Last Updated on August 18, 2025 by Engr Yaseen
If you want to mix incredible panoramic mountain scenery with some really good cultural exploration, then adding on the side trek from Ghorepani to Poon Hill is probably one of the best decisions you can make while traversing your way to Annapurna Base Camp (ABC). Bhandruk village Delightful diversion above Dhampus, the scenic route, and not a degree stage, deals with another stunning dawn over the Himalayas – albeit backwards given the typical area on Annapurna Base Camp Trek.
The Poon Hill side trek fits well into a number of ABC Trek permutations, especially one starting from either Nayapul or Birethanti. It adds a little time to your journey, but what you get in terms of scenery and adaptation to altitude makes it more than worthwhile. Route-diverting benefits: If you’re plotting the Nepal Annapurna Base Camp Trek and looking for added experience (or pledge acclimatization gags), this side route is the ultimate add-on.
How is the Poon Hill Trek?
Particularly in the course of sunrise. Each will sparkle gold as the sun rises, casting its first light on Annapurna South (7, inchails), Macchapuchre (Fishtail), Dhaulagiri, and Nilgiri peaks from a distance.
Poon Hill thru Ghorepani on the Annapurna Base Camp Trek Map. After a few days, they will be in Ghorepani after leaving Nayapul or Hille, and then will be walking onto Tadapani before linking back up with the main ABC Trekking route at Chhomrong. Some of the best days for trekking on the whole Annapurna Sanctuary Trek can be experienced here, in this loop.
Joining the Poon Hill Route with the ABC Trek
The one accessed by the Nayapul trailhead is the most frequently trekked alternative, and follows this order on an Annapurna Base Camp Trek Itinerary with Poon Hill side trip: Day 1) Nayapul to Ulleri, Day 2) Ulleri to Ghorepani, followed by an early morning trek up Poon Hill for sunrise. After Annapurna Sanctuary, you will descend to Tadapani and then ascend again to Chhomrong before following the classic route to ABC.
On average, this route takes 10-12 days to complete; your time may be less if you are quick and we have good weather. Though longer than the jeep track route to base camp through Jhinu Danda or Ghandruk, the longer trajectory affords trekkers more time at altitude for acclimatization—a major plus for anyone worried about AMS.
As it progresses up with a blend of rhododendron forests, traditional Gurung and Magar villages from the outset, this route attracts photographers, cultural travelers, and family trekkers more than any other. The visual metronome is a nice twist in the journey to Annapurna Base Camp; several hours before that alpine descent rattles your senses.
Scenic and Cultural Highlights
One of the main reasons to do the Poon Hill side trek is for the cultural experience. Ghorepani and Tadapani are well-loved little villages for friendliest communities, stone-paved footpaths, and traditional-style houses. Living in these villages adds a new dimension to your ABC Trek; the mountains are one thing, but the people who live around them just add life.
This portion is a gem on its own, together with Poon Hill. Hikers get up at 4 am to climb one of the country’s smallest and steepest peaks. Take a depth breath and, if the mornings are clear, you may be rewarded with an almost spiritual view of the first light sweeping across distant snow-covered Himalayan faces. This might be one of the maximum photographed spots on any Annapurna Base Camp hiking route.
These forests among Ghorepani and Tadapani are one of the maximum stunning thick rhododendron forests, particularly after they bloom in pink, crimson, and white throughout spring. The remaining phase of the Annapurna Sanctuary Trek, in which you feel like strolling in a fantasy.
Extending to Poon Hill [Cost & Time]
The Annapurna Base Camp Trek Cost is not higher due to Poon Hill. You will have to pay for two or three more days of meat and lodging, and the guide, if you are willing to shell out a little extra money. But all in all — very affordable. The increased spending is far surpassed by the added value of a scenic variety and acclimatization.
This loop has great trail infrastructure. You can expect proper teahouses giving hot meals, cozy rooms, and even Wi-Fi in some places. This can be an excellent allow for riders to avoid, duck some water, and take the interior perspectives. So, a jump-off and detour to the Annapurna Base Camp might not be the most ideal place possible, but this sure is an almost seamless trekking experience that is also quite democratic.
It is, after all, very popular and well-matured during the peak season, e.g., in March till May or October and November, so it makes a lot of sense to pre-book some rooms in Ghorepani or Tadapani. It would be useful to keep a printout of the Annapurna Base Camp Trek Map with you while trekking alone in the side trails.
Best Time for Poonhill with ABC Trek
The most suitable months to add Poon Hill to your Annapurna Base Camp Trek are the same as for the general trekking purposes, which are spring and autumn. The forests are vibrant with color in the spring, and there is a bright blue sky with crisp air in the fall. Winter might be icy and not so perfect for newbies, and the monsoon season will make the trail even more slippery and the view worse.
Nepal Annapurna Base Camp Trek September to November and March to May: Pairing Poon Hill with base camp in these peak times delivers the complete package of the Nepal Annapurna Base Camp Trek, from warm village life and verdant hills through frozen summits down into glacial basins.
Final Thoughts
Poon Hill is not an afterthought add-on to your ABC trek; in fact, it is a generative piece of groundwork, laden with hills, and as you acclimate at altitude by technique, experience the way of life. Be it a photographer in pursuit of Himalayan sunrises, a traveller longing for an insight into typical village life, or just a trekker looking to acclimatise partially before his high altitude treks, for everyone, the side trip truly adds to their adventure.
If you are already planning out your ultimate Annapurna Base Camp Trek Itinerary, it is a smart idea to combine Poon Hill. Makes what is a fantastic walk into one that is truly memorable, combining challenge, peacefulness, and Himalayan splendour as it threads its way through some of the best landscapes in Nepal.
