Pokhara to Poonhill Trek- 2 days to 5 days

If you look at this article, we assume you are already in Pokhara or somewhere in Nepal. We also assume that you know how amusing the Poonhill Ghorepani trekking region is (and that’s why you are looking for the Poonhill trek from Pokhara). The short and easy Trek from Pokhara to Poonhill is perfect for travellers staying in Nepal for less than a week and looking for something easier that takes them close to the Himalayas. So, without filling the article with unnecessary information, let’s directly dive into a complete Ghorepani Poonhill Trek Itinerary. Here’s everything you will need to know before and during trekking at Pokhara Poonhill. 

Where is Pokhara Poonhill?

Poon Hill is a small hilltop at 3100m in the Kaksi District of Gandaki province. It lies in the western North of Pokhara at a distance of about 64 KM. The diversion point to Poonhill from the Baglung Pokhara highway is Nayapul. From Nayapul, you can get to Ulleri, Ghorepani, and then Poon Hill.  Poonhill Yoga Trekking is very famous these days.

How many days does it take from Poonhill Trek from Pokhara?

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

Wanna look at Ghorepani Poonhill Trek from Kathmandu?

Pokhara to Poonhill in 2 days

Day 1: Pokhara to Ghorepani

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

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

For that, you need to first drive to Nayapul and then to Ulleri. Unless the off-road is damaged by rain, the jeep can even go up to Ghorepani. However, let’s keep Ulleri as your end spot for driving. 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 get a bus to Ulleri. About 4kms beyond Lakeside, there’s Baglung Buspark, where you can get the bus to Ulleri. However, there is only one bus operating to Poonhill each day, which might also be cancelled. In that case, you can find jeep on a hiring or sharing basis. The cost for a bus will be 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 Nayapul. Any bus going from Pokhara to Baglung can drop you at Nayapul. You can easily find jeep on a sharing basis from Nayapul to Ulleri. Once you reach Ulleri, you can have lunch 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 Poonhill to Pokhara 

We wake up at about 5:00 am or even before that in the morning. Poonhill is about 45 minutes to 1 hour of the walk along the stairways. The path from Ghorepani to Poonhill is covered in Rhododendron blooms during the spring (the best time for the Poonhill 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 walked 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 Poonhill Trek Itinerary, we walk back to Ulleri, Nayapul, and Pokhara. The walk is about 3 hours, and the ride is about four hours long. You might even find a bus from Poonhill to Pokhara if you are lucky. You are back at Pokhara Lakeside at around 7:00 pm.

Pokhara to Poonhill trek 3 days

Pokhara to Poonhill trek 3 days

We followed the same path on the first day of the three-day Poonhill Trek Itinerary. On the second day, we walk to Poonhill 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 

Here’s 3-day Poonhill trek Itinerary detail.

Day 2: Ghorepani to Poonhill to Tadapani/ Ghandruk

Trekking to Poonhill from Pokhara

As explained earlier, we wake up at about 4 am and hike to Poonhill. Then, back in Ghorepani, we will be ready for the trek at around 10:00 am. We aim to reach Tadapani (5 hours) or Ghandruk (8 hours).

From Ghorepani, we first stop at Deurali. At around 1 a.m., there’s a beautiful lodge on the hilltop where we stop for lunch. The trail taking us to Tadapani is beautiful, with the stream flowing alongside us and random waterfalls. However, it’s a long journey with many ups and downs on the way. We reach Tadapani at about 4 in the evening. Since most trekkers from Poonhill are quite tired, they often crash here.

The better option would have been to spend a night in Ghandruk. Ghandruk is one of Annapurna’s most important Gurung villages, and it has a big settlement. This is a popular homestay destination among national and international tourists. However, we need to walk for another 3 hours from Tadapani to reach Ghandurk, which is really hard, so we recommend 4 days from Ghorepani to Poonhill Trek. 

Day 3: Tadapani/ Ghandruk to Pokhara

You will most likely spend your night in Tadapani. After breakfast here, we walked towards Ghandruk on a level path. Walking in the forest in the morning has its own charm. We reached Ghandruk for lunch. We also took some time to stroll around the village here and then got a Jeep to drive us from Ghandruk to Pokhara. This is about a four-hour ride. We will be back at Lakeside Pokhara at about 4 p.m. 

Pokhara to Poonhill trek 4 days 

The 4 days Ghorepani Poonhill Trek Itinerary is the same as above up to the 2nd day. The first day in Pokhara to Ghorepani (if possible, Pokhara to Ghorepani via road). 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 of Ghandruk. For the night, we sleep in a comfortable hotel at Ghandruk after enjoying the campfire. The morning view of Annapurna from Ghandruk is just awesome. On the 4th day, we can walk to the Madi River bank for a few hours to get our jeep. And if you don’t feel like walking, you can get a Jeep directly from Ghandruk to Pokhara. 

Pokhara to Poonhill trek 5 days.

Trek Pokhara to Ghorepani

The 5 days Ghorepani Poonhill Trek Itinerary is a bit different as we first drive to Nayapul and instead of driving all the way to Ulleri, we walk to this spot. Then, it’s the same as in 4 days itinerary. 

Day 1: Pokhara to Nayapul

You can get the bus to Nayapul from Hari Chowk, Pritihivi Chowk, or Baglung Buspark. Bus driving to Ghandruk or getting to Baglung and Syanjha can drop you here. From Nayapul, we start the walk 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 about 6 hours from Nayapul. 

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

Day 3: Ghorepani to Poonhill to Tadapani

Ghorepani to Poonhill for 1 hour and 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 3.5 hours to reach Ghandrul. 

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 Nayapul and get a ride to Pokhara, or we can simply take a Jeep or bus from Ghandruk to Pokhara. 

Poon Hill Trek Map

The Poonhill Trek Route is in the central region of Annapurna, Nepal, presents stunning scenery and diverse cultural traditions. With Nayapul 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 Poonhill 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 Poonhill 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 mentioned, 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 Poonhill 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 Poonhill 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.

FAQ

What is the cost of the Pokhara to Poonhill trek?

The transportation cost during the start and the return journey from Pokhara to Ghorepani via road is about $20 (for the bus) and about $50 (for the 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, for 2 day Pokhara to Poonhill trek, the 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. 

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

How hard is the Pokhara to Poonhill trek?

Ulleri to Ghorepani to Poonhill and back (as in 2 days Ghorepani Poonhill Trek Itinerary) is not that hard. In fact, it’s among Nepal’s easiest trekking trails, and any newbie trekker can complete it. The Nayapul 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 Poonhill can we find? 

It’s basically a tea house trekking trail with good local lodges. You can find the full guide to Poonhill accommodation and food here. 

Do you need a guide for Poonhill 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 Nayapul via road and 25 km from the Ghorepani Poonhill Trek Itinerary route. The distance from Poonhill to Ghorepani is about 2 km. 

Is Pokhara to Poonhill via car possible?

Yes, it is possible to travel from Pokhara to PoonHill by car. However, the road is not direct, and it involves a combination of driving and trekking. The journey typically starts with a scenic drive from Pokhara to Nayapul, followed by a trek through picturesque villages and forests to reach Poon Hill. The entire journey can take around 8-10 hours depending on road and weather conditions.

Final words, 

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

Drop and comment here or send your queries to [email protected].