Annapurna Base Camp with Poon Hill Trek –11 Days
Annapurna Region, Nepal
Key Trip Specifications
Everything you need to evaluate this Himalayan route at a glance
Overview
The ABC with Poon Hill Trek covers two of the best views in the Annapurna region in
11 days: the sunrise over Dhaulagiri from Poon Hill at 3,210m, and then a night at
Annapurna Base Camp (4,130m) itself, surrounded by peaks all around.
Most first-time visitors to Nepal have a choice to make. Poon Hill is short and easy.
Annapurna Base Camp is longer, higher, and more remote. On this route, you link them
with one linking day through the rhododendron forest at Tadapani, so you get the
sunrise viewpoint and the glacier basin in the same holiday.
The trip begins and ends in Kathmandu. After a night in Thamel, you head west to
Pokhara, the lakeside town that is the gateway to the Annapurnas. Then you are met by
jeep up to Ulleri, which cuts out the steepest stone staircase of the old route, and you
walk the rest of the way to Ghorepani.
Day four begins with an early climb to Poon Hill. From there the trail continues east
through Tadapani and Chhomrong and then up the Modi Khola valley. Bamboo forest
gave way to open moraine. By Deurali, the trees are gone, and Machhapuchhre
(Fishtail), the sacred peak no one has been allowed to summit, fills the head of the
valley.
The last leg takes you further beyond Machhapuchhre Base Camp (MBC) to Annapurna
Base Camp. You sleep there, inside the Annapurna Sanctuary, with Annapurna I
(8,091m) right over the lodges. Then it’s downhill to Bamboo, on to Jhinu for its natural
hot springs, then back to Pokhara by jeep. The trip ends with a morning of sightseeing
in Pokhara and a final half day in Kathmandu.
No previous climbing experience is required for this trek. It does require decent fitness.
You can expect to be on your feet 5 to 7 hours most days with lots of stone steps, up
and down. Every night on the trail is spent in a family-run tea house, so no camping, just
a daypack.
If you have about two weeks in Nepal and want one trek that will show you the
Annapurnas properly, this is the one we recommend.
Trip Highlights
- Watch sunrise from Poon Hill (3,210m) as it lights up Dhaulagiri, Annapurna
- South, Machhapuchhre and more than 20 other peaks
- Sleep a night at Annapurna Base Camp (4,130m), surrounded by a full circle of
- peaks including Annapurna I, Hiunchuli and Gangapurna
- Walk through some of Nepal's largest rhododendron forests between Ghorepani
- and Tadapani, at their reddest in March and April
- Stop in Gurung and Magar villages such as Ulleri, Ghorepani and Chhomrong,
- where tea houses are run by local families
- See Machhapuchhre up close from its own base camp. The mountain is sacred
- and has never been officially climbed
- Soak tired legs in the natural hot springs beside the Modi Khola at Jhinu
- Spend a slow evening by Phewa Lake in Lakeside Pokhara, with a sunrise trip to
- the hills above town before you leave
- Explore Thamel and Kathmandu Durbar Square on arrival, and visit
- Swayambhunath (the Monkey Temple) above the valley
- Ride by jeep from Pokhara to Ulleri, which saves a day of road walking and the
- long climb up from Tikhedhunga
Gallery
Included & Excluded
- Airport pick-up with a flower garland welcome, and final airport drop-off by private vehicle
- 2 nights' hotel accommodation in Thamel, Kathmandu, with breakfast
- 2 nights' hotel accommodation in Lakeside Pokhara, with breakfast
- 6 nights' tea house accommodation on the trek (twin sharing)
- Three meals a day (breakfast, lunch and dinner) with tea or coffee during the trek
- Ground transport from Kathmandu to Pokhara and from Pokhara back to
- Kathmandu
- Jeep from Pokhara to Ulleri and from Jhinu to Pokhara
- Guided visits to Swayambhunath, Sarangkot sunrise, Pokhara sightseeing and
- half-day Kathmandu sightseeing
- Experienced, licensed English-speaking trekking guide
- Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) permit and TIMS card
- Salary, meals, accommodation, insurance and equipment for all staff
- First aid kit carried by your guide
- Sleeping bag and duffel bag on loan for the trek (to be returned)
- Trekking map of the route
- All government and local taxes
- International flights to and from Kathmandu
- Nepal visa fee (available on arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport)
- Lunch and dinner in Kathmandu and Pokhara
- Porter service (available on request)
- Entrance fees at monuments and temples during sightseeing
- Travel and medical insurance, including emergency helicopter evacuation
- Personal expenses such as snacks, bottled or boiled water, alcoholic and soft
- drinks, hot showers, Wi-Fi and battery charging
- Personal trekking gear and clothing
- Extra nights in Kathmandu or Pokhara caused by early return, flight delays or
- cancellations
- Costs from events outside our control, such as landslides, road closures, bad
- weather or political disruption
- Tips for your guide, porter and driver
Packing List
- Broken-in waterproof hiking boots and a pair of camp shoes or sandals
- A down jacket, fleece, and thermal base layers for ABC nights
- Waterproof jacket and trousers
- A warm hat, gloves, sunglasses and sun cream
- Head torch with spare batteries for the Poon Hill sunrise
- Sleeping bag rated to around minus 10°C (we can provide one)
- Walking poles for the long stone staircases
- Personal first aid kit, water purification tablets and a reusable bottle
- Swimwear for the Jhinu hot springs
Important Information
- A typical day on the trail
- Breakfast is at 7, and you’re walking by 7:30 or 8. You stop for lunch at a tea house
- about noon, and by mid-afternoon you reach the next village. That allows time to wash,
- rest, and watch the light change on the peaks before dinner at around 6.30 pm. At
- dinner, your guide briefs you on the route for the next day.
- Food and drinking water
- Tea house menus are longer than you would expect: dal bhat, noodles, fried rice, pasta,
- pancakes, porridge, and eggs. Dal bhat is the trekker’s favorite – free refills, keeps you
- going (Dal Bhat Power 24 Hour). The higher you go, the more everything is brought in
- by porters or mules, and so prices rise.
- Lodges above Chhomrong usually don’t serve meat out of respect for the local deities of
- the Sanctuary. You’ll be a vegetarian for a few days, which is no bad thing at altitude.
- Most villages have safe drinking water stations where you can fill up for a small fee.
- Take a reusable bottle and purification tablets or a filter, and don’t buy plastic bottles,
- which compound the waste problem on the trail.
- Weather and temperatures
- Ghorepani and Chhomrong days are usually mild in the main seasons. Nighttime is cold
- everywhere above 2,500m. Night temperatures are well below freezing for much of the
- year at Annapurna Base Camp, including spring and fall. Mornings are usually clear,
- and clouds often build after midday, so the best views are early.
- Avalanche safety above Deurali
- The stretch from Deurali to MBC is below steep slopes that can trigger avalanches,
- especially after heavy snow in winter and early spring. Your guide will check the latest
- conditions with lodge owners each morning and may change the timing or the side of
- the valley that you walk on. If they say wait, wait.
- Money and ATMs
- Pokhara is the last place with reliable ATMs. Bring plenty of cash (in Nepali rupees) for
- snacks, hot showers, Wi-Fi, charging, extra drinks, and tips. On the trail, card payments
- are rarely accepted.
- Travel insurance
- Travel insurance is mandatory for this trip. Your policy should cover trekking up to at
- least 4,200m and emergency helicopter evacuation. Make sure to read the altitude limit
- carefully, as many standard policies stop at 3,000m. We will ask you for your policy
- details prior to the trek.
- Luggage and porters
- If you use a porter, he will carry up to 20 to 25kg, usually divided between two trekkers.
- You carry only a daypack with water, snacks, a warm layer, a rain jacket, and your
- camera. You can leave your extra luggage safely at your hotel in Kathmandu or
- Pokhara.
Itinerary
Our representative meets you outside the arrivals hall at Tribhuvan International Airport
with a flower garland and your name on a board. It’s a short 4km drive to your hotel in
Thamel, the old travellers’ quarter of Kathmandu.
The rest of the day is yours. You will drop your bags, have a shower and relax. Since Thamel’s lanes are packed with trekking shops, momo cafés and rooftop
bars, so it’s a good place to pick up anything you forgot to pack.
In the late afternoon, you will walk 20 minutes south through Ason’s spice and textile market to
Kathmandu Durbar Square. And also you will visit the old royal palace, the pagoda temples, and the house of
the Kumari (the living goddess) in the evening light. Get an early night.
Tomorrow starts early.
Before breakfast, you will visit to Swayambhunath, the hilltop stupa watching over
the Kathmandu Valley. At that hour, the steps are full of locals walking the kora (the
circuit around the stupa), spinning prayer wheels and feeding the resident monkeys.
You’ll also get a clear view across the whole city.After the visit, you will return back to hotel.
After breakfast, you will take 7 hours drive west along the Prithvi Highway. The road follows the Trishuli
and then the Marsyangdi rivers, past terraced hills, suspension bridges and roadside
villages. You will stop for lunch at a suitable restaurant on the way.
You’ll reach Pokhara in the late afternoon and check in at Lakeside. In the evening, you will take
a slow walk along the shore of Phewa Lake. On a clear evening, you may catch a beautiful view of Machhapuchhre (Fishtail Mountain), with its summit glowing pink above the town.
After early breakfast, your jeep departure from Pokhara, passing Nayapul and
taking the rough road up to Ulleri (about 2050m), a Magar village spread out over a
steep hillside.
This is where your trek begins. You will follow a steadily ascending trail through terraced farmland before entering beautiful oak and rhododendron forests. Along the way, you will pass through the charming settlements of Banthanti and Nangethanti, enjoying the peaceful surroundings and scenic mountain landscapes.
There are
tea stops on the way, so you don’t have to carry much more than water and a snack.
This will be your first proper climb, from about 2050m to 2875m, so take it easy. You will
arrive in Ghorepani by evening. It’s a busy village of lodges on a saddle with views
across to Dhaulagiri if the clouds clear.
Your guide will knock at the door early in the morning. You will be ready with a head torch, a warm
jacket, and gloves for a 45 minutes to an hour steps through the
forest to Poon Hill.
At the top, the sky begins to lighten behind Machhapuchhre. Dhaulagiri (8,167m) turns
gold first, followed by Tukuche Peak, Nilgiri, Annapurna South, Hiunchuli and
Annapurna I. Between Dhaulagiri and the Annapurnas,you will see Kali Gandaki gorge, one of
the deepest in the world. You will hang and relax around for the whole show and walk back down for
breakfast.
In the late morning you will head east toward Tadapani. The trail climbs up to a ridge close
to Deurali (approximately 3,100m) with more mountain views before coming down into a
dense forest of rhododendron trees and moss, next to a stream. In spring, the whole
stretch is red and pink with flowers.Tadapani is a small collection of lodges in a clearing in the forest. Machhapuchhre and
Annapurna South are directly in front of you on a clear evening.
Today is long, so you will start early. The trail drops steeply through the forest to Gurjung
and on to Chhomrong (2,170m), the largest Gurung village in the area. Chhomrong is a
good place for lunch, and the bakeries here are famous among trekkers for their
chocolate cake.
This is also where the Poon Hill trail joins the main route to Annapurna Base Camp.
As you leave Chhomrong, you will descend a long flight of stone steps towards the Chhomrong Khola. After
crossing the suspension bridge, you climb straight back up the other side to Sinuwa.
Your knees will feel the stairs today. Walking poles help a lot. Sinuwa is quieter than
Chhomrong and looks straight up the valley you’ll follow tomorrow.
After a local breakfast, you will head deeper into the Modi Khola gorge. You'll walk
through bamboo and rhododendron forest to Bamboo (2,310m) and then Dovan
(2,600m). As you trek through this way, you may spot langurs, the grey, long-tailed monkeys, moving through the trees.
Above Dovan the valley narrows. You pass a small shrine to the local deity, where
guides often stop to pray, and then reach the Himalaya Hotel (2,920m). After Hinku Cave, you will leave the forest behind as the landscape gradually changes to open grassland and rocky terrain. As you continue along the trail, the cliffs on both sides will become narrower and more dramatic.
You will reach Deurali at an altitude of 3,230 metres, the final stop before entering the Annapurna Sanctuary. Since you will have gained nearly 900 metres in elevation today, it is important to stay well hydrated and maintain a steady pace. If you experience a headache or any signs of altitude discomfort, inform your guide immediately so they can assist you.
“Today is the day you came for,” you see the ABC peep from its lap. You will leave early, as
the valley above Deurali is the safest in the morning, and your guide will choose the
route depending on the snow and avalanche conditions at the time.
The trail continues up the Modi Khola through a wide open valley to Machhapuchhre
Base Camp (3700m). The panorama from here, directly up the face of Fishtail, is as
spectacular as anything up at the summit. After breakfast or tea at Machhapuchhre Base Camp (MBC), you will begin the final climb towards Annapurna Base Camp (ABC). The trail is gradual but has a steep gradient in some sections and usually takes around 1.5–2 hours. As you gain altitude, the air becomes thinner, so you should walk slowly, maintain a steady pace, and take regular breaks when needed. Your guide will support you throughout the climb and help ensure you reach ABC comfortably and safely.
And then you are in the Annapurna Conservation Area. You are surrounded by the
almost complete ring of Annapurna I, Annapurna South, Hiunchuli, Gangapurna,
Annapurna III, and Machhapuchhre. You will walk a short distance to the memorial stones and
prayer flags near the Lodges and look down on the South Annapurna Glacier.
As you watch the sunset from Annapurna Base Camp, you will see the surrounding summits gradually turn orange and then pink as the last rays of sunlight illuminate the mountains. As the sun sets, the temperature will drop quickly, so you should keep yourself warm and sleep in comfortable, warm clothing.
Standing before this breathtaking Himalayan scenery, you will feel the fatigue of the trek gradually disappear. The magnificent mountains, peaceful surroundings, and unforgettable sunset will make your time at Annapurna Base Camp a truly memorable, once-in-a-lifetime experience.
You will wake up early to experience the spectacular sunrise from Annapurna Base Camp. Although the morning can be very cold, the experience is well worth it as you watch the first rays of sunlight illuminate the summit of Annapurna I.
After breakfast you will walk back down the same valley, past MBC, Deurali, Himalaya and
Dovan. Going down is faster but it is a long day of descending so be careful on the wet
rock and stone steps. As you descend the air gets thicker, your appetite comes back,
and you will have good sleep.
You will retrace the trail to Sinuwa and climb the stairs back up to Chhomrong. From
Chhomrong, the path heads steeply down towards Jhinu Danda.
The hot springs are about a 20-minute walk below the village, on the bank of the Modi
Khola. If there’s time, a soak in the natural pools is the best thing you can do for your
legs after six days on the trail. You can bring your swimwear if you would like to relax and enjoy the facilities at your hotel after the trek.
A jeep will then take you down the valley road towards Pokhara, which takes approximately 3 hours. You will arrive back at your Lakeside hotel by the evening, where you can enjoy a hot shower, a comfortable bed, and a relaxing dinner by Phewa Lake. After several days of trekking, you can unwind and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere of Pokhara.
You will drive up to Sarangkot (about 1,600m). From this hill above Pokhara,
you will see the whole Annapurna range which catches the first light, with Phewa Lake below.
It’s a nice way to look back at where you’ve walked.
After breakfast, a half-day tour takes in some of Pokhara’s best-known sights.
Depending on time, this can include Davis Falls, Gupteshwor Mahadev Cave, the World
Peace Pagoda, and a boat ride to the Tal Barahi Temple on its island in Phewa Lake.
In the afternoon, we drive back to Kathmandu along the Prithvi Highway and check in to
your hotel in Thamel.
After breakfast, you will have some time to prepare for your departure and make your final arrangements before leaving Nepal. Our representative will pick you up from your hotel and transfer you comfortably to Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu.
You will be driven to the airport well in advance of your scheduled flight, allowing you plenty of time to complete check-in, security, and other airport formalities without rushing.
Your trek may be coming to an end, but the memories of the mountains, local culture, warm hospitality, scenic trails, and unforgettable moments will stay with you for years.And we hope for welcoming you again to explore more of Nepal Himalayas in the future.
Altitude Chart
Frequently Asked Questions
The trek is moderately challenging, with around 5–7 hours of walking on most days. You will face stone steps and hilly trails, but no technical climbing is involved.
Yes. Beginners can complete this trek with proper preparation and a reasonable fitness level. Regular walking or stair training before the trek is helpful.
The trek reaches 4,130m, so mild altitude symptoms are possible. Walk slowly, drink plenty of water, and inform your guide if you feel unwell.
March to May and late September to November are the best times to trek. These seasons usually offer clearer skies, stable weather, and comfortable conditions.
A licensed guide is generally required for foreign trekkers in the Annapurna region. A guide also helps with the route, accommodation, safety, and altitude concerns.
You will need an ACAP permit along with trekking registration documents. These permits will be arranged by the company before your trek starts.
Tea houses are basic mountain lodges with simple rooms, beds, blankets, and shared facilities. Accommodation becomes more basic as you reach higher elevations.
Wi-Fi and charging are available at many tea houses for an extra fee. The connection may be weaker at higher altitudes, so carrying a power bank is useful.
Yes, some travel or sightseeing days can be shortened. However, reducing trekking days too much is not advised because a steady pace helps with altitude adjustment.
The cost depends on the season, group size, accommodation, and included services. Check the latest trek price or request a private or group quote.
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