Do I need a licensed guide?

Yes on the major Nepal trails. We walk with a licensed local guide; the booking is with a government-registered Pokhara agency.

Can beginners do Sikles?

Yes. This is a short, lower trail. Stairs and village paths, not a high pass. Tell us if you have just landed — we will not stack a jeep day on a high night.

When is the best time?

October–May. We will not pretend monsoon weeks are clear weeks. Write your dates; a manager in Pokhara will say if the trail matches the weather.

Does this start from Pokhara?

Briefing, permits and kit-check are in Lakeside. Annapurna trails leave from the lake. Everest and Langtang connect through Kathmandu or overland — we still own the plan.

Sikles | 4 Days from Pokhara | Upper Path Treks And Tours

Who this is for

A Gurung village north of Pokhara, quieter than Ghandruk, with ridge views of the range.

Sikles sits on a hillside north of the lake, away from the ABC trail traffic. Days are village-to-ridge rather than high camp. You sleep in community lodges, walk among terraces, and look north to Annapurna II and Lamjung. Typical length is three to four days; we hold four so the middle is not a rush.

Included

— Licensed guide
— ACAP & TIMS permits
— Tea-house lodging
— Breakfast, lunch, dinner on trek
— Pokhara airport or hotel pickup

Not included

— International flights
— Nepal visa
— Travel insurance
— Personal snacks & drinks
— Tips

Itinerary

Pokhara toward Sikles

Drive up the Madi valley and a climb into the first lodge.

Into Sikles village

Terrace paths into the Gurung village. Afternoon on the ridge if weather holds.

Ridge and village day

A slower day: museum, kitchens, and a viewpoint walk.

Return to Pokhara

Descend to the road and the lake.

Difficulty and altitude

Sikles is a Easy walk of 4 days, with a high point around 2000 m. We pace for acclimatisation, not a brochure summit morning.

Best time to go

Typical season: October–May. October–November and March–April are the classic Himalayan windows. We close or reroute when cloud and rain make the view a fiction.

Permits and what is included

Annapurna routes include ACAP and usually TIMS, processed in Pokhara. Restricted valleys (Mustang, Manaslu, Tsum, Nar Phu) add a RAP filed through immigration. The quote lists permit days; there is no surprise at the checkpoint.

Permit notes from Lakeside · Best treks in Nepal

How the trip starts from Pokhara

You sleep in Pokhara the night before a jeep or tourist bus. We confirm the trailhead, tea-house nights, and who meets you. No guest account — a manager replies on WhatsApp, WeChat, Viber or email.

Altitude

The path

Questions before you book

Yes on the major Nepal trails. We walk with a licensed local guide; the booking is with a government-registered Pokhara agency.

Sikles