Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek from Pokhara- 2 Days

Your day starts with a ride from your hotel in Pokhara. A private jeep will take you from Pokhara to Banthanti, which is where the trek starts. The drive takes about three to four hours and goes through beautiful lowland villages, terraced fields, and river valleys. Along the way, you can see Machhapuchhre and Annapurna South.

You start your hike to Ghorepani from Banthanti. The path goes up slowly through different kinds of plants. It begins with terraced fields and culminates in the thick forests of oak, pine, and rhododendron. Come March or April, the slopes beneath Ghorepani will be a riot of color, as over eight varieties of rhododendron burst into bloom. These flowers, which are Nepal's national flower, will paint the mountainside in shades of red, pink, and white.

The mountain views get more and more dramatic as you go higher. The air gets cooler and crisper, and instead of the sounds of village life, you hear birds singing and the wind rustling through old trees. By late afternoon, you get to Ghorepani (2,874m), a beautiful mountain village that sits on a saddle between the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri ranges. Check in to your teahouse, get comfortable, and if you have the energy, walk to a nearby viewpoint to see the sunset over the mountains.

The teahouse serves dinner, which is usually a hearty Nepali meal like Dal Bhat, momos, or a Thakali thali. After dinner, you should go to bed early to get ready for the next day's highlight.

This is the day you came for. You get up before dawn, around 4:30 AM, and start the climb to Poon Hill (3,210m). The hike takes about 45 minutes to an hour, and you have to climb stone steps in the cold mountain air with a headlamp. Other hikers join the trail in a quiet, shared journey to the top.

At the top, you can see all around you from Poon Hill. The sun's golden rays paint the snow-covered peaks in shades of orange, pink, and amber as it rises. There are a lot of peaks in the view, including Dhaulagiri I (8,167m), Tukuche Peak (6,920m), Nilgiri (6,940m), Annapurna South, Annapurna I (8,091m), Hiunchuli (6,441m), Machhapuchhre (6,993m), and many more. The famous Fishtail mountain, Machhapuchhre, is different from the rest because it has two peaks. Take some time to enjoy the views, take pictures, and just breathe in how big everything is around you.

After the sun rises, go back down to Ghorepani for breakfast. Get your things together and start walking down the hill through the forest, through villages, and finally to Birethanti. A private taxi will take you back to Pokhara from Birethanti. You will arrive by late afternoon, completing the entire trek in just two days.