Poonhill Lodge Trek
Tour Details
During this trek you hike trek along the southern slopes of the Annapurna Himal offering dramatic close-up views of some of the highest and most beautiful mountains in the world. Every day and every lodge will offer you views of Annapurna range or the Dhaulagiri range. The reward to effort ratio is higher on this trek than any other Nepal trek. On our spring trips you will see many rhododendrons in full bloom. Rhododendrons are Nepal’s National Flower and are not bushes but trees up to 18 m and are covered in red, pink, and occasionally white flowers. These rhododendron forests are to be found at elevations between 2 000 m and 3 500 m.
Short Itenary
Day 01: Arrival in Kathmandu
Day 02: Sightseeing in Kathmandu Valley
Day 03: Fly to Pokhara & Trek to Tolka (1 750 m)
Day 04: Trek to Ghandruk village (2 012 m)
Day 05: Trek to Tadapani (2 700 m)
Day 06: Trek to Ghorepani (2 750 m)
Day 07: Trek to Poon Hill (3 110 m) & Thikedunga (1 480 m)
Day 08: Drive to Pokhara (3 hours) & Sightseeing
Day 09: Fly Back to Kathmandu
Day 10: Fly out Kathmandu
Itinerary
Pick-up at Tribhuvan International Airport, meeting with your guide and transfer to the hotel. First impressions of Kathmandu (1 350 m) – walk to medieval Kathmandu Durbar Square and explore the beautiful complex of palaces, temples, shrines and courtyards built by the ancient Nepali kings between the 12th and 18th century. We bring you to our office and Thamel – the vibrant tourist area with hotels, restaurants, bakeries and outdoor shops. We get to know each other over a welcome dinner, check formalities and equipment and discuss your itinerary.
Today we discover the highlights of Katmandu and the valley. We adapt the programm to your interests and desires and what you have seen before. Usually, we go to Pasupatinath on the bank of the Bagmati River, where the most important Hindu temples and burning ghats of Nepal are situated. In Bouddhanath we circumambulate together with Tibetan and Nepali Buddhist pilgrims the whitewashed stupa. Our sightseeing usually ends in Patan, the city of Beauty, an astonishing center of fine art and Buddhist and Hindu culture.
After 30 min of short beautiful mountain flight we land to the largest town in central Nepal which is known for its lake Phewa tal and spectacular panorama over the Annapurna peaks where we will have breakfast. We take a private car to Phedi where we start our trekking at an elevation of 1 130 m through beautiful Dhampus village where we welcome with magestic Annapurna II and III with Lamjung mountain peaks. We also clearly the astonunding Macchapurcchare (6 882 m) or “Fishtail” peak which will dominate the skyline the coming days. Our trail climbs through a rhododendron forest and the village of Pothana (1 990 m) where you have to show your trekking permit at the checkpoint of the Annapurna Conservation Area Project. We descend to the pass of Deurali, where we enjoy our lunch with views of Annapurna South (7 219 m) and Hiunchuli (6 440 m). We descend the forest to a hugh side canyon of the Modi Khola and later climb out again on flagstone step. We arrive at out camp place, Tolka (1 790 m), a pleasant Gurung village where you have beautiful vistas over Annapurna South.
We make a pleasant hike from Tolka to Landruk crossing Tigu Khola river, hiking through forests and walking along the river. In Landruk we cross the Modi Khola river and climb to the second largest Gurung village Ghandruk. The village is beautiful with slate-roofed houses, charmingly clustered, surrounded by neatly terraced fields and framed by outstanding view of Annapurna South, Hiunchuli and Fishtail. Today we will walk 4:30 hours in total.
After breakfast our trail continue upwards through Deurali and into the dense rhododendron forest. The spring season is the best for beautiful rhododendron blooings everywhere around Poon Hill and Khopra valley. The rhododendron flower is Nepal’s national flower. After lunch at Deurali we will walk for 2:30 hours to reach Tadapani village. It’s small village with many Tibetan souvineros salers. From our hotel garden we can see Fishtail and Annapurna south if the days are clear.
From Tadapani we descend steeply to the Bhurundi river and after directly climb up again to Ban- thanti (3 180 m), where we lunch. The peaks of Annapurna South, Macchapuchhre and Annapurna III dominate the skyline. In Deurali, at the pass (3 090 m) you can climb to a viewpoint. We reach Ghorepani (2 750 m) after 5 hours hiking. Tomorrow, from here we start our hike to the highest point of our trek Poon Hill (3 190 m) to see the sunrise over Dhaulagiri and Annapurna range.
Early in the morning we climb in 45 minutes to Poon Hill to enjoy a stupendous wide-range view of the Himalaya peaks to the west, north and east. We have good views of both the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri Ranges and the Kali Gandaki Gorge which is the deepest canyon in the world situated between Annapurna I and Dhaulagiri. After breakfast we start the long descent to the charming Magar village of Ulleri. We first pass through a long junction of rhododendron forest until we reach the final “Gurung Staircase” of huge stone steps leading to Ulleri. Continuing the descent, you reach Tikedungha (1 480 m). Total hiking including Poon Hill: 6 hours – descent : 4 hours.
We drive back to Pokhara and sightseeing including Paragliding and boating at Phew Lake.
Before we take fly our private car will drive over Sarangkot for magical sunrise view for last moment and drive to airport for Kathmandu flight.
Transfer to Tribhuvan Airport – we hope you enjoyed your stay.
Trip Format
Nepal is like not home. It is exotic, it is wonderful, but it is also different. Great elevation changes, differences in customs and language, menu variations and the many other mysteries and wonders of travel in Nepal are all conditions you must be physically and mentally prepared for. The itinerary may change. You may meet unknown hardships as well as unexpected pleasures. Come with an open mind and positive spirit.
This trip features 3 nights in fascinating Kathmandu, 1 night in Pokhara, a moderate medium altitude 6-day lodge or tea house trek which strives for maximum of 6 hours hike per day. The trek is non-technical and suitable for anyone in good shape who likes to hiker over mountain trails. You will spend each night staying and eating meals in guest lodges along the route. During the trek you only carry your daypack. The day starts early, and often the bulk of the day’s kilo meters are covered in morning hours. The shorter afternoon hike brings you to the site of the camp to be used that night.
You should be in good physical shape for this trip and feel comfortable hiking seven to ten miles per day on a trail while carrying a day pack of about ten pounds. All the trail have good footing. On day we leave Tadapani on the Ghorepani Ridge route we my encounter unmelted snow, and maybe even some ice, making stretches of the trail potentially hazardous. The highest hiking altitude will be at about 3 210 m, and the highest sleeping altitudes will be at 2 750 m (Ghorepani). This trip is designed to that an average hiker will require between 3 to 5 hours of hiking per day to reach the evening’s stop.
In general this is an easy to moderate trek but remember that trails are often steep in Nepal and at 3 000 m any hiking can seem strenuous. On some days altitude gains and losses of up to 900 m can be expected. Strengthen your knee muscles and prepare for some days of steep descent of anywhere up to 900 m.
A program of cardiovascular conditioning such as running, swimming, biking or aerobics is essential, but try to supplement your exercise with hiking on steep hills or running up and down steps. The more you can condition by closely simulating the activities of trekking, the better off you will be. Good conditioning is essential to your enjoyment of the trek.
Remember that, the latitude of Nepal is between 26°C and 30°C so it will warm at the lower elevations (short and T-shirt) while nights will be cool to cold depending on the elevation. Daytime temperatures will be between 10°Cand 20°Cat the lower elevations in Autumn (0°C on spring and winter trips occurs). Spring sees more clouds in the afternoon and the possibility of occasional thunder storms.
The pace on the trek will be leisurely and unregimented. You are encouraged to walk by yourself or in small groups. Take time to visit local houses and temples, share a cup of tea or rakshi with our porters and the locals in the many chiyaa houses. Pursue interests in photography, bird-watching and botany, and sample the culture of the area you are traveling through.
Personal gear will be carried by porters. Porters can carry two members’ duffel bags. Since their load is 25 kg, this means that your duffel cannot exceed twelve kilos. The group will stay in locally owned guest lodges and will receive an insight into family living that isn’t possible for those staying in tents. Additionally, you will enjoy comforts such as Western or Nepali food and beds with foam mattresses. All the guest houses have toilets and cold showers. Some of the guest houses have hot showers available, and few have electric lighting. The main common room of each lodge has charcoal of kerosene heaters-especially nice on cold nights. You will be expected to share a room with one or more persons depending on the number of beds in the room.
This is not a tour where everything can be planned in advance to run like clockwork. You probably won’t experience exactly what is written in the daily itinerary. Often adjustment must be made in the field. We want you to participate in the trip with the clear understanding that things can go wrong. Adventure travel does involve certain risks both emotional and physical. One has to be flexible when traveling in Nepal and have a cheerful attitude.
Included in the Cost
- All airport transfers.
- All sightseeing in Kathmandu including guide, vehicle and entry fees for World Heritage Centers.
- Twin-sharing accommodation in 2 ** hotels in Kathmandu & Pokhara.
- Twin-sharing accommodation in lodges during trek.
- 3 meals + 3 x tea or coffee (extra other drinks including boiled water are for personal expenses).
- Assistance of our staff, adequate equipment for our staff, salaries, food and trekking insurance Bus ticket tourist bus Kathmandu-Pokhara, flight ticket Pokhara-Kathmandu.
- Annapurna Conservation Area fee & TIMS (Trekking Information Management System) card.
Not Included in the Cost
- International flights, airport taxes, visa fee for Nepal.
- Personal items, travelling insurance including emergency helicopter rescue/evacuation (Required).
- Trekking gear including sleeping bag, appropriate clothing.
- Meals in Kathmandu and Pokhara except welcome/farewell dinner in Kathmandu.
- Cold drinks or bottled/canned beverages including soft drinks, alcoholic beverages and water (bottled or boiled) during trek, in Kathmandu and Pokhara.
- Tips and expenses of personal nature
Map
Related Tours
Khopra Valley Lodge Trek
Mardi Himal Lodge Trek
Nar Phu & Kangla High Pass
Poon Hill Classic Lodge Trek
Annapurna Circuit Lodge Trek
Annapurna Base Camp Lodge Trek
Beautiful
We did the hike trough the Annapurna area. This was so nice and beautiful that i want to do it again someday! The Traveltimes had everything sorted out so we didn’t had to do anything but follow =) No problems, nice people and they speek English!
Thank you Dawa!
Family hiking holiday
Dec 2022
Traveltime treks, in particular our guides, Dawa Tamang and Raksha Raj Tamang were a great team to introduce us to the beauty of Nepal. They are both very knowledgeable, capable, respected and experienced. I felt safe and taken care of despite some illness we had in our group. Changes in itinerary was managed very smoothly. Dawa also made sure we had rooms with great views, unlimited food and facilities throughout our hike. Rakhsha was great with the younger members in our group. I would highly recommend both of them.
Azlina Ali & Family, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia