A beautiful and challenging hike that takes you through dense rhododendron forests and Nepali villages along the river, all the way up to Poon Hill at 3210 meters. Basque in the magnificent Annapurna mountain range.
There’s more to Nepal than Mount Everest and the Himalayas, especially if you’re an adventurer! Come trek through beautiful forests and breathtaking mountain scenery with us, as we climb Poon Hill (3210m) at sunrise and bask in the glory of some of the Himalayas’ grandest 7,000 and 8,000m mountains.
Upon your arrival, a representative from WG will be waiting outside the airport gates to take you to the hotel. Afternoon we visit Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple).
Please book the morning flight
After your breakfast at the hotel in Pokhara we begin our drive to Nayapul which is approximately 40 k.m. from Pokhara. The drive will take around 1 hour 30 min after which we will begin our trek. The first part of the trail takes us to Birethati where we will check in our ACAP permit and TIMS. We then cross the river at Birethati and head left along the gentle slope to Tikhedhunga where we cross the Bhurungdi Khola River on two suspension bridges. After crossing the river we will start the steep climb to Ulleri where we will be spending the night. (Car+Trek).
(Drive 01-01:30 Hours).
Trek (05-06 Hrs).
Overnight stay at Tea House.
After breakfast we continue our trek towards Ghorepani through the settlements of Banthati and Nangethati. We also pass a spring inside the forest after Banthati. Crossing the spring by a bridge we continue towards our destination. Occasional views of the peaks give way to a narrower valley, passing through Rhododendron forest then eventually reaching the village of Ghorepani where we spend a night.
Trek (03-04 Hrs). Overnight stay at Tea House.
During the night, your guide will check for clear weather to make the one-hour climb up to the Poonhill viewpoint at 3,210m. It’s usually misty when you start off and arrive, then at sunrise the clouds part to reveal one of the most majestic sunrises in the world; Machapuchhre, Annapurna South, Nilgiri and Dhaulagiri Mountain are all viewable from here.
We then head back to Ghorepani for breakfast before trekking down to Chule via Tadapani.
Along the trail towards Chule viaTadapani, we make climbs along ridges and through pine and rhododendron forests to Deurali (2,960 meters). After that we descend to the Banthanti, we then turn off to Chule via Tadapani.
Overnight stay at Tea House.
Trek (05-06 Hrs).
From Chule the trail descends through forests to Ghandruk. Ghandruk is a village of Gurung people, one of the ethnic groups of Nepal; they have their own dialect, culture, costume, and lifestyle. Ghandruk is also home to many Gurkha soldiers. It is a famous destination for trekkers as it is known for its beautiful mountain views and within easy reach from Pokhara and Kathmandu. We have the afternoon to visit the Annapurna conservation office and museum and explore the village.
Overnight stay at Tea House.
Trek (03-04 Hrs).
This is the last day of our trek. Today we will be having a relatively easy trek as we will just be trekking for around 02 hours. The views of Annapurna south, Hiunchuli, Annapurna III, Gangapurna and Fishtail are just extraordinary from Ghandruk . After breakfast we begin to descend on a trail towards Batase Danda. From Batase Danda it is just an approximately half an hour trek to Kimche. We take a Jeep or Bus from Kimche to Pokhara. (Lunch will be at Biryethanti) The Jeep or Bus ride will be around 2-3 hours and the road moves along the Modi Khola. The evening is free time so you can have a good time around the lakeside area.
Overnight stay at Hotel.
After breakfast, we will head to the airport once more for our flight back to Kathmandu having the Himalayas one last time in the background. Upon arrival, we will be picked up from the airport and head to our hotel and have the rest of the day free to explore Kathmandu.
Today we’re being transferred to the airport to catch our flights back home.
The scenery in this trip is full of lush green rolling hills, traditional Nepali villages and farms, rivers flowing down from the mountains, valleys opening on the ever standing Himalayan mountains of Annapurna, Dhaulagiri and the most iconic Machhapuchhre Fishtail.
Annapurna Poon Hill is a hike that can be done anytime of the year except for June-August, due to the monsoon season so it is very difficult to go during these months. The peak season is in October and offers the best weather, sunny during the day and not too cold at night. This lasts up until December as the winter season starts and runs through February. The winter season offers pretty cold nights and moderate temperatures in the morning of around 20 c at lower altitudes and can reach as low as -10 at higher altitudes. March to May is when spring starts and the temperatures start to rise up to 30 c with clear skies and blossoming flowers. April is the main climbing season for mountaineers that are attempting higher mountains in the region especially Annapurna or Dhaulagiri.
In the city you will be staying in the center of the Touristic area in Kathmandu, where one step outside your hotel, you’ll find the hussle and bussle of Thamel. You will be hiking from one village to the next and spending your nights in tea houses which are family owned guest houses for trekkers passing along the way. Rooms are setup as doubles or triples with beds and blankets to keep you warm. All tea houses have a main room where all hikers gather for meals, briefing, playing card games or just to chill. They are all heated with a huge fireplace in the center so you will definitely be warm. All of them have wifi available for purchase as well as electricity (at an extra cost) for those who want to charge their cameras, phones...etc. Most of them also sell snacks, energy bars, juice and water.
During the hike, you will have 3 meals, all energy based to help give you the required nutrients to hike around 7 hours a day. Breakfast and dinner are prepared at the tea houses, and lunch is taken at other guest houses along the hike. Nepali mountain food is very delicious and has its own flavor, we recommend you go for the Dal Bhat which is a typical Nepalese dish and very high on energy. Try to stay away from any meat during the hike.
To complete this hike you need to be fit enough to hike for 6-7 hours daily and even 9 hours on the hardest day, sometimes going up stairs, sometimes slopes and sometimes just crossing bridges. It is not a super difficult hike but it’s not easy either so it’s better to be well prepared to be able to enjoy the hike more.
The maximum altitude we’ll reach is Poon Hill at 3,210 meters which is a low altitude compared with the rest of the Himalayan mountain range.
$1,600
