Poon Hill is a peak located near Ghorepani, with a height of 3,210 meters. To enjoy the extraordinary beauty of the Himalayan Annapurna range of Nepal, there is no match for the Poon Hill Trek. On clear days, 12 peaks of the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri ranges can be seen from Poon Hill. It is a relatively easy trek. During this five-day trek, you will be mesmerized by the spectacular views of the mountainous region, with multiple snow-capped peaks along the way. From Poon Hill, one can get a wonderful view of the Dhaulagiri range.
Even if it is challenging, if you go to Pokhara, you should at least take the time for this trek. Many cannot go for the Everest Base Camp Trek or the Annapurna Base Camp Trek due to lack of time or physical ability. In that case, the Poon Hill trek can be completed in five or four days.
Trek Summary
- Altitude: 3,210 meters
- Trek Duration: 5 days
- Trek Base Camp: Ghandruk
- Best Time: April to June and September to December
Starting from Pokhara and reaching the Annapurna Reserve, the trek can be done either clockwise or counterclockwise. Most start the trek clockwise. However, if you do the trek counterclockwise, the first two days will be relatively less difficult. From the very first day, the wonderful scenery makes you forget the hardships of walking or climbing mountains.
You can stay in Ghandruk for the first night, Tadapani for the second night, and Ghorepani for the third night. On the fourth day, before sunrise, you can climb Poon Hill and enjoy the sunrise over the magnificent peaks of the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri ranges. If the sky is clear and the clouds are low, a closer look at Machhapuchhare, Himchuli, Annapurna South, Annapurna-1 (world’s 10th highest peak, 8,091 meters), Nilgiris, Tukuche, and Dhaulagiri-1 (world’s 7th highest peak, 8,167 meters) is possible. All peaks are clearly visible.
Permits Required In addition to the ‘TIMS’ card, trekkers need an entry permit for the Poon Hill trek. Both these cards can be easily obtained from the tourist center in Pokhara, or any agency or hotel staff can arrange it for a small fee.
- Annapurna Conservation Area (ACAP) Permit Fee: 2,000 Nepalese rupees for foreigners, 200 rupees for SAARC nationals.
- TIMS Permit Fee: 1,000 Nepali rupees
Possible Tour Plans Time needed: 5 days
- Pokhara to Ghandruk
- From Pokhara, take a taxi to Baglung Bus Station. From here, take a bus to Ghandruk. It’s a 5-hour journey. From where the bus drops you, trek for 2 hours to reach Ghandruk at an altitude of 1,950 meters. Overnight stay at Ghandruk’s cottage.
- Ghandruk to Tadapani
- After breakfast, start trekking from Ghandruk to Tadapani at a height of 2,680 meters. This 6 km trek will take 3.5 to 4 hours. Overnight stay at Tadapani.
- Tadapani to Ghorepani
- After breakfast, start trekking to Ghorepani at a height of 2,850 meters. It will take 5-6 hours. Overnight stay in Ghorepani.
- Ghorepani to Ulleri
- Get up early in the morning and trek for 1 hour to Poon Hill to watch the sunrise. Later, the peaks are covered with clouds, so it is better to go early in the morning. After that, start trekking towards Ulleri after breakfast. Now, it’s mostly downhill. Overnight stay at Ulleri.
- Ulleri to Pokhara
- Continue the descent from Ulleri. About 3,500 stairs to go down. After that, you will reach Hille village. From Hille, take a jeep to Pokhara.
Alternatively, one can take a jeep from Pokhara to Nayapul and start the trek to Ghandruk. In that case, it will take 5-6 hours.
On the way back, one can reach Tikhedhunga directly from Poon Hill. In this case, it will take 4-5 hours. The next morning, after 3 hours of trekking from Tikhedhunga, you can reach Nayapul and take a jeep to Pokhara. This journey will take 1.5 to 2 hours from Nayapul to Pokhara.
