If you are a trekker looking for something new and different, the Churen Himal Base Camp trek could be the right option for you. Located in the west of Dhaulagiri Mountain, you will find multiple mountains in the region.
From the likes of Churen Himal East to Churen Himal West and Churen Himal Central, there is much more to appreciate. The Trek Nepal has been performing this trek and understands its needs.
Along with the beautiful mountains, you will also find a variety of flowers, plants, and the most heart-warming community. There is a major dominance of Buddhism, Hinduism, and Bon in the region.
Churen Himal Base Camp Trek Overview
Churen Himal Base Camp trek is present in the Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve and to the west of the Dhaulagiri range. The tallest mountain in the region stands at an altitude of 7371m, which is quite impressive.
Some of the major villages that you move out to on the journey include Gurja village, Lumsang Village, Dharapani village, etc. All the trekkers will feel the warmth and welcoming nature of the local people.
The journey will start from Kathmandu to Pokhara and later reach Darbang. This overall trek is just beyond 2 weeks, which makes the experience of being around the mountains more worthwhile.
Highlights of Churen Himal Base Camp Trek
- Visit the exciting Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve
- Witness the wildlife like deer, monkeys, and leopards
- Experience the hospitality of the Magar and Bon communities
- Chance to witness the beautiful mountains like Dhaulagiri, Annapurna, Gurja, Churen, and others
Beauty of Churen Himal Base Camp Trek
There could be a lot of queries, but there is hardly any beauty that prevails with the Churen Himal base camp trek. Well, you are mistaken. There is much more to know and appreciate, even though you might not do the mountain expedition.
Lumsang village and Takam village provide you with a brilliant opportunity for exploration. Takam village is filled with Gurung people known for their food and hospitality.
Likewise, you will find the opportunity to do the Mardi Himal or Poonhill trek here. Moving along the Lumsang village is inhabited by the Magar people. They provide you with insight into the handicrafts, dance forms, etc.
From Lumsang village, though, you have a chance to witness the epic Ganesh Himal and also make room for the trek. The beauty of the Churen Himal Base Camp trek doesn’t end right here.
You will also have a scenic chance to view the yak herders at Rupachaur Kharka. This is an alpine pasture with nature and local livelihood. The sight of yaks grazing is stunning between the mountains.
Best Season to Perform the Churen Himal Base Camp Trek
Well, the best season to do the Churen Himal base camp trek is any time of the year. Being at an achievable altitude, the trek couldn’t be much tougher.
But for the best views and experience, The Trek Nepal suggests you choose either autumn or spring. Autumn falls between September to November, while spring is between March to May.
During the autumn and spring seasons, the weather is absolutely clear along with the mountains shining bright. You will also get chilly mornings and evenings with mild sunshine during the day, making the trek worth it.
How Hard is the Churen Himal Base Camp Trek?
There are a lot of queries that come along with how hard is Churen Himal Base Camp trek is. Well, the overall journey is moderate to challenging. There is no doubt that all the trekkers will need good physical skills.
But it isn’t the toughest of the trek. The maximum we hit is around 4600m, which shouldn’t be too tough. Even though some of the trekkers might feel altitude sickness but there isn’t much to worry.
An expert medical team from The Trek Nepal will help you if any medical issues arise. The trekkers need to be physically fit as you will be trekking for a minimum of 6 hours every day.
Along with that, the high altitude would require focus. As there is no technical climbing present here, you could enjoy the overall experience much better.
Permits Required for Churen Himal Base Camp Trek
There are a lot of queries that come along with what the exact permits are that will be required for the Churen Himal Base Camp Trek. Well, there isn’t much more to be looked after.
If you book with The Trek Nepal, we will manage everything for you. Meanwhile, some of the key permits required include:
- Churen Himal Climbing Permit
- Trekkers Information Management System (TIMS) card
- Annapurna Conservation Area Project
Challenges and Preparation for Churen Himal Base Camp Trek
A lot of the readers might think that the Churen Himal Base Camp trek is an easy trail. Well, there are things to take care of here, too. The rugged roads, along with the slight weather changes, can be massively challenging.
The steep ascent and descent in the journey will require physical strength and stamina as well. In order to prepare before the trek, try and do some mini treks which prepare you better.
Moreover, the journey will have long days of trekking, so performing some strength training and cardio will help the body to be prepared. There could be plenty of challenges, but the final result is worth every minute.
The remote villages, the friendship, along with the view from the Churen Himal Base Camp is worth is worth every bit. Trekkers also need to be mentally strong as they will be staying at a compromised location on the road.
Cost of Churen Himal Base Camp Trek
Churen Himal Base Camp trek is a journey of just over 2 weeks. The accurate cost of the overall trek is hard to predict. Most of the time, the cost tends to vary based on the service, the number of people, and the time of the year.
The Trek Nepal, on the other hand, also prepares a customised package for the clients with a limited budget. All of this results in tough to predict the actual cost of the trek.
But anyone who is interested can contact The Trek Nepal and know the actual cost. We will guide you right through the package and also understand the trek even if you dont book with us.
Food and Accommodation During the Churen Himal Base Camp Trek
Similar to a lot of the trekking opportunities, the food and accommodation during the Churen Himal Base Camp get minimalistic the higher we go. During the lower altitudes of the trek, you will get simple foods like rice, lentils, noodles, eggs, and other foods.
The higher we go and the altitude we reach, trekkers will have to consume the local food. In the case of higher altitudes, you will find the carbohydrate-rich food which will provide you right energy for longer days of trek.
There will be 3 meals in the day, with breakfast and dinner at the place of stay and lunch on the road.
Putting light into accommodation for the Churen Himal Base Camp trek, you will be staying at high-quality hotels during your stay in either Pokhara or Kathmandu, but on the road, things are different.
All the trekkers present will have to stay either in the tea houses or also the local lodges. There is also a chance of setting up camps to stay, but not all trekkers are interested in doing so.
The Trek Nepal assures you that all the accommodations on the road will be the best that would be available for the trekkers. You will have warm beds with shared bathrooms, too.
Furthermore, the higher you go in altitude, the more issues will be presented in case of accommodation. The rooms in the teahouses will have internet facilities in most of them.
We suggest the trekkers have their own sleeping bag, which will allow for safety. Not only this, but it will provide you with extra warmth and take care of the hygiene factor.
Detailed Itinerary About Churen Himal Base Camp Trek
Day 1: Arrival in Kathmandu and rest at the hotel
The first day of the trek is all about arriving at the capital. The guests will be welcomed by The Trek Nepal team. You will be provided with details about what will follow in the upcoming days.
As you enter the hotel, you have the option of taking a proper rest or taking a stroll around the city. Interested guests will be taken on the city tour by the guide.
Day 2: Drive from Kathmandu to Pokhara
On the 2nd day, after an early morning breakfast, we will be driving to Pokhara. The routes will be a mix of plain roads, rugged routes, and everything in between. An exciting bus ride will be waiting for you.
By the end of 6 hours, we will be reaching Pokhara, where you will be spending your time. You can either visit Lakeside in the evening or rest at your respective hotel.
Day 3: Drive from Pokhara to Darbang Village
The fresh morning start means that things will get interesting after all. It will be an early ride in the morning as we will be heading towards Darbang today. It is a 6-hour ride on the road.
As exciting as it may seem, you will be reaching Darbang by the end of the day and setting up a campsite to stay overnight. The guests also have the option of staying at the local tea houses.
Day 4: Trek from Darbang village to Takam
The actual feel of the Churen Himal base camp trek starts today as we head for the Takam village. It will be an exciting journey with 6 hours of trek right ahead of us.
At Takam village, the trekkers will have an opportunity to camp or stay at the local teahouses. Takam actually is a small but popular village in the Churen Himal base camp trek.
Day 5: Trek to Lumsang from Takam
One village after another, we will be hitting around about when we talk about this trek. On the 5th day of the trek, we will be heading for Lumsang from Takam. An early morning walk means that it will take us 5 hours.
The beautiful landscapes and the stunning views of the mountains mean that we will be having an exciting journey right ahead. The overnight stay for the guests will be at Lumsang village.
Day 6:Trek from Lumsang to Gurjaghat
It will be a short trek on the 6th day of the trek. The destination for the day is Gurjaghat, which is 12 km away from our place of stay. The lunch on the day will be provided on the road.
Crossing through the dense forest and the scenic landscapes available, we will be enjoying a startling journey. By the end of the day, we reach Gurjaghat and stay there.
Day 7: Trek to Rupachaur Kharka from Gurjaghat
Slowly, we will be pushing towards 2500m today at the Churen Himal Base Camp trek. As easy as it may look, things could get tough really quickly. It will be a 5-hour trek, but in uneven terrain.
Trekkers with The Trek Nepal will be completing the 14 km journey and reaching Rupachaur Kharka. Alpine meadows, beautiful views will guide the way for the day.
Day 8: Trek from Rupachaur to Gurja Khani
Following all the lush green forest and the beauty around it, we will be heading for Gurja Khani today. It will be a short trek as we will only be covering 13 km today.
The maximum altitude that we hit today will be 2665m. Likewise, you will also have the campsite stay during the night at Gurja Khani village. Interested trekkers can do the teahouse stay too.
Day 9: Trek from Gurja Khani to Darsinge Kharka
Things get interesting today as the destination is Darsinge Kharka. All the trekkers will have a wonderful view of the mountains today as the trail goes through beautiful landscapes for the day.
Along with that, we will only be trekking for 14 km and 5 hours today. The Trek Nepal team will have the option of staying either at the camps or at the local teahouses.
Day 10: Trek from Darsinge Kharka to Bundzunge Kharka
As we have the early morning breakfast, the whole team will head for Bundzunge Kharka. It is kind of an acclimatization day as we don’t move much in altitude.
All the trekkers will be staying in the areas around Bundzunge and exploring the region. There are stunning mountains on display during the day, and you can interact with the locals and learn more.
Day 11: Trek to Churen Himal Base Camp
Finally, the day has arrived when we will reach the peak of the Churen Himal base camp trek. Yes, we will be touching down beyond 4000m and exploring the beautiful mountains around.
From the location of last night’s stay, it will only take us 3 hours to reach the Base Camp. The whole team of The Trek Nepal will explore the region and also view the mountains up close.
Day 12: Trek from base camp to Gurja Khani Village
After witnessing the beauty of the place, we will be moving back to Gurja Khani village today. It will be a downhill trek for the day. 4 hours of trek will seem much easier as we are tracing the steps backward.
By the end of the day, we will be reaching 2600m from 4000m, which is quite challenging in itself. You will also have local tea houses or camps to stay for the night.
Day 13: Trek from Gurja Khani village to Lumsang Village
As we head back from the Churen Himal Base Camp trek, the journey seems to be easier each day. 5 hours of trek on the downward trail shouldn’t be too hard at all.
Likewise, you can also rest on stops while the beautiful trails, landscapes, and small villages will make the experience worth it. By the time the night falls, trekkers will be settled down to their respective rooms.
Day 14: Trek from Lumsang Village to Takam Village
After completing the early morning breakfast, we will be heading out towards Takam village today. The journey of leaving the Churen Himal Base Camp trek is rapid today.
All the trekkers of The Trek Nepal will cover 13 km in the span of 5 hours. Not only that you will also have lunch on the road. By the time the day falls, we will be at Takam village.
Day 15: Trek from Takam village to Darbang village
We come back to where we started at the top. Yes, we will be reaching back to Darbang village by the end of the day. As we have touched more than 4000m, we will be touching 1100m today.
A slow walk consisting of 5 hours means that we will be right on time for dinner at Darbang. All the trekkers from other agencies will also be present at Darbang.
Day 16: Drive back to Pokhara
On the 16th day of the Churen Himal Base Camp trek, we will be touching down in Pokhara through a road drive. A 6-hour drive through the scenic routes will be an easier affair.
After we reach the hotel, all the individuals will have ample time either to rest or also settle down to visit the lakeside region. The choice is yours.
Day 17: Fly back to Kathmandu
As we will be leaving the whole of the Churen Himal Base Camp trek today, we will fly back to Kathmandu. It will be a short flight from Pokhara, which will take place after breakfast.
By midday, we will be present in Kathmandu. Interested individuals can stroll the city, buy souvenirs, while others can rest.
Day 18: Departure for the home country
Finally, the sad day has arrived, whereby The Trek Nepal team will be bidding goodbye to the guest. A member from the agency will drop you off at the airport and respective destinations.