Plan my trek
Plan my trek
3,210 m (Poon Hill)
3–5 days
Easy to moderate
Nayapul / Ghandruk
ACAP NPR 3,000 (~£17)
Oct–Nov, Mar–Apr
The Ghorepani Poon Hill trek is Nepal’s classic short trek: three to five days of stone staircases, Gurung and Magar villages and rhododendron forest in the foothills west of Pokhara. The trek leads up to a sunrise from Poon Hill (3,210 m), where a wide sweep of the Himalaya appears at first light, from Dhaulagiri (8,167 m) in the west to Annapurna I (8,091 m), Annapurna South, Hiunchuli and the fishtail summit of Machhapuchhre in the east.
It became famous because it gives so much for so little time and altitude. You never sleep higher than about 2,880 m, so the risk of altitude sickness is low. Every night is spent in a proper teahouse village with hot food, and the trailhead is 40 to 90 minutes from Pokhara by road. Many people fit it into a two-week Nepal holiday alongside Kathmandu and Chitwan.
The standard loop climbs from the Modi and Bhurungdi river valleys at roughly 1,000 to 1,500 m, up the long stone staircase to Ulleri, then through oak and rhododendron forest to Ghorepani, a ridge-top village of lodges at about 2,860 m. Next morning you climb Poon Hill in the dark for sunrise, then follow a forested ridge east via Deurali (about 3,090 m) to Tadapani, and drop to Ghandruk, one of the largest and best-preserved Gurung villages in Nepal, before driving back to Pokhara.
It is busy. In October, November, March and April you will share the hilltop with a few hundred people on a clear morning, and Ghorepani’s lodges fill up. That is part of the deal: the trail is well marked, well served and sociable. If you want quiet, walk it in December, February or early March, or take the Mohare Danda alternative described below.
It is less suited to anyone with bad knees who dislikes steps (there are thousands, up and down), or to experienced trekkers looking for wilderness. For them, Poon Hill works best as the opening section of a longer route.
Compared with the Annapurna Base Camp Trek, Poon Hill is half the length, about 1,000 m lower and far less committing, but it does not take you into the mountains: you look at them from the foothills. Australian Camp and Dhampus near Pokhara give similar foothill views in one or two days but with a smaller panorama. Mardi Himal is a short trek too, but it climbs much higher (to about 4,500 m at its viewpoint), with fewer lodges and more exposure to weather. For an overview of the other routes in the region, see our guide to the best treks from Pokhara and the wider trekking in Nepal hub.
The standard four-day loop below starts at Nayapul and ends at Ghandruk, walking the full staircase to Ulleri. It is the version most guidebooks describe and the best paced for most people. Altitudes vary by 20 to 50 m between sources and maps, so treat them as approximate. Walking times are for an average walker with stops and do not include the drive.
| Day | Route | Altitude (sleeping) | Walking time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Drive Pokhara to Nayapul (about 1,070 m), walk via Birethanti ACAP checkpoint to Hile or Tikhedhunga | Tikhedhunga, about 1,500 m | 3–4 hours |
| 2 | Tikhedhunga to Ulleri (stone staircase), then through Banthanti and Nangethanti forest to Ghorepani | Ghorepani, about 2,860 m | 6–7 hours |
| 3 | Pre-dawn climb to Poon Hill (3,210 m) and back; breakfast; ridge walk via Deurali (about 3,090 m) to Tadapani | Tadapani, about 2,630 m | 6–7 hours including Poon Hill |
| 4 | Tadapani down through forest to Ghandruk; walk or drive on to Kimche or Nayapul and road back to Pokhara | Pokhara, about 820 m | 3–4 hours walking, 2.5–3 hours by road |
Most of the variations below change only the start or the finish. They let you shorten the trek to three days, or stretch it to five with a gentler pace and a night in Ghandruk.
A rough road now climbs from Nayapul up the Bhurungdi valley past Hile and Tikhedhunga to Ulleri (about 1,960 m). Driving straight to Ulleri cuts out the hardest climb of the trek, the staircase from Tikhedhunga, and turns the walk into three days: Ulleri to Ghorepani, then Poon Hill and Tadapani, then Ghandruk and the drive home.
It saves time, but you miss much of the village life in the lower valley and the satisfaction of earning the view. The jeep ride is bumpy and dusty, and can be blocked after rain. We usually recommend walking the steps if you are fit, and driving if you are short of time or travelling with young children.
The classic start is Nayapul on the Pokhara to Baglung road, where you cross to Birethanti for the ACAP permit check. Much of the first stretch now follows the dirt road, so many groups drive on to Hile (about 1,430 m) or Tikhedhunga (about 1,500 m) and start walking from there.
Tikhedhunga is a pleasant first night by the river with a choice of lodges. Starting there means you tackle the Ulleri steps fresh the next morning, which most people prefer to doing them at the end of a travel day.
The highlight of the trek. Guides usually wake you between 4 and 4.30 am, depending on the season, for a climb of about 45 minutes to an hour up a stepped path from Ghorepani, gaining roughly 350 m. At the top is a small viewing tower and, often, a tea stall.
On a clear morning you see Dhaulagiri, Tukuche Peak and the Kali Gandaki gorge to the west, then Annapurna I, Annapurna South, Hiunchuli and Machhapuchhre to the east. Bring a head torch, a warm layer, gloves and a hat. It is often below freezing at dawn from November to February. A small ticket is usually collected at the bottom of the steps.
Many trekkers say this is the most beautiful section of the trek. The path climbs to the Deurali ridge (about 3,090 m), which has views back to Dhaulagiri, then descends through dense rhododendron and oak forest past Banthanti to Tadapani. The forest is spectacular in bloom in March and April.
In winter some shaded sections can be icy. Tadapani (“far water”) sits on a ridge facing Annapurna South and Machhapuchhre, and is a good place for a second sunrise.
Ghandruk (about 1,940 m) is a large Gurung village of slate-roofed stone houses, with a small Gurung museum and big views of Annapurna South and Machhapuchhre. Rather than rushing through to the road, consider spending a night here. This makes a relaxed five-day trek and gives you an afternoon to wander the old lanes.
From Ghandruk, jeeps run down to Kimche, Syauli Bazaar or Nayapul, and on to Pokhara in about 2.5 to 3 hours. You can also walk down through terraces to Syauli Bazaar or Kimche.
Some people walk the loop anticlockwise, from Ghandruk up to Tadapani and Ghorepani and then down the Ulleri steps. This is just as good, but the descent of thousands of steps is hard on knees, so bring poles.
Short of time? You can also walk out and back from Ulleri, returning the way you came, but the full loop is far more varied. A two-day version (jeep to Ulleri, Ghorepani, sunrise, then down and drive back) is possible, but it is rushed and only worth doing in very good weather.
From Ghorepani or Tadapani, a less-used trail climbs north to Khopra Danda (roughly 3,640 m), where there is a community lodge facing Dhaulagiri and Annapurna South. Keen walkers can carry on to the sacred Khayer Lake at about 4,600 m.
This adds two to four days and much more altitude, so it needs a proper acclimatisation plan and a guide who knows the route. The Mulde viewpoint above Dobato, between Ghorepani and Tadapani, is a shorter alternative for a quieter sunrise.
Poon Hill is graded easy to moderate, which is fair, but “easy” can be misleading. There are no technical sections, the trail is clear and the altitude is modest. The challenge is relentless stone steps: the climb from Tikhedhunga to Ulleri alone is commonly quoted as more than 3,000 steps, and there are long stepped descents to Ghandruk too. Your thighs and knees will notice.
The hardest day is Tikhedhunga to Ghorepani: about 1,300 to 1,400 m of climbing, mostly on steps for the first two or three hours, then a long, steady forest ascent. Take it slowly, stop for tea in Ulleri and Banthanti, and you will be fine. Day 3 is also long, with a 4 am start for Poon Hill followed by the ridge walk to Tadapani, so get an early night in Ghorepani.
If you can walk 5 to 6 hours on a hilly day at home and do it again the next day, you can do this trek. In the six to eight weeks before you go, build up to back-to-back day walks with ascent, use stairs or a step machine, and do some downhill work to prepare your knees. Trekking poles help a lot on the descents. Our trekking for beginners article explains what to expect from your first trek.
Poon Hill is one of the best family treks in Nepal. Children who already enjoy hill walking often love the villages, the mules and the teahouse life. With a porter carrying the bags and a five-day pace, children from about seven or eight regularly complete it. For younger children, consider the three-day jeep version or plan for a porter-carrier. Speak to your guide about shorter days and building in a rest afternoon in Ghandruk.
The highest sleeping place is Ghorepani at about 2,860 m, and the highest point is Poon Hill at 3,210 m, which you only visit for an hour or so. Most people have no altitude problems at all. Mild headache or breathlessness on the first night in Ghorepani is not unusual, especially if you drove up to Ulleri the same day. A trip of more than 2,000 m from Pokhara in a single day is the main reason people feel the altitude here. Drink plenty, walk at a steady pace and tell your guide if symptoms get worse. Our article on altitude sickness explains the warning signs. No special acclimatisation day is needed unless you add Khopra Danda or continue to Annapurna Base Camp.
The whole trek lies inside the Annapurna Conservation Area, run by the National Trust for Nature Conservation. You need one main permit, and since 2023 a licensed guide. Fees in Nepal change from time to time, so check the figures below when you book.
Prices below are approximate per person for a 4 to 5-day trek from Pokhara. They assume a room shared by two and do not include travel to and from Nepal or getting to Pokhara.
| Item | Approximate cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| ACAP permit | NPR 3,000 (about £17) | Foreign nationals; SAARC NPR 1,000 |
| TIMS card (if required) | NPR 2,000 (about £11) | Issued via agency |
| Licensed guide | US$28–35 per day (about £21–27) | Per group, not per person; plus tips |
| Porter | US$20–25 per day (about £15–19) | One porter usually carries for two trekkers |
| Teahouse room | NPR 500–2,000 a night (about £3–11) | Often cheap or free if you eat in the lodge |
| Meals and drinks | NPR 3,000–5,000 a day (about £17–28) | Prices rise towards Ghorepani |
| Transport Pokhara to trailhead and back | NPR 600 by bus to US$60–100+ by private jeep | Depends on start/finish and vehicle |
Rough totals: a small group sharing a guide and porter and paying as they go typically spends about £200 to £350 each for four days from Pokhara. Agency packages for the same trek usually range from about US$300 to US$600 per person (roughly £230 to £460). A package will normally include permits, guide, porter, lodges, three meals a day and transport. Departures from Kathmandu with hotels and the Pokhara transfer cost more.
Poon Hill can be trekked all year, but the views that make it worthwhile need clear skies. The two classic seasons are autumn (October to November) and spring (March to April). Winter is underrated, and the monsoon is the season to avoid unless you are flexible. See our guide to the best season to travel in Nepal for the wider picture.
| Months | Weather | Views | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|
| October–November | Dry, settled, mild days; dawn around 0 to 5°C at Poon Hill | Best of the year, crisp and clear | Busiest; book lodges in Ghorepani early |
| December–February | Cold, mostly dry; frost and occasional snow at Ghorepani and on the Deurali ridge | Often very clear, especially early in the day | Quiet; some lodges thinly staffed |
| March–April | Warming; afternoon cloud and showers increase in April | Good early mornings; haze builds later in spring | Busy; rhododendrons in bloom |
| May | Hot lower down, hazy, pre-monsoon storms | Hit and miss | Moderate |
| June–September | Monsoon: heavy rain, leeches, slippery steps, landslides on roads | Mostly cloud, with occasional dramatic clear mornings | Very quiet |
The forests between Ulleri, Ghorepani and Tadapani are among the best places in Nepal to see the national flower in bloom. Usually from mid-March to mid-April, the hills turn red, pink and white. Timing varies with altitude and the year, and the trade-off is more haze over the peaks than in autumn.
Dashain and Tihar, Nepal’s biggest festivals, usually fall in October or early November. You will see swings in villages and lights and garlands in Ghandruk and Ghorepani. Transport out of Pokhara is busier and some staff go home, so book ahead. Dates follow the lunar calendar and change each year. Gurung villages also hold local celebrations, including Tamu Lhosar (the Gurung new year) around late December.
The monsoon brings road disruption every year. In July 2026, floods and landslides damaged a bridge and trail sections near Syauli Bazaar on the main Annapurna Base Camp approach, close to the Ghandruk end of this loop. Late-August floods mainly hit Rasuwa and other districts north of Kathmandu. If you trek between June and September or early October, allow a buffer day and check the road from Ghandruk or Ulleri with your agency.
Every night on this trek is spent in a teahouse: a family-run lodge with a heated dining room and simple bedrooms. Standards here are among the best on any Nepal trek, because the route is short, busy and close to Pokhara.
Expect twin rooms with foam mattresses, a pillow and a blanket, with thin partition walls. Shared toilets (sit-down or squat) and showers are common in older lodges. Ghorepani, Ghandruk and Tikhedhunga also have newer lodges with attached bathrooms. Rooms often cost roughly NPR 500 to 2,000 (about £3 to £11) a night, and some lodges discount or waive the room if you take dinner and breakfast there. In peak weeks Ghorepani fills up, which is one reason guides book ahead.
Menus are long and surprisingly similar from lodge to lodge: dal bhat (rice, lentils, vegetable curry and pickle, usually with free refills), noodle soups, fried rice, momos, pasta, pizza of sorts, porridge, pancakes and eggs, and the famous apple pie or chocolate cake in Ghorepani. A dal bhat typically costs NPR 600 to 1,000 (about £3.50 to £6). Prices rise as you climb, because everything is carried up by mule or porter or trucked up rough roads. A day’s food and hot drinks usually costs NPR 3,000 to 5,000 (about £17 to £28).
Dal bhat is the best value and the most reliable dish. It is freshly cooked, which is better for your stomach. Meat is carried in, so many trekkers stay vegetarian on the trail.
Do not drink untreated tap or stream water. Bottled water is sold everywhere, but it adds plastic to a region with limited waste disposal. It is better to carry a filter bottle or purification tablets and refill from lodge taps, or buy boiled water from teahouses. ACAP has encouraged refill points in some villages, but do not rely on finding them.
Poon Hill is one of the safest treks in Nepal: low altitude, villages every hour or two, mobile signal on most of the route and road access at both ends. The main risks are ordinary ones, such as slips on steps, stomach bugs, cold mornings and road travel, and they are easy to manage. Our safety tips for trekking in Nepal cover the basics in more depth.
Serious altitude sickness is uncommon below 3,000 m, but it is not impossible, especially if you drive from Pokhara (820 m) to Ulleri and walk on to Ghorepani on the same day. Know the signs: worsening headache, nausea, unusual tiredness and breathlessness at rest. The cure is to go down, and from Ghorepani that is easy. Most injuries can be walked or carried out to the road at Ulleri or Ghandruk. Helicopter evacuation is possible, but it is expensive.
Take out travel insurance that specifically covers trekking to at least 3,500 m, or higher if you add Khopra Danda, Mohare Danda or Annapurna Base Camp. Make sure it covers helicopter rescue and medical evacuation. The FCDO specifically advises checking for mountain rescue and helicopter cover. Read our guide: do I need travel insurance for trekking?
The UK FCDO does not advise against travel to Nepal. Its advice (updated 1 October 2026) highlights the risk of further flooding and landslides after the major floods of late August 2026, which mainly affected Rasuwa, Gorkha, Nuwakot and Dhading rather than the Poon Hill area. It also warns that protests can start at short notice. Nepal had serious unrest in Kathmandu in September 2025, followed by elections in March 2026. The FCDO also says foreign independent trekkers must use a guide or porter in protected areas, not to trek alone, and not to travel on overcrowded buses or at night. Check the latest FCDO advice before you travel.
Porters on short treks are sometimes overloaded or underequipped, particularly on cheap deals. A fair load is up to about 20 to 25 kg, normally the bags of two trekkers. Porters should have proper footwear, warm clothing, insurance and a bed indoors. Ask your operator how they look after their staff. Treat your crew as part of the team and tip fairly at the end. The FCDO also warns about cheap trekking deals and guides who push clients up too fast. A reputable, registered operator is worth the extra cost.
Every version of the trek starts and finishes in Pokhara. From Kathmandu, Pokhara is a 25 to 30-minute domestic flight or a 6 to 8-hour tourist bus ride on the Prithvi Highway. The highway has suffered landslide closures in 2026, so check it, and leave a buffer before an international flight home. From Pokhara you drive west on the Baglung road to Nayapul (about 40 km), then on rough roads to wherever you start walking.
| Route | Option | Time | Approximate cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pokhara to Nayapul | Local bus from Baglung Bus Park | 1.5–2 hours | NPR 200–400 (about £1–2) |
| Pokhara to Nayapul | Shared jeep | About 1.5 hours | About US$8–10 per seat (about £6–8) |
| Pokhara to Nayapul | Private jeep or taxi | About 1.5 hours | NPR 2,000–3,000 one way (about £11–17) |
| Nayapul to Hile, Tikhedhunga or Ulleri | Jeep on dirt road | 1–2 hours, more after rain | Often bundled into a Pokhara–Ulleri private jeep; ask your agency |
| Ghandruk to Pokhara | Shared or private jeep, or local bus from Kimche/Syauli Bazaar | 2.5–3 hours | About US$4–5 by bus; private jeep much more |
This is a short teahouse trek, so pack light. If you have a porter, the usual limit is about 10 to 12 kg per trekker. Carry a daypack of 20 to 30 litres yourself. Use our trekking packing list as a full checklist. The points below are specific to Poon Hill.
Leave spare luggage at your hotel in Pokhara. Most hotels store bags free for guests.
Poon Hill sits at the start of a network of Annapurna trails, so it is easy to extend. It also pairs well with the classic Nepal circuit of Kathmandu, Pokhara and Chitwan.
This is the most popular combination in Nepal. From Tadapani, instead of descending to Ghandruk, you continue east to Chhomrong and up the Modi Khola valley through Bamboo, Deurali and Machhapuchhre Base Camp to Annapurna Base Camp (4,130 m). The full trip takes about 10 to 12 days from Pokhara. The Poon Hill section works as a useful warm-up and gives you two very different mountain views.
Above 3,000 m, altitude does become a factor, so the pace and insurance need to match. Read our full guide to Annapurna Base Camp.
Mohare Danda is a ridge to the west of Ghorepani, at about 3,300 m. It was developed as a community eco-trek around villages such as Banskharka and Nangi in Myagdi district, an area associated with Mahabir Pun and the Nepal Wireless project. Its views of Dhaulagiri and the Annapurnas rival Poon Hill’s, but it has only a fraction of the trekkers, and the lodges are simple community-run places.
Itineraries usually start from Galeshwor, about three hours’ drive from Pokhara via Beni. They take four to six days, often linking to Ghorepani and Poon Hill and finishing via Ghandruk or Nayapul. Facilities are more basic and fewer guides know the route well, so it is best done with an operator who runs it regularly.
If you are looking for something higher but still short, Mardi Himal (5 to 7 days) climbs a ridge directly towards Machhapuchhre. Khopra Danda (6 to 8 days) branches off the Poon Hill trail for big Dhaulagiri views and a community lodge. The Annapurna Circuit is a much longer trek over the Thorong La pass (5,416 m). Some trekkers finish it via Tatopani and Ghorepani to end with a Poon Hill sunrise.
Build in at least a day in Pokhara on either side of the trek for the lake, paragliding and recovery. To the north, the Kali Gandaki road leads to Jomsom, Muktinath and Mustang. In the south, Chitwan offers jungle safaris and Lumbini the birthplace of the Buddha. Our Nepal travel guide brings it all together.
If Poon Hill is your first taste of Nepal, it is a very good one, and for many people it is the start of a lifelong habit. Get Lost Forever arranges guided Poon Hill treks with licensed local guides and fairly treated porters. We can combine them with Annapurna Base Camp, Pokhara and the rest of Nepal. Tell us your dates and how you like to travel on our plan your trip page, or send a booking enquiry and we will put together an itinerary.
Four days from Pokhara is the standard. Three days works if you drive to Ulleri. Five days lets you spend a relaxed night in Ghandruk. Add a day either side for travel to and from Kathmandu.
Yes. It is one of the best first treks in Nepal. The altitude is modest and the trail is clear, and you stay in comfortable lodges every night. The steps are the hard part, so do some hill walks or stair training beforehand.
Yes. Children from about seven or eight who already enjoy hill walking regularly complete it with a guide and porter. For younger children, choose the shorter jeep-assisted version, keep days short and allow extra time.
Poon Hill is 3,210 m (10,531 ft). You sleep below it in Ghorepani at about 2,860 m and climb up for sunrise in 45 to 60 minutes.
Most people do not. You never sleep above about 2,880 m. Mild symptoms can appear in Ghorepani, especially if you drive to Ulleri and walk up the same day. If symptoms get worse, descend and tell your guide.
Officially, yes. Since April 2023 Nepal requires foreign trekkers to use a licensed guide in national parks and conservation areas, and the FCDO repeats this. Enforcement on the Annapurna trails varies, but you should plan and budget for a guide.
You need the Annapurna Conservation Area (ACAP) permit, around NPR 3,000 (about £17) for foreign nationals. A TIMS card (about NPR 2,000) may also be required. Sources disagree on whether it is still checked on Annapurna trails, so ask your agency. A small local fee is collected for the Poon Hill viewpoint.
Agency packages from Pokhara typically cost about US$300 to US$600 per person (roughly £230 to £460) with guide, porter, permits, lodges and meals. Sharing a guide and paying as you go, a small group might spend £200 to £350 each.
October and November give the clearest views. March and April bring rhododendrons in bloom, with a little more haze. December to February is cold but often clear and much quieter.
Yes. From Tadapani you continue to Chhomrong and up the Modi Khola valley to Annapurna Base Camp. The combined trek takes about 10 to 12 days from Pokhara.
Jeeps can reach Ulleri from Nayapul, and a rough road reaches Ghorepani from the Beni side. Most trekkers still walk the final climb to Ghorepani, which is the point of the trek.
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