Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek 7 Days

Required Permits

Two permits are required for the Poon Hill Trek and both are obtained by your Hop Nepal operator on your behalf before the trek begins.

Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP) 

The entire Poon Hill route falls within the Annapurna Conservation Area, Nepal's largest protected zone at 7,629 square kilometres. The ACAP is mandatory for all trekkers and is checked at the Nayapul entry checkpoint and at Ghandruk. Carry the physical original in your daypack at all times.

TIMS Card 

The Trekkers Information Management System card registers your trekking activity with the Nepal Tourism Board for safety tracking purposes. Obtained through a registered agency, the process is straightforward and handled entirely by our team before you begin trekking.

Best Time to Trek Poon Hill

Spring: March to May

Spring is spectacular on the Poon Hill route for one reason that elevates it above every other season: the rhododendron bloom. From late February through April, the forests between Tikhedhunga and Ghorepani are transformed by the most extraordinary natural flowering display in all of Nepal. Rhododendron trees that grow to the size of mature oaks explode in waves of deep pink, crimson, and white blossom that cover entire hillsides.

March and April combine this visual extraordinary with reliable morning weather, clear mountain views from Poon Hill, and comfortably warm conditions on the lower trail. May brings slightly warmer temperatures and occasional pre monsoon afternoon clouds but mornings remain generally clear for the Poon Hill sunrise.

This is the season for the best forest photography. Trekkers who do Poon Hill in April carry home images that look almost too beautiful to be real.

Autumn: September to November

Autumn is the most popular trekking season in Nepal and with very good reason. The summer monsoon clears from late September leaving the Himalayan air scrubbed crystal clean. Mountain visibility reaches its annual peak. The skies over Poon Hill in October are a deep, extraordinary blue that frames the snow capped peaks better than any other season.

October is the single best month for the Poon Hill sunrise panorama in terms of clarity. The trails are dry and firm, temperatures across all altitude zones are comfortable, and the Annapurna foothills are alive with post monsoon green that makes the terraced lower valley sections unusually lush and photogenic.

November extends excellent conditions as the month opens, becoming progressively colder and quieter as it advances toward December. Mid November trekkers sometimes catch the first early winter snow dusting on the Ghorepani ridge, which creates extraordinary photographic conditions without serious cold weather complications.

Winter: December to February

Winter trekking on the Poon Hill route is possible and underrated. The trail is quiet, the teahouses are peaceful, and the mountain views on clear winter days are among the finest of the year. The Poon Hill sunrise in January, with snow covered peaks and a frost bitten stillness, carries a different quality of beauty from the busy October version.

The temperature considerations are genuine. Ghorepani at 2,860 m in December or January reaches minus 5 to minus 10 degrees Celsius at night. You need a serious sleeping bag (rated to minus 10 degrees at minimum), warm layering, and cold weather gloves for the predawn Poon Hill climb. Some teahouses above Ulleri reduce services in deep winter. The Tikhedhunga to Ghorepani ascent may have icy sections requiring careful footwear.

For well prepared cold weather trekkers, a winter Poon Hill trek offers an experience of rare Himalayan quiet and clarity that peak season cannot deliver.

Monsoon: June to August

The summer monsoon brings persistent rainfall to the Annapurna foothills and the Poon Hill route is not exempt. The lower trail sections below Ulleri become muddy and slippery. Leeches are common in the forest sections from June through August and the moisture and humidity on the lower trail are genuinely uncomfortable.

The mountain views from Poon Hill during monsoon are frequently obscured by cloud for extended periods. You may wait on the summit platform in grey mist for a dawn that never clearly breaks. The forest is lush and green in a way that is beautiful in its own right, but if the Poon Hill sunrise is your primary goal, monsoon is the season most likely to disappoint that specific expectation.

The inner Annapurna region receives less monsoon precipitation than other parts of Nepal due to a partial rain shadow effect but the lower trail sections remain the problematic zone.

Best months in order of recommendation: October, April, March, November, February, May, January, December, September, August, June, July.

Food on the Poon Hill Trek

Trekking food on the Annapurna region teahouse circuit is considerably better than most first time trekkers expect. The Gurung villages of the Poon Hill route have been feeding international trekkers for decades and the kitchens have adapted accordingly.

• Dal Bhat is the foundation and the recommendation. Nepal's national dish of lentil soup, steamed rice, seasonal vegetable curry, and pickle comes with unlimited free refills and is the most nutritionally complete, calorie dense option on any teahouse menu. Your guide eats it daily. Follow their lead on the longer days when your body needs sustained energy more than culinary variety.
• Tibetan Bread is a thick, pan fried flatbread served with honey, jam, or butter that makes an outstanding breakfast alongside sweet black tea. On cold Ghorepani mornings before the Poon Hill climb, a plate of hot Tibetan bread and a large milky tea is exactly what the body requires.
• Noodle Soups including thukpa (Tibetan noodle soup with vegetables) are warming, safe, and widely available at all altitudes. Vegetable soups and clear broths are good hydration supplements as well as meals.
• Pasta, Fried Rice, and Eggs are available at every teahouse on the route. These are reliable options when appetite is reduced from exertion or altitude, offering adequate protein and carbohydrates in familiar formats that are easy to eat even when tired.
• Hot Drinks deserve their own category on this trek. Sweet black tea, ginger lemon honey tea, hot chocolate, butter tea, and Nescafé are available everywhere. On cold mornings at Ghorepani, the quality of life improvement delivered by a large hot drink before leaving the teahouse is genuinely significant. Drink at least three to four hot drinks daily. They count toward your hydration and they make everything better.

Vegetarian trekkers eat excellently throughout the route. The traditional Gurung diet is predominantly plant based and all teahouse menus offer abundant vegetarian options. Vegans should communicate requirements clearly at each stop as butter and dairy appear frequently in standard Nepali cooking.

Water on the Poon Hill Trek

Staying hydrated on the trail is not optional. Dehydration at altitude mimics the symptoms of mild altitude sickness: headache, fatigue, and reduced mental clarity. Drink consistently throughout each day regardless of whether you feel thirsty.

The most responsible and practical hydration approach is to carry two reusable one litre water bottles and use a water purification system to treat water from teahouse taps and natural sources. UV purification devices like the SteriPen are compact, fast, and highly effective. Water purification tablets are a reliable backup. Both are available in Thamel before the trek.

Boiled drinking water is available at most teahouses for a small fee and is a safe and environmentally responsible alternative to single use plastic bottles.

Single use plastic water bottles are available throughout the route but create severe plastic waste problems across the Annapurna Conservation Area. Bringing in water purification capability from Kathmandu is a straightforward way to completely eliminate your contribution to this problem.

Drink at least two to three litres per day on trekking days, more on the demanding Tikhedhunga to Ghorepani ascent day. A consistent habit of sipping throughout the day is more effective than drinking large quantities infrequently.

Packing List for the Poon Hill Trek

The Poon Hill Trek reaches a maximum altitude of 3,210 m and involves forest trekking in the lower sections where rain is possible at most times of year outside peak autumn. Pack for both warm lower valley conditions and cold ridge conditions at Ghorepani and Poon Hill.

Clothing

• 3 to 4 moisture wicking trekking shirts in synthetic or merino wool fabric
• Fleece mid layer jacket for evenings and cool mornings
• Down jacket or heavily insulated jacket for Ghorepani evenings and the predawn Poon Hill climb
• Waterproof windproof shell jacket for rain on the lower trail and wind on the Ghorepani ridge
• Trekking trousers (convertible zip off style recommended for versatility)
• Thermal leggings for cold Ghorepani mornings and the Poon Hill predawn
• Warm hat covering the ears for Ghorepani evenings and the 4:30 AM summit climb
• Lightweight sun hat for lower altitude sun exposure
• Buff or neck gaiter for early morning cold and dust
• Liner gloves for cool mornings
• Insulated outer gloves for the predawn Poon Hill ascent

Footwear

• Waterproof ankle supporting trekking boots broken in thoroughly before departure (the single most important gear item on any Nepal trek, period)
• 5 to 7 pairs of merino wool trekking socks
• Lightweight sandals or camp shoes for teahouse evenings

Essential Gear

• 30 to 40 litre daypack for daily trail use
• 60 to 70 litre duffel bag for porter carry
• Sleeping bag rated to minus 5 degrees Celsius (Ghorepani teahouse rooms drop to 3 to 8 degrees at night in autumn and significantly colder in winter)
• Adjustable collapsible trekking poles (strongly recommended for the long stone staircase ascent from Tikhedhunga to Ulleri and the knee testing descents on Day 6)
• Headlamp with fresh batteries (non negotiable for the 4:30 AM Poon Hill departure)
• Two one litre reusable water bottles
• Water purification system (UV pen or tablets)
• Sunscreen SPF 50 and UV lip balm
• UV protection sunglasses CE Category 3
• Personal first aid kit: blister plasters, paracetamol, ibuprofen, Imodium, antiseptic, rehydration sachets
• High capacity power bank (charging at Ghorepani teahouses is solar dependent and unreliable)
• Camera or smartphone with ample memory cards

Documents and Money

• Passport (valid for at least 6 months beyond return date)
• Nepal tourist visa
• Travel insurance documents and emergency contact card (physical copy in daypack)
• Nepali rupees in small denominations (last ATM is in Pokhara; withdraw enough for hot showers, Wi-Fi, tips, and personal purchases for the full trek duration)
• USD cash as backup

Safety and Insurance

Is the Poon Hill Trek Safe?

Yes. The Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek is one of the safest trekking routes in Nepal. The maximum altitude of 3,210 m places it well below the threshold where serious altitude sickness becomes a significant risk for most healthy adults. The trail is well marked, well maintained, and heavily trekked, meaning help is rarely far away. The teahouse infrastructure is developed and reliable at all overnight stops.

The primary safety considerations are:

Slipping on wet stone stairs and uneven trail surfaces (managed with proper waterproof trekking boots and trekking poles), mild altitude symptoms at Ghorepani (3,210 m being the highest sleeping altitude, where mild headache is not uncommon and responds well to hydration, paracetamol, and rest), and cold exposure during the predawn Poon Hill climb (managed with proper layering including a down jacket and insulated gloves).

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is mandatory for the Poon Hill Trek. Hop Nepal will not permit any trekker to begin the trail without verified proof of valid coverage.

Your policy must cover at minimum: trekking at altitude up to at least 4,000 m (a buffer above the 3,210 m maximum is important), helicopter evacuation and emergency rescue, medical expenses in Nepal, and trip cancellation. Helicopter evacuation from the Annapurna region to Pokhara costs USD 2,000 to 4,000 without insurance. With proper coverage, your insurer handles it entirely.

Carry your insurer's 24 hour international emergency contact number both in your phone and on a physical card in your daypack.

Your Guide Is Your Safety Net

Your government licensed guide monitors your health and energy levels throughout the trek, manages all permit verifications, navigates route conditions, and is trained in first aid and altitude illness recognition. On a route as accessible as Poon Hill, serious emergencies are rare. But when small problems, a twisted ankle, a persistent headache, a teahouse full due to high season demand, arise, your guide handles them so you do not have to.

Passport and Visa Information

Most international visitors can obtain a Nepal tourist visa on arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu. The process is straightforward and takes approximately 20 to 40 minutes at the visa desk depending on queue length.

Visa requirements:

• Passport valid for at least 6 months beyond your intended departure from Nepal
• Two recent passport sized photographs (photo kiosks are available at the airport if needed)
• Visa fee payment in USD cash or by credit card
• Completed arrival card (available on the aircraft and at the airport)

Available visa durations: 15 days, 30 days, and 90 days. Most trekkers choose 30 days which covers the 7 day trek plus time in Kathmandu and Pokhara comfortably.

Citizens of India, Maldives, Singapore, and several other countries have different visa arrangements. Check your specific country's current visa status with the Nepal Embassy or Consulate before departure.

Personal Expenses on the Trek

The Poon Hill package covers all accommodation and full board meals during the trek. However, several personal expense categories arise during the 4 trekking days that you should budget for separately.

• Hot Showers are available at most teahouses for NPR 200 to 400 per shower (approximately USD 1.50 to 3). They are solar heated and therefore dependent on sun availability. A hot shower after the Tikhedhunga to Ghorepani climbing day is one of the most justifiably indulgent things you can spend USD 2 on anywhere.
• Wi-Fi is available at most teahouses below Ghorepani and at Ghorepani itself for NPR 200 to 500 per session (USD 1.50 to 4). Connection speeds are adequate for messaging and email. Reliability decreases above Ulleri. Download offline maps (Maps.me with the Annapurna region) before leaving Pokhara.
• Device Charging costs NPR 100 to 300 per device at most teahouses. Solar reliability at Ghorepani varies. A fully charged power bank from Pokhara covers 4 trekking days of phone use without depending on teahouse power.
• Extra Snacks and Beverages beyond included meals: Snickers bars, Pringles, instant noodles, and local biscuits are available at all teahouses. Budget NPR 200 to 500 per day for extras.
• Tips for your guide and porter are customary and warmly appreciated. Standard guidelines are USD 8 to 10 per trekker per day for the lead guide and USD 4 to 5 per trekker per day for the porter, calculated as a total for the full trip. Tip at the end of the trek in Nayapul or Pokhara in a sealed envelope with a personal note.

Total personal spending budget for 4 trekking days: approximately USD 50 to 100 covers most trekkers comfortably at moderate spending levels.