ANNAPURNA GHOREPANI “POONHILL” TREK

Upon arrival at Kathmandu International Airport transfer to your hotel in Kathmandu or Bhaktapur. Short briefing will follow concerning the necessary formalities and your trekking itinerary. Depending upon your arrival time you may spend free time visiting nearby sanctuaries or resting.

Half day sightseeing around UNESCO Bhaktapur / Kathmandu where your guide will escort you on a tour of Buddhist and Hindu temples and shrines reflecting ancient local traditions. There is time to explore the city’s many places of interest on your own or take a rest while trekking permits are finalised. In the evening sample a delicious traditional Nepali dinner. Overnight in Kathmandu.

Fly or drive to Pokhara, from where you will depart on your trek. Overnight in Pokhara.

Your trekking guide will meet you at your hotel at 06:30 hrs to escort you to the trek head. Drive by car via the large village of Lumle and walk for about 20 minutes to Birethanti, a large and prosperous town. The trail follows the main street of Birethanti, going through bamboo forests and past a large waterfall and swimming hole. Beyond a pasture used by pony caravans, the trail reaches Sudami where you have lunch. After lunch, climb steadily up the side of the valley, reaching Hile at 1495m near Tikhe Dhunga (4 hrs).

Breakfast is served at 07:00 hrs. From Tikhe Dhunga the trail crosses a stream on a suspension bridge near the camp site at Tikhe Dhunga. The trail ascends a steep stone staircase (which has about 3300 steps) to the large Magar village Ulleri at 2080m. Above the village, the trail climbs gently through pastures and cultivated fields. There is a camp site for a rest and water stop one hour’s walk above Ulleri. The trail crosses two sparkling streams before making a short, final climb to Nangethanti where we stop for lunch. Thanti is a Nepali word meaning “rest house”. In the winter the trail can be covered with snow. From Nangethanti climb to Ghorepani at 2750m, from here we can see the spectacular panorama of Dhaulagiri I (8167m), Tukuche Nilgiri (6940m), Annapurna South, Annapurna I (8091m), Hiunchuli (6441m) and Tarke Kang (7193m). Overnight in Ghorepani (4-6 hrs).

An early start and a 60-minute hike to Poon Hill (3195m) leads to a brilliant spectacle: an unobstructed view of sunrise over the high Himalayas. After spending about 40 minutes there, descend to Ghorepani for breakfast before the trek to Tadapani. The trail leads along ridges and through pine and rhododendron forests to Deorali (2960m). Then start the descend to Banthanti, leading to Tadapani (6 hrs).

The Ghandruk trail descends steeply through forests to the village of Ghandruk where we will arrive around noon. We will overnight here so have the afternoon to visit the Annapurna conservation office and museum. As well as take time to explore this maze like village (3 hrs).

Today we descend from Ghandruk to the Modi Khola river, which we cross by a suspension bridge. Our trail then climbs up a stone staircase to the village of Landruk, a Gurung village at 1620 meter. We will pass some unusual oval-shaped houses before ascending to the village of Tolka on a long stone staircase (3 hrs).

Today we have the option of retunrning directly back to Nayapul along a more leisurely downhill trail or taking a a steep ascent to another small settlement called Deurali atop a hill at 2150m. This is another village then the one we passed on day 4, although they both have the same name. From here we descend on a stone paved trail to the village of Pothana (1990m) before reaching Phedi (950m). Arriving in Phedi mid-afternoon, we take our private transport to return back to Pokhara (4 hrs).

Fly or drive back to Kathmandu.

Our driver will pick you up from you hotel and take you to the international airport. Departure from Kathmandu.