The Poon Hill Trek also known as the Ghorepani Poon Hill trek is one of most classic short treks in Nepal. In a short amount of time, you pass through beautiful local villages, rhododendron forest, and of course, get access to panoramic views of Nepal’s most famous peaks from Poon Hill - Dhaulagiri, Nilgiri, Annapurna I and Annapurna South
If you Want to experience the magnificent Himalaya mountains in Nepal but are too short on time to do a long trekking in Nepal. The Poon Hill trek is the perfect sample of the Himalayas to get your palette wet and present you with some stunning views. The Poon Hill trek is for anyone who is short on time and wants to experience the Himalayas up close and anyone who isn’t quite confident enough to trekking for over a week up to 20 days, then this is the perfect short trek in Nepal for you.
There are lots of stairs that will keep your calves burning for days after. This will give you a taste of what trekking is like plus the confidence and motivation to want to come back and to do a tougher trek like the Annapurna Base Camp, Annapurna Circuit and Everest Base Camp, both which are much longer than the Poon Hill trek.
The level of difficulty on the Poon Hill Trek isn’t too bad and the route gives you plenty of time to take rests when needed. Be prepared to do lots of stairs. Trekking poles are helpful to relieve joints up and down the mountain.
Poon Hill Trek is the most convenient tea house trek staying overnight in the different tea houses along the mountains. Tea houses offer affordable accommodation, water refills, snacks, and meals. You will run into tea houses all along the trek so don’t worry about being stranded in the middle of nowhere on a cold mountain without a roof over your head for the night. The tea houses offer basic accommodation. Some tea houses are obviously nicer than others and all offer warm blankets even if the air in your room is so cold you can see your breath. Don’t expect hot showers at best expect lukewarm water. Each day you would need to trek for around 5 to 6 hours with an exception of the day hike to Poon Hill at sunrise.
Accommodation at local lodges - better known as tea houses - are simple but comfortable. Toilets and washing facilities are shared and rudimentary, and the food is plain and filling. In a tea house, trekkers s are provided with small twin share rooms with twin beds, mattresses and pillows. At times, in high seasons, and in places where there are limited number of tea houses, travelers may have to make do with dormitories. In some places, tea houses don't have access to electricity, depending on solar powered lighting instead. In more remote regions, tea houses don't have running water and toilets can mean just a hole in the ground. Hot shower facilities are available in some tea houses for a price but occasionally a hot shower means a bucket of hot water, enough to wash your body. Electricity to charge devices as well as WiFi is usually for an additional fee when available.
On itineraries that include road travel between Kathmandu and Pokhara, past trekkers have often decided to fly this route independently to avoid the long overland journey 200 km, approx 6+ hours. The flight takes around 35 mins. Should you decide to fly, this will be at your own expense with no refunds for road travel available.
Roadworks and infrastructure projects can cause significant delays on major roads within cities and highways between destinations. Road travel can also be disrupted due to demonstrations and bandhs -strikes without warning. Major roadworks are currently ongoing in and around Kathmandu and the roads to Chitwan National Park. Delays, heavy traffic, poor road conditions and dust are a reality of road travel in Nepal.
The monsoon season is from June to September and weather conditions can disrupt travel during this time due to flooding and landslides. Disruption of air travel and airport closures are also possible. Be prepared that the itinerary may need to change at short notice.
Hotels in Kathmandu generally have excellent WiFi connections. Most hotels offer free WiFi in public areas, with some also offering in room WIFI, sometimes for an additional fee. While trekking WiFi may be available in tea houses and lodges for a small cost. The higher you go the more the use of WiFi and internet will cost, and likely the slower the speed. Your tour leader will be able to offer some advice on communications in remote areas of the country. Please note that most tea houses do not have electrical outlets in rooms to charge devices but are shared in the main dining area, for an additional fee. Past travelers have found portable solar chargers to be very useful
What you need to bring will vary according to when you are travelling. Generally speaking, we recommend you pack as lightly as possible and make sure that you are able to carry and lift your own luggage, and walk with it for short distances. As well as your underwear, toothbrush and other items you always need to pack for travel, below are some items that you specifically need for this trip.
The weight limit per person is 10 kg each. Porters carry two bags each as well as a their own backpack. Porters weight limit is 25 kg each. Please keep the weight and bulk of your trek bag to a minimum by bringing clothes made from lightweight material. Don't pack too much clothing; one or two changes will be all you need. However, as the weather conditions in the Himalayas are often unpredictable, be prepared for all eventualities, be it rain, unseasonable cold or heat. For the trek all of your gear should be packed into plastic bags to protect it from the weather - dry clothes are essential for your comfort. Your guide will assist you in packing your kit bag and can advise what to bring and what can be left behind in Kathmandu.
Day pack - Your day pack must have the capacity for the items you will be carrying on a day's walk: rain jacket, spare trousers, warm clothing, water bottles, camera equipment, washing items and other personal effects. A hip/waist strap provides additional comfort. You should consider day packs of at least a 30 to 40 litre capacity. You only need to carry your day pack when trekking each day.
Trekking boots (broken in)
Gaiters for winter Dec-Feb only - can be hired in Kathmandu if required
Waterproof 3/4 season jacket and trousers can be hired/purchased in Kathmandu if required
Camp footwear ie sneakers, thongs or booties)
Several pairs of high quality hiking socks
T-Shirts - highly recommended are synthetic t-shirt styles that wick away moisture
Thermal underwear/layers
Down jacket can be hired/purchased in Kathmandu if required
Warm mid layers fleece/micro fiber
Trousers - lightweight, loose fitting, trekking trousers can be purchased in Kathmandu
A good quality, warm sleeping bag is essential while trekking as no blankets are provided at tea houses. Please note that sleeping bags, are readily available to buy or hire in both Kathmandu at very reasonable rates. Your guide can assist you in hiring gear after your joining meeting. If you plan to hire a sleeping bag we recommend that you bring an inner sleep sheet, which adds another layer of warmth. In winter a thermal inner sleep sheet is warmer. If you bring your own sleeping bag, please think about the time of year of your trek. We recommend a four season sleeping bag with a rating to around -10c. In Winter (Dec-Feb) a five seasons sleeping bag is recommended.
It is essential to bring 2 x 1 liters water bottles to refill along the way. While trekking, boiled or safe water is available for drinking.However, you should also carry a water purification method like purification tablets available from camping stores or pharmacies.
Tracksuit or fleece pants for even
Sleeveless fleece and extra layers for winter departures (Dec-Feb)
Warm hat & sun hat
Scarf/neck warmer
Gloves and mitts - waterproof and warm.
Sunglasses with UV protection
Head torch with spare batteries
Sunscreen and lip balm
Light weight towel
Personal first aid kit
Biodegradable wet wipes/toilet paper
Hand sanitizer gel
Trail mix/nuts/muesli bars bring zip lock bags from home
Option Gear
Pocket knife
Insect repellent
Ear plugs
Walking poles
Extra zip lock bags
Hot water bottle winter months.
Nepal's climate varies greatly depending on the season. JUN - SEP: the monsoon rains mostly at night bring landslides in regional areas. Cloud cover often obscures mountain views with rain, mud and leeches deterring most trekkers at this time of year. Treks running in September can be hot and very humid at lower altitudes. MAR - APR: Spring brings warm weather and spectacular rhododendron blooms. A popular time to visit and one of the peak times to trek. DEC - FEB: Winter brings cold temperatures and snow to the mountains. Good trekking, but remember to rug up. A popular time to visit and one of the peak times to trek. OCT - NOV: Clear skies and warm days make autumn the peak season. DEC - FEB: Winter brings cold temperatures and snow to the mountains. Good trekking, but remember to rug up.
Pick pocketing and other petty theft is common, especially in places where tourists or foreigners frequent. Take care when walking around at night. Avoid walking on your own and don’t carry large sums of cash. Keep valuables in a hotel safe if possible. Bars and restaurants now close at midnight as part of a government crackdown on illegal activities. Foreigners remaining in bars and clubs after hours have been detained by the police. Police have increased their presence in Thamel and Durbar Marg, popular tourist districts in Kathmandu in an effort to reduce crime in these areas. You should seek out police if you have been robbed or affected by any crime.
Altitude sickness is a risk, including on the Annapurna, Langtang and Everest Base Camp treks. Please make sure you familiarize yourself with signs and symptoms before you depart and monitor your own health during your trek.
Make sure your insurance covers you for your intended activities, including travel and trekking above 3000 m if this is included on your itinerary, mountain rescue services and helicopter evacuation costs.Travel insurance is compulsory for all our trips. We require that, at a minimum, you are covered for medical expenses including emergency repatriation. We strongly recommend that the policy also covers personal liability, cancellation, curtailment and loss of luggage and personal effects.The insurance company's 24 hour emergency contact number has been seen by your guide.
As you travel on a group trip you will be exposed to all the pleasures and maybe some of the frustrations of travelling in a group. Your fellow travelers will probably come from all corners of the world and likely a range of age groups too. We ask you to be understanding of the various needs and preferences of your group - patience with your fellow travelers is sometimes required for the benefit of everyone's travel experience. Remember too that you have responsibilities to the group. If you are requested to be at a place at a certain time, ensure that you don't keep the rest of the group waiting. We have found time and time again that the very best trips we operate are those where the dynamics within the group work well - this takes just a little effort on your part. Due to privacy reasons we are unable to provide you with contact details and any personal information about your fellow travelers booked on your trip prior to departure.
Our group trips are designed for shared accommodation and don't involve a compulsory single supplement. Single travelers share with people of the same gender in accommodation ranging from twin to multi share. Some of our itineraries have accommodation booked on a mixed gender share basis. On a selection of our trips, you have the option to pay a single supplement to ensure that you have your own accommodation where available. Please note that this only applies to accommodation during the tour - pre-trip and post-trip accommodation will be booked on a single room basis.
