Trip Facts:

• Destination: Nepal
• Trekking Region: Annapurna
• Trek starting point: Nayapul
• Trek Ending point: Dhampus Phedi
• Trekking Accommodation: Teahouse/camping
• Trekking Grade: Easy-Medium
• Best season: March-June/ September-November
• Max Elevation: 3210 meters (poon Hill)
• Duration: 10 days

Poon hill trek highlights

• The gateway of the Annapurna region and also a charming village with rich culture and tradition.
• Explore the charming and beautiful villages of Ghandruk-Gurung village and Ulleri-Magar Village
• Beautiful ascend and descend through the popular stone stair to the Ulleri village.
• Hike to PoonHill the attractive vantage point of the trek which offers gorgeous views of the snow-capped mountains with the best sunrise views including Mt Dhaulagiri, Annapurna, and Manaslu ranges.
• Panoramic views of the beautiful Dhaulagiri ranges, Annapurna Ranges, Himchuli, Nilgiri, Machhapuchre, Ganesh Himal, and many other surrounding snowy peaks.
• The small and charming villages of Birethati, Hile, Tikhedhungs, Gorapani, Tadapaani
• Mind-blowing views of the waterfall, Rice Terrace
• You will forget all your tiredness and pain against the beauty of nature, mindblowing Himalayan Flora and Fauna, and the warm hospitality of the Gurung and Magar people.
• Walkthrough the Himalayan beauty, blooms rhododendrons, and alpine forest, crossing through the scattered Magar and Gurung settlements, enjoying the gorgeous views of the snow-capped mountains.
• One of the short and easy treks in the Annapurna region.

Outline Itinerary of Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek

• Day 01: Arrival at Kathmandu
• Day 02: Free day or city tour explore and shop on your own
• Day 03: Drive to Pokhara
• Day 04: Drive to Nayapul, trek to Tikhedunga
• Day 05: Trek to Ghorepani
• Day 06: Hike up to Poon Hill (3,210 meters) and trek down to Tadapani
• Day 07: Tadapani to Ghandruk
• Day 08: Ghandruk to Nayapul, drive to Pokhara
• Day 09: Drive back to Kathmandu, farewell dinner
• Day 10: Departure

Detailed Itinerary

Day 01: Arrival at Kathmandu

Welcome to Nepal, with a warm greeting at the airport after your arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport, a Nepal Hiking Trek representative will receive you and transfer you to the hotel by privet vehicle. Enjoy the short exploration around Kathmandu and Thamel.

• Overnight at Kathmandu
• Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Day 02: Free day or city tour to explore and shop on your own

After the morning breakfast at the hotel, the Nepal hiking trek guide will pick you up from your hotel for an exciting tour of the Kathmandu valley. Starting at the heart of the valley, the Kathmandu Durbar Square is the first and foremost destination for you today, you will see this place steep with the old history and rich Nepali culture from the 16th century to now. After a short exploration, you will head towards the west of the city to reach your next destination-Swyombhunttha Stupa. It is located on the hilltop and offers panoramic views of Kathmandu city and the green hill surrounding it. It also offers clear views of the snow-capped mountain in the clear weather. Our next destination lies in a short towards the east of Kathmandu City. Pashupatinath Temple area is one of the most sacred places for Hindu pilgrims around the world. And our other destination is the drive towards the northeast reaching the Boudhanath Stupa- also known as "Little Tibet" of Nepal due to the strong Tibetan influence in the culture, tradition, and religion. After exploring these places now you will drive back to your hotel, enjoy the short shower, and rest for a while and in the evening you can enjoy the short exploring around Thamel City.

• Overnight at Hotel, Kathmandu
• Included meal: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Day 03: Drive to Pokhara

The tourist Bus to the Pokhara leaves at 7 Am. So, you just need to report at 6:30 Am at the Tourist Bus Park. It takes around 6-7 hours to travel journey through the winding road of Prithivi Highway, aside from the bank of the Trishuli and Marshyangdi Rivers. If you want more adventure in these short trek then you can also enjoy one day River Rafting at Trishuli Rivers. You can also enjoy the beautiful landscape and field of craps of frames along the way to Pokhara. Breakfast and lunch will be on the way to Pokhara. In the evening you can explore the lakeside area, and enjoy the fresh and beautiful views of the lake city.

• Overnight at Hotel.
• Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Day 04: Drive to Nayapul, trek to Tikhedhunga

After the early breakfast, today you will drive to Nayapul from Pokhara- which takes around one and a half hours. From here you will start the adventure hike to Tikhedunga- which is around a 3-hour hike through the green and dense forest of pine, bamboo, and oak covered with beautiful blooms of rhododendrons. Today is your first day's walking destination by Birethanti, during the walk, you will see the wonderful views of the Annapurna range and Mount Fishtail along the way to Nayapul. The route is gentle and takes you through the terraced hilly sides and local houses. You will see the charming scattered villages of Ramghai, HIle and finally Arrive at Tikhedhunga.

• Overnight at Lodge, Tikhedhunga
• Included meal: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Day 05: Trek to Ghorepani

With the warm breakfast, you will begin to walk through the beautiful and quite challenging stone staircase and cross the suspension bridge from the Tikhedhunga. after an hour of climbing up to the Ulleri and Banthanti. Now the walk begins through the beautiful rhododendrons forest passing through the Banthanti. Having lunch at Banthanti, we will begin the walk to Ghorepani which tends to appear. The small village is populated by the Magar ethnic community. From here you can see a great view of Mt Dhaulagiri from the room and hotel you stay.

• Overnight at lodge
• Included meal: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Day 06: Hike up to Poon Hill (3210 meters) and trek down to Tadapani

Today, to enjoy the wonderful views of the snow-capped mountains with the beautiful views of the sunrise over this mountain, you will wake up before the sun and hike up to the hill. From the top of the hill, you will get to see the wonders of the snow-capped mountain including Mt Dhaulagiri, Mt Annapurna I, Annapurna South, Annapurna II, Annapurna III, Mt Manaslu, Mt, Himchuli, Mt Fishtail, and surroundings. To avoid the cold weather you can also enjoy the tea and coffee at the top. After capturing the breathtaking views of the snow-capped mountains, you will descend to the Ghorepani to have Lunch and Dinner. After spending some time in Ghorepani you will begin to trek through the dense rhododendron forest to Deurali Pass- give you the beautiful shot of the picture and then hike to Deurali and Banthanti. Having lunch at Banthanti with 20-minute resting you will descend. During the walk, you will cross the stream. After around 30 minutes climb you will reach Tadapani. Enjoy a short exploration around the Tadapani, experience their hospitality, and learn about their culture and tradition.

• Overnight at Tadapani
• Included meal: Lunch, Breakfast, and Dinner

Day 07: Tadapani to Ghadruk

Today's woke up early morning for the great views of the Annapurna South, Mt Machhapuchhre, and HImchuli (Holi Mountain), after having early breakfast we started the trek from Tadapani around 3 and a half an hour's walk to reach the Ghandruk descending through the downhill crossing the dense rhododendron forest. The trail is quite fine, with beautiful views of the surrounding and snow-capped mountains the trail takes you to the Bhaisi Kharkha, where you will take a short rest and then again trek down to Ghandruk. The small and beautiful Ghandruk village is the famous local Gurung culture and tradition. Resting a while, you will see the outstanding Himalaya views and ethnic Hospitality to explore.

• Overnight at Lodge, Ghandruk
• Included meal: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Day 08: Ghandruk to Nayapul. Drive to Pokhara

Today we are heading to Pokhara. it is around 4-5 hours of walking distance. Beginning to descend through the rice, millet, and cornfields and terraces. The trail leads you to the Kimchi. After reaching to Khimche you can also take a jeep or bus to Pokhara these days. But, the road is gravel so you can only use it in the dry season like winter season, otherwise, in other, the road will be muddy and you will have to face many obstacles also if you do not want to miss any chance you have to enjoy the final Himalayan nature, trek down with the watching beautiful scenery to Birethanti, Nayapul. You will exit from the Annapurna Conservation Area Checkpoint and then further drive to Pokhara- which takes around 1 hour. You can spend the time you have enjoying the shower, the night view of Pokhara, and finally exploring the lake city.

• Overnight at the Hotel, Pokhara
• Included meal: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Day 09: Drive back to Kathmandu, Farewell Dinner

With the beautiful views of Lake City, after having the early breakfast, with the final exploration of the city you will move ahead leaving Pokhara to reach Kathmandu city. it's around a 6-7 hour drive through the Prithvi Highway, bank of the Trushli and Marshandgi Rivers. With the beautiful views of the surrounding nature, you will reach to the populated city, of Kathmandu. Our guide will drop you off at your hotel, and enjoy the hot shower if you have some extra time you can also enjoy the evening views of Kathmandu and Thamel City. in the evening, the Nepal hiking trek will host a small farewell dinner for the beautiful success of the trek.

• Overnight at hotel, Kathmandu
• Included meal: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Day 10: Departure

Today is your last day in Nepal, so you can finally explore Kathmandu city and Thamel, and buy gifts for your loved one, After saying the final goodbye to your close friends, a Nepal Hiking Trek representative will drop you at the International Airpot 2-3 hours early from your takeoff. Goodbye and keep contacting us for other adventure trips in Nepal.

Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek Difficulty

When you came to think about the difficulty of the Ghorepani Poon Hill trek then you might think of many things. So to blow all your confusion here we have listed many more things that make the Ghorepani Poon Hill trek difficult. The major aspect that makes the trek difficult include the distance that you have to trek, the temperature of the places during the trek, the weight of the gears, equipment, and other things that you need to carry, and many more.

Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek is a trek that lasts for 9-10 days depending n the place that you want to visit and the time and days you are willing to spend on your trek. if you are looking to spend quality time at Pokhara and other beautiful Gurung village-like Ghandruk, and Ulleri to get the feel as well, then the length of your trek might increase.

As this short Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek is a short and quite easy trek that anyone can easily complete. If you have the Ghorepani Pooh Hill trekking map or one professional guide while you trek, then you will have less difficulty in completing the trek. but the map and guide will help you very well, the map will show all the locating places along the way and also discuss possible places that you can visit, whereas trekking with a professional guide will help you to be more familiar with the locals, give all the description about the place they know.

Length of the Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek

The Ghorepani Poon Hill trek can last for various days, or depend on the time you want to spend visiting the places. If you are an international tourist and came here to enjoy your vacation then you may don't want to miss exploring the places you will trek and reach. You may want to spend one to two days in Kathmandu City visiting the Temples and monasteries that are listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites.

From Kathmandu, you will take the first tourist bus to Pokhara, which is around 5-6 hours a drive but if you plan to take the public bus then the time can vary from 6-7 or more too. The varying length of Time taken by the public bus is the varying traffic on the roads and also having to stop at every related bus stop.

If you want to avoid these things then you can also hire a private car to travel to Pokhara. the next morning, you will drive to Nayapul, which is around one hour drive from Pokhara.

Before moving to Naypul you can also choose to stay in Pokhara For a day to explore them and enjoy the majestic lakes, visit the adventurous Mahendra and Bat Cave, and see the thrilling Davis Falls. Enjoy the morning view of Pokhara city and gorgeous snow-capped mountains from the Sarangkot Danda, boating in the Fewa Lake, and many more. Then From Pokhara, you will travel and trek to various places like Nayapul. Tikhedhunga, Ulleri, Ghandruk, Ghorepani and to Poon Hill. During the trek, you will spend one night at the Ulleri and Ghorepani.

In the day at Ghorepani, you will wake up early in the morning and start the walk from the Ghorepani, to reach Poon Hill to experience the beautiful sunrise views over the beautiful snow-capped mountains, which is very attractive, after enjoying the beautiful breathtaking views you will get back to Ghorepani for the breakfast. From Ghorepani, you will descend back to Ghandruk village and spend the night at Ghandruk.

Then the next day finally you will be at Pokhara. it means you will spend a night at Tikhedunga, A night at Ghorepani, a night at Tadapani, a night at Ghandruk, and the final night at Pokhara making an around6-7 day trek

If you want to extend your trekking days you can spend one-to-two days in the charming villages, to experience many more things about that, to enjoy the local culture and tradition and if you want to reduce the number of trekking days you can direct descend from the Poon Hill and get back to Pokhara on the same day. This helps to reduce your trekking das.

So a very short 4-5 or 6-7 days trek is not that difficult you think, is it?

Number of trekking hours

The Number of trekking hours is also one of the pressing questions and plays an important role in making the Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek difficult. You may have a question like How many hours on average do I have to walk every day for the Ghorepani Poon Hill trek?

Here we have listed it all. On the first day from Nayapul, you will walk around 4-5 hours to reach Tikhedhunga, Ulleri, the path is very steep, From Tikhedunga you have to walk around three thousand stairs to get to Ulleri. Thus your trekking hours will only be 4-5 hours long. Like other treks, you shouldn't expect too much pressure on your body as well as a trek.

From Ulleri, you will walk around 5 hours to reach Ulleri. The walk is not as steep as that from Tikhedunga to Ulleri. Then the next day's walk from Ghorepani to Poon Hill and then to Ghandruk will be one of the longest of all the treks. On this day you will hike to poon hill-your final destination and also you will descend back to reach your initial position so you may have to walk around 6 to 7 hours.

On the final day, you will move ahead through Ghanduk to reach Pokhara and this will be the shortest walk of all along the trek. from Ghandruk you will walk around 2 hours to reach Kimche, or walk to Nayapul, and then from here you will take a tour hour ride to Pokhara or if you take a vehicle from Nayapul it will take an hour to reach the Pokhara valley.

So the total number of adventure trekking hours will only be 14-15 hours over a period. Which is roughly 5 hours a day. So while measuring the dignity of the Ghorepani Poon Hill trek from this aspect of the number of trekking hours then the trek seems very easy.

Altitude

Altitude is the main aspect that everyone who treks high in Nepal is scared of. And it is quite understandable. Trekking in the High altitude is quite risky because anyone who treks in the high altitude can be affected by altitude sickness.

The risks of high altitude sickness are high while you are trekking in High altitudes like Everest Base Camp, Annapurna Circuit Trek, Annapurna Base Camp trek, Everest Three Passes Trek, and so on. But the risk of altitude sickness in Poon Hill is zero. This is because altitude sickness can be seen after you cross an altitude of 3000 meters. And during the Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek, you will touch the 3000 meters mark in the Poon Hill and return to the low altitude on the same day.

To give you the detail about the altitude, the following table will give you a good idea about the altitude of Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek.

• Kathmandu-1320 meters
• Pokhara-1400meters
• Nayapul-1070 meters
• Tikhedhunga-1480 meters
• Ulleri-1960 meters
• Ghorepani-2874 meters
• Tadapani-2630 meters
• Ghandruk-1939 meters

In these places with such a low altitude along the trek, is there any reason to think that the altitude will make the Ghorepani Poon Hill trek Difficulty? I don't think so.

The weather of the Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek

Another important factor that plays a vital role in determining the weather of the Poon Hill Trek whether will be smooth or rough is the weather of the Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek. To know which time and places will be perfect for you to Trek, you need to look at detail about the weather of Poon Hill.

The weather and climatic conditions of the Poon Hill are very pleasant all around the year. Just only for a couple of months in the winter season, the temperature of the Ghorepani is below zero. The minimum temperature in the Ghorepani Poon hill in January is around -4 degrees Celsius. But if you trek Everest Base Camp and Annapurna Base Camp you will experience the temperature below then -15 degrees Celsius but poon Hill is quite pleasant and warm compared to these.

Rather than trekking in another season if you plan to trek during November, December, or January then simply good packing of the necessary gear and equipment and pleasant tea houses along your Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek means it will help to keep the cold away. But trekking in the summer, the trekking days are really warm so during this time trekking in a T-shirt is also possible.

Note that you have to watch the weather forecast for the monsoon season though. While trekking in the monsoon season pack the waterproof jackets and trousers to keep the rain away from the monsoon if you plan to trek in the monsoon season in Ghorepani Poon Hill trek.

Hiring a professional guide

Another thing that comes while you are judging the Difficulty of the Ghorepani Poon Hill trek is whether the trek can be completed solo or not. And the answer can be "yes" as well as "No".

Any adventure high-altitude trekking can be completed alone if you have prior trekking experience. but if you are a beginner trekker, then you must trek with a guide because you may not have any more idea about the landscapes, topography, and many more things that can make your trek more challenging. Hiring a guide will constantly direct you to sight as well as the safest trail by ensuring your safety.

Besides, hiring a professional guide for this short Ghorepani Poon Hill trek is not very difficult as the guide can be hired for a cheap amount. If you are planning to trek in the off-season like the Monsoon and winter season, then hiring a guide is must important as they will help you along the trail, make you more familiar with the locals, and help you come through every difficulty and the challenges.

Besides hiring a guide if you are planning to do the Ghorepani Poon Hill trek solo, then you will always have the option of carrying a map to the Ghorepani Poon Hill trek which will direct you all the time. The map is quite good, they are fun as well as interactive and can be stored in your pocket. So trekking to the Ghorepani Poon Hill with a guide or all by yourself is not that difficult if you are both physically and mentally fit and are not a beginner trekker.

Accommodation

Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek is a short, easy, and comfortable trek. trekking in this season you will find good hotels, lodges, and guesthouses in some places and plenty of teahouses in most of the area.

Most of the night you may have to spend in the teahouse. Teahouse Accommodation is a type where the teahouse owner will provide you with food along with the twin-sharing beds so you don't need to carry any food or camping gear while trekking Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek.

At places like Ulleri and Ghorepani, you will find the lodges and guesthouses that provide you will better accommodation facilities. almost in every lodge and teahouse, there are good facilities Wi-Fi, and hot water showers. So all in all, the Ghorepani Poon Hill trek is comfortable in the term of Food and Accommodation.

Condition of the trek

Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek is a top-rated trek in Nepal that is short, easy and comfortable as well. Every year thousands of the tourist visit Ghorepani to enjoy the breathtaking view from the Poon Hill.

Ghorepani poon Hill lies within the Annapurna Conservation Area. The Acap (Annapurna area Conservation project) is responsible for maintaining the trail within the conservation area.

During the monsoon, due to heavy rainfall, the trekking trail gets affected at the places but it is taken good care of by the locals and ACAP members. Now the trek is good and anyone can trek the Ghorepani Poon Hill trek.

When is the best time to trek Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek?

Now if you have decided to go on the Ghorepani Pon Hill trek, then you may want to know when is the best time and you may have much confusion over it. Here we have listed the best season to trek.

Ghorepani Pooon Hill Trek is a four-season trek, which means you can trek this trek in any season and also the teahouse is open even in the winter months.

Here we have also mentioned some benefits and the disadvantages of each season and you have to think about how to balance the weather and vegetation against the number of visitors on the route.

Spring season

The months of March, April, and May fall in this Season. As the Ghorepani poon Hill trek is at a low altitude, the days during these months are very warm and sunny too. So all you need while trekking in this season is to wear a T-shirt but remember to carry some warm clothes for early morning and evening as the temperature during this time drops down.

You will see the vegetation is in full bloom. Crossing through the dense green forest of bamboo, pine, and oak see beautiful Nepal's national flower, the rhododendrons, which is a highlight of the radiant color. Those who have trekked during the spring season in Nepal refer to the beautiful blooms of rhododendrons when they reminisce about their adventure trek.

During this period of the year, the temperature will range from 10 to 24 degrees Celsius, with the temperature on Poon Hill itself dropping to the freezing point. In the beautiful viewpoint, Poon Hill, you will be served tea and coffee during the cold and sunrise vigil.

There is no rainfall during this time, the skies are pretty clear, the weather is also quite warm, and no snowfall as well as during the months of March.

Monsoon season

Monsoon season is something wonderful that we all love about. The vegetation is washed and clean, the snow-capped mountains are very beautiful in the morning after a night of heavy rain and also there will be a time when the mountains will hide under the rain clouds. But that just makes us more curious and special by thinking about when they will again appear.

Teahouses along the trekking trails are open during this time and you will see fewer trekkers around so food and accommodation are not a problem while trekking in this season. The months of June, July, and August fall in the monsoon season. The temperature is not so different from those of the spring season, but a bit less cold at the higher point of the trek. while trekking in these months you can expect the temperature to be around 9 to 24 degrees Celsius and drop when it rains.

You may have the question How much does it rain during the monsoon season? then Monsoon season does not mean downpouring for 24 hours or 7 weeks. If you are lucky then you may also have no rain during your trek at all. But most commonly you will see some rain for short periods every day.

The main challenges and disadvantages of trekking in the monsoon season are the leeches, mosquitoes, and bugs (they do not pass the diseases but can cause infection if you scratch the bite site) and also the trail will be more slippery.

The main advantage of trekking in the monsoon season is then you will see very few numbers of trekkers along the trekking trails and carry the lotion to avoid the leeches as you can also carry salt to remove them. Drinking hot tea or coffee inside the teahouses and watching the rain falling outside will be just an amazing, magical experience as gazing at the snow-capped mountains.

A good pair of walking shoes and trekking poles will help you avoid the slippery part of the trial.

Autumn season

Autumn season is the best time to trek in the high altitude of the Himalayan. As a result, the trail will be much busier and crowded. Due to the warm and pleasant weather and the beauty of the surroundings, there will be more trekkers around so the accommodation facilities are at a premium.

This season is the main festival season in Nepal- the biggest festival Dashain and Tihar also fall in this season, so if you are planning to trek with a porter and with a guide then make sure to book them in advance.

Due to the peak season, there will be very few accommodation facilities as a result you may not get the room or may have to share the room you get with your friends or with a stranger too, so to avoid these problems make sure to make the booking of the room.

Being the peak trekking season and also the festival season falling at the same time, the trekking staff for the trekking trail is stretched to the limits. They are only for 2-3 days however the things will be affected such as less rad transport during the main festival times so you may have to bear such things so be planned for your trekking.

Besides these, you can enjoy the festival atmosphere in Kathmandu as well as along the way in the Pokhara.

The temperature during the trek is much similar to the spring, it will get cooler as the season gets later. So you can expect a temperature range of 10 to 24 degrees Celsius.

Winter season

As the Ghorepani poon Hill trek is a low-altitude trek compared to other Himalayan trekking, the trekking trail is open during the winter season too. The months of December, January, and February fall in this season. to trek in these months, warm clothes are a must as the temperature will drop to the freezing in the morning and evening.

At the lower altitude, you can expect the daytime temperature around 15 degrees Celsius, which is very comfortable for hiking, and also this time of the year it rarely rains. But there may be some light of the snow.

Being the cold time of the year there will be very few trekkers on the trail, which means you don't have to face the problems of accommodation at the teahouse. All the teahouses have a warm fire to sit around and talk about the trek with some cup of something hot.

During these times the views will be very beautiful in the frosty air. So those who don't mind a little cold and want to avoid the crowds then this is a great time to trek Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek.

If you want to know more about the Ghorepani Poon Hill or Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek difficulty or want information on this or any other trek, then please get in touch with Nepal Hiking Trek email here: [email protected]