Poon Hill Trek from Pokhara: 4-day mountain tour

Walk to Poon Hill and watch the sunrise over two Himalayan ranges

A 4-day guided trek from Pokhara to Poon Hill (2,915m) and back, staying in mountain lodges and passing through Gurung and Magar villages. You hike from subtropical forests through rhododendron and oak woodlands to alpine meadows, summiting before dawn on day three to see the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri ranges lit by first light. An English-speaking guide leads the route. Hotel pickup and the trekking permit are included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Pokhara to Ulleri trek start

• Drive from Pokhara to Nayapul
• Hike from Nayapul to Ulleri
• Overnight stay at Ulleri lodge

Day 2: Trek from Ulleri to Ghorepani

• Trek from Ulleri to Banthali village
• Cross streams and forests to Nangethanti
• Hike from Nangethanti to Ghorepani
• Explore Ghorepani village
• Overnight stay at Ghorepani guest house

Day 3: Sunrise at Poon Hill and Ghandruk

• Early hike to Poon Hill for sunrise
• Enjoy panoramic mountain views
• Return to Ghorepani for breakfast
• Descend trek to Ghandruk village
• Overnight stay at Ghandruk teahouse

Day 4: Return trek to Pokhara

• Hike downhill from Ghandruk to Birethanti
• Follow Modi River to Nayapul
• Bus ride from Nayapul to Pokhara
• Tour ends in Pokhara

The experience

The trek starts with a one-hour local bus ride from Pokhara to Nayapul, then climbs through Modi River valley to Ulleri (2,070m) on day one. Day two takes you from Ulleri across streams and forest to Ghorepani (2,675m), passing the Magar village of Banthali where views of Annapurna South and Himchuli open across the valley. The third day is the summit push: you leave before dawn, hike to Poon Hill base, and wait for sunrise to illuminate the snow-capped peaks, then descend to Ghandruk, a Gurung village known for its hospitality. The final day is a long descent through suspension bridges and rhododendron forest, following Modi River back down to Nayapul and the bus ride home to Pokhara.

You stay in guest houses and teahouses run by local families, eating meals with the people who live on the mountain. The route passes through villages where Gurung and Magar communities maintain their own traditions and customs, not as a scheduled stop but as the actual path the trek follows. Your guide speaks English and knows the terrain. The trekking permit and TIMS card (Trekkers' Information Management System) are arranged before you start, so you walk without paperwork delays.

The trek demands moderate fitness: you're hiking uphill most of day one and two, and the pre-dawn push to Poon Hill on day three is steep and early. Accommodation is basic but comfortable, and the bus rides use local transport, so the pace is unhurried and the cost stays low. Hotel pickup and drop-off in Pokhara bookend the trek, so you don't arrange separate transport to the trailhead.

What’s included

• English-speaking trekking guide for all four days.
• round-trip transfer by local bus from Pokhara to the trailhead and back.
• accommodation in guest houses and teahouses each night.
• trekking permit and TIMS card.
• hotel pickup and drop-off in Pokhara.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day8 departure times: the first at 08:00, the last at 11:30

Book up to1h before

AgesAdult (5 to 90 years) · Under 5: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 13 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by My Dream Adventure (MDA)

Is this one for you?This trek is shared (your guide leads a group, though group size is not specified), so you'll meet other trekkers on the trail and at lodges. The fixed itinerary and early start on day three mean the sunrise timing is set, not flexible. If you want to see Poon Hill at first light, this schedule is what makes it possible. Moderate fitness is required: the uphills are sustained and the pre-dawn push to the summit is steep, so it suits trekkers comfortable with a full day of climbing and an early morning.

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Top questions

What's the Poon Hill sunrise actually like when you get there?

Poon Hill sits at 2,915m and faces the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri ranges directly. The first light hits the snow-capped peaks before it reaches the valley, so you watch the mountains turn gold while the land below is still dark. The view spans Annapurna I, Fishtail, Dhaulagiri and several other peaks. On clear mornings the visibility stretches across the range.

How much of the trek is steep uphill versus flat or downhill?

Days one and two are mostly uphill through forest, gaining altitude gradually as you cross streams and climb through rhododendron and oak woodland. Day three is the hardest: a steep pre-dawn hike to Poon Hill, then a long descent to Ghandruk. Day four is almost entirely downhill following Modi River back to the trailhead at Nayapul.

Do you stay in the same lodge each night or move to a different village?

You move to a new lodge each night: Ulleri on day one, Ghorepani on day two, Ghandruk on day three. Each village sits at a different altitude and offers different views and local culture, so the trek progresses through distinct communities rather than returning to the same base.

What languages does the guide speak?

Your guide speaks English and will lead the trek in English throughout the four days.

Are the villages on the trek actually inhabited, or are they mainly for trekkers?

Banthali, Ghorepani and Ghandruk are working villages where Magar and Gurung families live year-round. You pass through their homes and stay in family-run lodges, so you see the actual daily life of the communities rather than a trekking infrastructure built separately from the villages.