Ghorepani Poonhill Trek

Best Time to Trek Ghorepani Poonhill

The best time to do the Ghorepani Poonhill trek is during spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November). These are probably the best seasons for trekking in terms of clear skies, stunning mountain views, and most favorable trekking conditions. But there’s a charm to each season, and you can trek anywhere year round, given your preferences.

Spring (March to May)

In Spring, rhododendron forests are in full bloom painting the entire landscape with bright colours, making it a magical time for the trek. This season’s temperature is between 10°C and 24°C during the daytime. This tends to be ideal since the weather is mild and provides clear views of the surroundings, vegetation, and birds singing.

Autumn (September to November)

The most popular season is Autumn which has stable weather, clear skies, and great mountain views of Annapurna, Manaslu, Dhaulagiri, Manaslu, and Macchapucchre. Temperatures are about the same as spring, 10°C to 24°C in the day and freezing at night, around 0°C. 

Nepal’s festivals like Dashain and Tihar during this season make it a more cultural season as well. Do understand that the trails can be busier, and accommodations tend to need booking ahead of time.

Winter (December to February)

Trekking in winter is a peaceful time with fewer crowds and beautiful crisp mountain views. Mornings and evenings can reach freezing of 0°C in lower altitudes, and -10°C at higher altitudes. However, snowfall is common and trails can become slippery in a few areas like climbing to the viewpoint. But it is all the more rewarding if you are prepared with climbing and warm clothes.

Monsoon (June to August)

With monsoon comes greenery slippery landscapes and obstructed views from the clouds. Trails can get muddy, and there are leeches along the route. Temperatures are very warm from 15°C to 30°C, which requires you to wear light clothing. Even if the trail is less crowded from lower numbers of trekkers, views are blocked by the dark rain clouds of monsoon. This season demands proper rain gear, trekking boots, and waterproof jackets.

Seasonal Weather Patterns

Ghorepani Poonhill Trek is the best time to trek in March to May and September to November which have some beautiful views. Temperatures during this time are between 10°C and 24°C which are the most suitable seasons for trekking.

During the monsoon, from June to August, trails can get very muddy and slippery. This is also when temperatures are between 15° and 30°. From December to February, winter is cold with temperatures going down to -10°C, causing constant risks of snowstorms and extreme cold issues.

Is a Guide Necessary for Ghorepani Poonhill Trek?

A guide is indeed a must for Ghorepani Poonhill Trek and since the Nepal Tourism Board has made it mandatory for mountain region trekkers to hire a licensed guide from April 1, 2023, you need to know the necessity of guides.

A guide will help ensure your safety down tricky sections of the trail, helping you out in case of an emergency and making sure you don’t get lost. Their deep local knowledge of the region helps fill in the blanks of the history, culture, and importance of the landmarks you are going to pass on your way.

Guidance isn’t the only benefit of guides, they sort out permits, get accommodations during the busiest time, and rearrange the itinerary when unexpected weather changes or health problems.
If a trek is your first, or you aren’t too sure about trekking in Nepal, having a guide eases the mind. It’s a real bonus to get someone who knows the best viewpoints, as well as the best dining spots, and ways to meet local communities. A guide ensures, your trek is full of richness of nature, culture, and views, providing a memorable trek.

Interaction with Local Communities

Ghorepani Poonhill Trek is filled with diverse ethnic groups like Gurungs, Magars, and Thakalis. The communities are well known for their rich cultural heritage and high hospitality. You will also see traditional houses, terraced farming, and locals wearing gorgeous traditional dress at festivals.

Gurungs and Magars are famous for their bravery by serving in Gurkha regiments, while Thakalis are famous for their culinary heritage, especially for their delicious Thakali Dal Bhat.

If you happen to go through villages you will see the locals weaving, farming, or celebrating cultural festivals like Dashain and Tihar. The trail also contains Buddhist monasteries, prayer flags, and stone shrines. Not only the Gurung Museum in Ghandruk show the history, but you also get to see the daily lives of the local communities.

When meeting locals, you can greet them with the word ‘Namaste,’ take off your shoes when entering locals’ homes or temples, and don’t point with your feet at sacred objects. Before you photograph people or religious sites ask for permission. It is respectful to their traditions, walking around stupas or prayer wheels in a clockwise direction, to foster goodwill and keep harmony.

Traditional Festivals on the Ghorepani Poonhill Trek

Ghorepani Poonhill Trek is filled with amazing local and cultural festivals throughout the year.

Firstly, Nepal’s biggest Hindu festival, Dashain is celebrated in September or October, marking the victory of good over evil. It is an extremely happy celebration of goddess Durga’s victory over the demon Mahishasura. You’ll follow the trail and see villagers like Ghandruk and Tadapani, offering blessings as they clean and decorate their homes and pray. 

Right after that is Tihar, the festival of Lights, celebrated in October or November. Divine blessings about crows, dogs, cows, and siblings are all represented in this five day festival. Olive lamps or colorful mandalas light up villages making it a celebratory season.

March is the month to celebrate ‘the festival of colors’ that is, Holi. It is a traditional cycle of the spring and symbolizes the good overcoming evil, represented by the legend of Prahlad and Holika. In spring, locals celebrate by singing, dancing, and playing with colors in a joyful atmosphere. 

Maghe Sankranti is another festival celebrated near the winter’s end. It’s celebrated with the locals feasting on sesame seeds, molasses, and yam, gathering for rituals and blessings. 

Gurung and Tamang New Year, Lhosar, takes place in February and consists of traditional dances, prayer offerings, and communal feasting in villages including Ghandruk. 

April or May is the time for another major festival, Buddha Jayanti, signifying Buddha’s birth, his enlightenment, and his death. The Buddhist monasteries in the region are used to host prayer ceremonies, and locals light butter lamps, and chant mantras for his worship.

Janai Purnima, another festival celebrated in August, where Brahmins change their sacred thread (Janai) and locals go to the temples. This will also be a time for eating kwati, a nourishing mixed bean soup. 

Festivals like these are things they add to enrich your travel with a colorful sense of culture and community.

For the Ghorepani Poonhill Trek, you’ll need two essential permits, the Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP) and the Trekkers’ Information Management System (TIMS) card.

Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP)

As the route crosses the Annapurna region, a protected area, you need to have the ACAP. The cost of ACAP is NPR 3,000 (around $25) for foreigners. The cost for SAARC nationals is NPR 1,000 and for Nepalese it’s NPR 100 only. The ACAP fee doesn’t apply to children under 10 years old.

ACAP helps to preserve the natural beauty of the Annapurna. Endangered wildlife such as red pandas, snow leopards, and the colorful rhododendrons on the trail are conversed due to these strict permits. This allows the natural beauty of Ghorepani Poonhill Trek to remain even for future generations.
You can easily obtain the permit from Nepal Tourism Boardoffices in Kathmandu. For this, you need to have 2 passport size photos, a copy of your passport, and insurance details. Alternatively, you do not have to go for them yourself, because we Radiant Treks, arrange them for you within our package cost.

The Ghorepani Poonhill Trek passes through various villages like Ghorepani, Ghandruk, and Tadapani. Along these villages, you get plenty of accommodation and meal options.

Accommodation during the Ghorepani Poonhill Trek is mostly tea houses run by local Gurungs and Tamangs. These basic comfortable establishments facilitate places to rest after a tiring long day of trekking. 

Shared bathrooms and hot water are in rooms, usually, but not always. The teahouses of popular villages like Ghorepani and Ghandruk are very much filled with trekkers from all around the world. In the communal dining area, you can spend time with fellow trekkers, and share stories and experiences. 

You will mostly have simple and cozy rooms with basic twin beds, blankets, and shared bedrooms. But do mind the amenities, it gets scarce as you go to higher altitudes.

Ghorepani Poonhill Trek has local Nepali food, mostly Dal Bhat (lentil soup with rice), Tibetan influenced meals like momos, and some noodles dishes like chow mein. You’ll also find western type food such as pizza, pancakes, and sandwiches. 

Breakfasts like porridge, eggs, toast, and cereal, lunches like noodles, and dinners such as dal bhat and momos are provided in almost all tea houses. For beverages, you can have a cup of tea, or hot chocolate, in the cold morning and evening.

The food is basic but the food gives you the energy in your trek. The cultural foods prices can go higher with elevations but still is enjoyable.

For the Ghorepani Poonhill Trek, preparation is the key to getting ready. 

First, a sturdy backpack of 30 to 40 liters will be helpful to carry all the essentials like sleeping bags, snacks, electronics, hydration bottles, and more.

Do wear layered clothing to adjust to the change in temperature. During the daytime, lightweight moisture wicking clothes will keep you both cool and dry. A must is a good pair of trekking pants and shirts and a light fleece or jacket as mid layers for evenings. Then, a warm waterproof windproof outer jacket.

Trekking boots with good ankle support and good durability will help you comfortably handle tough terrain. Going with blister plasters and thick woolen socks on the long hours of hiking can help you trek with ease.

The sun at such a high altitude has immense UV rays, for which you need a hat, sunscreen (SPF 50+), and lip balm. When you go to high altitudes, the tea houses aren’t very reliable for cold and hygiene, so bringing your own sleeping bag rated for -10°C will give you peace of mind.

Having a trekking pole will also increase your stability on steeper sections, and reduce the strain on your knees. You should have hydration bottles, and water containers to have a constant supply of water during the trek. 

You can be exhausted during the trek, so bringing snacks like trail mix, nuts, energy bars, and other dried fruits is really important to fuel you.

Make sure to pack a headlight or a flashlight with extra batteries for hiking in the early morning or late evening. Do have cameras and phones with power banks to capture beautiful scenery as you pass by.

Without a first aid kit, the trek becomes uncomfortable and dangerous. Minor injuries can turn severe if not cured fast. Make sure to have a first aid kid with bandages, adhering tapes, medications like Diamox for altitude sickness, and pain relievers, ibuprofen, and paracetamol.
Finally, keep in mind that porters and guides will carry most of your gear, but it’s wise to reduce your pack weight so they can only carry a limited load. This ensures their comfort and a proper paced trek movement.

With the altitude, of course, you have to physically prepare yourself before going on the Ghorepani Poonhill Trek. From here all the way to the top, the trek makes it to the altitude of 3,210 meters, which is enough for altitude related problems such as feeling dizzy or breathless. Trek itself is considered moderate in difficulty and being prepared physically makes the trek easier and more enjoyable.

For starters cardiovascular fitness is necessary. Aerobic exercises regularly, like jogging, cycling, or swimming, should increase your endurance to help adapt to what trekking will entail. Do a minimum of 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise a minimum of 4 to 5 days a week. This will help your stamina for walking on uneven terrain for hours and hours.

In fact, the trek itself requires a fair bit of uphill and downhill walking, so you’ll also want to strengthen your legs. The muscles in your thighs and calves will get built up through squats, lunges, and step-ups and make it easier to comfortably ascend steep ascents and descend without damping. Also don’t forget to include core exercises like planks or leg raises, a strong core will provide balance on rocky trails.

If you can do so, you want to gradually increase the altitude you are trekking at. Rushing to high altitudes can make you prone to altitude related sickness like nausea, fatigue, and headaches. Take breaks, ascend slowly, and enjoy the view, but stay hydrated and try to minimize the risk of altitude sickness.

Lastly, for a trek at a high altitude, being mentally prepared is a big factor. In the days leading up, being mentally prepared for some of the more challenging parts of the trek, and understanding that altitude can cause fatigue and slower progress, will help you keep a good attitude on the trek. 

The Ghorepani Poonhill Trek not only has such incredible mountain views but also has its own flora and fauna to offer and natural richness.

The trek goes through the Annapurna Conservation Area, a habitat of a wide variety of ecosystems from dense forests to high mountain meadows. These lower sections of the trek walk you through colorful rhododendron forests which are amazing in spring (March to May). 

Besides the strong greenery of the region, it has a presence of oak, bamboo, and pine trees within these forests. Going to higher altitudes the terrains change into high mountain meadows and grasslands with a range of wildflowers. Wildflowers like edelweiss, primroses, and gentians bloom particularly well. 

Wildlife wise the Ghorepani Poonhill Trek has some to see, especially if you are quiet and patient. You will find some wild boar, and langur monkeys in lower regions. Above you can spot Himalayan Tahr or endangered species like red pandas and snow leopards, though these are harder to see. 

Ghorepani Poonhill Trek is home to various bird species from the forested areas like pheasants, and Danphe (Himalayan Monal). 
In addition to breathtaking mountain views of Annapurna, Manaslu, and Hiunchuli, this trekking route provides experiences with the ecological secrets of the Annapurna area. An extremely unique and memorable trek for trekkers, it has huge flora and fauna in its rich surroundings.

The Ghorepani Poonhill Trek is a moderate trek however it brings its share of its own challenges that trekkers need to be ready for. Amazing landscapes, but trek can be physically demanding, particularly for first time trekkers.

The biggest challenge is the altitude, which doesn’t go to such insane altitudes, but still is prone to altitude sickness. The Ghorepani Poonhill Trek climbs up to 3,210 meters. Mild symptoms of altitude sickness can include dizziness, headaches, or shortness of breath. If you want to avoid these issues, the best bet would be to pace yourselves make sure you’re well hydrated, and take a rest day to get acclimatized.

There is, of course, another issue to consider, the terrain. The first two days have steep ascents and descents. The trail is a maze of many uneven and stony areas, so you want to have a pair of footwear that supports your ankles in case you fall or slip. The picturesque stone stairs are tough on knees and legs but equally fun.

The weather can also be a problem. The Ghorepani Poonhill trek is all through the year but the trek in winter and monsoon can be quite difficult due to cold temperatures and unpredictable rain. 

This last point is that the trek is not hard, but for a trek of this length physical preparation is necessary to manage the physical strain. Many of the treks can be strenuous and those not used to long days of walking or uphill can quickly become tired, especially with hours of climbing.

Even with challenges, the Ghorepani Poonhill Trek remains a wonderful and enjoyable place to go.

The sunrise from Poon Hill in the early morning is the best time to take photographs on the Ghorepani Poonhill trek. At this time, it’s magical light, with golden hues lighting the ranges of Annapurna and Dhaulagiri. You’ll want to set out around 4:30 AM to reach the viewpoint in time to capture the bright color of the sky of the snow covered peaks. Midday is perfect for capturing the colorful reds and pinks of the rhododendron forests after that.

Late afternoon soft light is perfect for photographing Ghorepani village stone houses with Annapurna, Manaslu, Dhaulagiri, and Macchapucchre towering behind. Adding to this is the peaceful atmosphere of the springtime which makes up for a beautiful surrounding.

Besides that, you’ll also find several opportunities for portrait shots of the locals. Tikhedhunga, Ghorepani, Ghandruk, and many other villages are perfect places to photograph people going on with their daily lives.In the high altitudes of Ghorepani or Ghandruk, you can take some astrophotography as there is almost no light pollution. The stars look brighter and with proper gear, you can even capture the Milky Way.

When going for the Ghorepani Poonhill Trek, it’s important to be sustainable to keep an environment and support these local communities. Reducing waste is one of the easiest ways to do this. 

Instead of using single use plastics, carry some reusable items like water bottles, utensils, and bags. Make sure to follow the Leave No Trace principle by always packing out your trash, food scraps can take a very long time to decompose in remote areas. By doing this, you’re making the trekking trails clean and beautiful.

You should also make sure to not disrespect any of the local cultures. Before you set your foot on the place, learn about their traditions and values. Take pictures only with permission, and buy handmade items or hire local guides to support local businesses. That’ll help you connect with the community while also taking care of them.
Stick to the marked trails to ensure no disturbances to the environment. Exploring new paths leads to erosion and destroys the local ecosystem. Don’t pollute water sources, rather take eco-friendly products such as biodegradable soaps and shampoos. If you practice these sustainable habits, you’ll be able to reduce your impact and stay true to the beauty of the trek for other visitors.

What is the price of the Ghorepani Poonhill trek?

They charge between $300 and $600 per person for the 6 day trek. Trekking permits, transportation, accommodation, meals, and a guide are included. Drinks, snacks, and tips for the guide and porter will be extra on your bill.

Do tea houses provide Wi-Fi and hot showers?

Hot showers, Wi-Fi, and availability and quality are hit and miss at many of the tea houses on the trek. Depending on where you check, you need to pay some extra.

What should I do if I get sick during the trek?

When you are sick, let your guide or trekking partners know. For altitude sickness rest, stay hydrated, and descend if necessary. Over the counter meds can be available for other illnesses. If you are traveling, be sure to have travel insurance that will cover emergency medical care and evacuation.

How hard is the Ghorepani Poonhill Trek?

This trek is moderate and all around fit people could take it. The ascents and descents are steep, but Poon Hill (3,210 meters) is not the sort of altitude that is insanely dangerous.

Is the Ghorepani trek risky for AMS (acute mountain sickness)?

Because of the slow ascent and low altitude, the risk of AMS is low. But you want to stay hydrated, rest properly, and descend if symptoms show up.