- Length
- 10 days
- Highest point
- 3,210 m
- Difficulty
- Easy–Moderate
- Best months
- Oct–May
- Starts
- Kathmandu
- Ends
- Kathmandu
- Group size
- 2–14
- Sleeping
- Tea house
A 10-day photography trek built around the best Himalayan light — Poon Hill dawn, Annapurna panoramas, Gurung villages and golden terraces, at a pace that lets you frame every shot.
- Sunrise shoot from Poon Hill (3,210m) over Annapurna & Dhaulagiri
- Golden hour over Phewa Lake and Pokhara city
- Bhaktapur Durbar Square at blue hour — UNESCO heritage
- Swayambhunath stupas and prayer wheels at dawn
- Rhododendron forest light in spring or autumn foliage
- Expert photography guide tips for altitude, mist, and Himalayan light
The climb, day by day
Day 1Arrive Kathmandu1,400 m
Airport pickup. Check in, rest, gear check. Welcome dinner.
- Meals
- D
- Night
- 3★ hotel
Day 2Kathmandu Heritage Shoot1,400 m
Dawn shoot at Swayambhunath, then Bhaktapur Durbar Square at blue hour.
- Meals
- B+L+D
- Night
- 3★ hotel
Day 3Drive to Pokhara820 m
Morning drive or flight to Pokhara. Lakeside walk, sunset Phewa Lake shoot.
- Meals
- B+D
- Night
- 3★ hotel
Day 4Drive Nayapul — Trek to Tikhedhunga1,540 m
Begin the Poon Hill circuit through Birethanti.
- Meals
- B+L+D
- Night
- Tea house
Day 5Tikhedhunga to Ghorepani2,860 m
Climb through rhododendron forests.
- Meals
- B+L+D
- Night
- Tea house
Day 6Poon Hill Sunrise — Photography Golden Hour3,210 m
Pre-dawn 4am hike to Poon Hill (3,210m). Dedicated sunrise photography session — Annapurna South, Dhaulagiri, Machhapuchhre.
- Meals
- B+L+D
- Night
- Tea house
Day 7Ghorepani to Tadapani2,630 m
Trek through oak and rhododendron forest with en-route photo stops.
- Meals
- B+L+D
- Night
- Tea house
Day 8Tadapani to Ghandruk — Village Photography1,940 m
Gurung village photography — stone houses, terrace fields, local life.
- Meals
- B+L+D
- Night
- Tea house
Day 9Trek Out — Return Pokhara820 m
Descend to Kimche and drive to Pokhara. Lakeside sunset shoot.
- Meals
- B+L
- Night
- 3★ hotel
Day 10Fly to Kathmandu — Depart1,400 m
Morning flight or drive back. Airport drop-off.
- Meals
- B
- Night
- —
The price includes
- Airport transfers (Kathmandu)
- All accommodation (3★ hotel in Kathmandu/Pokhara, tea house on trek)
- All meals during the trek (B+L+D)
- Certified photographer-guide (English-speaking)
- ACAP + TIMS permits
- Private transport Pokhara–Nayapul–Pokhara
- Duffle bag and welcome kit
You pay separately
- International flights
- Nepal visa fee
- Meals in Kathmandu and Pokhara (Day 1/10)
- Personal photography equipment
- Tips and gratuities
- Travel insurance (required)
The Nepal Photography Trek is a 10-day itinerary specifically designed around the golden-hour and blue-hour windows that make the difference between a good Himalayan photograph and a great one. Sunrise starts at Sarangkot, Poon Hill, and Tengboche; afternoon valley light in Gurung villages above the Modi river; rhododendron bloom and mani wall compositions in the forests above Ghorepani — the daily schedule is built to be at the right place at the right light, not just the summit.
The route combines the Annapurna foothills (Poon Hill sunrise, Ghorepani rhododendrons, Chhomrong terraces) with a Pokhara extension for sunset paragliding views and the Phewa Lake reflections at dawn. The group size is capped at 6 participants, allowing flexible stops and the unhurried pace that photography requires. Your guide is familiar with local cooperative families who permit access for indoor portrait photography in exchange for respectful engagement — a dimension of the Nepal photography experience that mass-market operators can't provide.
A dedicated photography brief with optimal shooting locations by light direction, weather, and season is provided before departure. The itinerary has built-in contingency hours for extended time at compositions that are working.
Best seasons: October–November (autumn colours) and March–May (rhododendron bloom). Max group size: 6. Max altitude: Poon Hill 3,210 m / Chhomrong 2,170 m.