A four-day loop from Pokhara through Ulleri and Ghorepani to watch sunrise over Dhaulagiri and the Annapurnas from Poon Hill (3,210 m), returning through rhododendron forest to Tadapani and the Gurung village of Ghandruk. Short, low and full of mountain views.
A four-day loop from Pokhara through Ulleri and Ghorepani to watch sunrise over Dhaulagiri and the Annapurnas from Poon Hill (3,210 m), returning through rhododendron forest to Tadapani and the Gurung village of Ghandruk. Short, low and full of mountain views.
Poon Hill is the best-known viewpoint in the Annapurna foothills. From the top, at 3,210 m, you look along a line of peaks from Dhaulagiri and Tukuche Peak in the west, across Nilgiri and the deep Kali Gandaki valley, to Annapurna South, Hiunchuli and Machhapuchhre in the east. This four-day trek from Pokhara reaches it by the classic route and comes back a different way.
We start at Nayapul and Birethanti and climb through Tikhedhunga and up the long stone staircase to Ulleri on the first day. On the second day the trail eases through forest to Ghorepani, the village of lodges below Poon Hill. Day three starts in the dark for sunrise on the summit, then follows the ridge east through rhododendron forest to Tadapani. On the last morning we walk down to Ghandruk, a large Gurung village of stone houses, and drive back to Pokhara.
The highest night is at Ghorepani (2,874 m), so altitude is rarely a problem, and the trek suits first-time trekkers and families with active older children. It is not an easy stroll, though: the climb from Tikhedhunga to Ulleri has thousands of steps, and you walk five to six hours on the first three days. Spring is the time for rhododendrons, autumn for the clearest views.
You stay in teahouses run by Magar and Gurung families, with hot showers, simple twin rooms and menus that run from dal bhat to pancakes. Your guide handles the permits, the lodges and the early start, and knows where to stand on Poon Hill for the best view of Dhaulagiri.
This is a good first trek in Nepal for anyone in reasonable health who walks regularly. The highest point is 3,210 m and the highest night 2,874 m, so altitude rarely causes more than mild breathlessness. The hardest part is the first day's climb from Tikhedhunga to Ulleri, thousands of stone steps that gain over 500 m in a couple of hours, followed by five to six hours of walking on each of the first three days. To prepare, take a few long walks of four to five hours on hilly ground in the weeks before you travel and add stair climbing to get your legs used to steps, both up and down. Children who are used to hill walking usually manage it well.
We drive from Pokhara to Nayapul, about an hour and a half, and walk across the bridge to Birethanti, where your guide shows our ACAP permit at the checkpoint. The trail follows the Bhurungdi Khola past small farms and waterfalls to Tikhedhunga, then climbs the long stone staircase to the Magar village of Ulleri. It is the hardest climb of the trek, so take your time; from Ulleri you get your first view of Annapurna South.
The gradient eases above Ulleri. We pass Banthanti and Nangethanti and climb into forest of oak and rhododendron, which turns red and pink with flowers in March and April. Ghorepani, a village of lodges strung along the ridge, is reached by early afternoon, leaving time to rest before the early start.
We leave around 4.30 am by head torch for the 45-minute climb up stone steps to the viewing tower on Poon Hill (3,210 m). As the sun rises it lights Dhaulagiri, Tukuche Peak, Nilgiri, Annapurna South, Hiunchuli and Machhapuchhre. Back in Ghorepani for breakfast, we follow the forested ridge east past Deurali, then descend through Banthanti to Tadapani, which looks straight across to Annapurna South and Machhapuchhre.
A gentle downhill walk through rhododendron forest brings us to Ghandruk, one of the largest Gurung villages in Nepal, with stone houses and slate roofs looking up at Annapurna South and Machhapuchhre. There is time to visit the Gurung museum before our vehicle collects us for the drive back to Pokhara, about three hours.
Permits we arrange: Annapurna Conservation Area (ACAP)
The whole route lies inside the Annapurna Conservation Area, so every trekker needs an Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) entry permit. The fee for foreign nationals is NPR 3,000 per person; children under ten do not pay. We apply for it in Pokhara before you start, so we need a clear scan of your passport photo page and one passport photo. Your guide carries the permit and shows it at the ACAP checkpoints along the trail. Nepal Tourism Board rules introduced on 1 April 2023 require foreign trekkers to walk with a licensed guide booked through a registered agency. A separate TIMS card is not checked on Annapurna routes at present; ACAP is the permit that matters here. Every trek we run is led by a licensed guide, so you meet the rules as they stand and nothing changes for you if enforcement tightens.
Ghorepani, the highest night, is at 2,874 m and Poon Hill at 3,210 m. Most people feel only slight breathlessness on the climbs. Headaches are uncommon at this height, but tell your guide if you have one that does not go away with water and rest.
The trek starts and ends in Pokhara. From Kathmandu it is a 25-minute domestic flight or six to eight hours by tourist bus. Arrive the day before the trek, as we leave early on day one, and keep a spare day before your international flight in case of weather or road delays.
There are no ATMs on the trail once you leave the road, so draw Nepali rupees in Pokhara for drinks, snacks, hot showers, battery charging, wifi and tips. Prices rise the higher you go because everything is carried up by porters or mules. Most teahouses charge a small fee for charging phones and cameras, and a power bank saves money and worry. Mobile signal is patchy; many lodges sell wifi by the hour.
Do not drink untreated tap or stream water. Many villages have refill stations selling treated water, and lodges will fill your bottle with boiled water for a small charge. Bring a filter, purification tablets or a UV pen and two one-litre bottles. Refilling instead of buying bottled water keeps plastic out of the conservation area.
October to December gives the clearest views and dry trails, with frosty mornings on Poon Hill. March and April are the months for rhododendrons, although haze and afternoon cloud often hide the peaks by midday. January and February are cold and snow sometimes falls at Ghorepani. From June to September monsoon rain, cloud and leeches make it a poor time for views.
Everything is yours to bring, except items marked “We provide” or “Rent locally”.
Base layers: two moisture-wicking tops and one pair of thermal leggings
Fleece or light insulated jacket
Down jacketWe provide
On loan from us; useful for the cold dawn on the viewpoint
Waterproof jacket and overtrousers
Showers are common in spring and the trail can be wet into early October
Two pairs of trekking trousers and a pair of shorts
Warm hat, sun hat and buff
Liner gloves and insulated gloves
Trekking socks (four pairs) and underwear
Broken-in waterproof trekking boots with ankle support
The stone staircases are hard on new boots
Sandals or light shoes for the evenings
Daypack of 25 to 35 litres with rain cover
Your porter carries the main bag
Duffel bag for the porter, kept to about 10 kg per trekker
Sleeping bagWe provide
On loan from us; a liner adds warmth and hygiene
Trekking polesRent locally
Easy to hire in Pokhara; they save your knees on the descents
Head torch with spare batteries
Needed for the pre-dawn walks
Two one-litre water bottles
Water filter, purification tablets or UV pen
Power bank and charging cables
Sunglasses with UV protection
Sunscreen (SPF 50) and lip balm with SPF
Personal medicines, blister plasters and rehydration salts
Hand sanitiser, quick-dry towel and toiletries
Passport, with a photocopy and two passport photos
Travel insurance policy details
Your guide keeps a copy with the emergency contacts
Nepali rupees in cash for the trail
No ATMs once you leave the road
Snacks such as energy bars or nuts
It is the easiest of the classic Annapurna treks, but not effortless. The first day includes the long stone staircase from Tikhedhunga to Ulleri, and the first three days have five to six hours of walking. With some hill walking beforehand, most people with average fitness enjoy it.
Poon Hill is 3,210 m. Ghorepani, where you sleep below it, is at 2,874 m (often given as 2,860 m). The climb from Ghorepani to the top takes about 45 minutes.
It is unlikely. The highest night is below 3,000 m and you only go above it briefly for sunrise. Walk at a steady pace, drink plenty and tell your guide if you feel unwell.
On a clear morning, Dhaulagiri, Tukuche Peak, Dhampus Peak and Nilgiri to the west and north, and Annapurna South, Hiunchuli and Machhapuchhre to the east, with the Kali Gandaki gorge between the Dhaulagiri and Annapurna ranges.
Nepal Tourism Board rules from 1 April 2023 require foreign trekkers to walk with a licensed guide arranged through a registered agency. On Annapurna routes only the ACAP permit is checked at present, not a TIMS card. The trek includes a licensed guide and the ACAP permit.
Yes, active children who are used to walking several hours a day manage it well, and the low altitude makes it a good family trek. Talk to us about your children's ages and experience and we can adjust the pace or add a day.
Usually from March to April, when the forests between Ulleri, Ghorepani and Tadapani turn red, pink and white. The exact timing depends on the year and the height.
We pick you up from your Pokhara hotel on the first morning and drop you back there on day four. Pokhara hotel nights are not part of the trek, but we can book one for you.
Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek
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