Kapuche Glacier Lake is a beautiful high-altitude lake located in the Annapurna region of Nepal popular for its uniqueness and pristine natural water. It is situated at an altitude of 2,546 meters and is surrounded by snow-capped peaks, glaciers, and beautiful landscapes. The lake is fed by the Kapuche glacier and is a popular destination for trekkers who want to experience the natural beauty of the Himalayas. The trek to Kapuche Glacier Lake is relatively new and is gaining popularity among adventure seekers who want to explore the unspoiled natural beauty of the Annapurna region. It is a hidden gem that recently came into the limelight after the team of Ghumante visited and made a travel vlog.
Less crowded, isolated, remoteness are some of the features of Kapuche Lake trek. The starting point of Kapuche Lake trek is Pokhara and also ends in Pokhara. The trekking trail passes through different beautiful villages and landscapes on the way to Kapuche Lake. The main starting point of this trek is Sikles Village. Alternatively, you can start the trek from Tanting Village as well. While doing so, you’ll have to trek downhill, cross the hydro-power and climb uphill to get connected with the trails that start from Sikles Village.
Kapuche Glacier Lake is claimed to be the lowest-elevation glacier lake in the world. The temperature of the lake can reach sub-zero during winter, and the surface can turn into ice. The 0.12 Km2 Lake is about 40 meters deep. The word Kapuche is derived from the words “Ka,” which means snow or ice, “Pu,” which means breaking down and sliding, and “Che,” which means landing on flat land. Essentially, ‘Kapuche’ means fallen ice that has settled on a valley, which forms the glacial lake.
The lake has a calm environment as it is situated amidst snow-capped mountains. There are also occasional avalanches that bring snow from the slopes to the lake. However, there is no provision for boating in this area. We have seen some travelers take a raft to the lake by themselves for photo/video purposes.
Sikles Village
Sikles is a beautiful indigenous Gurung village located in Kaski District home to over 600 Gurung people. This village is a great preface to the beauty of the Annapurna range and the rich culture and lifestyle of the Gurung community. Sikles is one of the largest model trekking Gurung villages in Nepal and offers an opportunity to learn about this unique traditional culture. This village and the trekking route is managed and conserved by the Annapurna Conservation Area (ACA) and the community to promote tourism. Sikles is located above Madi Khola (Madi river) at an altitude of 1,981m and is about 40 kilometers away from Pokhara.
Tanting Village
Tanting village sits exactly opposite to the Sikles village. It is a big village with over 200 households with more than 12 out of them running homestays. From a Buddhist temple to traditional style houses with wooden windows, it’s a good place to walk around and see here and there. Tanting Gurung village is the perfect destination for the tourists willing to experience authentic village life in a short period of time. It explores the serene area of Himalaya where you discover how the Gurungs, one of Nepal’s major ethnic groups, have perched there peacefully under the canopy of Annapurna and Lamjung mountain ranges. It is also situated about 25 kilometers southwest of the popular tourist destination of Pokhara.
Itinerary for Kapuche Lake Trek:
Day 1: Bus ride from Kathmandu to Pokhara and Jeep ride from Pokhara to Sikles
Day 2: Trek from Sikles to Hugu Goth
Day 3: Trek from Hugu Goth to Kapuche Lake and return trek to Sikles
Day 4: Return drive to Pokhara and Kathmandu
Now let’s dive into the details of the trek. In this blog, we will take you through this trek together with us.
Day 1: Drive to Pokhara and Jeep Ride to Sikles Village
On the first day of our trip, we will take a morning tourist bus from Shorakhutte, Kathmandu to Pokhara. We will reach Pokhara by 3pm and then quickly board another local bus to the stop where we can find the last jeep for Sikles, which leaves at around 4pm. The distance between Pokhara and Sikles is approximately 40 KM, and we will ride towards Sikles village for our trek to Kapuche Lake, which takes about 4 hours by local jeep. Before reaching Sikles village, we will cross beautiful villages like Taprang, Chipli Gaun, and Khilang. There are numerous guesthouses and homestays in Sikles that welcome travelers. By the time we reach Sikles, it will already be night. We’ll have dinner at the guesthouse and get ready for some majestic views in the morning.
Also read: Mardi Base Camp Trek | An Adventure to the Top
Day 2: Trek from Sikles Village to Hugu Goth( Goth Ghar )
On the second day, we will wake up to see the majestic mountains like Annapurna II, Annapurna IV, and Lamjung Himal in the background of Sikles village. We will have our morning meal in Sikles and hike towards our destination for the day: Hugu Village, also known as Goth Ghar. Today’s trek takes around 6 hours for average trekkers. We can enjoy the picturesque view of Mt. Lamjung Himal on the trail, and we may also be lucky enough to see the avalanche falling from Mt. Annapurna and Lamjung Himal. There are no settlements on this trail between Sikles and Hugu Village, and the trekking trail is narrow and steep, so we have to be extremely careful throughout the hike.
We will also be able to see the 65-meter waterfall called Yedi on today’s trail, where we can take pictures and refill our water bottles. We will reach Hugu Goth at around 4-5 pm and spend the second night in a tent facility at Hugu Village.
Day 3: Trek from Hugu – Kapuche Lake – Hugu – Sikles
After waking up the next day in the lap of the mountains, we will have breakfast in Hugu and pack our snacks to trek towards Kapuche Lake. We will reach Kapuche Lake after a 1.5-hour hike.
Once we arrive at the Glacier Lake, we can enjoy the beauty of nature. The reflection of Annapurna and Lamjung Himal can be seen in the lake. After taking pictures and roaming around the lake, we will have our snacks on the edge of the lake. Once we are done, we will trek back towards Hugu Village. When we arrive back at Hugu, we will have Dal Bhat Tarkari and begin our return trek to Sikles.
It will likely be nighttime by the time we reach Sikles, where we will spend our third night.
Day 4: Jeep Ride from Sikles to Pokhara and Bus Ride to Kathmandu
On the fourth day, we will have an early breakfast and get on a jeep to return to Pokhara. We can spend the next day/night in Pokhara or catch a bus to Kathmandu and return the same day as well.
