Ghorepani Poon Hill Trekking - 8 Days

You won't feel like a stranger when you arrive at Tribhuwan International Airport in Kathmandu, as a representative of Trekking Mart will greet you and take you straight to your hotel. Use the time to rest up from your flight or do a little exploring on your own. Kathmandu is a fun city, and many people speak English. Be sure to rest up, though. You can enjoy your Welcome dinner that evening, featuring Nepali food and culture. Enjoy seeing the traditional dances performed for you after your Nepali dinner. The perfect end to your first day in the magical land of Nepal.

Today you will fly to Pokhara. It's a quick trip by air, just 30 minutes. From the amazing lakeside city of Pokhara, we will take a bus to Naya Pul and begin trekking. The trek will take six hours as you pass through subtropical jungle and upwards along the sides of a cliff overlooking the valley. We will cross the Modi Khola (river) and then climb to the village of Ulleri, where we will spend the night. The scenery is a myriad of beauty, as we have both views of the mountains, and walking through dense jungles with their fragrant air.

We continue our climb as we make for the village of Ghorepani. In times past, this was an important place for traders to stop to water their horses (Ghorepani means "horse water" in Nepali). We will enjoy more incredible views of the Annapurna Range, which features some of the highest mountains in the world. We leave the jungles behind us as we now see different vegetation with the higher elevations. The trek today will take 4 – 5 hours while you trek upwards to Ghorepani.

Today will be the highlight of the trip as you get up early to climb to the top of Poon Hill (3210 m/10,529 ft) to watch the morning sunrise over the Annapurna Mountains. If there ever was a place that God made for viewing the mountains, it has to be Poon Hill. From here you can easily see over 20 snowcapped peaks close-up, along with panoramic views of Mustang and Pokhara. The snow-capped peaks go from grey to pink to a brilliant white as the sun rises higher and higher in the cobalt blue skies. Following the sunrise, we return to Ghorepani for breakfast, and its off to Tadapani passing through rhododendron forests and past impressive waterfalls. Trekking time today is 6 - 7 hours.

Ghandruk is a quaint little Gurung village overlooking the valley. This region is home of the famed Gurung people who formed the backbone of the Gurkhas of the British Army. The trail now is making a steep descend as we make our way back to Pokhara. There are colorful wildflowers abound along the trail as we descend down the mountain. There are still plenty of great views of the mountains, including Fishtail Mountain, Annapurna South and Hiuchuli. There is a wonderful Gurung Museum at Ghandruk where we can learn more about the unique culture of the Gurung people. Trekking time is 3 – 4 hours.

This is our last day of trekking. The trek is pretty much all downhill for four hours as we make our way to Naya Pul. From here, we ride an hour drive by bus/car back to Pokhara where you will have a chance to explore this beautiful city. Situated on the eastern side of Phewa Lake, its beautiful blue waters reflect the white snowcapped peaks of the Annapurna Range. The high snowcapped peaks at times feel so close in Pokhara that you almost think you can reach out and touch them. Trekking time is 4 hours.

The flight back to Kathmandu will be in the afternoon (there are several flights daily), so you can explore the city, try your hand at para-gliding or go for a boat ride on Phewa Lake. There is even a cable car now that takes you to the nose of Sarangkot hill. You will return to your hotel in Kathmandu in the evening and enjoy your last night in Kathmandu.

It will seem like a fast week when you go to Tribhuwan International Airport to catch your flight to your next destination. Don't worry, you can always come back for another visit. Many do, and Trekking Mart will be happy to help you plan your next Himalayan adventure.