Australian Camp Trek neither takes you to Australia nor any base camp. Instead, it brings you to the Thulo Kharka(Australian Camp) of Dhampus Village, which lies on the outskirts of the Annapurna Region.
In the late 80s, people from Austria came here and camped in this beautiful plain pasture. They started to visit this place regularly to watch the panoramic mountains of the region. For that reason, the locals named it Austrian Camp. But then, later, it became Australian Camp. The locals found the last name more common and easy to pronounce. This is how it became popular as an Australian Camp.
So Australian Base Camp is a comfortable trek to Dhampus Village, a picturesque village in the region. It is a four-day long trip, out of which two days are for trekking. The journey starts from Kathmandu with a scenic drive to Pokhara, the city of natural beauty. Next, the trip leads you to the Kande, the starting point of the trek. Kande is only one and a half hours away from Pokhara.
The hike begins through the terraced fields full of paddy, forested land, and several suspension bridges to Dhampus Village(1,650m). Then the trek takes you to the center of the Dhampus Jungle, where the Australian Camp(2,060m) lies. While on this trek, you will come across the lovely people of the region and their iconic villages. Pothana, Kande, and Dhampus are the scenic villages you pass on this trek.
Likewise, you will find peaks such as Macchapuchre, Hiunchuli, Annapurna South, and other mountains in the backdrop. That is why it is a short and sweet hike for nature lovers. You will briefly know what is so special about the Annapurna Region, the home of famous treks.
Plus, you will have options on this trek to extend the walk by combining beautiful hikes such as Mardi Himal Trek, Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek, and Khopra Danda Trek.
You can have more adventures in the region doing so.
If you consider doing this Australian Camp Trek, do let us know. We are good at planning everything
Itinerary
Day 1: Drive from Kathmandu to Pokhara | 7 hours
We will start the Australian Camp Trek with a drive out of Kathmandu to Pokhara. It will be a scenic drive of 7 hours on Prithivi Highway. We will watch villages, rivers, forests, and markets passing by through our windows. After the drive, we will arrive in Pokhara, the tourist’s favorite city in Nepal. Heading to our hotel for check-ins, we will rest for a while. After the rest, we will explore the lakeside of Phewa Lake. Overnight in Pokhara.
Day 2: Drive from Pokhara to Kande and then hike to Australian Camp | 1 hr drive & 2 hrs trek
We will wake up to a pleasant morning in Pokhara. After breakfast, we will leave Pokhara for Kande, the beginning point of the trek. One hour of drive out of Pokhara is enough to reach Kande. We will see Mt Fishtail and other peaks all the way. After reaching Kande, we begin a short hike of 2 hours towards Dhampus Village. En route, we will traverse through scenic paddy fields, lush vegetation, and iconic settlements. The locals will greet us with a warm welcome in their villages. Throughout the walk, we will enjoy the views of the Annapurna Region’s peaks and hills. In this way, we will reach Dhampus village at first and then Australian Camp. Overnight in the camp after a lovely evening view.
Day 3: Trek back to Dhampus and Drive to Pokhara
We will wake up early to catch a breathtaking sunrise from the camp. The whole region looks sublime during sunrise. We will experience every bit of this moment. Later, we will explore the surrounding area more by walking around. After the exploration and breakfast, we will leave for Dhampus for a tasty lunch. We will explore the village for a while before doing a downhill hike to Phedi. It will be a trek of around 2 hours. From Phedi, we will join a jeep drive back to Pokhara. Another evening in Pokhara.
Day 4: Drive back to Kathmandu
Now it is time to return to Kathmandu. We will have a short morning stay in Pokhara before we join a drive back to Kathmandu. The drive will happen on the same road for 7 hours. Once we reach Kathmandu, we will return to our hotel. And this will be the completion of a short Australian Camp Trek.
What's Included?
- Airport pickup and drop
- Accommodation in Kathmandu and Pokhara
- Trek permits and other trek arrangements
- 3 times meals during trek
- Comfortable bus ride facility to travel Kathmandu-Pokhara-Kathmandu
- Government tax and VAT
Cost Excludes
- Airport pickup and drop
- Accommodation in Kathmandu and Pokhara
- Trek permits and other trek arrangements
- 3 times meals during trek
- Comfortable bus ride facility to travel Kathmandu-Pokhara-Kathmandu
- Government tax and VAT
