After a short climb and descent into a dell, you’ll start a more serious climb that continues all the way up to the lodges at Dobato. After about half an hour, you’ll emerge on the northern side of the ridgeline. Enjoy a stunning view of the Annapurna South massif towering above you and hear the roar of many waterfalls as the river races away into the dramatic steep-sided valley far, far below. The forest will now transition to more oak trees and conifers. From here, it’s a steep half hour up to the teahouse at Meshar Danda, perched on the ridgeline with truly incredible views.

After a cup of tea and a short rest, you’ll have about an hour more of this type of forested trail until you reach the open hillside at Isharu, where shepherds graze their sheep. Fuel up with a hearty lunch before hitting the road again. You’ll start out with a gentle ascent as the trail contours around the hillside and then up to a small but beautiful pass, where the path goes through a fascinating Gurung temple.

From here, it’s a short descent to a beautiful open valley before you head into the trees again and back up to the ridgeline. Along the way, you can see incredible purple barked rhododendron trees, much smaller than the ones you saw earlier but striking for their color (and the mountain backdrop if the weather is clear!). From the ridge, you will contour down to a creek bed and a small pass, from which you’ll traverse to the lodges at Dobato.

If you have extra energy to spare, head up to Muldai Peak for sunset views. It takes about 45 minutes from the teahouse to reach the view tower and the view is stunning — one of the highlights of the trek!

Trekking time: 5-6 hours (4 miles / 6.5 km)