- Length
- 10 days
- Highest point
- 4,130 m
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Best months
- Oct–May
- Starts
- Nayapul / Pokhara
- Group size
- 2–12 People
- Sleeping
- Tea House
An extended Poon Hill loop that trades rush-hour teahouse queues for leisurely days in Gurung villages, rhododendron forests, and sweeping Annapurna and Dhaulagiri panoramas.
- Poon Hill sunrise (3,210 m) — iconic panorama of Dhaulagiri and the Annapurna Himalaya
- Chhomrong village — the largest Gurung settlement and gateway to the Annapurna foothills
- Annapurna South (7,219 m) face visible from multiple distinct vantage points
- Bamboo and rhododendron forest transitions from lowland to high-altitude terrain
- Jhinu Danda natural hot springs — mid-trek recovery for tired legs
- 10-day comprehensive Annapurna foothills experience: villages, forest, panorama
- Suitable for beginners — maximum Himalayan scenery with no technical challenge
The climb, day by day
Day 1Drive Pokhara → Nayapul · Trek to Tikhedhunga (1,540 m)1,540 m
Morning drive from Pokhara to the trailhead at Nayapul. Trek through Birethanti along the Bhurungdi Khola, crossing suspension bridges through terraced farmland and subtropical forest. Reach Tikhedhunga at the base of the famous Ulleri staircase.
- Distance
- 12 km
- Walking
- 3–4 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 2Tikhedhunga → Ghorepani (2,860 m)2,860 m
Climb the 3,000-step stone staircase through Ulleri (1,960 m) and continue through oak and rhododendron forest via Banthanti. Emerge onto the ridge at Ghorepani with panoramic views of Dhaulagiri (8,167 m) and the first glimpses of the Annapurna range.
- Distance
- 11 km
- Walking
- 5–6 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 3Ghorepani · Poon Hill Sunrise (3,210 m) · Trek to Tadapani (2,630 m)2,630 m
Pre-dawn ascent to Poon Hill for the classic Himalayan panorama — Dhaulagiri, Tukuche, Nilgiri, Annapurna I, Annapurna South, Machhapuchhre and Ganesh Himal. Return to Ghorepani for breakfast, then follow the forested ridge trail east through abundant rhododendron forest to Tadapani.
- Distance
- 14 km
- Walking
- 5–6 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 4Tadapani → Chhomrong (2,170 m)2,170 m
Descend through forest and Gurung settlements, crossing the Kimrong Khola before climbing to Chhomrong — the last significant Gurung village before the Annapurna Sanctuary. Stone-paved streets and outstanding views of Annapurna South and Hiunchuli mark this as one of the trek highlights.
- Distance
- 11 km
- Walking
- 4–5 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 5Chhomrong → Sinuwa (2,360 m) → Bamboo (2,310 m)2,310 m
Descend the steep stone staircase from Chhomrong to the Chhomrong Khola bridge, then climb sharply to Sinuwa. Continue down through increasingly dense forest to Bamboo, where the trail enters the heart of the Modi Khola gorge. The forest is cool and atmospheric, dense with bamboo and rhododendron.
- Distance
- 10 km
- Walking
- 4–5 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 6Bamboo → Dovan (2,600 m) → Machhapuchhre Base Camp (3,700 m)3,700 m
Trek deeper into the Annapurna Sanctuary through Himalaya (2,920 m) and Dovan, with waterfalls cascading from steep cliffs on all sides. The landscape transitions from forest to alpine scrub as you approach Machhapuchhre Base Camp, dramatically sited below the towering fishtail peak.
- Distance
- 12 km
- Walking
- 5–6 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 7MBC → Annapurna Base Camp (4,130 m)4,130 m
Short but spectacular final ascent into the Annapurna Sanctuary amphitheatre. The trail crosses glacial moraine fields with Annapurna I (8,091 m) dominating the skyline. Spend the afternoon and evening at ABC with 360-degree views of the highest concentration of eight-thousanders anywhere in Nepal.
- Distance
- 5 km
- Walking
- 2–3 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 8ABC · Sunrise · Descend to Sinuwa (2,360 m)2,360 m
Watch the dawn light transform the Annapurna massif from rose-gold to brilliant white before beginning the descent. Retrace the route through MBC and Bamboo all the way to Sinuwa, making good time on the well-defined trail.
- Distance
- 17 km
- Walking
- 6–7 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 9Sinuwa → Ghandruk (1,940 m)1,940 m
Climb back up to Chhomrong, then descend via Kimrong Khola to Ghandruk — the largest Gurung village in the region, with a fine cultural museum, traditional stone houses and terraced fields. Views of Annapurna South and Machhapuchhre are superb from the village.
- Distance
- 12 km
- Walking
- 4–5 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 10Ghandruk → Nayapul · Drive to Pokhara827 m
Final day trekking through Kimche and the lower Modi valley to Nayapul. Board a private vehicle for the 1.5-hour drive to Pokhara, arriving in time for a celebratory lunch by Phewa Lake.
- Distance
- 13 km
- Walking
- 3–4 hours
- Meals
- B
- Night
- Hotel
The price includes
- Government-registered English-speaking guide
- Porter (1 per 2 trekkers)
- ACAP permit and TIMS card
- Pokhara–Nayapul private jeep (both ways)
- All teahouse accommodation on trek
- 3 meals per day (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
- Altitude illness kit and pulse oximeter
- Kathmandu airport and hotel transfers
- All government taxes and service charges
You pay separately
- International airfare to/from Kathmandu
- Nepal entry visa fee ($30–$50 on arrival)
- Comprehensive travel insurance with emergency evacuation
- Meals not listed in daily itinerary
- Personal trekking gear and equipment
- Tips for guides and porters
- Beverages, hot showers, and battery charging at teahouses (payable direct)
- Personal expenses and souvenirs
- Any costs arising from illness, injury, or early departure
The 10-day Poon Hill and Annapurna Trek extends the classic Poon Hill circuit into the deeper Modi Khola valley — two nights at Ghorepani for the dawn panorama from Poon Hill (3,210 m), then five more days continuing the upper Annapurna approach to Chhomrong and the lower sanctuary. It is the richer version of the Poon Hill trek: the Poon Hill sunrise remains the headline, but instead of turning back to Pokhara after the view, the route continues into outstanding rhododendron forest and Gurung village country for a week's trekking rather than four days.
Poon Hill at dawn shows 30+ Himalayan peaks lit gold simultaneously — Dhaulagiri to Manaslu in a single sweep, with Annapurna South and Machapuchare dominant in the foreground. The extended route to Chhomrong then delivers entirely different trail character: deep forested ridges, terraced Gurung villages above the Modi river gorge, and the approach to the Annapurna Conservation Area's inner reaches.
Best seasons: October–November and March–May (rhododendron). Start: Pokhara (private jeep). Max altitude: Poon Hill 3,210 m.