Poon Hill with Annapurna Base Camp Trek - Nepal International Tours & Treks

Annapurna Base Camp trek via Poon Hill by Nepal International Tours & Treks takes you to two of the most popular places in Nepal for viewing mountains as well as sunrise. These places are the hill station of Poon Hill and the Base Camp of Mt. Annapurna. In order to start this trek, you will drive to Pokhara on a 6-7 hour bus ride from Kathmandu. After a 2-hour bus ride from Pokhara, you will get to Nayapul. You will start your trek from here. There are sumptuous villages like Tatopani, Ghorepani, Chomrong, and Tadapani on your way to the Annapurna Base Camp trek via Poon Hill. These villages bless you with some astounding views of mountains during your stay here. On your way to Annapurna Base Camp, you will also get to Machhapuchhre Base Camp. Annapurna Base Camp and Poon Hill offer some breathtaking sunrise views amidst mountains like Dhaulagiri, Annapurna (I) II, III, IV; Annapurna South, Gangapurna, Lamjung Himal, Nilgiri, Tukuche Peak, Hiunchuli, and Manaslu. You will also trek through some lush forests of the ACAP region during this trek. These forests are full of rhododendron and oak trees. These forests become all the more beautiful with the bright red color of rhododendron in the spring season. ACAP region is also full of some rare animals and exotic species of birds. If you are lucky, you will be able to spot some rare animals in ACAP like snow leopards, musk deer, Himalayan Tahr etc. Around the end of the Poon Hill trek, you can enjoy taking a shower in the hot springs of Jhinu Danda. This shower heals your body after a week and a half of trekking in the mountains of the Annapurna region. Nepal International Treks will help you get the best out of this trek.

Main Attractions of the Annapurna Base Camp trek via Poon Hill

UNESCO World Heritage Sites tour in Kathmandu.
Scenic drive from Kathmandu to Pokhara and back.
A cool walk amidst the rhododendron forests of ACAP region.
Visit two Base Camps- Annapurna Base Camp and Machhapuchhre Base Camp
Beautiful sunrise from Poon Hill amidst the mountains of Annapurna and Dhaulagiri range.
Enjoy natural hot springs at Jhinu Danda.
Quaint villages and friendly locals along the way.

Best Time for Annapurna Poon Hill Trekking

The most popular seasons for the Annapurna Poon Hill Trekking are the seasons of spring and autumn. Autumn falls in the months of September, October, and November. Spring falls in the months of March, April, and May. A moderate amount of sunshine and a low amount of precipitation are some of the reasons why these seasons are popular for completing this trek. The views of the mountains are also gorgeous. You can also complete Poon Hill to Annapurna Base Camp trek in the winters (December, January, February). You have to have the appropriate gear to deal with the cold and snow in this season though. Similarly, with appropriate gear and planning, you can also complete the Annapurna Base Camp Poon Hill trek in the summer (June, July, August) season.

Annapurna Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek Difficulty

Annapurna Poon Hill trekking is a moderate trek in the Annapurna region of Nepal. The highest you will trek to in the Annapurna Poon Hill trekking is the Annapurna Base Camp itself. You will cover a total of 115 kilometers in this trek. The altitude gains will be slow making the trek relatively easy. While getting to places like Poon Hill and Ulleri, the trail takes the form of steep stairs. You will encounter plenty of other uphills, which might make the trek strenuous at times. So, preparation for about 2-3 months for this trek will come in quite handy. Preparation might include running, jogging, swimming, cycling, or even hiking for a day or two.

Outline Itinerary

Detail Itinerary

Cost Included

Cost Excluded

Day 01: Pick up from Airport and drive to your hotel (1,300m/4,264 ft), Hotel Accommodation.

Day 02: Half day sightseeing tour of Kathmandu. Hotel Accommodation.

Day 03: Drive to Pokhara (828 m /2690 ft) 6 – 7 hrs, Hotel Accommodation.

Day 04: Pokhara to Nayapul (1070 m / 3510 ft) and Trek to Ulleri. (1520m /4985 ft) 5-6 hrs, Tea House Accommodation.

Day 05: Trek to Ghorepani (2880 m/ 9446 ft) 6-7 hrs, Tea House Accommodation.

Day 06: Hike to Poonhill (3210 m / 10529) and trek to Ghandruk (1950 m / 6396) 7-8 hrs, Tea House Accommodation.

Day 07: Trek to Chhomrong (2170 m/ 7118 ft) 5 – 6 hrs, Tea House Accommodation.

Day 08: Trek to Himalaya (2920 m / 9577 ft) 6-7 hrs, Tea House Accommodation.

Day 09: Trek to Annapurna Base Camp (4,130 m / 13,546 ft) via Machhapuchhre Base Camp (3700 m / 12,136 ft) 5- 6 hrs, Tea House Accommodation.

Day 10: Trek to Bamboo from Annapurna Base Camp (2310 m /7576 ft ) 7 – 8 hrs, Tea House Accommodation.

Day 11: Trek to Jhinu Danda (1780 m / 5838 ft) 5 – 6 hrs, Tea House Accommodation.

Day 12: Trek to Naya Pul then drive to Pokhara, 6 hrs trek, 1 hr drive, Hotel Accommodation.

Day 13: Leisure day in Pokhara where you walk around Lakeside and enjoy the mountain view and other local activities on your own. Hotel Accommodation.

Day 14: Drive back from Pokhara to Kathmandu on a comfortable tourist bus. 7 – 8 hrs, Hotel Accommodation.

Day 15: Final departure

Day 01: Pick up from Airport and drive to your hotel (1,300m/4,264 ft), Hotel Accommodation.

You will arrive at the international airport in Kathmandu, Nepal- Tribhuvan International Airport. Our representatives from Nepal International Tours & Treks will meet you outside the airport terminal. They will then help you to transfer to your hotel. You can also find all the relevant information about the hotel you will be staying with your guide. The guide will also brief you about your trek as well as other related information about the trek.

Day 02: Half day sightseeing tour of Kathmandu. Hotel Accommodation.

You will have a delightful breakfast at your hotel in the morning. Then, you will go for a sightseeing tour of Kathmandu. Kathmandu, which is the capital of Nepal, has a unique blend of modern as well as ancient culture. The architecture of this city reflects that. You will be amazed to see some modern buildings and ancient temples of the medieval age.

Pashupatinath Temple:

Pashupatinath Temple is a Hindu temple. It lies on the banks of the river Bagmati. The temple welcomes over a million Hindu devotees that come to worship Lord Shiva here. The auspicious occasion of Maha Shivaratri is the best time to visit this temple. It is a two-storied temple that has various other temples surrounding it.

Boudhanath Stupa:

Boudhanath is one of the holiest Buddhist sites in Kathmandu. It was made in the 5th century C.E. UNESCO recognized it as a World Heritage Site in 1979 A.D. The area with its wonderful Buddhist vibe is often called “Little Tibet”.

Kathmandu and Patan Durbar Squares:

Kathmandu Durbar Square and Patan Durbar Square were the residential palaces of the kings of Kathmandu and Patan respectively in the past. There are various temples, stone inscriptions, as well as museums inside the premises of these two squares. The most impressive monument inside Patan Durbar Square is Krishna Mandir while the Hanuman Dhoka complex is the most impressive one inside the Kathmandu Durbar Square. If you want to look inside the history of these squares, a visit inside the museums here is worthwhile.

Day 03: Drive to Pokhara (828 m /2690 ft) 6 – 7 hrs, Hotel Accommodation.

You will head out to the awesome valley of the Pokhara. You will head out to the touristic paradise called Pokhara on a 6-7 hour bus drive from Kathmandu. This bus ride is scenic as you get to see some lovely hills along the way. And in between the hills, there are gushing rivers that flow. These rivers flow out of the Himalayas. You can also have the first glimpses of mountains although they are quite far.

Day 04: Pokhara to Nayapul (1070 m / 3510 ft) and Trek to Ulleri. (1520m /4985 ft) 5-6 hrs, Tea House Accommodation.

Today, there will be a mixture of a bus drive and a trek. First, you will head out to Nayapul (1070 meters). This ride is quite pleasant and lasts 2 hours only. Nayapul is also where many trekkers gather to trek. This is the entry point to many other treks like Annapurna Base Camp Trek, Khopra Danda Trek, Mardi Himal trek and plenty other in this region. After that, you will go to Tikhedhunga on a 4-5 hours trek. During this trek, you will gain an altitude of around 500 meters. You will also pass villages like Birethanti along the way.

Day 05: Trek to Ghorepani (2880 m/ 9446 ft) 6-7 hrs, Tea House Accommodation.

You will head out to the place with the largest rhododendron forests today. This place is called Ghorepani. It will take about 6-7 hours, for you to reach Ghorepani(2860 meters). The first part of your trek will take you along an uphill ride to Ulleri. The walk up to Ulleri is around 2 hours long and exclusively uphill. From Ulleri, you will walk around 4 hours or so to get to Ghorepani. Ghorepani is set beautifully amidst the mountains of the Annapurna region. It also has close access to Poon Hill, which is an awesome hill station in the Annapurna region.

Day 06: Hike to Poonhill (3210 m / 10529) and trek to Ghandruk (1950 m / 6396) 7-8 hrs, Tea House Accommodation.

Today, you will wake up early in the morning, This is because you will head out to Poon Hill before the sun is up. You will trek around 1 hour or so before you reach Poon Hill(3210 meters). The trail to Poon Hill is almost elusively full of stairs. After you reach there, you will get to see glorious views of mountains like Annapurna, Dhaulagiri, Manaslu, Machhapuchhre etc. You will also get to see some staggering sunrise views from there.

After that, you will descend to your teahouse in Ghorepani for having breakfast. After that, you will head out to another picturesque village called Tadapani(2630 meters). The trek to Tadapani is about 4-5 hours long. This makes today’s trek of 6-7 hours long. You will pass some uphills and downhills along the way. You will also pass some rhododendron forests along the way giving you glimpses of some beautiful flora and fauna of the Annapurna region.

Day 07: Trek to Chhomrong (2170 m/ 7118 ft) 5 – 6 hrs, Tea House Accommodation.

The beginning of the trek from Tadapani is gradual downhill. You will walk through a pristine forest of oaks and rhododendron with occasional views of the Annapurna range. This part of the walk is very pleasant till you reach Kimrong Khola, where you will have lunch. The trail from here leads uphill for 1-2 hours, once at the top of the ridge the walk is fairly easy all the way to the village of Chomrong (2170 meters). Chomrong is the gateway to the Annapurna Sanctuary. The trek from Tadapani to Chomrong is 5-6 hours long.

Day 08: Trek to Himalaya (2920 m / 9577 ft) 6-7 hrs, Tea House Accommodation.

From Chhomrong, the trail initially descends through thousands of steps down to the Chomrong Khola. You will cross a suspension bridge and continue an uphill trek to Khuldighar at 2,380 m. In the yesteryears, there was an ACAP (Annapurna Conservation Area) check post here. You will encounter a clearing in a forest in the ACAP region after trekking from Chhomrong. From here, the trail descends quite steeply onto a rock bank. The trail then becomes a level field as you cross a series of bamboo forests to the right of the river. After trekking for a few hours along the bamboo and rhododendron forests, you will reach Himalaya, which lies at an altitude of 2920 meters. The total duration of today’s trek from Chhomrong to Himalaya is 4-5 hours.

Day 09: Trek to Annapurna Base Camp (4,130 m / 13,546 ft) via Machhapuchhre Base Camp (3700 m / 12,136 ft) 5- 6 hrs, Tea House Accommodation.

An hour’s walk from Himalaya will take you to Deurali. Then you will climb gently through a river bed before an ascent over a steep trail that leads you to a mountainside of Bagar. You might find the hike from Bagar to Machhapuchhre Base Camp (3700 meters) a tad demanding. You can get excellent views of the majestic Machhapuchhre along with Mt. Hiunchuli, Annapurna South, Annapurna I, Annapurna III, Gandharva Chuli and Gangapurna from Machhapuchhre Base Camp (MBC). From Machhapuchhre Base Camp, you will head out to Annapurna Base Camp. Forested vegetation, which is the hallmark of the ABC trek, disappears on your way to ABC from MBC. The trekking trail from to ABC from MBC also widens. After trekking for 90 minutes to 2 hours from MBC, you will get to Annapurna Base Camp (4130 meters). The total length of today’s trek from Himalaya to Annapurna Base Camp is 5-6 hours. From Annapurna Base Camp, you will get some of the staggering views of the south face of Annapurna towering above us. From Annapurna Base camp we again get to savor panoramic views of the Machhapuchhre, Annapurna South, Annapurna I, Hiunchuli and other peaks. You will finally descend back to Machhapuchhre Base Camp to spend your night.

Day 10: Trek to Bamboo from Annapurna Base Camp (2310 m /7576 ft ) 7 – 8 hrs, Tea House Accommodation.

After enjoying the beauty of the mountains amidst the sunrise from Annapurna Base Camp in the morning, you will make your descent back. You will trek back from the same trail you came from. You will walk alongside the river that you were part of during your trek uphill. Today’s trek is mostly downhill. So, today’s trek is quite easy. In addition, you will still be able to catch glimpses of some extraordinary landscape by your side. After trekking for 7-8 hours, you will reach Bamboo (2310 meters). You will stay overnight in Bamboo

Day 11: Trek to Jhinu Danda (1780 m / 5838 ft) 5 – 6 hrs, Tea House Accommodation.

Initially, you will have to trek uphill until you get to Kuldighar. Then you will trek downhill to Chhomrong Khola. Then, you will trek uphill through stone steps for about an hour before reaching Chhomrong. The trail then descends to Jhinu Danda, where you will spend your night. You will trek for 5-6 hours before reaching Jhinu Danda (1780 meters). In Jhinu Danda, you can enjoy a shower in hot springs. The hot springs are merely half an hour downhill trek from Jhinu Danda.

Day 12: Trek to Naya Pul then drive to Pokhara, 6 hrs trek, 1 hr drive, Hotel Accommodation.

On your way to Naya Pul from Jhinu Danda, we get to enjoy the amazing hilly landscape of ACAP region. You will hike along the side of Modi Khola for 4-5 hours before reaching Birethanti. This will be one of the most pleasant walks of the trip. This day’s trek will be mostly flat. After trekking for an hour to 90 minutes from Birethanti, you will get to Nayapul. A one hour 30 minutes drive from Nayapul will take you to Pokhara, where you will stay overnight. Note: *If the road construction connecting Jhinu Danda to Naya Pul is complete, driving from Jhinu Danda to Pokhara could be another option.

Day 13: Leisure day in Pokhara where you walk around Lakeside and enjoy the mountain view and other local activities on your own. Hotel Accommodation.

There are plenty of exciting things to do in this leisure day in Pokhara. This awesome tourist valley is filled with travelers all around the world. There are plenty of world class restaurants here where you can find cuisine from all around the world. You can also go for boating or a thrilling walk in the caves in Pokhara. You can also go for a sunrise/ sunset views from Sarangkot. In short, you are free to spend this day whichever you want to.

Day 14:Drive back from Pokhara to Kathmandu on a comfortable tourist bus. 7 – 8 hrs, Hotel Accommodation.

You will go to Kathmandu today. You will take a tourist bus to Kathmandu. The tourist bus takes around 6-7 hours for you to get to Kathmandu from Pokhara. You will get to see scenic hills, free flowing rivers, and culture of people along the way in small settlement. After you arrive in Kathmandu, you can go for shopping souvenir.

Day 15: Transfer to Airport for International departure.

Nepal International Tours & Treks will help you transfer you to Tribhuvan International airport. You can catch your flight back home in this airport. The representatives from our company will drop you at the airport in a private transport. You will get to the airport approximately 3 hours before the scheduled flight. You need to secure your confirmed air ticket as well as necessary travel documents. Don’t hesitate to write to us if you want to be a part of another tour in Nepal.