Nepal's favourite short trek: thousands of stone steps up through villages and rhododendron forest to a ridge-top village, a pre-dawn climb with a line of headtorches, and sunrise over two 8,000-metre peaks.
Poon Hill is a 3,210-metre knoll above the ridge village of Ghorepani. From its top, at dawn, Dhaulagiri and Annapurna I, both above 8,000 metres, stand on either side of the deep Kali Gandaki gorge.
Start from Nayapul or, now that jeeps go further, from Ulleri, and climb through Magar villages and the forest of tree-sized rhododendrons, red and pink in spring, to Ghorepani. Before dawn, walk about 45 minutes up Poon Hill with everyone else to watch the light reach Dhaulagiri, Annapurna I, Annapurna South and Machapuchare.
Extend the route via Tadapani and Ghandruk, a big Gurung village of slate roofs, for a five-day circuit with Machapuchare ahead the whole way. The 3,000-plus stone steps between Tikhedhunga and Ulleri are the only truly hard part.
Up the steps to Ghorepani, across the forest ridge to Tadapani, down through Ghandruk.
Jeep to Nayapul or Tikhedhunga, cross the river and climb the famous steps to Ulleri at about 2,000 metres.
A gentler climb through Banthanti and dense forest to Ghorepani, 2,860 metres, a village of lodges on the ridge.
Up Poon Hill in the dark for dawn, back for breakfast, then over Deurali pass and through deep forest to Tadapani.
Wake to Machapuchare at Tadapani, then descend to Ghandruk's stone lanes and the Gurung museum.
Walk or take a jeep down to Nayapul or Kimche and drive back to Pokhara in a couple of hours.
You need the Annapurna Conservation Area permit, and since 2023 most foreign trekkers must walk with a licensed guide. Agencies in Pokhara arrange both; check current rules.
Teahouses in every village serve dal bhat, noodles and porridge. Prices rise with altitude; hot showers and charging cost extra.
Thousands of steps go down as well as up: poles save your knees on the descent to Ghandruk.
Pokhara practical notes →
Branch off this route to a community lodge.
A ridge straight at the Fishtail.
Into the Sanctuary.
A short trek from the lake.
Big views, small climb.
Sunrise above the lake.
Wikimedia Commons photographs are used under their licences; Pexels photographs under the Pexels licence.
