Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek hiking guide: route map, stages & where to stay

The Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek is the most popular short trek in Nepal. In four or five days it climbs from the Modi Khola valley near Pokhara to Ghorepani, a teahouse village at about 2,860 m, and to Poon Hill (3,210 m), a viewpoint where hundreds of trekkers watch the sun rise over Dhaulagiri (8,167 m), Annapurna South, Annapurna I and Machhapuchhre, the "Fishtail". The trail then follows a forested ridge to Tadapani and drops to Ghandruk, one of the largest Gurung villages in the Annapurna foothills. You sleep and eat in family-run teahouses, so you carry only a day pack or a light trekking pack. The whole route lies inside the Annapurna Conservation Area.

The route

This guide walks the classic loop clockwise. From Nayapul on the Pokhara–Baglung highway the trail crosses to Birethanti, where your permit is checked, and follows the Bhurungdi Khola past Hile to Tikhedhunga. The second day is the hardest: more than 3,000 stone steps climb to the Magar village of Ulleri, and the trail continues through oak and rhododendron forest, past Banthanti and Nangethanti, to Ghorepani. Before dawn on day three you climb Poon Hill, about 1.5 km and 350 m above the village, and come back for breakfast. The trail then climbs to the Deurali pass at about 3,090 m and descends through dense forest and a river gorge to Tadapani, which faces Annapurna South and Machhapuchhre. The last stage drops through forest and terraced fields to Ghandruk.

This guide follows the route as mapped on OpenStreetMap, about 32.5 km from Nayapul to Ghandruk, and splits it into 4 stages, about 8.1 km each. The Poon Hill climb is a side trip from Ghorepani and is not counted. From Ghandruk most trekkers take a jeep or bus to Pokhara; the walk down via Kimche and Syauli Bazaar to Nayapul adds about half a day. The total climb is about 2,750 m.

Highlights

• Poon Hill sunrise: a wide panorama from Dhaulagiri and Tukuche Peak in the west to Annapurna South, Hiunchuli and Machhapuchhre in the east
• The Ulleri steps: a famous stone staircase through terraced Magar villages
• Rhododendron forests: between Ghorepani and Tadapani, in red, pink and white bloom in March and April
• Tadapani: a ridge-top hamlet with a close view of Machhapuchhre at dawn and dusk
• Ghandruk: slate-roofed stone houses, a Gurung museum and views up the Modi Khola valley to Annapurna South

When to go

The best seasons are autumn (October and November) and spring (March to May). Autumn has the clearest skies but the busiest trail; in spring the haze is thicker, but the rhododendrons are in flower. December to February is clear and quiet, but nights in Ghorepani are below freezing and snow and ice are possible on Poon Hill and the Deurali pass. From June to September the monsoon brings daily rain, leeches, landslides on the roads and clouds that often hide the mountains.

How many days do you need?

Most people walk the loop in 4 days: Nayapul to Tikhedhunga, Tikhedhunga to Ghorepani, Poon Hill and Ghorepani to Tadapani, and Tadapani to Ghandruk with a jeep back to Pokhara. Many now save the first day by taking a jeep from Pokhara up the dirt road to Hile, Tikhedhunga or even Ulleri, which makes it a 3-day trek. Take 5 days if you want to walk down from Ghandruk to Nayapul, or to add a rest morning in Ghorepani. Plan a spare day in Pokhara for permits and delays.

Permits and rules

Every trekker needs an Annapurna Conservation Area (ACAP) entry permit: NPR 3,000 for foreigners and NPR 1,000 for SAARC nationals. Buy it online or at the ACAP counters in Pokhara or Kathmandu: on the trail it costs double. It is checked at Birethanti and Ghorepani, so carry your passport and a printed copy. Since April 2023 Nepal requires foreign trekkers in conservation areas to hire a licensed guide through a registered agency, which also arranges the electronic TIMS card. In 2026 this rule was still not strictly enforced on Poon Hill, but it is the law and it may change, so check before you go. Drones need several government permits.

Getting there and away

Pokhara is the base. Local buses and jeeps leave from Pokhara's Baglung Bus Park for Nayapul, about 1.5 to 2 hours away; a taxi is faster. Jeeps continue up the rough road along the Bhurungdi Khola to Hile, Tikhedhunga and Ulleri. From Ghandruk, jeeps and buses run down via Kimche to Nayapul and Pokhara. Roads can close after heavy rain in the monsoon.

Teahouses, money and phone signal

Teahouses are simple lodges with twin rooms, thin walls, shared toilets and a warm dining room. The owners expect you to eat dinner and breakfast where you sleep. Ghorepani has the most lodges, Tadapani only a few, so phone ahead in October, November and April. Hot showers, phone charging and wifi usually cost extra. Bring enough Nepali rupees in cash for the whole trek: there are ATMs in Nayapul, but you cannot rely on the machines higher up and cards are rarely accepted. Mobile signal (Nepal Telecom and Ncell) is good in most villages and patchy in the forest.

Difficulty

The Poon Hill trek is moderate. The days are short, 2 to 6 hours, but stage 2 climbs about 1,300 m, almost all on steep stone steps, and the descents to Tadapani and Ghandruk are hard on the knees. The highest point, Poon Hill, is 3,210 m: altitude sickness is rare, but possible if you come straight from the lowlands, so walk slowly and drink plenty. Most fit walkers manage it without previous trekking experience.

What to pack

A warm down jacket, hat and gloves for the dawn climb, when it is often near freezing; layers for warm afternoons in the valleys; a headtorch; trekking poles for the steps; a sleeping bag or liner (lodges provide blankets); rain gear; water purification tablets or a filter; sun protection; a power bank; blister care and basic medicines, because there is no pharmacy above Birethanti.

Safety

In an emergency call 100 (police) or 1144 (tourist police, English-speaking). There is no public mountain rescue: serious cases are flown to Pokhara by private helicopter, normally only after your insurer guarantees payment, so carry insurance that covers trekking and helicopter evacuation. Do not walk alone, start early, and finish before dark. Give way to mule trains on the hill side of the path. After rain the stone steps are slippery, and in the monsoon check for landslides and leeches.