Poon Hill Trek: Complete 4-Day Budget Itinerary

The Poon Hill trek is the most popular short trek in Nepal — and for good reason. In just 4 days, you climb from the road head at Nayapul (1,070 m) to the famous Poon Hill viewpoint (3,210 m), where you watch the sun rise over the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri massifs. It is the easiest Himalayan trek in Nepal, accessible to almost anyone, and the perfect introduction to Nepal trekking.

Poon Hill Trek Quick Facts

Item	Detail
Duration	4 days (Pokhara to Pokhara)
Maximum altitude	3,210 m (Poon Hill)
Total trekking distance	~30 km
Difficulty	Easy-moderate (good for first-timers)
Best time	October–November, March–April
Cost (mid-range)	$150–$300
Permits required	TIMS + ACAP ($40)
Start point	Nayapul (1,070 m)
End point	Nayapul (return taxi to Pokhara)
Crowds	Very high (200+ at sunrise in peak season)

Poon Hill Trek Day-by-Day Itinerary

Day 1: Pokhara → Nayapul (jeep) → Tikhedhunga (1,540 m)

Take a taxi or local jeep from Pokhara to Nayapul (1.5 hours, $10–$15). Begin walking along the Modi Khola river through subtropical forest and small Gurung villages. Easy walking for 4 hours, ending at Tikhedhunga — a small village with several tea houses. Spend the afternoon relaxing by the river. 4 hours walking, +470 m.

Day 2: Tikhedhunga (1,540 m) → Ulleri (2,070 m) → Ghorepani (2,850 m)

The hardest day. Start with the famous '3,287 stone steps' from Tikhedhunga to Ulleri — a 500 m climb on steep stone stairs. Take your time. After Ulleri, the trail climbs gradually through magnificent rhododendron forest (in bloom March–April). Reach Ghorepani by mid-afternoon. Ghorepani has the best mountain views of any tea house on the trek — Annapurna South and Hiunchuli are visible from the dining room. 6 hours walking, +1,310 m.

Day 3: Ghorepani (2,850 m) → Poon Hill (3,210 m, sunrise) → Tadapani (2,630 m)

Wake at 4:30 am. Climb 1 hour up to Poon Hill (3,210 m) with headlamp. At the summit, watch the sun rise over Annapurna I, Annapurna South, Hiunchuli, Machhapuchhre (Fishtail), Dhaulagiri and the entire Annapurna and Dhaulagiri massifs — one of the great mountain sunrises in the world. Spend 1 hour at the summit, then descend to Ghorepani for breakfast. After breakfast, climb to Deurali Pass (2,960 m), then descend steeply through rhododendron forest to Tadapani. 7 hours walking (including Poon Hill), +360 m + descent.

Day 4: Tadapani (2,630 m) → Ghandruk (1,940 m) → Nayapul → Pokhara

Easy descent through forest and Gurung villages. Stop at Ghandruk — one of the most beautiful traditional Gurung villages in Nepal, with stone houses and mountain views. Visit the Gurung Museum if you have time. Continue down to Nayapul, where a taxi or jeep takes you back to Pokhara (1.5 hours). 5 hours walking + 1.5 hours taxi, −690 m + road transfer.

Poon Hill Trek Cost Breakdown

Item	Budget (Independent)	Mid-Range (Guide + Porter)	Luxury (Best Tea Houses)
Permits (TIMS + ACAP)	$40	$40	$40
Transport (Pokhara–Nayapul return)	$15	$15	$30 (private taxi)
Guide (4 days × $30)	$0	$120	$140
Porter (4 days, shared)	$0	$35	$45
Tea houses (3 nights × $8)	$24	$24	$60
Food (4 days)	$50	$60	$100
Hot showers + Wi-Fi + charging	$10	$15	$25
Tips	$0	$30	$50
Total	$139	$339	$490

Best Time to Trek Poon Hill

October–November (autumn) and March–April (spring) are prime. October–November has the clearest skies — essential for the Poon Hill sunrise. March–April brings rhododendron blooms — the trail between Ulleri and Ghorepani becomes a corridor of red, pink and white flowers. December–February is cold but clear, with snow possible at Ghorepani. Avoid monsoon (June–September) — views are clouded and trails are leech-ridden.

How Hard Is the Poon Hill Trek?

Easy-moderate. The maximum altitude (3,210 m) is low enough that altitude sickness is rare. Walking days are 4–7 hours on well-maintained stone trails. The 3,287 stone steps on day 2 are the toughest section — take your time and use trekking poles. No prior trekking experience is needed. Suitable for fit first-timers, families with older children, and older trekkers.

Poon Hill Trek Packing List

• 3-season sleeping bag (rated to −5 °C)
• Light down jacket
• Rain jacket (always carry, even in dry season)
• 1 set of thermal base layers (for early morning Poon Hill climb)
• 2 pairs of trekking trousers
• 2 trekking shirts
• Sturdy trekking boots (broken in)
• Trekking poles (essential for the stone steps)
• Headlamp (for the 4:30 am Poon Hill start)
• 1 L water bottle + purification tablets
• Camera with spare battery (cold drains batteries)

For the full checklist, see our ultimate Nepal trekking packing list.

Tea Houses on the Poon Hill Trek

Tea houses on the Poon Hill route are comfortable and well-developed. Recommendations:

• Tikhedhunga: Hotel Greenland, Moonlight Lodge — both have hot showers and good food.
• Ulleri: Hotel Panoramic View, Ulleri Mountain Resort — better than Tikhedhunga if you want to break up day 2.
• Gharepani: Hotel View Point, Snow View Lodge, Hotel Super View — all have great mountain views. Book ahead in peak season.
• Tadapani: Hotel Tadapani, Grand View Lodge — basic but adequate.
• Ghandruk: Hotel Mountain View, Annapurna Lodge — comfortable, with great views.

Poon Hill Trek vs Other Short Nepal Treks

Trek	Days	Max Altitude	Crowds	Cost	Best For
Poon Hill	4	3,210 m	Very high	$150–$300	First-timers, families, photography
Mardi Himal	5	4,500 m	Medium	$200–$300	Quiet ridge walking
Khopra Danda	6	3,660 m	Low	$250–$350	Community trek, off-the-beaten-path
Helambu	6	3,770 m	Low	$200–$280	Easy access from Kathmandu
Mohare Danda	6	3,300 m	Very low	$350–$450	Eco-trek, community-owned

Poon Hill is the easiest and most popular short trek. If you want fewer crowds, consider Mardi Himal (5 days, quieter), Khopra Danda (6 days, community-owned), or Mohare Danda (6 days, eco-trek).

Tips for the Poon Hill Sunrise

• Wake at 4:30 am. Start climbing by 4:45 am. Reach the summit by 5:45 am.
• Bring a headlamp — the first hour is in the dark.
• Wear all your layers — wind chill at 3,210 m at 6 am can drop to −10 °C, even in October.
• Bring a thermos of hot tea from the tea house.
• Get to the summit at least 30 minutes before sunrise (check the time in Pokhara).
• Take photos but also put the camera down — the sunrise deserves to be seen with your own eyes.
• The summit has a viewing tower — climb up for the best panorama.
• Expect 200+ other trekkers at sunrise in peak season. Arrive early for the best photo spots.

Extending the Poon Hill Trek

If you have more time, you can extend the Poon Hill trek in several ways:

• Add Annapurna Base Camp — extend the trek from Tadapani to ABC (adds 4 days). See our Annapurna Circuit vs ABC guide.
• Add Khopra Danda — branch off at Ghorepani to the Khopra community lodge (adds 2–3 days). See our Khopra Danda guide.
• Add Mohare Danda — branch off at Ulleri to the Mohare community lodges (adds 2–3 days). See our Mohare Danda guide.
• Add Tatopani hot springs — extend from Ghorepani down to Tatopani (adds 2 days).

The Poon Hill trek is the perfect first Himalayan trek — short, easy, accessible, and with one of the best mountain sunrises in the world. If you have 4 days in Nepal and want to see the Himalayas up close, this is the trek. For more Nepal trekking ideas, see our Annapurna Circuit vs ABC guide and our Nepal trekking costs guide.