Ghorepani Poon Hill Trekking- 10 Days

Best Time

The Ghorepani Poon Hill trekking is relatively a low-altitude trek that you can do all year round. But the trek is undertaken for the perfect mountain views, especially in the morning. Therefore the dry months during spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) are the best travel times for this trek.

During these months, temperatures tend to be moderate by Nepali standards and the skies are often clear, offering wonderful views of the Himalayas. Of course, since these months are prime for hiking, the route can be a bit overcrowded.

The summer monsoon arrives in June and is active during the months of July and August. These last two months are often wet and unpleasant, characterized by severe rain.

Winter months like December, January, and February, although very cold, can give you an authentic taste of trekking in Ghorepani. Due to the comparatively low altitude, you don’t have to hike through snow.

What to expect?

Our ten-day Ghorepani Poon Hill trekking is a short scenic hike that takes you on an adventure from Pokhara. You will reach the maximum altitude of 3,210 meters without the risk of altitude sickness.

During the initial phase of the hiking, you will have to overcome many many uphill steps and on the way back, you will logically deal a lot of downhill.

Along the route starting from Pokhara, Annapurna mountain range, Fishtail, and Dhaulagiri will be your constant companion. While from the Poon Hill summit, you will have awe-inspiring views of Annapurna, Tukuche, Dhampus, Hiunchuli, Fishtail, Dhaulagiri IV, Dhaulagiri III, Dhaulagiri II, Nilgiri, Annapurna South, Gangapurna and many more. On the way back, you will climb the Deurali Pass where you can get one last glimpse of the mighty mountains of Annapurna region.

Constantly, the yellowish hue of the terraced fields and the delightful aroma of the dense forests of rhododendrons will omit your fatigue along the route. You will spend nights in the cozy little villages and have the chance to taste the unique dishes of Gurungs and Chhetris.

As a bonus, you will also have enough time to be a witness to the beauty of Pokhara. From the balcony of your hotel, you can watch the paragliders flying like a free bird in the sky. While an afternoon tour on the Lakeside will allow you to take a boat ride on Lake Phewa. Enjoy the crystal clear reflection of Fishtail Mountain on the tranquil water of Phewa.

You will have one extra day to spend in the capital when you take a full-day tour of the UNESCO-protected sites of Durbar Square, Swayambhunath, Boudhanath, and Pashupatinath.

Elevation and trekking distance

Ghorepani village lies in the Annapurna Conservation Area standing tall at an impressive elevation of 2874 m. Located 270 kilometers west of Nepal’s bustling capital, Ghorepani is the gateway to various treks in the Annapurna region. Our genuine hiking trip starts from Nayapul after Pokhara merely 40 km away from Ghorepani.

The maximum altitude of our trek is reaching the majestic elevation of 3210 m at Poon Hill lying at a little distance of 2 km from Ghorepani. This Viewpoint is situated in the western region of Pokhara, approximately 64 kilometers distant. The duration of this trek varies from a week to ten days based on the route you have chosen. Each day, we will traverse an average distance of 10 km every day.

Maximum/Minimum walk per day

The Ghorepani Poon Hill trek bestows the breathtaking panorama of the popular Annapurna region through a relatively easy, short, and uncomplicated itinerary. Within a total duration of ten days, we will literally walk only for five days along the gentle terrain with moderate ascent and descent.

We will rarely tackle any steep climbs except for the 3200 stone steps leading us to Ulleri. As a result, this trek includes pretty comfortable and less demanding days during the entire period. However, the easiest and shortest walking day will be on the seventh day when we hike from Tadapani to Ghandruk in just two short hours. While the preceding day will be the longest and most challenging as we climb Poon Hill from Ghorepani and descend to Tadapani.

Difficulty and Acclimatization

If you are a non-hiker but do regular exercise, especially climbing stairs, and have moderate fitness, you can do this trek easily. The paths themselves are well prepared, they are not via alpine trail but run through villages and forests with continuous uphill and downhill. This is the biggest challenge and going downhill in particular can be strenuous, but definitely manageable, which is why the Poon Hill Trek is so popular.

In addition, the structure of our program has been designed such that you don’t need to commit long hours to walking. You will spend a rest day in Kathmandu before starting the trip so you can be familiar with Nepal’s atmosphere and climate. After climbing Poon Hill, you will spend only 2 hours to descend from Tadapani to Ghandruk providing enough time to rest.

Can a beginner go to Ghorepani Poon Hill Trekking?

The Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek is beginner friendly trek in Nepal. Along the route, you will meet many older people, and also families with children participating in this trek. However, you should be aware that you will be walking up and down for several hours over several days and that you will be at an altitude of over 3000 meters. You should have a certain enthusiasm for hiking. The Poon Hill Trek is also perfect for anyone who wants to take it slow in the Himalayas.

Preparation and training

Not much prior preparation and training is needed for this trek. If you are one of those who regularly train, skip the elevator for stair climbing, go on morning walks, and periodically participate in trekking adventures in your home country, then you don’t need any special preparation.

However, if you are not used to exercising and pretty much live a sedentary lifestyle and profession, then moderate training will not hurt. You can practice walking for half an hour to an hour every morning, run for about an hour, or do some cycling in the park one month before the start of the trek.

These will help prepare your leg muscles for 5 to 6 hours of walking most of days.

Alternate routes

One of the major benefits of the Ghorepani Poon Hill trek is its remarkable flexibility as it offers multiple options to choose from. Based on your schedule, you can opt for a shorter 2-day or 3-day trip, or engage in a week-long trekking journey.

Because the infrastructure is well-developed in the Annapurna region, well-paved roads are accessible throughout. So you can either shorten your trek with a drive or extend your trip by embarking on a hike.

For a 2-day Ghorepani Poon Hill trip, you can fly to Pokhara from Kathmandu within 30 minutes and drive to Nayapul or Ulleri. From here, you can reach Ghorepani within 4 to 5 hours of walking. The next day, you climb the Poon Hill and trek back to Ulleri and drive to Pokhara.

For an alternate starter, you can transfer to Pokhara from Kathmandu by bus or car and stop for rafting on the Trishuli River on the way. Then you can drive to Nayapul and hike to Ghandrung, Tadapani, Ghorepani and Poon Hill.

You can also culminate your trip with a different approach and visit the Manakamana temple along the route. For this, you can hike from Ghandruk to Pothana, Dhampus, and Phedi to Kathmandu. On the way, you can stop at Gorkha to visit the Manakamana Temple of Goddess Durga.

Altitude Sickness

Altitude sickness is of no concern in our Ghorepani Poon Hill trek as we will only reach the maximum elevation of 3210 m at Poon Hill. From the fifth day, however, we will be above 2500 m till day seven. It is therefore worth noting that from this height, some may feel the mild symptoms of altitude sickness. This sickness is unpredictable and can affect anyone regardless of their hiking experience.

You may feel mild headache, nausea, vomiting, or slight dizziness for which there are simple remedies available. Taking Diamox or Ibuprofen can relieve these discomforts. Although drinking lots of water and walking slowly will definitely do the trick to prevent altitude sickness.

Transportation, Meal, and Drink

As your loyal and trusted partner in Nepal, we concentrate on making your trip effortless and enjoyable. So we take care of all aspects of your trip from accommodation, and transportation to food and drinks.

From the airport, we will pick you up from the airport in a car, van, or bus to drive you to your hotel. Similarly, at the time of your departure from Nepal, we will provide you with the same service to drop you at the TIA.

As we commence our trip, we will take you to Pokhara on a convenient tourist bus so you can enjoy the scenic views along the way. At an additional cost, we can also fly you to Pokhara.

From Pokhara, we will arrange a bus, taxi, or car to drive to Nayapul. And the same mode of transportation will be used to return you to Kathmandu.

Our service also includes complimentary breakfast in Kathmandu and Pokhara hotels. During the trek, we offer three meals (Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner) with tea or coffee. We also give you fresh seasonal fruits every night after dinner and a farewell dinner on your last day in Kathmandu.

You can select your meals on the lodge menu where you will rest for the nights. The lodge owners usually have their own small garden and all the vegetables come directly from there. For dinner, you can usually ask what you want when you check-in. From Nepali cuisine of Dal Vat Tarkari, chowmein, and momos to pizza, pasta, eggs, pancakes, and porridge, you can get everything.

Gadgets charging and Internet/wifi

The Ghorepani Poon Hill Trekking trail is well connected with electricity so charging gadgets and wifi connections are not an issue here. The whole of Annapurna region is continuously connected to electricity with constant coverage of NTC or NCELL mobile networks all over.

If you decide to get a Nepalese SIM card, don’t forget to bring passport photos with you with a copy of your Passport. You can recharge with some balance and activate the 4G service for good-speed data packs.

The accommodations along the trail also have good WIFI connections but the owners may charge an extra cost from NPR 200 to NPR 400. the rooms also have power sockets where you can charge your batteries and phones without the use of an adapter.

Permits

For the Ghorepani Poon Hill trek, we need TIMS, which costs 2000 NPR, and Annapurna Conversation Area permit, which costs 3000 NPR. We will take care of your permits for which you need to give us four photos and a passport copy. We will give you the permits on the second day in Kathmandu. There are various checkpoints on the trek where you have to show them like in Ghorepani and Birethanti.

Trip Extension

If you want to prolong your stay in Nepal, there are several options available to integrate other destinations in your Ghorepani Poon Hill trekking.

Spare 20 days to incorporate the Annapurna Circuit trek along with Tilicho Base Camp, Muktinath, and Poon Hill. Alternatively, you can combine the Mardi Himal trek with your Ghorepani Poonhill adventure. From Ghandruk, you can trek to Landruk and ascend to Mardi Himal Base Camp.