The Ghorepani trek (also known as the “Ghorepani / Poon Hill” trek) is one of Nepal’s most classic short treks. In a short amount of time, you pass through beautiful local villages, rhododendron forest, and of course get access to panoramic views of Nepal’s most famous peaks from Poon Hill – Dhaulagiri, Nilgiri, Annapurna I and Annapurna South.
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This is a relatively easy trek compared to other higher-altitude treks in Nepal. On day 4, however, expect a steep climb up the stone staircase (3,381 steps in total), from Tikhedhunga to Ghorepani – 1,387m of altitude gained in a single day is not to be taken lightly. Our trekking duration each day will largely depend on our fitness and how much we like to stop to enjoy the views. Anyway, we’ve suggested the average pace that most trekkers prefer.
The day before our trekking expedition begins, we’ll gather for a memorable welcome dinner. It’s a perfect occasion for us to connect and become acquainted with one another before we set off on our exciting adventure. This dinner also provides a valuable opportunity for you to approach your guide with any final questions or concerns you may have.
Vehicle: 2h
Trek: 5h 30 min, 1,130m ascent, 102m descent, 12km distance
After relatively short drive from Pokhara we’ll arrive to Nayapul (1,070m) and it’s the beginning of the trek. First we’ll cross the metal bridge to the right bank of the Modi Khola and we’ll register at the ACAP checkpost. From the checkpost we’ll climb a few steps that wind between the teahouses of Birethanti to the road just above the village. It is an easy gradient as we ascend to Sudame (1,340m), Hile (1,430m), and on to Tikhedhunga (1,540m) in around 2h. The trail now steepens to well-made stone steps, apparently there are 3,280 of them! We should reach the Magar village of Ulleri (1960m) in 2h from Tikhedhunga (1,540m). In total its takes approximately 5h to 6h to hike to the overnight lodge at Ulleri from Nayapul, where there are comfy teahouses and views of Annapurna South and Hiunchuli.
Trek: 4h 30 min, 1,005m ascent, 155m descent, 9km distance
The trail continues to climb from Ulleri leaving behind the cultivated section of the Bhurungdi Khola and heads into oak and rhododendron forest. In less than an hour we should reach Banthanti (2,210m) and in another 1h 30min, Nangethanti (2,430m), both of which now have good teahouses and make ideal rest stops. We’ll continue climbing for another hour along the same track to reach Ghorepani (2,860m), a large village with a police checkpost at the entry. There are many teahouses all vying to boast the best views of the Annapurna range, which dominate the skyline. To the west is the huge bulk of Dhaulagiri and the unseeable depths of the Kali Gandaki gorge.
Trek: 5h, 962m ascent, 1,099m descent, 18km distance
Waking before dawn, we hike for about an hour up Poon Hill (3,210m) to watch the sunrise over the Himalayas! From Poon Hill, we can see a brilliant panorama of mountain ranges – Dhaulagiri I (8,167m), Tukuche (6,920m), Nilgiri (6,940m), Annapurna South (7,219m), Annapurna I (8,091 m), Hiunchuli (6,441 m), and many more.
After enjoying the views, we’ll return to our lodge for a breakfast. We’ll follow a pleasant forest trail through rhododendron and oak to Deurali (2,960m). The trail descends to Banthanti (2,606m). Then goes uphill and enters a cane field to Bhurung Khola before climbing again through the steep forests for 25min to reach Tadapani (2,710m). After Tadapani the trail winds through beautiful oak forest with great views of Annapurna South (7,219m) and Machhapuchhare (6,993m). It takes 2h to 3h to reach in Ghandruk, a traditional and the largest Gurung village. It is home to a Gurung museum and has one of the best views of Annapurna South, Gangapurna, Annapurna III, Hiunchuli, and Machhapuchhre.
Trek: 30 min, 222m descent, 2.5km distance
Vehicle: 2h 30 min
After staying one night at Ghandruk, next morning we are going to explore around. It’s a mountain village in the himalayan region of Nepal, also known as the stone village. Ghandruk welcomes hikers with traditional teahouses, a mountain-top temple, horseback riding and cultural experiences which provide a peek into the lifestyle and customs of the Gurung people who reside there. Back to 2019 Ghandruk village listed CNN’s “Asia’s most picturesque town”. Afrer having breakfast at Ghandruk, we have to walk for approximately 1h to reach in Kimche, where we can take our vehicle back to Pokhara.
Nepal has 6 different seasons including two additional seasons, Early Summer and Early Autumn. But for the Ghorepani Poon Hill trek the best season would be Spring (March to May), Autumn (September to November) and Winter (December to February). During this time the skies are clear, the scene is fantastic and you can see splendid views of the mountains. In Spring season rhododendron flower blooms that add red, pink, and white colors to the sub-tropical forest. Autumn is one of Nepal’s best trekking falls, so that it can be the best time for crystal-clear mountain view. Not just clear weather, the temperature in these months is also bearable in Autumn. You can also see blooming Himalayan cheery (Sakura) along the way to Poon Hill in November. Winter occurs from late November to February and is typically rain-free and a clear season. As the Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek is a low altitude trek the trails are open during the winter. During trek you must have warm clothes, waterproof clothes (in case it snows), waterproof hiking boots, and microspikes.
We recommend you bring a container for one liter of water. In the teahouses we can buy boiled water suitable for drinking with which to fill our bottles. Another option is to refill the water from the fountains that we find along the way or from the tap of the teahouses themselves, for this we have to count on water disinfectant tablets that we can find in pharmacies.
The chances of altitude sickness while trekking to Poon Hill are quite low. However, there might be some trekking related injuries. So it is always better to be prepared for the worst-case scenarios.
Travel insurance is compulsory for the trek. All the trekkers must provide a copy of their comprehensive travel insurance policy certificate. The policy must cover medical and emergency repatriation – including helicopter rescue and evacuation expenses at high altitudes.
Trekking members are kindly requested to send their detailed insurance information after trek booking. In case of emergencies, we will be using the insurance policy and informational documents you sent us. It will help us arrange a quick and effective rescue operation, transfer for emergency medical help, etc. Please ensure that your insurance covers all costs incurred during mountain rescue service.
Before buying travel insurance, make sure to call the insurance company and recheck if they have heli-rescue.
Kumar Tamang (our guide) and Sudip Thapa(our porter) were wonderful and the trek was exactly what we needed.