Hidden Lake and Glacier Trek

Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) are the two reliable windows for the Hidden Lake and Glacier Trek, for the same reasons that govern all Annapurna routes: stable weather, cleared trail conditions and sharp mountain views. Autumn delivers the clearest skies of the year after the monsoon and the most dependable camping conditions above 3,800 m. Spring brings rhododendron forests in bloom on the Ghandruk-Tadapani section and warming temperatures in the lower villages, though residual snow on the Hidden Lake approach can persist into April.

Winter (December to February) brings freezing temperatures at the high camps, snow on the upper traverse and potential whiteout conditions at Hidden Lake. Only experienced, well-equipped trekkers should attempt the upper section in winter; the lower Khopra Ridge days are still walkable. The summer monsoon (June to August) makes the lower Ghandruk trail wet and leech-ridden, and cloud obscures the glacier views that are the main draw of the upper section. The season cards below show the month-by-month picture.

Two permits cover the Hidden Lake and Glacier Trek: the Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP) and the Trekkers Information Management System card (TIMS). Both are issued through the Nepal Tourism Board office in Kathmandu or Pokhara. As of early 2025, ACAP costs NPR 3,000 (around USD 22) and the TIMS card costs NPR 2,000 for organised groups or NPR 3,000 for independent trekkers; Swotah confirms current fees before departure.

No restricted-area permit is needed for this route, which keeps the paperwork and cost lower than circuits like Manaslu or Upper Mustang. Checkpoints at Ghandruk and at higher trail junctions will check both permits, so keep them accessible in your daypack. Bring two passport-size photos and a passport copy for the applications. Swotah handles the permit arrangements once you provide those documents.

Accommodation on the Hidden Lake and Glacier Trek runs across three types. Ghandruk (1,950 m) and Tadapani (2,590 m) have homestay guesthouses with private rooms and local meals; the Gurung-run homestays at Ghandruk are among the most culturally immersive lodgings on any Annapurna route. Chhomrong (2,100 m) and Shivay (1,220 m) have standard teahouse lodges with hot showers available for a small fee.

From Bayeli Kharka (2,900 m) upward, the trek moves into tented camping. Swotah's cook crew carry all camp equipment, tents and cooking supplies. Campsites at Khopra Ridge, Kaire Lake, Celli Kharka, Hidden Lake and Annapurna South Base Camp are on open ground; conditions are cold above 3,800 m, and a four-season sleeping bag is important from Khopra Ridge onwards. Kathmandu and Pokhara offer comfortable hotel accommodation at the start and end of the itinerary.

Food on the lower days is standard teahouse cooking at Ghandruk, Tadapani and Chhomrong: dal bhat (rice, lentil soup and vegetable curry), noodles, eggs, fried rice and soup, with lodges refilling dal bhat freely. From Bayeli Kharka upward, Swotah's camp cooks prepare all three meals in the field, using supplies carried by the porter team. Camp meals typically include porridge and eggs for breakfast, noodle soup or fried rice at lunch, and dal bhat or pasta for dinner.

Swotah includes three meals a day on all trek days and breakfast in the cities. For water, drink 3 to 4 litres a day from the Khopra section upward to reduce altitude sickness risk. Treat all water before drinking: purification tablets, a filter or a UV pen all work. Carry a reusable bottle; bottled water is available at lower lodges but absent at the high camps, and buying plastic on route is discouraged inside the conservation area.

The trek starts at Ghandruk (1,950 m), reached by a private jeep from Pokhara via Nayapul, a drive of roughly 1.5 to 2 hours. Pokhara itself is 200 km west of Kathmandu, roughly 6 to 8 hours by private jeep or a 25-minute domestic flight on the Prithvi Highway. Swotah runs all road legs by private jeep, which handles the mountain roads better than a bus and allows flexible stops.

The trek exits at Shivay (1,220 m) after the Jhinu Danda hot springs descent, then drives back to Pokhara (around 4 hours) on day 14. Day 15 is the drive from Pokhara to Kathmandu. No domestic flight is required for the standard itinerary, though Swotah can arrange a Pokhara-Kathmandu flight if time is short. The Prithvi Highway follows the Trishuli River and can be slow after heavy monsoon rain; the schedule builds in realistic drive times.

Hidden Lake sits at 4,250 m on a high shelf directly below the southern glaciers of Annapurna South (7,219 m). The lake is fed by glacial melt and snowfield runoff from the Annapurna South cirque above, and it remains largely unknown outside the Gurung communities and Khopra Ridge trekkers who occasionally extend their route to reach it. The glacier ice on the headwall above the lake is visible from the camp, and the reflection of Annapurna South in the still water on a clear morning is the defining image of this trek.

Kaire Lake (4,200 m), the sacred Hindu and Buddhist pilgrimage site two days earlier on the itinerary, is the acclimatisation platform for the Hidden Lake approach. Having slept at 4,200 m before the Hidden Lake day reduces altitude stress at the peak altitude. The return from Hidden Lake descends to Annapurna South Base Camp (3,400 m) and then drops a further 1,300 m to Chhomrong on day 12, one of the most satisfying descent days in the Annapurna region.

Ghandruk (1,950 m) is one of the largest Gurung villages in Nepal, home to around 1,300 households per the 2021 census, and it anchors the cultural dimension of the lower trek. The Gurung Museum in the village documents Gurung military service, traditional dress and architecture; the homestays and guesthouses here are well-run and the most comfortable stop on the first three walking days. Evening cultural programs with Gurung folk songs and dance are sometimes arranged for trekking groups.

Chhomrong (2,100 m) is a Gurung village on the lower Annapurna Sanctuary ridge with a strong trekking infrastructure and mountain views of Annapurna South and Machhapuchhre. Staying in community-run homestays and lodges on this route channels money directly into Gurung and Magar villages rather than through agencies, which is the stated purpose of the Khopra Ridge community trail model that the lower section of this trek follows.

A licensed guide is strongly recommended on the Hidden Lake and Glacier Trek: the upper trail above Bayeli Kharka is lightly marked, the terrain around Celli Kharka and the Hidden Lake approach is open mountain ground, and finding the correct line to the lake in poor visibility requires local knowledge. Swotah guides hold Ministry of Tourism licences, first-aid training and experience on the Khopra Ridge and Hidden Lake route.

One porter carries 20 to 25 kg; Swotah caps loads at that weight and provides a free duffel bag so you walk with a light daypack. On camping days the cook crew and equipment porters form a separate team. Tipping is customary: 10 to 15% of the trip cost split among the guide, cook, porters and driver is the standard benchmark. Booking through a registered operator like Swotah ensures staff insurance, fair porter loads and current permit costs are handled correctly.

Mobile coverage on the Hidden Lake and Glacier Trek follows the same pattern as the broader Khopra Ridge corridor. Nepal Telecom (NTC) signals reach Ghandruk and Tadapani reliably and thin above Bayeli Kharka; the high camps at Kaire Lake, Celli Kharka and Hidden Lake have no usable signal. Ncell coverage is similar. Swotah provides a tourist SIM on arrival in Kathmandu.

Charging at lodges costs NPR 100 to 200 per device in the lower villages; the camping section has no mains power at all, so a fully charged power bank is important for the five-night camp stretch from Bayeli Kharka to Chhomrong. ATMs are available in Pokhara before the trek; carry sufficient Nepali rupees for permits, drinks and personal spending on trail. Wi-Fi exists at Ghandruk and some Tadapani lodges for a fee; above Tadapani treat connectivity as absent.