Popular Trips
Annapurna Poonhill Trek

Annapurna Poonhill trek

Trek to the famous hill station, Poonhill

  • Group Size:Min 1 Max 12
  • Duration:10 Days
  • Max Altitude:3,210m/10,532ft
  • Accommodation:Teahouse / Lodge
  • Activity:Trekking in Nepal
  • Meal:All meals included
  • Trip Grade:Moderate
  • Start Point:Kathmandu
  • End Point:Kathmandu
Package difficulty Moderate  

Trip Overview

Highlights

  • A trek to the famous hill station – Poonhill
  • Perfect trip for newbies and for families with kids
  • Moderate trek with magnificent views of mountains
  • Traditional villages and beautiful landscapes

Trip Introduction

Annapurna Poonhill Trek, a perfect trip for newbies and families with kids who seek a ‘first-time’ entry into the gentle wild.If you are short on time but still want the loved ones to enjoy the thrilling wilderness in its gentler form amid some lovely natural surroundings with enticing mountain landscapes, get set for a trip that offers all of this, & even more.

Well known to be the ‘mini’ Annapurna Circuit, this is one popular trek in Nepal that is loved by most backpackers looking for some peace and in the woods of the vast Himalayas. The highest elevation you reach is (3,210m) and for those who reach the famous high hill, the important part of the trip is an early dawn tryst with nature at Poon Hill for a magnificent sunrise over the Himalayas where the mountains stretch as far as the eye goes north towards Tibet & West towards the Dhaulagiri Himal and then swings towards the East with wonderful views of the Annapurna Himal.

The trail meanders through rhododendron forest and engrossing traditional villages of Ghandruk, occupied by the families of bold Gurkha soldiers who serve in the Indian & British armies; it’s a wonderful chance to witness the culture and tradition of the Nepalese countryside. As we hike the paths, there are breathtaking views of the snowy peaks of the Annapurna Ranges and the varied views of the sacred Mount Fishtail, added rewards of this venture. This is not a difficult trek but it helps if you have a reasonable degree of fitness. This trek is said to be the best introduction to a warm-up for any challenging treks that you’d like to do big time in the future…out in the wild where the beauty is ever so natural… ‘Annapurna Poonhill Trek tells you that when you pull up somewhere for a rest, you look up to the heavens and thank God for the captivating beauty that surrounds you and say to yourself ‘what a wonderful world’’.

Is this trek for you?

Duration for treks of this grade stretches up to two (2) weeks. Trails generally go above 4000 meters and on a daily basis, you can expect to be walking for about 5 – 7 hours. The perfect setting of introduction to moderate & challenging trekking in Nepal. Activity level/physical rating is slightly harder than leisure and involves occasional difficult days. Expect ups and downs as well for there will be hills to climb as well and the well-known ‘Nepali flat’ – a little bit up and a little bit down.

Read: The five best highlights of Annapurna Poonhill Trek

Important Note: Your safety is of imperative concern while travelling with Highland Expeditions. Please take care to note that your leader has the authority to amend or cancel any part of the itinerary if it is deemed necessary due to your safety concerns. Every effort will be made to keep to the above itinerary; however, since this adventure entails travelling in remote mountainous regions, we cannot guarantee that we will not deviate from it. Weather or health condition of a group member, unexpected natural disasters, etc., can all contribute to changes in the itinerary. The trek leader will try to ensure that the trip runs according to plan, but please be prepared to be flexible if required.

Trip Itinerary

  • Day 01 - Arrival in Kathmandu [1,350m/4,430ft]

    Arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport, Nepal. Upon completing the visa formalities and collecting your luggages in the airport, kindly proceed to the exit of the arrival hall. Your trip leader will await you just outside the arrival hall and will escort you to your hotel in Kathmandu. Please look out for a placard of Highland Expeditions at the exit of arrival hall. Welcome drinks will be served and after you’ve refreshed, your trek leader will brief you about your trip in the lobby of your hotel in the evening. Get familiar with your surroundings by taking a walk down the street

    • Meal: None
    • Accommodation: Hotel
    • Trekking Hours: 0
  • Day 02 - Fly to Pokhara & explore [827m/2,714ft]

    After breakfast, we hop a twenty-minute flight to Pokhara from Kathmandu airport. During the flight, the views from your window seat give you mesmerizing views of glorious Manaslu and the snow-capped Annapurna mountain range. We reach our hotel, refresh & get familiar with our surroundings. We can go for a stroll down the fewa lake & also do some boating. We could also visit Davis fall and visit the peace stupa. The city of lakes – Pokhara is a wonderful city to explore around. Overnight at your hotel

    • Meal: B, L, D
    • Accommodation: Hotel
    • Trekking Hours: 0
  • Day 03 - Drive to Nayapul and trek to Ulleri [2,050m/6,726ft].

    Today we drive to Naya Pul to start our trek. From Naya Pul we follow the south bank of the river. After several hours we will pass through sub-tropical valley forests, sometimes on the carved trail on the side of the cliff. After lunch, we cross the Modi Khola stream via a suspension bridge to the village of Tikhedhunga. We trek further along the trail quite steep at times. We reach Ulleri by late afternoon for overnight.

    • Meal: B, L, D
    • Accommodation: Teahouse / Lodge
    • Trekking Hours: 5 - 6
  • Day 04 - Trek to Gorepani [2,750m/9,033ft]

    We make our ascent to the Ghorepani village. The name Ghorepani in Nepali means a place with a water trough for resting weary horses owing to its role as an important campsite for traders before it became a trekker's stop, too, for a breather. Ghorepani is an interesting place with small shops and stalls for selling local products and handicrafts. The town has two parts: one in a saddle like shape and the other a few hundred feet lower. Since Ghorepani lies quite higher than our previous stop, we begin to get the first feelings of the chilly weather down here, especially in the evenings. Overnight in Ghorepani

    • Meal: B, L, D
    • Accommodation: Teahouse / Lodge
    • Trekking Hours: 6 - 7
  • Day 05 - Hike up to Poonhill [3,210m/10,532ft] and trek to Tadapani [2,700m/5,586ft]

    Today is a special day because we surmount Poon Hill- an icon of the Annapurna region. We climb the steep trail to the viewpoint of Poon Hill (3210mtrs). The efforts will be rewarded with spectacular views of Machhapuchre, Dhaulagiri, Nilgiri, and the Annapurnas. After taking photos and having some coffee, tea or hot chocolate, we return back to Gorepani. After breakfast, we head east and climb a nearby ridge. We descend through rhododendron forest, pass by spectacular waterfalls along the way and reach Tadapani.

    • Meal: B, L, D
    • Accommodation: Teahouse / Lodge
    • Trekking Hours: 6 - 7
  • Day 06 - Trek to Ghandruk [1,940m/6,365ft]

    As we quit Tadapani, we hike along terraced fields below the wonderful panorama of awe-inspiring glaciated Himalayan mountain ranges. As the trail moves across a group of flatlands, forest, cultivated lands and a suspension bridge over Khumnu Khola, we arrive at the scenic & beautiful village of Ghandruk after hiking for 3 to 4 hours. A supreme vantage point in this pristine & serene village offers breathtaking views of Annapurna South, Gangapurna, Annapurna III, Machhapuchhare and Hiunchuli. Several hotels and teahouses at the village give us a warm welcome with sincere Nepalese hospitality while catering to the requirements of all trekkers’ who hit the trail through this village. Camping in its terraced fields give you the open wild feelings of adventure!

    • Meal: B, L, D
    • Accommodation: Teahouse / Lodge
    • Trekking Hours: 4 - 5
  • Day 07 - Trek to Nayapul and drive back to Pokhara [827m/2,714ft]

    Our final day of trek and after relishing the gripping sights of Annapurna mountain range, we leave Ghandruk and hit the trail to Nayapul and drive to Pokhara afterwards. As we go further in descending towards Birethanti; we find it lies stretched beside the Modi River and is a highly urbanized town. Your trails are made up of stone steps and as we pass through dense forest, we stumble into a small village of Ulleri. Forty minutes beyond Birethanti, we come to the main road. From here, we can easily access any means of transportation to drive to Pokhara. In the evening, you are free to wander by the lakes of Pokhara.

    • Meal: B, L, D
    • Accommodation: Teahouse / Lodge
    • Trekking Hours: 4 - 5
  • Day 08 - Drive back to Kathmandu [1,350m/4,430ft]

    In the morning hours we might do some last hour shopping too. After that, we drive to Kathmandu. We grab seats on the left aisle of the vehicle for the best views of the rivers along the highway because it’s our last time we’ll probably see them. Upon arrival in Kathmandu, we get transferred to our hotel; and we spend the day at our own leisure.

    • Meal: B, L, D
    • Accommodation: Hotel
    • Trekking Hours: 0
  • Day 09 - Free day [1,350m/4,430ft]

    Free and easy day to spend, perhaps doing shopping or rest at hotel’s beautiful court-yard. At eventide, we will relish a farewell dinner to celebrate your successful completion of the ‘Annapurna Sunrise Trek.’ While enjoying our supper, we will also be entertained to a scintillating cultural dance performed by the local belles
    Please do not hesitate to let us know if you would like to extend your stay. Kindly email us for more details on extensions.

    • Meal: B
    • Accommodation: Hotel
    • Trekking Hours: 0
  • Day 10 - International departure

    Thank you for joining us on this trek and it has been a pleasure getting to know you during this time. We hope this venture has enriched your experience with happy memories. Keep in touch and hope to hear from you soon. Bon voyage for a safe and pleasant trip home.

    • Meal: B
    • Accommodation: None

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Dates & Price

Our trips are available on both fixed departure and private group basis.

If you are looking for a group to join this trip please click the Fixed Departures tab for more information on departure dates, availability and price. All our fixed departures are guaranteed to run. Or, if you would like to do this trip alone, or with your friends, families & colleagues in a private group style, please fill out the contact form in Private Group tab and send us your message. We will organize a private trip for you at your preferred dates catering any request you may have.

Check Available Dates

Trip Start Date
Trip End Date
Price
Status

Sep, 2024

Trip Start Date19 Sep, 2024
Trip End Date28 Sep, 2024
PriceUSD 1,050
Status Available

Oct, 2024

Trip Start Date03 Oct, 2024
Trip End Date12 Oct, 2024
PriceUSD 1,050
Status Available
Trip Start Date17 Oct, 2024
Trip End Date26 Oct, 2024
PriceUSD 1,050
Status Available
Trip Start Date24 Oct, 2024
Trip End Date02 Nov, 2024
PriceUSD 1,050
Status Available

Nov, 2024

Trip Start Date07 Nov, 2024
Trip End Date16 Nov, 2024
PriceUSD 1,050
Status Available
Trip Start Date17 Nov, 2024
Trip End Date26 Nov, 2024
PriceUSD 1,050
Status Available

Cost Inclusion

  • All meals (B,L,D) on OPEN/CHOICE Menu whilst on trek with tea & coffee
  • Twin sharing accommodation at Kathmandu guest house or similar category in Kathmandu for 3 nights with breakfast
  • Twin sharing accommodation at 3 star hotel in Pokhara for 2 nights
  • Internal flight (KTM-PKR)
  • All required permits for trek (TIMS Card & ACAP)
  • Accommodation at clean and cozy teahouses on trek
  • Experienced local trek leader with 1:4 assistant guide to client ratio
  • Full support crew with 1 porter for every 2 trekkers
  • Kathmandu airport transfers and escorts on private A/C Vehicle
  • All ground transportation as per mentioned in the itinerary on private A/C vehicle
  • Comprehensive first aid kit.
  • Trek Duffel bag, Sleeping bag with liner and Down Jacket (Sleeping bag and down jacket must be returned after completion of trek)
  • Staff insurances and allowances
  • Trek completion certificate (Upon request)

Cost Exclusion

  • International airfare, Visa and travel insurance
  • Meals at Kathmandu
  • Extra night accommodation in Kathmandu or on trek for any reason (Early arrival or delay, Early arrival from trek due to any reason)
  • Personal expenses
  • Gratuities for staff

Essential Information

Accommodation

Hotel: 5 Nights, Teahouse/Lodge: 4 Nights

Kathmandu: 
In Kathmandu, we stay at Kathmandu Guest House, a well-known hotel where many famous celebrities like Beatles, Ricky Martin, Jeremy Irons and others have stayed. Centrally located in Thamel, the hotel also boasts of a beautiful garden where you can relax and enjoy the greenery. Breakfast will be provided in the hotel and your accommodation will be on twin sharing basis and if you would like to have a single room, upon request you are required to pay single supplement price as stated in the trip costing.
Regardless of whether you're coming back from the mountains or touching base from the airport, come and unwind at the hotel beautiful garden, request some fine Italian espresso or a chilled Beer, and escape in the memorable surroundings of Kathmandu's most adored guesthouse.

Pokhara:
Our Address in Pokhara (Hotel Dandelion), with a spacious and comfortable room this hotel is a good place to chill and relax. The hotel is equipped with modern facilities and a swimming pool. Your accommodation will be on twin sharing basis and if you would like to have a single room, upon request you are required to pay single supplement price

On Trek:
For accommodation on the trek, there are clean and friendly teahouses/lodges along the trail. Rooms are basic, normally just a bed with a pillow and blankets but with a wonderful view from your window. Your accommodation on the trek will be on a twin sharing basis. All the teahouses/lodges have a spacious warm dining room-lounge. The rooms are fairly basic. Blankets are generally provided by the teahouse but we will provide a warm sleeping bag to everyone. Bathrooms are mostly shared and toilets are squat type in most places. We will arrange for you and your group to stay in local lodges daily. Please remember that some of them are very basic and a sense of adventure is necessary.

Single supplement:
Single supplement will be charged if someone wishes to have their own room in Kathmandu. Especially when travelling in a group, we will always pair you with someone of the same sex and similar age to share the room with. If in case of a single by default, then clients don’t have to pay for the single supplement. Please note that on the trek, a single supplement is not available due to limited rooms

Meals

All meals are included during the trek to Annapurna Poonhill Trek (Day 02 to Day 08). We will provide three meals a day (B, L, D) during the trek and in Pokhara. The menus in the teahouses are varied, ranging from traditional Nepalese dhal bhat, Momo (Dumpling) to pizza and apple pie. During the trek, Breakfast and Dinner will be served at the teahouse/lodge where you stay and Lunch will be along the way.
If you have any special dietary requirements please let us know in advance and we will be sure to pass your message to your guide. For a gluten-free diet, we highly recommend you to bring extra foods especially for breakfast as your options for the breakfast will be limited. Meals worth USD 300-350 are included on this trip. In Kathmandu, only breakfast will be provided to give you the maximum flexibility in deciding where what and with whom to eat for lunch and dinner.

Difficulty

Grading: 3-4 (Moderate)

Duration for treks of this grade stretches up to two (2) weeks. Trails generally go above 4000 meters and on a daily basis, you can expect to be walking for about 5 – 7 hours. The perfect setting of introduction to moderate & challenging trekking in Nepal. Activity level/physical rating is slightly harder than leisure and involves occasional difficult days. Expect ups and downs as well for there will be hills to climb as well and the well-known ‘Nepali flat’ – a little bit up and a little bit down.

Previous Experience

No previous experience of trekking is required but you should be moderately fit and must enjoy walking and adaptable to high altitude conditions. Having a previous experience is definitely beneficial but it is not a must to participate for this trip. All travellers need to be in good physical health in order to participate fully on this trip. We strongly advise you to prepare yourself for the trip at least 3 months prior to your trip date by doing regular exercises, going on hiking, running or gym. The fitter you are, the more enjoyable you will find the experience of trekking. All our trip itinerary has been devised keeping every aspect in mind and allows ample time for acclimatization

Approach

Our route to Annapurna poonhill trek follows a careful approach with moderate walking duration and breathtaking sceneries along the way. The maximum elevation you will gain on this trip is 3,210m/10,528ft and the maximum overnight elevation is 2,750m/9,033ft. With over 30 years of experience in trekking and climbing in the Himalayas, we have carefully tailored each of our itineraries. We put a lot of care into all the details when it comes to executing any of your ventures. Safety is always a priority while travelling with Highland Expeditions and we have applied this strictly on our approach.

Group Size

Our emphasis is always on maintaining the small group so that it will be easy to coordinate and cooperate with each other. Our group size is small and we only take up to 12 pax in one group. If you opt to join our ‘fixed departure trip’, you are likely to be joining people from different countries of any age group except minors. The size of the group varies, minimum no of persons required to operate the trip is 1 and the maximum is 12 people.

Typical Day

Daily wake up calls will be between 6.00 am to 7.00 am while on the trek. The wake-up time and breakfast time will be decided a night before during the briefing time. The time table for each day will entirely depend on your walking duration for that particular day.

After a hearty breakfast, we set off on the day's walk. Before breakfast, you are required to pack your duffel bag as it will be loaded by the porter while you are having your breakfast. After 3-4 hours of walk, we stop for lunch mid-day.  The afternoon's walk is generally shorter and we usually arrive at our destination in time for afternoon tea. The rest of the afternoon can be spent exploring the village, to wash your clothes or simply relaxing with a good book. On some days, we will arrive at our destination by lunchtime and the entire afternoon will be free. After dinner, the evening will often be spent playing cards and reliving the day's adventures, before heading off to bed for a well-earned sleep.

Guide and Staff

We possess a deep passion for alpine adventure & the outdoors, and with the small professional group we have on board, we’ve notched up experience that spans almost 3 decades on some of the most isolated trails and highest peaks. We take great pride in calling ourselves a ‘high-altitude adventure specialist’ and all this is due to our diverse and qualified team of guides. Most of our guides were born in these parts & have relatives living in other parts of the regions where they were born in.

Your trip will be led by a qualified guide with 1 porter to every 2 participants and 1 assistant guide to every 4 participants.

Private Trip/Group Joining

Our trips are available on both fixed departure and private basis. If you are looking for a group to join this trip please check our departures section for availability, dates and price. If you would like to travel independently, or with your friends, families & colleagues you are invited to choose any of the trips at your convenient timeframe for any number of people. If you want to do something that is not included in our trip list, we are ready to tailor a trip to suit your exact requirements. In short, we will make every effort to get you on the trip you want, when you want.

Equipment Checklist

The gear listed below is recommended for this kind of trips. We encourage you to get all equipment listed below for the trip and kindly ensure you check and try every equipment. You can also buy or hire the same in Kathmandu as they are available in the many trekking shops from branded to local manufacturers in Kathmandu.

Clothing and Footwear

- Long-sleeved shirts
- T-Shirts
- Trousers
- Warm Jackets/Sweater/Pullover
- Waterproof jackets and trousers
- Thermal
- Inner wears
- Undergarments
- Warm socks
- Warm Hat, Gloves and Bandana/Scarf
- Extra clothes to wear in Kathmandu when you come back from the trek.
- Trekking shoes
- Slippers/Flip flops to wear at camp
- Daypack 30-35 litres (To carry your sunblock, water, camera, waterproof jackets and others that you may require while trekking)

Documents

- Passport with visa and validity of 6 months after your trip completion
- 4 copies of passport size photos for permits and official formalities
- Travel Insurance (Please refer to the general information page for more detail about it)
- Flight tickets
- Credit cards in case of emergencies
- Driving ID or any other ID in case of loss of your passport.

(Please carry the photocopy of all the documents along with you and leave a copy to next of kin)

Others

- Headlamps with extra batteries
- Sunglasses with UV protection
- Camera with charger or spare batteries
- A pair of trekking poles
- Water bottle one (1) litre
- Laundry bag to keep the dirty clothes
- Large plastic bags to keep the clothes dry
- Padlock
- Binoculars
- Reading materials, notebooks and pens

Toiletries and hygiene

- Quick-drying towel
- Small face towel
- Toothbrush &Toothpaste
- Deodorants, Soap and Shampoo (Smaller bottle)
- Face and body moisturizer, Sunscreen and lip balm
- Hand sanitizer/Antiseptic wipes
- Hygiene products
- Basic first aid kit

The gears listed below will be provided by us for the trek. Down Jacket and Sleeping Bag must be returned after the completion of the trek.

- Down Jacket
- Sleeping bag
- Duffel/Kit Bag

Other information

Other information such as (Insurance, Arrival Instructions, Visa and Passport etc) required for the trip will be provided after your trip confirmation. Please feel free to get in touch with us if you require more information about the trip.

Reviews

Gregory H

Highland Team is who you want to pick! Outstanding trip to PoonHill – super well planned, organized and executed by Highland team from start of prompt emails with Passang to last day with the whole trekking crew. What a fabulous team – THIS is the crew you want to pick over all others for any of your expeditions in Nepal. Honest, reliable and a super caring team. We appreciated them so much and were sad to say goodbye. Thank you Passang, Arjun and rest of the team.

Veenita B

I would recommend Highland without any reservations. They run a top-notch operation with great attention to detail. The staff is experienced in dealing with all levels of fitness and any contingencies. The guides assistant guides and porters were all very helpful and professional.



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