descend slowly to a narrow valley floor before ascending again to Beganskote, an old military look-out. We will camp tonight at Maidan, a small open meadow on the hilltop. (6 hours walk).
DAY 3: During crisp mornings the sunrise view from here is just magnificent. The great Annapurna massif with its many prominent peaks such as Annapurna II (7937m), Annapurna III & IV, Annapurna South, Mt. Macchapuchare (6993m), as well as Lamjung Himal (6931m) and Manaslu (8156m) stand out in a dramatic line with the first pink light of dawn setting their slopes on fire. After breakfast we head south descending through the Begnas village with its clean village hutment and well-tended terraced farms. Ahead we have a panoramic view of the twin lakes of Rupa and Begnas and the thickly wooded hillsides. We reach the Begnas lake Resort by lunch time. (3 hours walk).

                               (C) Royal Trek (original)
DAY 1: We commence mid morning from the resort and take a 20 minute drive to Lekhnath shalik which is a small cluster of shops and houses close to the Kathmandu-Pokhara highway. Our Sherpa crew will receive us and from here we commence our trek. The first hour is a little swampy (during post monsoon) as we weave our way through paddy fields and fertile farmlands constantly heading north into the hills. The ascent is gradual as we stop for a picnic lunch under a large shady Banyan tree. The ascent gets a little steeper as we walk past village homes and farms till we arrive at our campsite at an open pasture atop the Thulokote ridge overlooking a small pine forest to the south and the great Annapurna massif to the north. (Walk 4 hours).
DAY 2: The sunrise view from here is simply breathtaking as the gray mountain peaks are swathed with the changing colours of the rising sun. Straight ahead is Mt. Macchapuchare with its dramatic plunging flanks. Framed to its east and west are prominent mountain peaks such as Annapurna South (7,219m) and Annapurna III (7,555m). After breakfast, we commence on our journey eastward along the ridge, which offers wonderful views of the Begnas and Rupa lakes on one side and deep mountain gorges on the other. We stop for lunch near a spring water source passing many small ethnic hutments and colourful villages along the way. We walk along an ascending stone path through a forest of Rhododendron, hard wood trees and Bamboo. We will set up camp a little above Lipeni village, just below the peak of Shyaglung Hill (1,580m). (Walk 6 hours).
DAY 3: Opportunity for another spectacular Himalayan sunrise scene. From here the views are ever widened taking in dominant peaks of three mountain ranges – Dhaulagiri (8,156m) to the far west, Annapurna I (8,091m) to the north-west and Mt. Manaslu (8,156m) to the east. Our walk today is reasonably easier as we traverse the ridgeline eastward passing more village homesteads, small forests interspersed with meadows of wild scrubs and flowering plants. We then descend southward stopping for lunch under a shady patch before continuing on our trail to our campsite close to Chisopani village, named after a cold-water spring closeby. This is one of the most beautiful and well kept campsites in the entire area. It is on a gently sloping meadow with a forest cover of pine trees. Nearby is a lone Buddhist stupa with a live-in Lama tending to the shrine. (Walk 5 hours).
DAY 4: Crisp morning forest air and magnificent mountain views are indeed a heady mix. But this is what trekking in Nepal is all about – you are amidst pristine Nature and no wonder why Prince Charles of Britain simply fell in love when he first trekked this route in 1980 promising to return again. After breakfast we walk down through the forest and down countless stone steps till we reach the valley floor at the head of the Rupa lake. The winding stony path then slowly ascends through more villages till we reach Sundaridanda, a small colourful hill bazaar straddled on a small ridge that separates the twin spring-fed lakes of Rupa from the Begnas. We reach the resort in time for lunch. (Walk 4 hours).