Poonhill Circuit Trek - Ghorepani Poon Hill Circuit Trek

Poon Hill Circuit trek is the most popular short trekking destination in Nepal. The astounding views of the plenty of mountains you get during this trek, the ease of completing this trek, and low altitude of this region makes thousands of trekkers come to complete this trek.

You can make the most out of this trek by choosing The Great Adventure Treks for your trip.

Poon Hill is a hill station that is 90 minutes’ trek away from the village of Ghorepani. Poon Hill is one of the most popular places for observing sunrise.

Poon Hill gives you delightful views of towering peaks like Mt. Annapurna (26,545ft-8,091m) Mt.Dhaulagiri, Mt. Manaslu, Annapurna South (23,693 ft-7,219m), and Gangapurna (24,457 ft.-7,455m) amongst others.

This trek starts after a 6-7 hour bus ride from Kathmandu valley along the hills that surround this capital city of Kathmandu. This picturesque ride takes you along the sites of Trishuli and Marsyangdi river.

From there, a one and a half hour of bus ride will take you to Nayapul and your trekking journey begins from there as you trek along villages like Tikhedhunga, Ulleri, Ghorepani, Tadapani, and Ghandruk.

These villages are quaint. The people in these Gurung villages are warm and friendly. You can interact with the locals here and learn their culture. You will also be able to interact with the hundreds of trekkers along the way.

Poon Hill Circuit trek by The Great Adventure treks is the best way to experience relatively easy trekking in Nepal without missing out on the beauty of the mountains whilst learning the culture of the region simultaneously.

Main Attractions of the Poon Hill Circuit Trek

Tour of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Kathmandu.
Short and easy to complete even without a lot of preparation
Scenic drive along the hills of Kathmandu valley on the way to Pokhara.
Rhododendron forests of ACAP region light up your trek, especially in the spring.
Mesmerizing sunrise from Poon Hill amidst the mountains of Annapurna and Dhaulagiri range.
Quaint villages set in the backdrop of stunning mountains.

Best Time for Poon Hill Circuit Trek

The most popular seasons for the Poon Hill Annapurna Circuit Trek are the seasons of spring, autumn, and winter.

Autumn falls in the months of September, October, and November. Spring falls in the months of March, April, and May. Mild amount of sunshine, low precipitation, and crisp views of the mountains make thousands of trekkers complete the Poon Hill Circuit Trek in these two seasons.

Winter (December, January, and February) is one of the best time to complete this trek. Winter season gives you the best views of the mountains. Further, the region lies in lower altitude regions, the cold is also bearable. You can also enjoy solitude in the winter season.

There might be some amount of rainfall during the summer in this trek. As the trek takes place in the lower altitude regions, the rainfall is more than in the high altitude regions of Annapurna region. But with appropriate gear, you can complete the Poon Hill summer trek

Poon Hill Circuit Trek Difficulty

You can complete the Poon Hill Circuit Trek even with a modest amount of trekking experience.

Poon Hill lies at an altitude of 3190 meters. This is also the highest point on this trek. So the chances of altitude sickness is extremely low or nil.

One of the most difficult time during the Poon Hill Circuit Trek is climbing the 3500 stairs during the hike to Ulleri. Further, the hike to Poon Hill from Tadapani also demands you to trek up some stairs. Apart from that, the trek is fairly easy.

So you won’t need a lot of preparation for this trek. Although some form of exercising for a few weeks prior to coming this trek will make it easier.

Outline Itinerary

Detail Itinerary

Cost Included

Cost Excluded

Day 01: Arrival pick up from airport transfer to hotel

Day 02: Half day sightseeing tour of Kathmandu

Day 03: Drive to Pokhara (820m) 6-7 hrs

Day 04: Drive to Nayapool(1070m.) trek to Tikhedhunga (1520) 4-5 hrs.

Day 05: Trek to Ghorepani (2860m) 5-6 hrs.

Day 06: Hike to Poon Hill (3210m.) to Tadapani (2630m) 5-6 hrs.

Day 07: Trek to Ghandruk (1940m) 2-3 hrs.

Day 08: Trek to Nayapool and drive to Pokhara 5-6 hrs.

Day 09: leisure day in pokhara

Day 10: Drive to Kathmandu 6-7 hrs

Day 11: Airport drop for your further destination.

If you want to extend your trip, please feel free to choose from our DAY TOURS, NEPAL TOURS or Jungle Safaris. here are some trip extensions that might interest you.

Extended Trips

Day 01: Arrival pick up from airport transfer to hotel

You will arrive at only international airport in Nepal- the Tribhuvan Airport in Kathmandu. Our representatives from The Great Adventure Treks will meet you outside the airport terminal. They will be holding a signboard that reads “The Great Adventure Treks”. So you can locate them easily. After you meet them, you will check in your hotel. Our guide will give you all the relevant information about the hotel you will be staying. He will also brief you about the Poon Hill Circuit Trek. if you have any other queries, you shouldn’t hesitate to talk to him.

Day 02: Half day sightseeing tour of Kathmandu

The capital city of Nepal- Kathmandu- awaits for you today for a great sightseeing tour. Despite being one of the most modern cities in Nepal, you will also be able to see the heritage of the ancient culture in Kathmandu. You can see the influence of this in the architecture of this city, where you can find modern buildings as well as temples of the medieval age.

Pashupatinath Temple:

The most impressive Hindu temples in the world, Pashupatinath, lies quite close to the waters of the Bagmati river. Every year, this largest Hindu temple in the world welcomes over a million Hindu devotees. You can come to this temple on the occasion of Maha Shivaratri where there is a gathering of a million people. It is a two-storied temple that has various other temples surrounding it.

Boudhanath Stupa:

Boudhanath, a holy Buddhist site in Kathmandu, was the 5th century C.E. It was established as a World Heritage Site in 1979 A.D. You can find people of all faiths in Boudhanath. They rotate the prayer wheels that are abundant in the temple. People make several rounds of this monastery while they are here.

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. These palaces embody the wonderful architectural styles of Newari artists and craftsmen.

Krishna Mandir is the most popular temple in Patan Durbar Square. Hanuman Dhoka complex is the most visited site inside the premises of Kathmandu Durbar Square. You can also visit the museums located in these Durbar Squares.

Day 03: Drive to Pokhara (820) 6-7 hrs

Next day, you will set out to Pokhara on a bus after having a breakfast in your hotel. The route of the bus takes you along the beautiful, scenic hills along with sights of Trisuli and Marsyangdi River. It is also possible for you to catch views of Ganesh Himal and the Manaslu peak during this bus ride. After a ride of 6-7 hours from Kathmandu, you will reach Pokhara(820 meters).

Pokhara is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Nepal. It is a paradise for tourists. This is mainly due to its wonderful landscape, touristic vibe, and its clean, green environment. After you reach Pokhara, you can stroll around the city or spend some quality time in the lakeside.

Day 04: Drive to Nayapul (1:30min) trek to Tikhedhunga 4-5 hrs

You will head out to Nayapul (new bridge) the next day after having breakfast on a 2-hour drive. Nayapul lies at an altitude of 1070 meters. You start your trek in Nayapul. The start of your trek passes through some busy areas. You will encounter local and international trekkers, mule and donkey trains along the way.

The path joins Bhirthati village. From here, you will follow the main trail, which is an old Trans-Himalayan trade route path. The trek then follows the main route through several farm villages and waterfalls till you reach Tikhedhunga after trekking for 4-5 hours. You will spend your night in Tikhedhunga (1560 meters).

Day 05: Trek to Ghorepani (2860m) 5-6 hrs.

You will encounter one of the most difficult parts of the trek this day. You will walk 2 hours uphill as you trek along thousands of stone staircases to Ulleri. From Ulleri, the path winds gradually through the cool rainforest with gentle uphills and downhills.

You can feel a cold wind blowing as you trek. You will also find a change in temperature as well as vegetation on your way to Ghorepani. You will encounter many rhododendron trees along the forests of ACAP region while trekking to Ghorepani. Eventually, after trekking for 6-7 hours, you will reach Ghorepani(2860 meters).

Day 06: Hike to Poon Hill to Tadapani (2630) 5-6 hrs.

You will go on an early morning hike to Poon Hill (3,190m) to catch mesmerizing views of the sunrise. The sun rises over the great panorama of the Himalayas from Dhaulagiri-Annapurna to Manaslu mountain range. From here, you will return back to Ghorepani for breakfast.

The trail from Ghorepani takes you to an upper ridge as you walk through rhododendron forest. The path then narrows downhill as you walk through the temperate forests. You might encounter some steep paths along the way before reaching Bhanthahti. Birethanti lies in the middle of the forest where you can take a small lunch-break. Then, you will hike along a trail for an hour through rhododendron forests and small streams. After trekking uphill for an hour, you will reach Tadapani(2630 meters).

Tadapani is in the middle of the forest of Rhododendron, Magnolia, and Oaks. From this place, you can have grand views of Annapurna South and Machhapuchare (fishtail). Today’s trek to Tadapani, including the hike to Poon Hill and back, is 6-7 hours long.

Day 07: Trek to Ghandruk (1940m) 2-3 hrs.

Today your trek will be short and beautiful. It will take you 2-3 hours to trek to Ghandruk (1940 meters) from Tadapani. Some wonderful views of Annapurna South, Hiunchuli, Fishtail etc will be there to greet you during today’s trek. You will have an opportunity to the ACAP Headquarter and Gurung Museum.

Day 08: Trek to Nayapul (1070m) 4-5 hrs. and drive to Pokhara 1:30 min drive

Today you will descend down to Nayapul from Ghandruk. For the initial one hour or so, you will be trekking downhill with a good view of the mountain on the northern side. You can catch a nice view of a running river to your south. Then, you will trek 1 hour before reaching Syauli Bazar. The last 2 hours of your trek takes you on more or less a flat trail to Nayapul (1070 meters) in the company of Modi Khola.

All in all, today’s trek will be 4-5 hours long. A one and a half hours ride from Nayapul will take you to Pokhara.

Day 09: Leisure day in Pokhara(820m)

This will be your leisure day in Pokhara. You can go for a sightseeing tour this day. Pokhara has some of the most beautiful lakes in the country. So you can head out to Phewa Lake, Begnas Lake, and Rupa Lake. You can also get some boating experience here. Pokhara is also home to some adventurous caves like Gupteshwor Mahadev Cave, Bat Cave, and Mahendra Cave. So there are plenty of exciting things you can do in Pokhara on this leisure day. Or you can simply take a break and rest in your hotel.

Day 10: Drive to Kathmandu.

On this day, you will drive back to Kathmandu from Pokhara. The route of the bus takes you along the beautiful, scenic hills along with sights of Trisuli and Marsyangdi River. It is also possible for you to catch views of Ganesh Himal and the Manaslu peak during this bus ride. After a ride of 6-7 hours from Pokhara, you will reach Kathmandu.

You can go for some last minute shopping in Thamel to buy some souvenirs or other items you might need.

Day 11: Airport drop for your next destination.

Today is your last day in Nepal. You will get to the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu for your flight back home. You will get to the airport approximately 3 hours before your scheduled flight. You will go to the airport in a private transport with the representatives from The Great Adventure Treks. You will need the confirmed air ticket and other necessary travel documents before boarding the plane. We could also arrange another tour for you in Nepal if you want to.

Poonhill Circuit Trek - 11 Days

Main Attractions of the Poon Hill Circuit Trek

Best Time for Poon Hill Circuit Trek