Kapuche Lake Trek: A Complete Itinerary & Cost Guide From Kathmandu (2025)

Kapuche Lake Trek Overview

Before we dive into the details, here's a quick overview of what to expect. This trek is considered short but challenging, involving steep ascents and descents. The Kapuche Lake trek Days (for trekking only) are just three, but you need to factor in travel time to and from the starting point, Sikles.

Facts About Kapuche Lake

• Journey: 4 Days / 3 Nights (from Kathmandu)

• Trekking Duration: 2 Days (Sikles -> Hugu -> Kapuche -> Hugu -> Sikles)

• Starting Point: Kathmandu

• Trek Start: Sikles Village

• Difficulty: Moderate (involves steep climbs)

• Max. Altitude: 2,546m (Kapuche Lake)

• Accommodation: Teahouses (Guesthouses) & Hotels

Kapuche 4-Day Short Itinerary

• Day 1: Travel from Kathmandu to Sikles (via Pokhara). (Overnight in Sikles)

• Day 2: Trek Sikles to Hugu, day hike to Kapuche Lake, return to Hugu. (Overnight in Hugu)

• Day 3: Trek from Hugu back to Sikles, drive to Pokhara. (Overnight in Pokhara)

• Day 4: Explore Pokhara & travel back to Kathmandu.

Trek Highlights

• Visiting Kapuche Lake, officially the lowest-altitude glacier lake in Nepal.

• The high chance of witnessing avalanches falling from the surrounding peaks into the lake (from a safe distance).

• Experiencing the rich culture of Sikles, one of the largest and oldest Gurung villages.

• A challenging but rewarding trail through forests and along riverbeds.

• Enjoying the lakeside vibes of Pokhara after the trek.

Kapuche Lake Trek Cost

Here is a detailed breakdown of the Kapuche Lake trek cost for our 3-night, 4-day trip. Prices are per person and in Nepali Rupees (NPR).

Category	Item	Estimated Cost (NPR)	Notes
Transport	Night Bus (KTM - Pokhara)	Rs. 1,000 – 1,200	For the “By Bus” option.
Transport	Jeep (Pokhara - Sikles)	~ Rs. 500	Shared jeep from Kahu Khola. A private jeep costs around Rs. 5,000.
Transport	Private Vehicle (Scooter)	Varies	We used our own scooter for the entire trip.
Accommodation	Sikles (Night 1)	Rs. 1,500	At Namaste Guest House (includes dinner, breakfast, attached bath).
Accommodation	Hugu (Night 2)	Rs. 2,200	At Hugu Goth (includes food, shared room).
Accommodation	Pokhara (Night 3)	Varies	We stayed one night, cost not included in trek budget.
Food (On-Trek)	Noodle Soup (Hugu)	Rs. 200	—
Food (On-Trek)	Khaja / Lunch (Sikles)	Rs. 200	After returning from the trek.
Total (Est.)	Per Person	~ Rs. 5,100	Covers 2-day trek + 2 nights’ accommodation & food (Sikles/Hugu). Excludes transport to/from Pokhara and stay in Pokhara.

Detailed 4-Day Kapuche Lake Itinerary

Here is the step-by-step daily guide from our journey.

Day 1: Kathmandu to Sikles Village

This is a long travel day to get to the trek's starting point.

• By Bus: You can take a night bus from Kathmandu (Rs. 1000-1200) to Pokhara. From Pokhara's Kahu Khola, take a shared jeep to Sikles (Rs. 500, or Rs. 5000 for a private jeep).

• By Private Vehicle (Our Trip): We left Kathmandu at 6:00 AM on a scooter and reached Pokhara by 11:30 AM. We left Pokhara at 12:30 PM and reached Sikles at 4:00 PM.

We stayed at Namaste Guest House in Sikles.

• Cost: Rs. 1,500 per person

• Includes: Room with attached bathroom, dinner, and breakfast.

Day 2: The Main Trek (Sikles to Kapuche Lake)

This is the most challenging day.

• 7:30 AM: Started our trek from Sikles to Hugu.

• 12:30 PM: Reached Hugu (approx. 5 hours). We parked our heavy bags at the Namaste Guest House outlet.

• Lunch: Had a quick noodle soup (Rs. 200) to refuel.

• ~1:30 PM: Started the steep ascent from Hugu to Kapuche Lake.

• ~3:30 PM: Reached Kapuche Lake after 2 hours of tough climbing. We spent 1-2 hours shooting videos and enjoying the view.

• ~5:00 PM: Started the descent back to Hugu.

We stayed the night at Hugu Goth. We had planned to go to Kori, but we were too tired, and our knees hurt, so we decided to descend the next day.

• Cost: Rs. 2,200 per person

• Includes: Stay in a shared room, dinner, and breakfast.

Day 3: Trek Down to Sikles & Drive to Pokhara

The descent and return to civilization.

• 7:00 AM: Started our descent from Hugu.

• 12:30 PM: Reached Sikles (approx. 5.5 hours).

• Lunch: Had khaja (snack/light lunch) in Sikles, which cost around Rs. 200.

• ~1:30 PM: Left Sikles on our scooter.

• 5:00 PM: Arrived back in Pokhara.

We spent the night in Pokhara, which was a welcome comfort after the tough trek.

Day 4: Explore Pokhara & Return to Kathmandu

A relaxed day to end the trip.

• Morning: Explored our surroundings in Pokhara, visited Fewa Lake, Pumdikot, and did kayaking.

• 1:00 PM: Left Pokhara to drive back to Kathmandu.

• 7:00 PM: Reached Kathmandu after getting stuck in traffic for several hours.

Kapuche Lake Trek Cost

Here is a detailed breakdown of the Kapuche Lake trek cost for our 3-night, 4-day trip. Prices are per person and in Nepali Rupees (NPR).

Category	Item	Estimated Cost (NPR)	Notes
Transport	Night Bus (KTM - Pokhara)	Rs. 1,000 – 1,200	For the “By Bus” option.
Transport	Jeep (Pokhara - Sikles)	~ Rs. 500	Shared jeep from Kahu Khola. A private jeep costs around Rs. 5,000.
Transport	Private Vehicle (Scooter)	Varies	We used our own scooter for the entire trip.
Accommodation	Sikles (Night 1)	Rs. 1,500	At Namaste Guest House (includes dinner, breakfast, attached bath).
Accommodation	Hugu (Night 2)	Rs. 2,200	At Hugu Goth (includes food, shared room).
Accommodation	Pokhara (Night 3)	Varies	We stayed one night, cost not included in trek budget.
Food (On-Trek)	Noodle Soup (Hugu)	Rs. 200	—
Food (On-Trek)	Khaja / Lunch (Sikles)	Rs. 200	After returning from the trek.
Total (Est.)	Per Person	~ Rs. 5,100	Covers 2-day trek + 2 nights’ accommodation & food (Sikles/Hugu). Excludes transport to/from Pokhara and stay in Pokhara.

Detailed 4-Day Kapuche Lake Itinerary

Here is the step-by-step daily guide from our journey.

Day 1: Kathmandu to Sikles Village

This is a long travel day to get to the trek's starting point.

• By Bus: You can take a night bus from Kathmandu (Rs. 1000-1200) to Pokhara. From Pokhara's Kahu Khola, take a shared jeep to Sikles (Rs. 500, or Rs. 5000 for a private jeep).

• By Private Vehicle (Our Trip): We left Kathmandu at 6:00 AM on a scooter and reached Pokhara by 11:30 AM. We left Pokhara at 12:30 PM and reached Sikles at 4:00 PM.

We stayed at Namaste Guest House in Sikles.

• Cost: Rs. 1,500 per person

• Includes: Room with attached bathroom, dinner, and breakfast.

Day 2: The Main Trek (Sikles to Kapuche Lake)

This is the most challenging day.

• 7:30 AM: Started our trek from Sikles to Hugu.

• 12:30 PM: Reached Hugu (approx. 5 hours). We parked our heavy bags at the Namaste Guest House outlet.

• Lunch: Had a quick noodle soup (Rs. 200) to refuel.

• ~1:30 PM: Started the steep ascent from Hugu to Kapuche Lake.

• ~3:30 PM: Reached Kapuche Lake after 2 hours of tough climbing. We spent 1-2 hours shooting videos and enjoying the view.

• ~5:00 PM: Started the descent back to Hugu.

We stayed the night at Hugu Goth. We had planned to go to Kori, but we were too tired, and our knees hurt, so we decided to descend the next day.

• Cost: Rs. 2,200 per person

• Includes: Stay in a shared room, dinner, and breakfast.

Day 3: Trek Down to Sikles & Drive to Pokhara

The descent and return to civilization.

• 7:00 AM: Started our descent from Hugu.

• 12:30 PM: Reached Sikles (approx. 5.5 hours).

• Lunch: Had khaja (snack/light lunch) in Sikles, which cost around Rs. 200.

• ~1:30 PM: Left Sikles on our scooter.

• 5:00 PM: Arrived back in Pokhara.

We spent the night in Pokhara, which was a welcome comfort after the tough trek.

Day 4: Explore Pokhara & Return to Kathmandu

A relaxed day to end the trip.

• Morning: Explored our surroundings in Pokhara, visited Fewa Lake, Pumdikot, and did kayaking.

• 1:00 PM: Left Pokhara to drive back to Kathmandu.

• 7:00 PM: Reached Kathmandu after getting stuck in traffic for several hours.