Pokhara to Poon Hill Trek- 2 days to 5 days

If you are looking at this article, we assume you are already in Pokhara or somewhere in Nepal. We also assume that you know how amusing the Ghorepani Poon Hill trekking region is, and that’s why you are looking for the Poon Hill trek from Pokhara.

The short and easy Trek from Pokhara to Poon Hill is perfect for travellers staying in Nepal for less than a week and looking for something easier that takes them closer to the Himalayas.

So, without filling the article with unnecessary information, let’s directly dive into a complete Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek Itinerary. Here’s everything you will need to know before and during trekking at Pokhara Poon Hill. 

Where is Pokhara Poon Hill?

Poon Hill is a small hilltop at 3210 meters (10,531 ft) in the Kaksi District of Gandaki province. It lies in Northwestern Pokhara at a distance of about 64 km (40 miles). The diversion point to Poon Hill from the Baglung Pokhara highway is Naya Pul. From Naya Pul, you can get to Ulleri, Ghorepani, and then Poon Hill.  Poon Hill Yoga Trekking is very famous these days.

How many days does it take from Poon Hill Trek from Pokhara?

Well, the Poon Hill Trek from Pokhara completely depends on you. From Pokhara, the Ghorepani Poon Hill trek can be completed in 2 days or more than seven days, depending upon your Ghorepani Poon Hill Trekking Itinerary and the places you want to cover during the trip.

Pokhara to Poon Hill in 2 days

Day 1: Pokhara to Ghorepani

On the first day, you can get to Ghorepani, which is like the base camp for Poon Hill Trek Route. Ghorepani has all the hotels and restaurants and is about 45 minutes walking distance from Poon Hill Nepal. We stay at Ghorepani on the first day and walk to Poon Hill on the second day.

So, how can you reach Pokhara to Ghorepani in one day?

For that, you need to first drive to Naya Pul and then to Ulleri. From Ulleri, Ghorepani is about 4 to 5 hours of walking. If you leave Pokhara at about 7 a.m., you will be in Ghorepani at about 4 p.m.

Now, let’s explain where you can get a bus to Ulleri.

About 4 km beyond Lakeside, there’s Baglung Buspark, where you can get the bus to Ulleri. However, there is only one bus operating to Poon Hill each day, which might also be cancelled. In that case, you can find a jeep and hire it on a sharing basis. The cost for a bus is about $5, but a jeep ride can cost up to $20. If you hire a jeep (for 6 to 8 people), it can cost up to $50.

If you don’t want to hire a jeep from Pokhara to Ghorepani, you can first get to Naya Pul. Any bus going from Pokhara to Baglung can drop you at Naya Pul. You can easily find jeeps on a sharing basis from Naya Pul to Ulleri.

Once you reach Ulleri, you can have lunch in any teahouse and walk towards Ghorepani. The road from Ulleri to Ghorepani is mostly hidden in the forest. There’s a checkpoint for ACAP and TIMS before you enter Ghorepani.  

Day 2: Ghorepani to Poon Hill to Pokhara 

We wake up at about 5:00 am or even before that in the morning, then hike to Poon Hill Viewpoint.

Poon Hill is about 45 minutes to 1 hour of the walk along the stairways. The path from Ghorepani to Poon Hill is covered in rhododendron blooms during the spring (the best time for the Poon Hill trek) and is full of snow in winter.

Once you get to the top, you can witness the awesome panorama of the mountains in the Annapurna Range and Dhaulagiri Range. After about one hour on the Hilltop, you walk down the same stairway. Back to the same hotel in Ghorepani, it is time for some breakfast.

After breakfast, we will be trekking down towards Ulleri on the same path we travelled yesterday. If you don’t want to take the same path, you can walk towards Ghandruk, adding one more day to your Trek.

However, since this is only two days of the Poon Hill Trek Itinerary, we walk back to Ulleri and then drive back to Naya Pul and Pokhara. The walk is about 3 hours, and the ride is about 4 hours long. You might even find a bus from Ulleri to Pokhara if you are lucky.

You will reach Pokhara at around 7 pm. Then, you can freshen up and stroll around Pokhara. If you have time, you can go for some adventurous activities in Pokhara, which is nearby.

Pokhara to Poon Hill trek 3 days

We follow the same path on the first day of the 3-day Poon Hill Trek Itinerary. On the second day, we walk to Poon Hill in the morning and return to Ghandruk for breakfast. Then, instead of returning to Ulleri on the same trial, we walk to Tadapani or Ghandruk village, returning to Pokhara on the 3rd day.

Day 1: Pokhara to Ghorpani 

The first day of our 3-day Gorepani Poon Hill Trek is the same route that we took on the 2-day trek that we discussed previously. From Ghorepani/Ghode Pani, we can trek to Tadapani or trek directly to Ghandruk.

Day 2: Ghorepani to Poon Hill to Tadapani/ Ghandruk

As explained earlier, we wake up at about 5 am and hike to Poon Hill. Then, back to Ghorepani. After having breakfast in the Ghorepani teahouse, we will start our trek at around 8:00 am. We aim to reach Tadapani (5 hours) or Ghandruk (8 hours).

From Ghorepani, we first stop at Deurali. At around 11 a.m., there’s a beautiful lodge on the hilltop where we will stop for lunch.

The trail taking us to Tadapani is gorgeous, with the stream flowing alongside us and random waterfalls. However, it’s a long journey with many ups and downs on the way.

We can reach Tadapani at about 2 or 3 in the evening. Since most trekkers from Poon Hill are quite tired, they often crash here. The better option would have been to spend a night in Ghandruk Homestay.

Ghandruk is one of Annapurna’s most significant Gurung villages, with a large Gurung settlement. This is a popular homestay destination among national and international tourists. However, we need to walk for another 2 hours from Tadapani to reach Ghandurk, which is really hard, so we recommend 4 days from Ghorepani to Poon Hill Trek. 

Day 3: Tadapani/Ghandruk to Pokhara

You will most likely spend your night in Tadapani. After breakfast here, we will walk towards Ghandruk on a level path. Walking through the forest in the morning has its own charm. We will reach Ghandruk for lunch.

After lunch, we will stroll around the village. You might want to buy some traditional items as souvenirs or try Gurung cultural dress and click some photos.

Then, walk another half an hour to Kimche, from where you can get a jeep to drive us to Pokhara. This is about a four-hour ride. We will be back at Pokhara accommodation at about 4 pm.

Pokhara to Poon Hill trek 4 days

The 4 days Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek Itinerary is the same as above up to the 2nd day.

The first day is Pokhara to Ghorepani (if possible, Pokhara to Ghorepani via Beni, Ghara and Sikha). On the 2nd day, we stay at Tadapani and walk to Ghandruk in the morning on the 3rd day.

We have a whole day to visit the temples, monasteries, and museums in Ghandruk. For the night, we get to sleep in a comfortable hotel/homestay at Ghandruk after enjoying the campfire. During festive occasions and on special request, they conduct cultural programs in the evening, too.

The morning view of Annapurna range from Ghandruk is just awesome. On the 4th day, we can walk along the Madi River bank to Kimche for a few hours to get our jeep for Pokhara. And if you don’t feel like walking, you can get a jeep directly from Ghandruk to Pokhara.

Pokhara to Poon Hill trek 5 days

The 5-day Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek Itinerary is a bit different as we first drive to Naya Pul, and instead of driving all the way to Ulleri, we can stay in Naya Pul. Then, walk up to Ulleri the next day only. From Ulleri, it’s the same as in the 4-day itinerary.

Day 1: Pokhara to Naya Pul

You can get the bus to Naya Pul from Hari Chowk, Pritihivi Chowk, or Baglung Buspark. Bus driving to Ghandruk or getting to Baglung and Syanjha can drop you here. From Naya Pul, we start the walk towards Ulleri via Tikhedunga.

The walk towards Uller is quite steep in some parts. However, hiking along the village and rivers is quite fun. You will reach Ulleri in about 6 hours from Naya Pul. 

Day 2: Ulleri to Ghorepani

A 4—to 5-hour walk along the forest takes us to the stunning Ghorepani village. There are a few waterfalls and streams along the way, but it’s mostly a forest full of rhododendrons and pines. Ghorepani has the largest rhododendron forest in the world.

After about 5 hours of hiking, you reach the amusing Ghorepani village with many beautiful hotels.

Day 3: Ghorepani to Poon Hill to Tadapani

We will hike early in the morning to Poon Hill for 1 hour. And after enjoying an excellent, heart-warming sunrise view, we will trek back to Ghorepani for breakfast. Then, we complete multiple ascents and descents before crashing at Tadapani for the night. If you still feel energetic, you can also walk for another 2 hours to reach Ghandruk. 

Day 4: Tadapani to Ghandruk

3 hours of walk from Tadapani to Ghandruk in the morning is fun. At Ghandruk, we can visit many monasteries, temples, museums, and local houses and keep ourselves engaged for the entire day. 

Day 5: Ghandruk to Pokhara 

Next morning, we can hike down to Kimche and get a ride to Pokhara, or we can simply take a Jeep or bus from Ghandruk to Pokhara. 

Poon Hill Trek Map

The Poon Hill Trek Route traverses around the central region of Annapurna, Nepal, and presents stunning scenery and diverse cultural traditions.

With Naya Pul as the starting point, the path passes through quaint villages like Tikhedhunga, where the local Nepalese brighten the day with their traditional hospitality.

Ghorepani, is another scenic settlement that is made up of rhododendrons. The trek goes on to Ghandruk, a Gurung settlement where terrace farming is very popular, and the views of the mountains are breathtaking.

The Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek Itinerary map highlights a trail that passes through hills, forests, and waterfalls, providing trekkers with a view of the peaceful villages of rural Nepal.

Poon Hill Weather

The kind of weather you can expect on the Ghorepani Poon Hill Trekking is comparable to the variety of the landscape. Come March to May, when the rhododendron and other wildflowers begin to bloom on the hills.

The autumn climate between September and November is featured with clear skies and moderate temperatures that can be enjoyed while on a trekking vacation. Nevertheless, hikers should remember that the mornings and evenings might be cold, particularly at higher altitudes.

The weather on the Ghorepani Poon Hill Trekking Itinerary not only adds an element of energy to the experience but also gives trekkers an exclusive opportunity to appreciate the stunning beauty of the Himalayas, which seems to change every moment.

Poon Hill Altitude

With an elevation of about 3,210 meters (10,531 feet) above sea level, Poon Hill presents trekkers the most incredible view of the world’s tallest mountain peaks.

However, being neither considered high altitude nor low, trekkers should still seek to acclimate because they will be more likely to do so successfully. Walking up at a slow pace is preferable, ensuring you are adequately hydrated and guided by your body’s signals.

In Poon hill, although the altitude is moderate, you will feel an outstanding achievement as you gaze at the sunrise over the power Annapurna and Dhaulagiri mountain range.

Poon Hill Height

The hill rises 3,210 meters or 10,531 feet, which is a perfect viewpoint for ogling the enchanting Himalayas. As Poon Hill sunrise, the snow-crowned peaks start getting the apple-red touch of the first sunlight, and a picture of quiet and beauty unfolds.

The height of Poon Hill indeed is average by Himalayan standards, but the sight of the whole range of mountains there from the top of the hill puts the trekkers the feeling of being close to God.

What is the cost of the Pokhara to Poon Hill trek?

The transportation cost during the start and the return journey from Pokhara to Ghorepani via road is about $20 (for the public bus) and about $50 (for the private jeep) per person. The cost of a hotel in Ghorepani is $5 to $8 for one night, and food is about $30 per day. If you hire a guide and porter, they cost $25 and $20, respectively.

So, 2 day Pokhara to Poon Hill trek cost is about $100, and that for 5 days is about $200 (without a guide and porter). You will need about $50 for the TIMS and ACAP permit.

Poon Hill trek cost for Nepalese is about NPR 3000 for two-way transportation (in jeep) and about Rs 1000 to Rs 1500 for dinner, bed, and breakfast per night.

However, if you want to go on a comfortable and fully arranged 6-day Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek with Himalayan Masters, it costs $900. The package includes all the costs for accommodation, food, transportation, permits, etc.

FAQ

How hard is the Pokhara to Poon Hill trek?

Ulleri to Ghorepani to Poon Hill and back (as in 2 days Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek Itinerary) is not that hard. In fact, it’s among Nepal’s easiest trekking trails, and any newbie trekker can complete it. The Naya Pul to Ulleri hike can be quite demanding, but you can easily skip it with a Jeep ride. Also, if you aim to walk from Ghorepani to Ghandruk on the same day, it will take a lot of energy. So, it’s wise to stop at Tadapani.

What kind of accommodation/ hotel in Poon Hill can we find?

It’s basically a tea house trekking trail with good local lodges, however, for accommodation in cities like Pokhara and Naya Pul, you get to stay in good quality lodges.

Do you need a guide for Poon Hill Trek?

Legally, you don’t. And since it’s short and easy, you can probably manage without a guide. The number of hotels in Ghorepani and Ghandruk is also good, so pre-booking might not be needed. However, having an experienced guide while trekking in an unknown country is always safe.

What is the Pokhara to Ghorepani distance?

Pokhara to Ghorepani is about 60 km (the distance via road can be higher). Ghorepani is about 40 km from Naya Pul via road and 25 km from the Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek Itinerary route. The distance from Poon Hill to Ghorepani is about 2 km.

Is Pokhara to Poon Hill via car possible?

No, it is not possible to travel from Pokhara directly to Poon Hill by car. However, you can drive up to Ghorepani and then trek for an hour to the Poon Hill Viewpoint. This entire journey can take around 8-10 hours, depending on the route and weather conditions.

Final words, 

Anything else you want to know about the Ghorepani Poon Hill trek Itinerary? This Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek Itinerary can also be customized as per your preferences.

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