Highlights of Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek
Duration: 09 Days Arrival to Departure
Max. Altitude: Poon Hill (3210m/10531ft)
Trek Grade: Easy
Best Travel Time: February to Mid June, September – November is the best seasons. December and January are Winter and cold can be snow on the trail, July and August are rainy time, trekking can be done but visibility can be poor due to rain.
Trip Snippets: 09 days, 5 night’s hotels, 3 nights Lodges, Breakfast welcome Cultural Dinner in Kathmandu and Pokahra, 3 meals a day ( breakfast, lunch and dinner during the trek) are included
Equipment rental: We advise you to bring all of your clothing and gear from home, however in Kathmandu there are many shops to buy and rent trek related equipment.
Your trek Backpack/our company duffel bag: Your baggage on the trek will be carried by our porters, the maximum weight per trekkers is 15 kg including your sleeping bag and down jacket, Other items not required on trek can be stored in our office in Kathmandu or Pokhara.
Departure Dates: We are able to offer this trek on any dates during the months Feb, March, April, May, June, Sept, Oct, November and December for a group of 1 to 30 people.
Transportation: Tourist Bus, Private Car/Van, Flight.
Activity: City Kathmandu Sightseeing, Trekking
Ghorepani Poonhill is one of the most popular trekking
destinations in Nepal. Ghorepani Poonhill trek is considered as relatively
easier trek for beginner trekkers. The original trekking to Ghorepani Poonhill
starts from Birethati. Almost 45 minutes drive from Pokhara will take you to
Nayapul and from there about 1 hour and 50 minutes drive will take you to
Birethati which is the main starting point of the trek. There is a checkpoint
they check the permits before starting the trek to Ghorepani Poonhill.This trek
leads you to lush valleys, cascading waterfalls, dense forest and colorful
villages. The views during the trek are awe-inspiring. During the trek to
Poonhill you will encounter the warm hospitality of the Gurung people. Also you
can encounter their cultures and traditions as you will visit the largest
gurung settlements of Annapurna Region, Ghorepani and Ghandruk.
One thing that makes Poonhill the most popular trekking
destination is the sunrise and sunset views over the mountains. During the
sunrise and sunset you will see different amazing colors in the mountains which
keep on changing until it becomes sparkling white. Other than the sunrise and
sunset over the Annapurna Range you will also cherish the incredible views of the
Annapurna range, Dhaulagiri (8,167m) and Annapurna (8,091m) Fishtail (6997m)
Annapurna South, Himchuli, and many more. The fascinating views of the mountains, hills and picturesque villages makes Poonhill a ‘Photographer’s Paradise’. Ghorepani Poonhill trek is suitable for the people of every age group and can be a best destination for family trek, friends trek, couple trek and solo trek as well.
Poonhill Trek Difficulty
The elevation of Poonhill is only 3210 meters so there is
very less chance of getting altitude sickness even if you are a beginner
trekker. Poonhill is considered relatively one of the easiest trekking
destinations of Annapurna Region. You will have to climb 3000 steps after
crossing a suspension bridge from Hile to Ulleri. The climb up to Ulleri is
only the difficulty of this trek. After you complete the steps, the trek starts
getting easier and much better. You will then walk through the forests
blanketed with Rhododendron trees where enchanting sounds of birds and species
will be entertaining you throughout the way.
Best Season for Poonhill Trek
The weather in Poonhill is unpredictable. Although it can
change speedily the temperature remains normally mild. The best seasons for
Poonhill trek are October to November and March to April. These seasons offers
the best views and remarkable weather. However, Ghorepani Poonhill can be done
during any time of the year.
Ghorepani Poonhill
Trek Permit
Ghorepani Poonhill trek is one of the most popular treks in
Nepal. Two separate permits needs to be obtained for this trek i.e. Annapurna
Conservation Area permit (ACAP) and Trekkers Information Management System permit
(TIMS). The permits will be provided by
the company before your departure from Kathmandu..
Outline Itinerary
Day 01: Arrival in Kathmandu
Day 02: Kathmandu to Pokhara
Day 03: Pokhara-Nayapul- Birethati-Thikhedunga- Ulleri.
(1500m)
Day 04: Ulleri- Ghorepani(2853m)
Day 05: Ghorepani- Banthanti-Tadapani (2610m)
Day 06: Tadapani-ghandruk village (1960m)
Day 07: Ghandrunk-Pokhara
Day 09: Departure from Kathmandu
Day 01: Arrival in Kathmandu
You will meet Actual Adventure representative at the arrival
gate of International Airport who takes you to your hotel. Today you will
meet your trekking guide and be concise about your daily activities. At evening
you will enjoy a welcome dinner organized by our company and stay at the hotel
at night.
Day 02: Kathmandu to Pokhara:
On the second day of Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek you will drive
from Kathmandu to Pokhara which will take about 5-6 hours. The drive goes
through the middle hills road of Prithivi Highway which is one of the finest
long drives you can ever have. The drive to Pokhara is more than just a simple
bus ride. You can explore the country side villages, famous religious sites and
amazing views along the way. You can have a glimpse of picturesque villages and
lifestyles of people outside the city on your ride to Pokhara. The beautiful
city of lakes will be welcoming you with its overwhelming beauty. Overnight at
hotel at Pokhara
Day 03: Pokhara-Nayapul- Tikhedunga (1540m)
The third day of Ghorepani Poonhill trek is the initial
beginning of the original Trek. Today you will drive one hour to Nayapul then
Trek to Tikhedhunga. On your trek you
will pass by a stream and then reach to Birenthanti where you will take some
rest for a while. There are numbers of Tea houses in Birenthnti. You can also
have amazing views of mountains framed with rhododendron trees. A steep ascent
from here will take you to Tikhedhunga. Overnight at Tikhedhunga.
Day 04: Thikhedhunga- Ghorepani (2853m)
Today is one of the
hardest days of Ghorepani Poonhill Trek. You will have your breakfast at
Tikhedhunga and start the trek with a steep ascent to Ulleri. You can have
wonderful views of the snow capped peaks, lush green hills, villages and some
donkeys on your way. The spectacular views of Mt. Dhaulagiri and Annapurna
Ranges are the major highlights of today’s trek .The
trek to Ghorepani is around 6 hours ascending walking through beautiful forest
and nice villages and villagers. Overnight at lodge
Day 05: Ghorepani-Poonhill- Banthanti -Tadapani (2610m)
You will finally reach the destination on the fifth day of
Ghorepani Poonhill Trek. You will have your breakfast at Ghorepani then you
hike up 45m to Poon hill for sunrise view. From there you can see sensational
view of Annapurna ranges, Dhaulagiri ranges, Nilgiri, Fishtail after that
you will came back to the Ghorepani then trek to Banthanti via Tadapani for 4/5
hours. Overnight at lodge
Day 06: Tadapani-ghandruk village (1960m)
Today is the sixth day of Ghorepani Poonhill Trek. You will
have your breakfast at Tadapani and then you will trek to ghandruk 3 hours
walking through jungle and downhill. Ghandruk is one of biggest Gurung village
in Nepal, they have own language, dress, typical foods and houses. Gurung
cultures are highly preserved in this region. You can visit the village and
explore the cultures and lifestyles of Gurung people. Overnight at Ghandruk village.
Day 07: Ghandruk-Pokhara
On the seventh day of Ghorepani Poonhill trek you will trek
back to Nayapul from Ghandruk after having your breakfast at Ghandruk. The trek
today is about four hours from Ghandruk to Nayapul. From Nayapul you will drive
to Pokhara which takes about 1 hour. Upon reaching Pokhara you can enjoy evening
boating at Phewa Lake. Overnight at hotel in Pokhara
Day 08: Pokhara - Kathmandu
Morning fly back to Kathmandu and all day free in Kathmandu.
You can utilize your free day by roaming or shopping around the city. The guides
will help you if you need help for shopping or sightseeing. Overnight at Hotel
Day 09: Departure from Kathmandu
After Breakfast, you will be free until Departure. Then you
will be dropped to Kathmandu Airport by our representative. We hope that we
provide you our best service and want to see you again with your family,
relative, co-workers and friends.
Stay Safe
- Altitude Sickness: The main and common risk while trekking above about 2500m is Altitude sickness. Altitude sickness is caused by acute exposure to low partial pressure of oxygen at high altitude. The available amount of oxygen to sustain mental and physical alertness decreases with altitude. Available oxygen drops as the air density itself, the number of molecules (of both oxygen and nitrogen) per given volume, drops as altitude increases. So don’t ignore, if you have any symptoms then descending to a lower altitude is the only option.
- Water: Have some means to purify water, iodine or a fine ceramic filter are the best options. The streams should be considered polluted and whilst bottled water is often available, the disposal of plastic bottles is a problem.
Electricity in Nepal
Nepal is a developing country, Outside of major cities area electricity on trekking can be scares. You should have to pay 100-800 NRs per hour to charge goods on many lodges and also many tea-house treks, including in Annapurna base camp trek, Everest Base camp trek and many others treks also. Chargers often won't work on low power solar systems you find right up in the mountains so u can buy alternative bayonet light to electricity power plug converter, which will only works in low voltage is highlow. The standard Nepalese electrical outlet is a three-pronged triangle so bring three-pronged triangle chargers.
Nepal Climate information
Nepal is a landlocked country which lies in Hindu Kush Himalayan region. Nepal has monsoonal climate having four main seasons: spring, summer, monsoon, autumn and winter.
Below is a general guide to conditions at different seasons:
January to March (winter): In this season temperature will decrease at often 0°C (32°F) at night, with extreme cold at high elevations. It is possible to trek in places like the Everest region during the winter but due to extreme cold weather and heavy snow fall it may be quite difficult than as usual.
April to June (summer): In these months it is quite warm and dry weather. There is an abundance of blooming flowers in the Himalayas at this time, with rhododendrons, in particular, adding a splash of color to the landscape. This season is the best time to undertake mountain expeditions.
June to September (Monsoon): There will be heavy monsoonal rainfall in this season. Rains are generally lighter in high Himalayan reasons. In this season the mountain ranges are not often visible due to the clouds.
October to December (autumn): These months are cool and clear which is due to the end of monsoon, there is little dust in the air so this is the best season to visit the hilly and mountainous regions.
Nepal Visas information
Visa in Nepal can be acquired on arrival at Tribhuwan International Airport, Kathmandu and also at the border entry points in Kakadvitta, Birgunj, Bhairahawa, Nepalgunj, Gaddachowki border of Nepal - India and Kodari on Nepal-China border. Visa can also acquire at the nearest Nepal Embassy. For visa renewal purpose you can contact at Department of Immigration, Kalikasthan at Kathmandu. A valid passport and one passport -size photo with a light background is required. Visa can be obtained only through payment of cash in the following currency: Euro, Swiss Franc, Pound Sterling, US Dollar, Australian Dollar, Canadian Dollar, Hong Kong Dollar, Singapore Dollar and Japanese Yen. Credit card, Indian currency and Nepali currency are not accepted as payment of visa fee.
Visa Facility Duration Fee
Multiple entry 15 days US$ 25 or equivalent convertible currency
Multiple entry 30 days US$ 40 or equivalent convertible currency
Multiple entry 90 days US$ 100 or equivalent convertible currency
Respect to Local Peoples
In Nepal, “Namaste” or “Namaskar” is said to an older or high-status person with palms together, figure up. It is used to greet a person in place of goodbye or hello. There is no limitation how many times you say “Namaste” but, it is better if you say once per person, per day. If You want to say “Thank You” then you can say “Dhanyabaad /'ðɅnjɅbɑ:d/ (Dhan-ya-baad)”
