If you are someone who loves to explore nature and is seeking a place where you can witness beautiful mountains, and natural habitats, we can suggest one such place in Nepal and that is Poon Hill. In addition, our Four day Poon Hill Trek is perfect for people who are new to trekking, want an easy trek, or want a family friendly trek.
Why Poon Hill for Trekking?
the Poon Hill trek is a short and easy trek. One of its major benefits is that it is easy to enjoy the mountains without having to face the difficulties of the snow and high elevations.
The primary starting point of the Poon Hill trek is from Nayapul, which is a one and a half hour drive from Pokhara. However, there is a different path, which is less traveled. While trekking, you can witness the beautiful villages of Ulleri, Ghorepani, and Ghandruk. The hospitality of these villagers is acknowledged by the people who have previously come to visit Poon Hill. You can enjoy this serene landscapes with dense forests that are full of exotic birds and flowers.
The viewpoint on Poon Hill is at an elevation of 10,470 ft and offers the best view of the mountains and sunrise.
The Ghorepani Poon Hill 4 day trek is an excellent tour package to see the sunrise over the Annapurna Massif. At dawn the Himalayan giants, Dhaulagiri, Annapurna, and others slowly begin to appear like a whale breaching the oceans surface. Then in a moment of disbelief, the mountains are the only thing you can see. You don’t want to miss this once in a lifetime experience.
Annapurna 1 from Poon Hill
What is the best time to visit the Poon Hill trek?
The best time to visit Poon Hill trek is from September to November and March to May.
Starting point?
It’s your choice; There are many starting locations. Most people take a bus or taxi from Pokhara and start the trek in Nayapul. You can also start the trek in Tato Pani, which I prefer because it is a less traveled road. The Poon Hill trek can take you three, four, or five days to explore. Here are the details of 4 day Poon Hill trek.
What to expect on a 4-day Poon Hill trek?
In the 4 day Poon Hill trek, you can start it from Nayapul, hike up to Ulleri, Ghorepani, and Poon Hill and then take the alternate route back to Nayapul via Tadapani and Ghandruk village.
Its extremely easy, but be aware of all the stairs and dust if you start on the Nayapul side.
On my way down from Poon Hill, I saw a troop of 25-30 boy scouts coming up. They looked like they ranged in age from 8 to 16. This trek is definitely family friendly.
Daulagiri, Annapurna South, Annapurna I, Gangapurna Annapurna III, Machhapuchhre
Short Itinerary
Day 01: Pokhara – Nayapul – Ulleri, which is at 6,430 ft and takes 6-7 hours. Nights are spent in local lodges.
Day 02: Ulleri-Ghorepani, which is at 9,429 ft and takes 5-6 hours. Nights are spent in local lodges.
Day 03: Ghorepani-Poon Hill-Tadapani-Ghandruk, which is at 6,361 ft and takes 7-8 hours. Nights are spent in local lodges.
Day 04: Ghandruk-Kimche-Nayapul-Pokhara and 4-5 hours. Nights are spent in local lodges.
Do you need to hire a Poon Hill trek guide?
We do recommend hiring a guide to accompany you on your journey. Our guides are polite, friendly, and professional. They have first aid training and can identify the early warning signs of common trekking setbacks.
Our Poon Hill guides also know where to find the best vantage points of the mountains, and the best lodges to stay at. They are sure to make your experience safe, fun, and memorable. We hope this Poon Hill trekking guide was helpful to you.
Rhododendron forest and Dhaulagiri range above Poon Hill
This blog post contains day 2 of our Ghoripani Poon Hill Trek and sight seeing tour. To read about day 1 and how we came this far you can read Ghoripani Poon Hill day 1 and Annapurna Circuit Trek day 1. This day was the best day for seeing spectacular landscapes and amazing rhododendron flowers. The trail down to Nayapul was almost as amazing as hike up to Poon Hill; The rhododendron forests are enchanting. This is my favorite trek. I hope you enjoy it.
Morning Hike to Poon Hill
rhododendron forest and Dhaulagiri 1
I woke up to the metallic “thank” and soft “thuds” of trekking poles and boots outside my room. It was 5:00 in the morning and I wondered sleepily, “what are they doing out there?” My eyes burst open 15 minutes later and I yelled “Poon Hill!” I had to leave now if I was going to make it to the top for the sun rise.
I knocked on my guides door and he was still getting ready, so I waited for him in the dining room. The owners asked if I wanted breakfast now or when I returned. I opted for when we returned. My guide came out of his room and we left for Poon Hill.
We joined a mass migration of people moving up the hill. It was like a heard of buffaloes on the Midwestern plains. I couldn’t believe how many people there were.
We were stopped by a ticket station as we started to climb to the top. They were charging non-Nepali citizens $0.50 for entrance into the “Poon Hill Conservation Area.” A lot of people did not want to wait in line, so they went around the ticketing station. The booth operators put up a bit of a fuss but did not stop anybody. It was too cold and dark.
We began the 1,300-foot climb to Poon hill, which is at an elevation of 10,500 feet. Trying to get to the top was like dodging the horse trains we encountered on the way up or like playing Frogger. If you are a slower walker, please stay to one side of the trail.
Morning light at the top of Poon Hill
Sunrise over the Annapurna Massif, Hiun Chuli, Gangapurna, Machhapuchhre
I came to a view point about half way to the top of the hill. There is a cell phone tower and toilets here. It also offered some great views of the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri mountain ranges. When I arrived at this lookout post it was still dark, since I still had some time I kept going.
The path was surrounded by huge rhododendron trees that arched over the trail. It was like walking through the Wisteria Tunnel in Japan. It was incredible.
By the time I made it to the top of Poon Hill (20 mins later), the sky was getting lighter. The sun still hadn’t rose yet, but you could see the mountains through a mild haze. I raced up to the top of a viewing platform and started taking pictures. However, most of the pictures did not turn out well.
Dhaulagiri mountain range over Poon Hill
The vista was awe inspiring and almost spiritual. You can see the entire Dhaulagiri mountain range (Dhaulagiri 1, 26,795 ft), Nilgiri Himal, Annapurna 1 (26,545 ft), Anapurna South, Hiun Chuli, Gangapurna, and Machhapuchhre. You can see two of the tallest mountains in the world at one vantage point.
Just when I thought it couldn’t get any more beautiful, the sun started to rise. The sun gently and slowly covered the tops of the mountains with pink and gold and clear light. It eventually rose above Machhapuchhre and for a fraction of a second the mountains had pink halos and the sky was exceptionally clear.
Hiking down
Pink rhododendron flowers
A few moments later the halos were gone, and clouds started to block the views of the mountains. It was time to go down. Before returning, I took a few minutes to look around. There was a coffee shop selling coffee and tea for $2 to $6 per cup. I could understand drinking a hot beverage for warmth, because it was cold. I could not understand needing a coffee to wake up because the mountains were so amazing.
We began walking down to Ghoripani. It was nice seeing the trail in decent lighting. At sections the trees opened, and you could see the mountain side completely covered in red and pink blooms. I took a few pictures and arrived at my hotel before I knew it.
We ate breakfast in silence at the hotel. I was trying to remember everything I saw on top of Poon Hill. The memories are still vivid months later.
After paying for the bill, we started hiking down to Nayapul. This trail was about as beautiful as the trail up to Poon Hill. Old and giant trees shaded the trail with their leaves while the sun shone through the semi opaque flowers casting red and pink spars of light on the forest floor. Some of the trees had exposed roots that were gnarled around rocks and covered in green moss.
The trail began to clear of rhododendrons and were replaced by small villages. It was sad to see it go. More and more people began to pass us going up the trail and you could see their faces glow with excitement and anticipation. They would not be disappointed.
Catching a ride to Nayapul and Pokhara
We crossed the Bhurungdi River in Ulleri and hiked a little further to Tikhedhungga. It was at this point that the trail merged with a road and cars constantly passed us kicking up dust. Since we still had a long way to go, my guide and I decided to take a taxi to Nayapul.
Pro tip: always bargain with taxi drivers and venders. They anticipate it and mark up the prices to come down. Click here for other tips on what to expect in Nepal.
My taxi driver wanted to charge me $20 for the ride. I started negotiating the price with him in Nepali and he came down to $3 per person. The thing that made me the happiest was that he didn’t charge a different rate for the guide, because most people will charge Nepali people a lot less.
We passed a lot of people on our way to Nayapul. I felt so bad because I know how horrible it is to walk in a cloud of dust.
We made it to Nayapul and caught a bus to Pokhara. It was an amazing trip which you can experience too by clicking here.
Rhododendron forest and Dhaulagiri range above Poon Hill
This was a short 2-day trek extension of my Annapurna Circuit trek. We started in the trek in Tatopani after finishing the Annapurna Circuit Trail. We made it to Ghorepani in 7.5 hours. The Ghorepani Poon Hill trek was very pleasant with few annoyances. I met a very nice school teacher on the trail and saw some cool orchids. The highlight of the trek was hiking through the amazing rhododendron forests. So beautiful. If you love flowers, hiking, or amazing mountain vistas, keep reading; this blog post is for you.
Feel free to pin these images to your Pinterest account, if you have one.
Waving good bye to the hot water springs
I arrived in Tatopani at night time. This only left enough time for dinner and sleep. I woke up this morning at about 5:45, packed my gear, and met my guide for breakfast at 6:30. We were on the trail by 7:00. This did not give us an opportunity to relax in the hot springs. Therefore, we skipped them completely. I regret it a little because I don’t have pictures to show you.
We walked through Tatopani for 20 minutes before we had to transfer to the main road. At the road there was an ACAP (Annapurna Conservation Area Permit) check point. We didn’t have to wait in line or breath in clouds of dust because there wasn’t a lot of traffic this early in the morning. We walked on the road for 15 minutes before hiking over a bridge and transferring to a better hiking trail.
Nilgiri south above Tatopani
I had the most amazing view of Nilgiri South as we were crossing over the bridge. Nilgiri stuck with us for most of the trek to Ghorepani. We could also see Annapurna South too. The vegetation at this point in the trek was tropical. I saw one cool species of orchid. My friend later identified it as Dendrobium longicornu.
Orchids on a tree
The trail to Ghoripani Poon Hill
As I hiked up the mountain the climate became cooler and the vegetation changed to deciduous oaks and pines. I was starting to get very upset because I was promised rhododendrons; so far, I had not seen any.
My guide and I came to a small trail leading straight up the hill. He asked if I wanted to take it. I opted for the longer flatter trail. He took the side trail and told me he would meet me at the top of the road. I didn’t see him again until I got to Ghoripani.
The trail had merged with the road, and it was coated with the finest silt. I instantly regretted not going up the side trail with my guide because a car came and wrecked my lungs with dirt. I felt like I was breathing clods of dirt and my lungs felt like they were filled with kerosene. It hurt so bad.
I met a school teacher, at about this time, who was also hiking up to Ghoripani Poon Hill. It was nice to walk with somebody other than my guide. We passed several small villages Ghara, and Shikha with only the excitement of the day to day activities of rural village life.
As I climbed higher the mountains in the background steadily and proudly rose up and made themselves known.
Lunch in Chitre
We stopped in Chitre, and my new trekking partner had some lunch. I watched a young boy with a mental impairment roll a large stone to the edge of a retaining wall over a major walk way.
The young boy waited there until somebody walked passed and then pushed it over the edge. It narrowly missed a man, who became furious. I couldn’t stop laughing. It was like watching my childhood cartoons come to life.
The man started yelling at this kid and tried to hit him several times. But the kid was way out of reach, at least 4 feet above the man. It was entertaining to watch the madness ensue until it became obvious that the child, despite his chromosomal oddity, was still smarter than the man trying to hit him.
The kids mother came out and yelled at the man, then took the kid inside her house.
“Well, are you ready to go?” I asked my new trekking friend. She had her face stuffed with a sandwich and muffled out “foal awn, et me fem”, which I translated to: hold on, let me finish. I walked around for a few more minutes.
The rhododendrons are in bloom
Red Rhododendrons
We started trekking again. Soon after leaving Chitre, we came to a beautiful old growth rhododendron grove. The grove was about 12 trees large, but they were in full bloom and beautiful. They grew on a hill overlooking the mountains. It was extremely picturesque, but also cloudy.
I took pictures for 15 minutes before continuing. From here onward the trail was lined by beautiful trees in bloom.
We passed another village with an ACAP check point. “Oh, you cotton headed ninny muggins”, I thought to myself. My guide has my TIMS card and ACA permit. The only thing I could do was to go talk to the officer and explain my situation.
The officer was extremely nice. She said it was ok to go ahead because my guide will check in for me. I asked my guide about it later and he said he checked in.
After we hiked for another 15 minutes up the trail we hear “ding, ding” and “clickity clack.” A horse train was carrying supplies up to Ghoripani Poon Hill. It was cool to see the horses with bells around their necks walking up the trail.
About 30 minutes away from Ghoripani Poon Hill, the landscape ignited with color. The trees displayed deep vivid reds and bright fluorescent pink flowers. A few other trees had starchy white flowers.
The whole scene resembled an intricately embroidered sari with random and chaotic designs. The landscape looked like red hot glowing coals spread across green silk. It was stunning to see.
From this point on the hike was exceptionally blissful! The rhododendron forest was amazing. The flowers popped off the trees like a jubilee of fireworks celebrating the coming monsoon rains.
Entering Ghoripani Poon Hill
Ghoripani Poon Hill enterance
The trail coming into Ghoripani Poon Hill is cobbled with flat stones and the trees tower over you like a starry night sky. When you reach Ghoripani, the trees give way to developments, concrete and a bustling market place.
The city is small with about a dozen hotels, only four shops, and a rather seedy pool hall. Tibetan handicraft vendors line the narrow streets. They don’t really bother you, unless you start looking at their products. Then they won’t leave you alone.
I walked around a little bit, talking to the hotel owners and seeing which places suited me. I eventually settled on the Annapurna View Lodge Hotel and Restaurant. It was inexpensive with decent amenities and the owners were extremely nice.
The Annapurna View Lodge Hotel and Restaurant has hot showers, eastern style toilets and very clean rooms. The rooms did smell a little like cigarettes though. The rooms are less than 100 square feet and do not have a charging outlet.
Click the link here to read about day 3 of the trek.
