Snowy Annapurna peaks at dawn above a sea of clouds, with prayer flags in the trees

Pokhara, Ghorepani and Ghandruk · Nepal

Nepal: the Poon Hill trek

A lake day in Pokhara, then stone staircases through rhododendron forest and village teahouses to a sunrise view of Dhaulagiri and the Annapurnas from Poon Hill. Five days, four of them on foot.

5 days
$ Budget
Challenging
Solo
Friends
Couples
Mountains
Nature
Culture

Copy this trip into Andamos See the plan

Day by day

The plan

Times are suggestions. Opening hours and seasons change, so check before you go. Once it’s in your trip, move anything you like.

Day 1
Pokhara
1. 08:30
  Boat on Phewa Lake to Tal Barahi Temple
  Activity
  Row out to the small pagoda temple on an island, with the mountains behind on clear mornings.
2. 10:30
  World Peace Pagoda
  Activity
  A white stupa on the ridge across the lake, reached by boat and a steep walk up. Good practice for the trail.
3. 13:30
  Lunch: dal bhat in Lakeside
  Food & drink
  Lentil soup, rice and vegetable curry, the meal that will fuel you on the trek.
4. 15:30
  Permits and gear check
  Other
  Pick up your trekking permits and meet your guide. Rent or buy anything missing in Lakeside’s outdoor shops.
5. 18:00
  Stay in Pokhara
  Stay
  Leave extra luggage at your guesthouse and pack light for the trail.
Day 2
Up the stairs to Ulleri
1. 07:00
  Drive to Nayapul
  Getting around
  About an hour and a half by jeep or taxi to the start of the trail.
2. 09:00
  Walk the river valley to Tikhedhunga
  Activity
  A gentle warm-up through farming villages along the Bhurungdi Khola.
3. 12:00
  Lunch at a teahouse in Tikhedhunga
  Food & drink
  Rest before the hardest climb of the trek.
4. 13:00
  Climb the stone staircase to Ulleri
  Activity
  Thousands of steep stone steps up the hillside; take it slowly and steadily.
5. 17:00
  Teahouse in Ulleri
  Stay
  A Magar village with the first views of Annapurna South.
Day 3
Through the forest to Ghorepani
1. 07:30
  Ulleri to Banthanti
  Activity
  A steady climb into oak and rhododendron forest, cooler as you gain height.
2. 11:30
  Lunch in Nangethanti
  Food & drink
  A small teahouse stop in the forest.
3. 12:30
  Rhododendron forest to Ghorepani
  Activity
  In spring the trees are covered in red flowers; in autumn the air is clearest.
4. 16:00
  Teahouse in Ghorepani
  Stay
  A village on a high pass at about 2,860 m. Nights are cold; teahouses gather around the stove.
5. 18:30
  Dinner and an early night
  Food & drink
  The alarm goes off before dawn tomorrow.
Day 4
Sunrise on Poon Hill
1. 04:45
  Climb Poon Hill by headlamp
  Activity
  About an hour of steep steps to the viewpoint at around 3,210 m.
2. 06:00
  Sunrise over the Himalaya
  Activity
  First light hits Dhaulagiri, the Annapurnas and the fishtail peak of Machhapuchhre.
3. 08:00
  Breakfast back in Ghorepani
  Food & drink
  Porridge or Tibetan bread before the day’s walk.
4. 09:00
  Ridge trail to Tadapani
  Activity
  Up along a ridge with mountain views, then a long descent through forest.
5. 15:30
  Teahouse in Tadapani
  Stay
  A small clearing in the forest facing Machhapuchhre and Annapurna South.
Day 5
Ghandruk and back to Pokhara
1. 06:30
  Morning view from Tadapani
  Activity
  One more clear look at the peaks before the clouds build.
2. 07:30
  Descend to Ghandruk
  Activity
  A couple of hours downhill through forest to a large Gurung village of stone houses.
3. 10:30
  Ghandruk village
  Activity
  Walk the stone lanes and visit the small Gurung museum.
4. 12:30
  Lunch in Ghandruk
  Food & drink
  A last dal bhat with a view of the valley.
5. 14:00
  Jeep back to Pokhara
  Getting around
  A bumpy few hours on a mountain road back to the lake.

Good to know

Tips

Permits and guides

You need an Annapurna Conservation Area Permit, and the rules on trekking with a licensed guide have changed in recent years. Arrange both through a registered agency in Pokhara or Kathmandu.

Seasons

October and November bring the clearest skies; March and April bring rhododendron blooms and some afternoon haze. The monsoon from June to September means cloud, mud and leeches.

Carry cash

There are no reliable ATMs on the trail. Bring enough Nepali rupees from Pokhara for food, rooms, hot showers and charging, which teahouses charge for separately.

Pack for cold mornings

The altitude is moderate, but it is below freezing on Poon Hill before sunrise in autumn. Bring a warm jacket, hat, gloves, a headlamp and good boots for the long stone staircases.

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