Overview
This Poon Hill Ghandruk trek is a short loop from Pokhara that walks the classic Annapurna foothill circuit instead of going up and back on the same trail. You drive to the road head at Banthanti and climb through rhododendron forest to Ghorepani, rise before dawn for sunrise on Poon Hill at 3,210 m, then follow the forested ridge east to Tadapani. The last morning drops through forest and terraced fields to Ghandruk, one of the largest Gurung villages in the region, facing Annapurna South and Machhapuchhre, and a shared jeep takes you back to Pokhara. It suits first-time trekkers and fit families who want the Poon Hill view and a real village, with one more night on the trail than the two-day version.
The itinerary
- Morning jeep from Pokhara to the road head at Banthanti, or Ulleri when the upper road is poor, a drive of 3 to 4 hours
- Walk 3 to 4 hours on stone steps and forest trail up to Ghorepani with your licensed guide
- Rhododendron forest most of the way, in flower in spring
- Overnight in a Ghorepani teahouse at about 2,860 m and an early night before the sunrise climb
- Pre-dawn climb of 45 to 60 minutes by head torch to Poon Hill at 3,210 m
- Sunrise over Dhaulagiri, Annapurna South, Nilgiri and Machhapuchhre when the sky is clear
- Back to Ghorepani for breakfast, then 4 to 6 hours east along the quiet forested ridge
- Overnight in a teahouse at Tadapani, a small lodge settlement in the forest
- Morning descent of 3 to 5 hours through forest and terraced fields to Ghandruk
- Time to walk the stone lanes of Ghandruk, one of the largest Gurung settlements in Nepal
- Short walk to the jeep stand below the village, where shared jeeps leave for Pokhara
- Drive of around 2 hours back to Pokhara, arriving by late afternoon
Things to carry
- Warm down or synthetic jacket for the cold wait on Poon Hill
- Head torch for the pre-dawn climb
- Broken-in walking shoes with good grip for wet stone steps
- Light rain jacket or poncho
- Refillable water bottle and purification tablets
Good to know
Complete guide
The Poon Hill and Ghandruk loop is a three-day teahouse trek from Pokhara that takes in the classic Annapurna foothills sunrise, a night in deep forest and one of the largest Gurung villages in Nepal. It tops out at 3,210 m on Poon Hill, needs no trekking experience and returns you to Pokhara by jeep on the third afternoon. This guide covers what the loop is actually like, how hard it is and what we arrange for you.
What the Poon Hill Ghandruk trek covers
The loop starts with a jeep ride from Pokhara to the road head at Banthanti, or Ulleri when the upper road is in poor shape, which takes 3 to 4 hours. From there it is 3 to 4 hours on foot through rhododendron forest to Ghorepani, the lodge village below Poon Hill. Next morning you climb to the viewpoint in the dark, 45 to 60 minutes of steps, and watch the light reach Dhaulagiri, Annapurna South, Nilgiri and Machhapuchhre. After breakfast the trail turns east along a quiet forested ridge to Tadapani, and on the last morning it drops through forest and terraced fields to Ghandruk, where a shared jeep takes you back to Pokhara in around 2 hours.
If you only have two days, our two-day Ghorepani Poon Hill trek goes up and back on the Banthanti side. The loop adds the Tadapani forest and Ghandruk, which is why we suggest it to anyone with the extra day. Travellers starting in Kathmandu can take the longer Ghorepani Poon Hill trek from Kathmandu, which includes the road journey to Pokhara and back.
How hard the loop is, honestly
This is an easy to moderate trek. You do not need experience, but you do need to be comfortable walking 3 to 6 hours a day, with the pre-dawn Poon Hill climb on top of the second day. The trail is mostly stone steps, up to Ghorepani and down to Ghandruk, and the descents are what most people feel the next day. Trekking poles take a lot of strain off the knees.
If you walk regularly at home, you will manage at a steady pace. If you have not walked for several hours in a row before, try a long day hike before you travel. Your guide sets the pace to the slowest walker, so nobody is pushed.
Altitude, permits and your guide
Poon Hill is 3,210 m (10,531 ft) and you sleep lower, at Ghorepani and Tadapani. Most people feel only breathlessness on the steps; a mild headache is possible, and your guide will ask how you feel each evening. Drink plenty of water and do not rush the first climb.
The whole route lies inside the Annapurna Conservation Area, so you need an ACAP entry permit, which is checked on the trail. We arrange your ACAP permit and TIMS card before you start, and every departure is led by a licensed guide who knows the teahouse owners and the trail in all seasons.
When to go
Autumn, October to November, gives the most reliable clear mornings on Poon Hill. Spring, March to May, is when the rhododendron forest around Ghorepani flowers, though the views can be hazier by late morning. Winter is cold and can bring snow on the upper trail, but clear days are common and the teahouses are quiet. June and July are the core of the monsoon, when cloud hides the peaks and the jeep road can turn to mud, so we do not recommend them.
Nobody can promise a clear sunrise, and we will not. The advantage of the loop is a second chance: the morning at Tadapani and the walk into Ghandruk both face Annapurna South and Machhapuchhre.
Teahouses, food and the way home
You stay in teahouses, simple family-run lodges, usually with twin rooms, shared bathrooms and a warm dining room where everyone gathers in the evening. Dal bhat, rice with lentil soup and vegetable curry, is the trekker's staple, and vegetarian food is easy to find everywhere on this route. Rooms are basic and cold at night outside the dining room, so bring a warm layer for the evenings.
Ghandruk is worth an unhurried hour. It is one of the largest Gurung villages in Nepal, with stone-paved lanes, a small Gurung Cultural Museum and views of Annapurna South, Machhapuchhre and Hiunchuli. The shared jeeps to Pokhara leave from the road below the village once they fill, and your guide sorts your seats. Not sure whether the loop or the shorter trek fits your days? Send us your dates and we will tell you honestly.
