Bradley is a travel journalist and guidebook author specialising in trekking in Central Asia, Nepal, Bhutan and elsewhere in Asia. He writes for Lonely Planet, Odyssey Guides, Insight Guides, among others.
- Best trek for: Easier-going route with classic sunrise views
- Difficulty: Easy to moderate
- Trek duration: Five to six days
- Max. elevation: 3,210m
- Accommodation: Trekking lodges
- Start/end point: Naya Puk/Phedi
Mixing heart-stirring mountain views with enchanting villages and beautiful forests with a thousand blooming rhododendrons, this is a good introduction to trekking in Nepal.
The highlight is Poon Hill itself, an hour’s walk above the village of Ghorepani. Watching the sunrise from here is an almost obligatory Nepalese experience. As the first beams of light shine across a panorama that includes Dhaulagiri I (8,167m), South Annapurna (8,091m) and Nilgri (6,940m), it’s hard not to be moved, despite the often noisy crowds
The trailheads are only about an hour’s drive out of Pokhara and there are excellent trekking lodges along the route plus some luxury hotels. The trek can be done clockwise or anti-clockwise and it makes a good add-on to the more challenging Annapurna Sanctuary trek. It’s also an ideal first time trek for families and those who don’t want to go too high. But do keep in mind that there’s a lot of steep up and downs.
Short Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek
4 daysFrom $386At a glance
Destinations
Annapurna Region
Activity
Adventure, Hiking & Trekking, Active, Walking, Nature & Wildlife, Culture, Solo TravelPhysical Level
MildDuration
5 daysRelated Guides
Trekking in Nepal
I clearly remember the day, thirty years ago, when walking down the street during my first visit to Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, I looked up at the clouds towering above the northern end of the city and it suddenly hit me that they weren’t clouds at all but were the snow-capped peaks of the mighty Himalaya. A week later, and after three long days of walking, I stood within a giant amphitheatre of rock and ice, totally enveloped by those same mountains.
The best Annapurna treks
For lots of visitors, trekking in Annapurna = trekking in Nepal, in particular the two blockbuster treks: the Annapurna Sanctuary and the Annapurna Circuit trek.
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Poon Hill trek
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