Kori Trek Complete 2027 Guide

Trek Overview

The Kori Trek is a moderate-altitude trek in the Annapurna foothills above the village of Sikles, reaching the Kori pasture at 3,800 metres. The route is less crowded than the nearby Mardi Himal and Poon Hill treks and offers close views of Annapurna II and IV. It is often combined with a Sikles village stay for a complete Gurung cultural experience. The total distance is about 40 kilometres, walkable in 5 to 8 days from Pokhara.

Why Visit

You come here for the silence, the close-up views of Annapurna II and IV, and the Gurung culture of Sikles village. The Kori pasture at 3,800 metres is a high alpine meadow with views across the Annapurna range, and you will often have it to yourself. The village of Sikles is one of the largest Gurung villages in Nepal, with traditional stone houses and terraced fields. The route is less crowded than the nearby Mardi Himal Trek or the Annapurna Base Camp Trek, making it ideal for those who want to escape the crowds. Trekkers often combine this route with the Khopra Ridge Trek or the Sikles Trek for a longer Annapurna itinerary.

Best Time to Trek

The best months are spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November). Spring brings rhododendron blooms in the lower forest and clear mornings with views of Annapurna II. Autumn is cooler and clearer, with crisp light and stable weather. We recommend October and November for the best visibility. Winter (December to February) is cold but possible at lower altitudes; the Kori pasture gets snow. Summer (June to August) is wet and leech-infested below 2,500 metres, with morning cloud obscuring the peaks.

Difficulty Level

This is a moderate trek, suitable for fit first-timers and families with trekking experience. The maximum altitude of 3,800 metres is moderate, so altitude sickness is a small risk. You walk 4 to 5 hours a day on a well-marked trail with gradual ascent. No technical skills are needed. Previous trekking experience is helpful but not essential, as long as you can walk for a week with a light daypack.

Duration

Plan for 5 to 8 days, including a 1.5-hour drive each way from Pokhara. The standard itinerary is 6 days, with 5 days of trekking and 1 day of travel. Shorter 5-day itineraries rush the Kori pasture section. Add 2 days if you want to combine with the Khopra Ridge Trek or the Sikles village stay.

Route Details

You drive from Pokhara to Sikles or Ghachok, then trek up through rhododendron and oak forest to the Kori pasture at 3,800 metres. From the pasture you have views across the Annapurna range, with Annapurna II and IV prominent. After a rest day at the pasture, you descend through the same forest to Sikles village, and drive back to Pokhara. The total circuit is about 40 kilometres.

Itinerary Overview

Day 1: Drive Pokhara to Sikles, trek to Kapuche.
Days 2-3: Trek through forest to the Kori approach.
Day 4: Trek to Kori pasture (3,800 m).
Day 5: Sunrise at the pasture, descend to Sikles.
Day 6: Drive to Pokhara.

Maximum Altitude

The highest point is the Kori pasture at 3,800 metres (12,467 feet). You reach it gradually over 3 days from Sikles at 2,000 metres. Altitude sickness is rare at these elevations, but you should still ascend gradually and drink plenty of water. We carry a pulse oximeter and check oxygen levels at the approach camp.

Weather

Spring days reach 18-22 degrees Celsius in the valleys, dropping to 5 degrees at night above 3,000 metres. At the Kori pasture, daytime highs are 8-12 degrees and nights fall to freezing. Autumn is cooler, with daytime highs of 12-15 and nights dropping to freezing at altitude. Winter is cold, with daytime highs of 5-10 and nights dropping to minus 10 at the pasture. The pasture is often covered in snow from December to February.

Accommodation

You stay in basic village tea houses and homestays for the entire route. The tea houses in Sikles are simple wooden buildings with shared squat toilets and a wood-fired stove in the dining room. Above Sikles, accommodation is in basic homestays and herder huts, with shared rooms and basic meals. Bring your own sleeping bag for warmth, as bedrooms are unheated.

Tea Houses

The tea houses and homestays on this route are basic. Expect a wooden bed with a thin mattress, a shared squat toilet, and a central stove fired with wood in the dining room. The menu is limited to dal bhat, fried rice, chapati, momos, and instant noodles. Hot showers are not available. The dining room stove is the social centre of the lodge in the evening. Bring a headlamp for evening movement.

Camping

This trek uses tea-house and homestay lodging; camping is not typically required. The route has enough village accommodation to cover every night. If you prefer a private camp at the Kori pasture, we can arrange it for an additional cost with a small crew of guide, cook, and porter. Most trekkers find the homestays comfortable enough.

Food

The tea house menu is simple but filling. Breakfast is porridge, eggs, Tibetan bread, and chapati with jam. Lunch is usually fried rice, noodles, or momos. Dinner is dal bhat (rice, lentil soup, vegetable curry), or pasta with tomato sauce. Vegetarian meals are easy to arrange. The local Gurung cuisine includes gundruk (fermented leaf) soup and kinema (fermented soybean), both worth trying.

Drinking Water

The tea houses sell boiled water for about $1 per litre, or you can treat stream water with Micropur tablets or a Steripen. The spring water above 2,500 metres is generally clean, but we treat it as a precaution. Plan to drink three litres a day. Bring two 1-litre Nalgene bottles.

Electricity

The villages below 2,500 metres have mains electricity. Above that, the tea houses and homestays use small solar setups that will charge a phone for about $1 per device. Power is limited, so charge devices during the day. Bring a 10,000 mAh power bank as backup. Headlamps are mandatory for evening use.

Internet & Mobile Network

Ncell and Nepal Telecom have weak signal in Sikles and the lower villages. The signal is patchy or absent above 2,500 metres. We carry a Garmin inReach for emergencies. Plan to be partly off-grid for the 5 days of trekking. Let your family know in advance.

Transportation

You drive from Pokhara to Sikles (5-6 hours by jeep) or to Ghachok (3-4 hours by jeep) to start the trek. The road is rough in places but passable year-round. On the way out, you drive from Sikles back to Pokhara (5-6 hours). We recommend a private jeep, as the local bus is crowded and slow. Getting from Kathmandu to Pokhara is a 25-minute flight or a 7-hour drive.

Required Permits

You need two permits for the Kori Trek in 2027: the Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP, about $30) and the TIMS Card ($17). No restricted-area permit is required, which keeps the cost low. Permits are arranged by us in Pokhara or Kathmandu and require your original passport and two passport photos. Solo trekking is allowed.

Packing List

Bring a 40-litre daypack if you use a porter, or a 60-litre duffel if you carry your own gear. Pack a three-season down jacket, a windproof shell, three base layers, two trekking trousers, a sun hat and a warm beanie, UV sunglasses, factor 50 sunscreen, a first-aid kit with Diamox, a headlamp, and trekking poles. Sleeping bag rated to minus 5 degrees Celsius. Camera, spare batteries, and a power bank.

Budget Guide

Item	USD Cost
ACAP + TIMS	$47
Guide	$25-40 per day
Porter (optional)	$15 per day
Tea house and food	$20-25 per day
Transport (Pokhara-Sikles return)	$50-100
Total package (5-8 days)	$400-700

Photography Tips

The Kori pasture is best photographed at sunrise, when the first light hits Annapurna II and IV above. The rhododendron forest on the lower trail is spectacular in spring, with red, pink, and white blooms. The Gurung village of Sikles works well in the late afternoon, with stone houses catching warm side light. A polarising filter helps cut haze on the lower approaches. Bring a wide-angle for the pasture and a 70-200mm for the peaks.

Wildlife

The lower forests have langur monkeys, barking deer, and wild boar. Above 3,000 metres you may see Himalayan tahr and musk deer on the slopes. The region is home to the red panda, though sightings are very rare. Himalayan griffons and lammergeiers circle above the ridges. Look for monal pheasants in the rhododendron forest in spring.

Flora

The lower valleys have subtropical forest with sal, chir pine, and rhododendron up to 2,500 metres. The middle zone has oak, maple, and magnolia forest up to 3,500 metres. Spring brings spectacular rhododendron blooms in red, pink, and white, with the Annapurna region known for its rhododendron forest. Above the tree line you walk through alpine meadows with juniper, caragana, and gentian. The Kori pasture itself is a high alpine meadow with seasonal wildflowers.

Local Culture

The Kori Trek region is populated by Gurung communities, with a mix of Buddhist and Hindu practice. The Gurung are known for their service in the British and Indian Gurkha regiments, and many families have a relative serving abroad. The village of Sikles is one of the largest Gurung villages in Nepal, with traditional stone houses, terraced fields, and a small museum. You will see prayer flags, mani walls, and chortens along the trail. The local Rodi dance, performed at festivals, is a highlight.

Local Villages

Sikles is one of the largest Gurung villages in Nepal, with about 500 houses at 2,000 metres, a school, and a small museum. Ghachok is the alternative trailhead, a smaller Gurung village at 1,400 metres. Kapuche is a small herder settlement at 2,400 metres. The Kori pasture at 3,800 metres is a seasonal herder camp with one or two stone huts. Pokhara is the nearest major city, the start and end of the trip.

Safety Tips

Acclimatise properly: spend a night at the approach camp before the Kori pasture.
Carry Diamox (125 mg twice daily) from 3,000 metres upwards.
Drink three litres of water a day; check the colour of your urine.
Be cautious on the trail in wet weather, as rocks become slippery.
Keep your down jacket and hat in your daypack for the pasture section.
Tell the guide if you have a persistent headache or shortness of breath.

Altitude Sickness Guide

Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) is a small risk on this trek, with a maximum altitude of 3,800 metres. Mild symptoms are headache, nausea, and poor sleep. Take 125 mg of Diamox twice daily, drink three litres of water, and rest. If symptoms worsen to vomiting or breathlessness at rest, descend to the nearest village at 2,500 metres. The only cure for severe AMS is descent. Our guides carry a pulse oximeter and a basic first-aid kit.

Emergency Contacts

Himalayan Rescue Association (HRA): +977 1 4440292. Simrik Air rescue (Kathmandu): +977 1 4113 222. Nepal Police emergency: 100. The nearest health post is in Sikles. Keep your embassy and travel insurance 24-hour line in writing. Helicopter rescue from the Kori pasture costs $2,000-3,500.

Responsible Tourism

We pay our crew above the union minimum and provide full insurance and gear. Support the local economy by buying handicrafts in Sikles, hiring local porters where possible, and donating pencils rather than sweets to children. Carry out all your rubbish, including batteries. Stick to established paths to protect the fragile alpine meadows. Ask permission before photographing people, and respect monastery etiquette.

Frequently Asked Questions

We answer the six most common questions about the Kori Trek below, from permit costs to fitness requirements.

Summary

The Kori Trek is a 5-8 day trek in the Annapurna foothills above Sikles, reaching 3,800 m.
It is less crowded than the nearby Mardi Himal and Poon Hill treks.
Best window is spring (March-May) and autumn (September-November).
Tea-house and homestay lodging is available throughout.
The Gurung village of Sikles is a major cultural highlight.
Budget $400-700 for an all-inclusive 6-day package from Pokhara.

Conclusion

The Kori Trek is the best short Annapurna trek for those who want close-up views of Annapurna II and IV, Gurung culture, and a quiet trail without the crowds of the more popular routes. The 6-day itinerary fits a single holiday, and the road access from Pokhara keeps the cost low. Book 1 to 3 months ahead for 2027 and 2028. We run weekly departures in spring and autumn and can arrange private trips on request.

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