The Ghorepani Poon Hill trek is one of the shortest and easiest trekking destinations in Nepal. It offers an opportunity to experience diverse culture, flora, fauna, and topography. Poon Hill (3,210m.) stands as the final destination and highest point of the trip, providing an unparalleled 180° mountain view, including two peaks above 8,000 meters. It is also considered one of the safest trekking destinations in Nepal, with a lower likelihood of trekkers experiencing severe high altitude sickness.
Pokhara city serves as the base for most of the treks of Annapurna Region, including Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek. The closest starting point is Phedi, reachable in less than half an hour’s drive from Pokhara. The trek is classified as “moderate graded,” suitable for individuals with reasonable fitness levels. The shortest duration to complete the trek is 6 days, though it can be extended up to 11 days.
WELCOME TO NEPAL, the land of the Himalayas!
Upon arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, you will receive a warm welcome from the company representatives of Osprey Adventure, who will assist you with your luggage and guide you to the hotel. After checking into the hotel, the company representative will provide you with a comprehensive briefing about your upcoming trip, including inclusions and exclusions, safety precautions, cultural norms, and other important information that will be useful during your stay in Nepal.
Breakfast will be served at the hotel. Your city tour guide will arrive promptly at the hotel with a private vehicle and driver. After breakfast, you will process to visit the following religious and historical sites, all of which are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 1979 AD.
Swayambhunath is situated atop an elevated hill station in the heart of Kathmandu city, standing 77 meters above the city’s level, providing panoramic views of the entire Kathmandu valley. It is also famously known as “Monkey Temple” among tourists due to the abundance of monkeys found on the site. While primarily a Buddhist pilgrimage site, you can also find a Hindu temple harmoniously coexisting alongside the main temple of Swayambhunath.
Kathmandu Durbar Square, situated in the heart of Kathmandu, is the former Royal Palace of Nepal. “Durbar” translates to ‘palace’ in Nepali. It stands out as one of three durbar squares in the Kathmandu valley. Today, it serves as a key attraction for tourists, renowned as the center of medieval art and architecture.
Within the Durbar Square, your tour will encompass visits to several historical landmarks, including the ancient palace museum, the temple of Kumari (the living goddess of Nepal), Hanuman Dhoka, the Kasthamandap Temple, and the statue of Kal Bhairav.
Boudhanath is the largest stupa in Nepal, situated 11km northeast from the heart of Kathmandu city. Its magnificent size and mesmerizing shape are sure to leave you stunned. Historically, it is believed to have been built in the early 5th century and now stands as a beacon of Buddhist belief. Surrounding the stupa, there are many terrace restaurants where you can enjoy a lunch break.
Pashupatinath Temple stands as one of the largest and most revered shrines for Hindus worldwide. Situated on the western bank of the holy Bagmati River, which flows through the center of the Kathmandu valley, it also serves as a popular cremation site for Hindus. The majority of Hindus who pass away in the Kathmandu valley are brought to Pashupati for cremation, so it is highly likely that you will observe open-air cremations during your visit. Entrance to the main temple is restricted to Hindus only. However, even if you are non-Hindu, you can still observe the main temple from the eastern bank of the river.
The journey begins right after an early breakfast at the hotel. You will walk or drive to the tourist bus station and travel by tourist bus towards Pokhara along Prithivi Highway. After an hour, you will start following the Marshyangdi River and Trishuli River until halfway. After the lunch break, you will continue journeying through the foothills of the Himalayas, passing through villages and terraced fields. Upon reaching Pokhara, you will be transferred to a hotel at Lakeside. If you have enough time, you can walk and explore the area around Phewa Lake and the markets on your own.
The breakfast will be served at the hotel. After breakfast, your journey begins with a private vehicle drive all the way to Tikhedhung, passing through the scenic villages of Phedi, Naudanda, Kande, and Lumle and enjoying panoramic mountain views of Fishtail and Annapurna Range. After one and half hour’s drive, you will reach Nayapul. From Nayapul, the road diverts from the main highway and you will follow the right sub-road. After 10 minutes, you will reach Birethanti, where the Modi River and Burundi River meet. From there, you will follow east bank of the Bhurungdi River all the way to Tikhedhunga, with scenery of rushing waterfalls, terraced fields and green forests. Lunch will be served at Tikhedhunga. From Tikhedhunga, your trek begins with the trail steeply ascending the 3300 stone steps to Ulleri village, settled on the top of a hill.
Today’s trek begins at 8 am after breakfast. The ascent is gently uphill and relatively easier than other days because it doesn’t consist of steep uphill and steep downhill sections. For the first one and half hours (up to Banthanti village), the path goes passing local houses and terrace fields. From Banthanti, the trail goes through rhododendron forest until Ghorepani. Walking in the forests is more comfortable, and cool shade and chirping sounds made by birds may alleviate your exertion. You may have the chance to encounter monkeys and langurs. And if you trek in the spring season, the forest is adorned with red and pink with rhododendron flowers. The above-mentioned “trek duration” is a standard and average tourist duration. Some people go to Ghorepani for lunch, and some people stop for lunch at Nanggethanti. It all depends on your walking pace. Don’t compete with others; just follow your own pace. Once you reach Ghorepani, you will be rewarded with stunning mountain views of Mt. Dhaulagiri, Tukuche Peak, Nilgiri, Fang, Annapurna South, and many more.
Wake up at 5 am and start hiking to Poon Hill with your guide. Be ready with warm clothes, gloves, and a hat. You will also need a headlight since it will still be dark. It takes about 45 minutes to one hour to hike to reach Poon Hill. The sunrise usually occurs at 6 am. Once you reach Poon Hill, you will be stunned by the 180° mountain views, including Mt. Dhaulagiri (the seventh highest in the world), Tukuche Peak, Dhampus Peak, Nilgiri, Fang, Annapurna I (the tenth highest in the world), Annapurna South, Hiuchuli and Fishtail respectively from left to right. After spending some time there, return to the hotel for breakfast.
You will be given time to pack your bags, and breakfast will be served. After breakfast, you will trek to Tadapani. The trail climbs for about one and half hours, then proceeds straight for about one hour through rhododendron, pine and bamboo forests to Deurali. From Deurali, the trail descends fairly steeply for about one and half hours to Banthanti, where you will stop for lunch. From Banthanti, the trail continues straight for about 20 minutes and then descends steeply for 20 minutes to the river. From the river, it takes about half an hour of steep climbing followed by 15 minutes of gradual ascent to reach Tadapani. Tadapani is a hill station with seasonal settlement and serves as a junction where trails from four directions converge.
Tadapani offers a beautiful sunrise view of Mt. Annapurna South and Hiuchuli, providing much closer perspective of both mountains. After breakfast, prepare to commence the day’s journey. The trail leads straight to Bhaisikhara for the first one hour, following a well-built and easy path through dense rhododendron forests. From Bhaisikhara, the trail gradually descends for about an hour until reaching Ghandruk for lunch. The trek concludes in Ghandruk, from where you will be driven to Pokhara by a private jeep. The road may be bumpy for about an hour. From Siwai onwards, the road is well-tarmacked all the way to Pokhara.
After early breakfast, you will depart from the hotel at 6:00 am and drive to tourist bus station by a car or taxi, where you will board the bus for the 5 to 6 hours scenic journey back to Kathmandu.
Today marks your final day in Nepal. We will drive you to Kathmandu International Airport three hours before your flight time.
Note: If you would like to spend more time in Nepal, you can join our leisure or adventure extension trips such as City Sightseeing, White-water Rafting, Jungle Safari, Paragliding, Bungee Jumping etc.
Choosing the proper equipment for trekking in Nepal is crucial for a safe and enjoyable experience. Most trekking destinations in Nepal are remote, with few accessible markets. Even where markets exist, prices tend to be high. Therefore, it is essential to prepare all necessary equipment before starting your trek. Kathmandu, particularly the Thamel area, is the ideal place to acquire equipment if you haven’t brought it from your home country. Alternatively, Pokhara offers equipment at similar prices to Kathmandu.
Below is a list of general equipment. Not all items may be necessary depending on your destination. Consult your travel consultant or guide if assistance in selecting the appropriate equipment.
*Note: FYI, you can also rent a sleeping bag and a down jacket in Kathmandu. The cost varies from $2 to $3 per day for each item, depending on the quality.
