Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek

  • Sat-Jun-2016

Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek

Trekking in Nepal is the most popular sport, especially the long ones towards Everest and Annapurna region. But the large influx of trekkers that Nepal welcomes every year is definitely because of the wide choice of destination one can embark on. And amid the popularity of trekking towards the famous regions and towering peaks, the short trek of Ghorepani Poon Hill trek has established to be ultimate choice amongst many trekkers.

Ghorepani Poon Hill trek is probably the most-sought-after short trek in Nepal. And looking at the pace of trekkers, its popularity is going to remain for a long time. If you are planning for trekking in Nepal, then you might want to consider Ghorepani Poon Hill as well. So, let us look into more detail of this trek.

About Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek

Ghorepani Poon Hill is known for its short and pleasing journey towards the Annapurna region of Nepal. It is the ultimate short trek in the Himalaya region that comprises the most beautiful panoramic view of high mountains. 

Embarking off the trek from Nayapul, the initial walk is gradual uphill along a gravel road. The trek then arrives at the village of Ghorepani located at 2,750 meters, which is known for its exquisite traditional settlement. Ghorepani is one of the most popular trekking villages in the Annapurna mountains of Nepal. Its charming settlement around the green and serene setting surrounded by mountains is the most pleasing experience ever.

Also, the village is known for magnificent Himalayan panorama of Dhaulagiri I-IV. Annapurna South, Machhapuchhre, Tukuche, Dhampus, Nilgiri, Barah Sikhar, and others. If you are lucky and the day is clear, you may also witness a 360-degree view of Annapurna and Dhaulagiri range.

Then, the next major attraction of Ghorepani Poon Hill trek is obviously Poon Hill. Located at 3,210 meters, Poon Hill is an excellent vantage to engulf the incredible view of mountains. Apart from Annapurna and Dhaulagiri, there are more than 20 peaks between 6000 and 8167 meters that can be seen from Poon Hill. 

Dhaulagiri, Manaslu, Annapurna I and South, Lamjung Himal, Gangapurna, Hiunchuli, Machhapuchree, Niligiri, and many other peaks appear before us when we arrive at Poon Hill. 

Ghorepani Poon Hill trek is a short and sweet journey in the Annapurna region. Going for this trek is all about witnessing the typical lifestyle and culture and immersing in the beauty of Himalayas.

Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek Difficulty

Mentioned quite a few times that Ghorepani Poon Hill is a short trek, it is not a strenuous journey either. The highest elevation reached is 3,210 meters, which is relatively less compared to other destinations. Ghorepani Poon Hill trek is an easy trek and can be accomplished by anyone with good physical strength. 

Due to its accessibility, Ghorepani Poon Hill is also tagged as the best destination for family trek and solo trek in Nepal.

Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek Weather

The weather in Ghorepani Poon Hill trek is pleasant all around the year. In winter, it is only a few times when the temperature drops below zero, especially during the month of January. As the altitude is not too extreme, facing this sort of weather won’t be so challenging.

Likewise, summer is warm, and the temperature ranges from 22-26 degree centigrade on average. So, just a t-shirt and a pair of short can work as trekking clothes. In monsoon, you can face heavy rainfall mainly during June and July.

Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek Best Time to Visit

Trekking to Ghorepani Poon Hill trek is best any time of the year, except for monsoon season.

From March to May is Spring where the temperature is mild, days are clear, with lush green vegetation and a very less chance of precipitation. It is also one of the most favored trekking seasons in Nepal. The next is from September to November when the monsoon has just ended. The rain in monsoon cleans the trail and fills with freshness and delight. 

Trekking in winter towards the upper region is not the best choice, however, as the height is not so significant and difficulty is not an issue, Ghorepani Poon Hill trek is doable in winter as well.

Monsoon in Nepal coincides with summer, so from June to August, this trek is best to avoid. You might be in the midst of trek and rainfall can occur; best not to take this risk. July gets the highest rainfall and August the lowest of three months.

Is Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek possible without a guide?

You can complete the Ghorepani Poon Hill trek even without taking a guide.

However, journeying without a guide means missing information and stories relating to the places you pass by. You are on your own and have to arrange everything. But you will explore and can extend the trek as per your desire.

There are enough guesthouses and lodges scattered all along the trail, so you don’t have burden yourself with a heavy backpack. Accommodation and food won’t be a problem in Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek.

But, you can at least hire a local guide, to have some incredible local interactions and provide a local job injecting money straight into economy.

Even if you trek independently without a guide, arrange yourself an Annapurna Conservation Area Project permit and TIMS card.

Ghorepani Poon Hill Circuit Trek

In the general Ghorepani Poon Hill trek, we first walk towards Tikhedhunga or Ulleri from Nayapul and scale towards Ghorepani the second day. Next stop is Poon Hill and back to Ghorepani. Then on final day, we will get back to Pokhara. This the usually followed itinerary of Ghorepani Poon Hill trek.

Well, Ghorepani Poon Hill Circuit trek is a extended version with some added destinations. 

After exploring the mesmerizing sunrise amid the majestic Himalaya peaks in Poon Hill, we trek to another typical village called Tadapani which takes around 5-6 hours and another 2-3 hours of walk to arrive at Ghandruk. It is also possible to trek directly from Ghorepani to Ghadruk, but it can be strenuous as it takes around 8-9 hours of walk in a single day.

Ghandruk is a famous ethnic village of Nepal that exhibits rich culture, tradition, and lifestyle of the Gurungs in hilly region. It is fun to explore around the traditional slated houses of Ghandruk. Also, the Old Gurung Museum with traditional crafts, woodwork, metalwork, basketry, musical instruments, traditional pots, and dishes is a perfect place to visit to know more about Nepali culture and tradition.

Now form Ghandruk, we descend to Nayapool and be back to Pokhara.

However, you can choose to further extend the trek from Ghandruk. There are two options; one is to trek to Australian Camp and to Naudanda from where you catch a bus to Pokhara, and another option is to trek to Landruk, Tokla, and Dhampus and be back at Pokhara.

Things to include in your backpack

Ghorepani Poon Hill trek is neither difficult nor a challenging one, so you don’t have to stress yourself with heavy packings like tents and food, but there are still few things you have to carry.

-Thermal layered clothing, including both top and pants.

-Both long and short hiking pants or the best is to get convertible pants.

-Waterproof hiking boots.

-Rain and windproof jacket.

-Down jacket.

-Sleeping bag and silk liner.

-Cold weather gloves.

-A beanie (especially during the night).

-Hiking poles – they help to balance while carrying bag and supports the knee while scaling.

-Water bottle – you can keep on refilling instead of buying several on the way which degrades environments and increases costs as well. 

-Water purifying tablets.

-Few pair of socks and underwear.

-First aid, toiletries, sunscreen, and sunglasses.


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