Poonhill Trekking is an oddly comfortable and easygoing trek for travelers who want a short yet scenic trekking in Nepal. Travelers walk up through the foothills of Annapurna range while enjoying the scenic sunrise views over the Himalayan giants. This trek demands relatively less effort yet presents one of the most diverse short trekking routes to travel in. Furthermore, it is suitable for trekkers who wish to bring their friends and family with them during their holiday vacation.

Our journey begins with a sightseeing tour around the cultural sites of inside Kathmandu Valley. We visit the iconic Hindu shrine of Pashupatinath temple and Buddhist shrines of Swayambhunath stupa & Boudhanath stupa. Besides that, we also explore the ancient Nepalese architecture of Patan Durbar Square. We start our trek with a drive to Nayapool through the scenic lake city of Pokhara. Then, we head onward to our next destination which is charming village called Tikhedhunga. Travelers pass through the villages of Ulleri and Ghodepani while relishing the breathtaking views of Mt. Annapurna and Mt. Dhaulagiri. We will witness beautiful valleys with layered crop fields, blooming rhododendron forests and dispersed village settlements along this trail.

The highlight of the trip is the sunrise view from Poonhill (3,210m). Therefore, we hike up to the top of Poonhill early in the morning from Ghorepani. Upon reaching there, we can observe the illumination of majestic Himalayas by the rising sun. You can see Mt. Annapurna South, Mt. Annapurna I, II, III and IV along with Mt. Dhaulagiri, Mt. Lamjung Himal, Mt. Manaslu and Mt. Machapuchare. Moreover, this is even thought to be one of the best sunrise view in the whole world. And as we move past the waterfalls and cultural villages, our short trek gets more enriched and memorable. Now, we descend back down to Nayapool and then a drive to Pokhara will mark the end of our trek.

In addition to that, we recommend Spring and Autumn seasons as the best time to go for this trek! Also, you don’t need to worry about acclimatization issues during your trek. Because the trek doesn’t go much higher than 3,210m.

Itinerary

Day 01: Kathmandu City tour
Today we shall explore the open museum of Kathmandu Valley that hosts several of the heritages featured in UNESCO World Heritage Site List. We shall explore the Hindu architectural masterpiece of Pashupatinath Temple, one of the holiest Hindu temples in the entire world. We shall also pay visit to the Buddhist shrines of Boudhanath Stupa and Swayambhunath Stupa (or the ‘Monkey Temple’) revered by the Buddhist followers from around the world. While Boudhanath is one of the world’s largest stupa, Monkey Temple is supposedly among the oldest stupas in the world. Other destinations in the city tour may be added as per mutual convenience. These days of stay in Kathmandu also facilitates in acclimatization for the trekkers.
Overnight in Kathmandu.

Day 02: Kathmandu to Pokhara (800m) by Bus/Car/Air
Today we shall leave the vibrant cultural hotspot of Nepal, the Kathmandu valley, and head for Pokhara, the Lake City of Nepal. We shall reach to this scenic city either via land route (by Bus or Car) which takes around 6-7 hours or via a short and entertaining flight. While land route shall provide beautiful scenery constituting the rural landscape, winding road, company of Trishuli and other rivers, religious site of Manakamana Temple near Muglin among the other noticeable sites, flight to Pokhara shall provide you with the view of mountains farther distance, bird-eye view of the lush hills and take you in short time. Fishtail Mountain welcomes the tourists to Pokhara from a far distance.
Overnight in Pokhara.

Day 03: Pokhara to Nayapool (1100m) and then trek to Tikhedhunga. 1550m (3/4 hrs)
Today we shall start one of the most intensely scenic short treks in Nepal. We start our day with a drive to Nayapool from Pokhara by a private jeep. This drive on the route shall introduce the trekkers with the beautiful and unique as well as remote lifestyle of people in the hills of western Nepal. Our trek shall start from the settlement of Nayapool. The destination for today shall be Tikhedhunga. We shall follow the Modi River and past the scenic Lumle village and another settlement of Birethanti (where the Modi River and Bhurungdi River meet) besides exploring the forests that hosts blooming and colorful rhododendron flower along with other local trees and vegetations. We shall cross the some streams, pass through rainforest-like section covered in ferns and moss-covered trees, adore the waterfalls, interact with the locals, trek on the stone stairs and marvel the scenic beauty in today’s section of the trail.
Overnight in Tikhedhunga.

Day 04: Trek from Tikhedhunga to Ghorepani. 2780m (5/6 hrs)
Today we shall have the beautiful Ghorepani village as our destination. We have a steep trek for couple of hours before we reach to the village of Ulleri. We further trek ahead to explore the dense rhododendron forests, whose beauty is magnified during the spring due to the blooming rhododendron flowers of different varieties. We shall cross the village of Banthati which is famous for marvelous view of the majestic Machhapuchhre mountain (6997m) besides the Hiunchuli mountain (6441m) and Annapurna South Peak (7219m). After passing through another settlement of Nangethati we reach our destination of Ghorepani. A magar village, Ghorepani is famous for unique housing pattern, soaring views of Dhaulagiri, Annapurna South, Hiuchuli, Annapurna I and other neighboring peaks as well as well preserved Magar culture.
Overnight in Ghorepani.

Day 05: Hiking to Poonhill for sunrise (3210m) and trek to Nayapool, 1100m (7/8 hrs) then drive to Pokhara.
Today is the big day and the day for supreme destination of this trekking expedition, the view of sunrise in the famed Poonhill. For this, we start earlier as we have to descend from the hospitable Ghorepani village and reach to the foothill of Poonhill very soon within an hour or two depending on the speed of the trekkers. An hour of climb shall take us to the Poonhill viewpoint. Breathtaking view of sunrise over the mountains such as Annapurna I (8091m), Annapurna II (7937m), Annapurna III (7855m), Annapurna South (7219m), Annapurna IV (7525m), Dhaulagiri (8167m), Nilgiri peak (6940m), Lamjung Himal (6931m), and other smaller peaks makes you hold your breath for some time. After the panoramic view of lofty peaks, we descend from Poonhill and trace the previously beaten track to Nayapool. Further, we shall drive to Pokhara by private jeep and have a overnight stay over there.
Overnight in Pokhara.

Day 06: Pokhara to Kathmandu by Bus.
Our trekking experience comes to an end today. We shall return to the Kathmandu valley either via land route or via flight to Kathmandu. The choice of route shall depend on the ground situation. No matter the return route the journey to Kathmandu is equally beautiful and lures the travelers each time they embark this journey. You may rest in your hotel or you may also explore the streets of Kathmandu to get some souvenirs for the near and dear ones back home if the time and interest permits.
Overnight in Kathmandu.