Want to trek in Nepal? Did you know that there are short trek options? I have always dreamed of trekking in Nepal. It’s on every hiker’s bucket list. But when you have a full time job, it’s just not feasible to get away for 20 days to trek to Everest or Annapurna base camp. I was so happy to find Outfitter Nepal and the large quantity of trekking options they offer.
The Ghorepani Poon Hill trek takes you to one of the most popular view points (Poon Hill) in Nepal within the world famous Annapurna region. It’s a thrilling introduction to the wonders of the Nepal teahouse trekking experience, and it’s a more relaxed journey compared to other options in the Annapurna area. It’s specifically designed for people with less holiday time who want something special and a taste of trekking in Nepal’s Himalaya. It includes the astonishing scenery of traditional villages, lush forests, fertile fields, and up close views of some of the highest peaks on the planet. It’s ideal for a honeymoon, a trek with children, and for students.
The Annapurna region has long been a favorite place for visitors to Nepal, with good reason. Trekking there is full of excitement and surprises and an array of natural beauty and variety, with dense forests of rhododendron, Nepal’s national flower. The highlight of the Ghorepani Poon Hill trek is the sunrise from Poon Hill where you can enjoy a panoramic view of the Himalayan mountains including Dhaulagiri, Tukuche Peak, Nilgiri, BarahaShikhar, the Annapurna range and numerous other giants. The magic of the morning light on the peaks seems to reveal heaven itself.
Day 1- Nayapul to Tikhedunga
After having breakfast at our hotel in Pokhara, we took a short drive to Nayapul ,then started our trekking to Tikhedhunga via Birethanti. It was easy trekking passing through several villages and settlements. Afterwards we ascended gently to the final destination of the day, Tikhedunga guest house. It was about 5 hours of walking, max altitude 1577 meters.
Day 2- Tikhedunga to Ghorepani
After having breakfast at the lodge, we started the trek and ascended steeply (3000 stairs!) for the first 2 hours then ascended gently passing through Ulleri and Banthanti. We shared the trail with villagers going about their daily lives- working, going to school, and farming. It is possible to see good views of Machhapuchhare (AKA Fish Tail mountain), Hiunchuli, and Annapurna south on the way, but it was very cloudy and overcast for us on this day, with some rain in the afternoon. After all the stairs the trail became much easier, and passed through rhododendron and shadowy trees. We ascended gently up to the final destination, our teahouse lodge for the night in Ghorepani. Today was about 6 hours of walking with a maximum altitude of 2800 meters.
Day 3- Sunrise hike to Poon Hill, and then trek to Tadapani
We woke up very early to enjoy the sunrise view over Mt. Dhaulagiri, Tukuche Peak, Nilgiri, Varaha Shikhar, Mt. Annapurna I, Annapurna South, Annapurna III, Machhapuchhare, Annapurna IV, Annapurna II, Lamjung Himal, and other numerous snowcapped mountains of the Himalaya.
We returned to the teahouse lodge for breakfast before starting the walk to Tadapani. Most of the trail to Tadapani was through rhododendron forest. The beautiful flowers made the jungle so colorful. I was so happy to be there right when they were in full bloom. Today’s walk was about 6 hours, with a max altitude of 3210 meters.
Day 4- Tadapani to Sauly Bazaar
Today was easy trekking by descending gently all the way through rhododendron, oak and other kinds of dense forests to Sauly Bazaar, via Ghandruk. We heard different kinds of birds chirping on the way. This area is a very popular destination for bird lovers. Ghandruk is a big Gurung village and we had lunch there. There was a handicraft centre and Gurung museum. That evening we had a dance party to celebrate the end of our trek!
Day 5- Sauly Bazaar to Nayapul
It was an easy day of walking back to Nayapul through rice fields and small villages. We drove back to Pokhara by lunch time and spent the night there before heading back to Kathmandu the next day.
I highly recommend Outfitter Nepal for booking this short trek. They were very professional from initial booking to dropping me off at the airport for my international flight home. All guides are local so they are very knowledgable and eager to share and teach you about their country. They make sure you are well fed and the teahouses we stayed in while on trek were very clean and comfortable. There were plenty of opportunities to shower and use western toilets, more than I had expected. The squat toilets I did have to use were always clean. The hotels in Kathmandu and Pokhara also exceeded my expectations. The rooms were comfortable, had nice breakfasts, and had very friendly and helpful staff.
If you are interested in booking a trip with Outfitter Nepal, their website is https://www.outfitternepal.com. If you are not a hiker they have plenty of non hiking tour options also. They also run tours in Tibet and Bhutan. I hope to book another trip with them in the Everest region in the near future!
Sources:
- Outfitter Nepal trip notes
- Lonely Planet guidebook
Andy
Andy's walks in the world 
Looks like a Great trip.
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You make a good point about shorter treks in Nepal. I have been around Poon Hill twice en route into the Annapurna Sanctuary. But I think the mistake folks make is thinking that trekking into the Solu Kumbhu is an all or nothing trip to Everest Basecamp. It isn’t! Trek 2.5 days to Namche to see Everest. Trek 4-5 days to reach Thyangboche Monastery to see the full Everest range! Etc etc. I have been to EBC and beyond 8 times and always tell people to “go see Everest” it’s closer than you think!
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That short trek in the Everest region is in my future ! To Thyangboche only. Thanks for following
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A great read Andy, thank you. I am doing this trek at the beginning of October with my husband and two teenagers, we can’t wait!
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