One long first day. The same wide sunrise view everyone comes here for. Four days from Pokhara: push straight through to Ghorepani on Day 1, watch sunrise over Dhaulagiri and Annapurna from Poon Hill, walk to Ghandruk through rhododendron forest, then loop back to the trailhead. The same destination as our 5 Day route, reached a day sooner by trekkers ready for a demanding start.
The Poon Hill Trek 4 Days reaches the same sunrise viewpoint as our 5 Day version. It just gets there faster. This itinerary pushes through to Ghorepani on a single long first day instead of splitting the climb across two. Everything after that, Poon Hill's sunrise, the walk to Ghandruk, matches our full loop closely.
What's Actually Different About This Poon Hill Trek
Two of our Poon Hill itineraries follow nearly the same trail. The honest difference is pace. Our 5 Day Ghorepani Poon Hill Ghandruk Trek spreads the climb to Ghorepani across two easier days, with a proper night's rest at Tikhedhunga first. This version combines that into one demanding push. You reach Ghorepani a day earlier, and you earn it on Day 1.
Who Should Book This Poon Hill Trek Instead of the 5 Day Version
Trekkers with strong general fitness who want a day back on their schedule. It suits people who've done a multi-day hike before and know what a long first day feels like. First-time trekkers, families with young children, or anyone unsure about a demanding opening day should look at our 5 Day version instead. That one spreads the same climb more gently.
A faster version of our classic Ghorepani, Poon Hill, and Ghandruk loop. This itinerary compresses the first two days of our 5 Day route into one long push, then follows the same trail through Poon Hill's sunrise viewpoint and Ghandruk village. Run from Pokhara, with Kathmandu transport available as an addon.
Trip Highlights
Journey Highlights
Ghandruk Village (1,940m): A Real Gurung Settlement, Not a Rest Stop
One of the largest and best preserved Gurung villages in the Annapurna region, with a genuine Gurung Museum documenting local Gurkha history.
Ulleri's Stone Steps: Roughly 3,200 Steps, Tackled in One Push
The single hardest stretch of this itinerary, climbed on Day 1 while energy is highest.
Rhododendron Forest: Dense Blooms Between Ghorepani and Tadapani
Spectacular in flower through March and April, walked at a relaxed pace on Day 2 after the previous day's climb.
Poon Hill (3,210m): The Widest Sunrise View in the Foothills
Dhaulagiri, Annapurna, and Machhapuchhre in one sweep, reached the morning after this trek's one demanding day.
Fast, Not Rushed
- Day 1 is long. The rest of the trek moves at a genuinely relaxed pace.
Same Views, Less Time
- Poon Hill and Ghandruk are identical to our 5 Day route. Only the approach changes.
Built for Fit Trekkers
- Not the itinerary to start with if you have no multi-day hiking experience.
A Real Trade-Off, Stated Plainly
- One demanding day in exchange for one day back on your schedule.
Getting There
Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport connects to most major hubs in Asia and the Gulf. This itinerary begins in Pokhara, reachable from Kathmandu by a 6 to 7 hour drive or a 25 minute flight, both bookable as an addon above.
Sublime Trails representative will meet you at your Pokhara hotel to begin the trek.
Cost Details
Inclusions & Exclusions
What’s Included
- Ground transport: Pokhara to Nayapul return
- All teahouse accommodation and meals during the trek
- Licensed guide and porter (1 porter per 2 trekkers, up to 12kg)
- Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP) and TIMS card
What’s Excluded
- Kathmandu to Pokhara transport (available as an addon)
- Travel insurance
- Nepal visa fee
- Hot showers, personal expenses, and guide and porter tips
Local Guide
Meet Our Local Guide
Food and Accommodation
What You’ll Eat & Where You’ll Stay
Meals follow the standard Annapurna foothills pattern. Dal bhat with free refills is available everywhere, alongside momos, thukpa, and fried rice. Ghorepani and Ghandruk both offer wider menus than smaller trailside stops, since they're well-established villages. Expect roughly US$3 to 5 per meal throughout, since no stretch of this route is remote enough for the price increases common on longer treks.
Equipment list
Poon Hill Trek 4 Days Equipment list
Know before you go! Some stuff we’ll provide, other things you’ll need to bring.
Reviews
Client’ Testimonials and their Experiences
Great 4 days poonhill trek with sublime trails
We were a family with a 6-year-old son trekking for the first time. Got to know Ram through a friend. Very pleased with the services he provided. Our guide was very knowledgeable about the place, culture, and history of Nepal. He was helpful in making sure that we had a great time. The view was great!! Highly recommend for people with young kids!
Excellent first trekking experience !Shana Tay
We went on a 6-day trek, followed by bungy jumping, water rafting, and a one-day city tour. Almost the whole group of 9 were first timers in trekking.
Ram is very experienced. He could name us every tree or flower that we asked about. We were also very grateful that he and his team of assistant guide Suraj and porters went out of their way to help us fulfill, not just our needs but also our whims - running around the mountain village to hunt for a chicken because we talked about craving for meat. During one of the toughest days of the trek, the porters, who have already accomplished their job for the day, voluntarily left the comfort of the tea house to accompany a few of us slowpokes through the last bit of the snowy rainy dark night, giving us more light and encouragement to go on.
I also liked that Ram takes care of his porters and does not make them carry too much load, unlike some of the other poor porters we saw on the way. And the tea houses we stay in use the more environmentally-friendly option of solar power heating.
Essential
Know Everything Before You Go Poon Hill Trek 4 Days
Currency & ATMs
Exchange currency in Pokhara before you start trekking, since this is where your itinerary begins. ATMs are available in Pokhara but not beyond Nayapul, so carry sufficient cash for the full trek. Budget roughly US$110 to 140 in cash for personal spending along this route.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is not legally required to enter Nepal or obtain a visa. It is required by us before you can start this trek, the same as every itinerary we run. This route carries genuinely low altitude risk.
Your policy should cover emergency medical treatment and evacuation, though the high altitude threshold matters less here than on our Everest or Manaslu products. This trek never crosses 3,210m. Confirm your policy covers trekking up to 3,500m as a baseline, which most standard policies already include.
Buy your policy before you leave home regardless.
Nepal Visa
Most nationalities, including US, UK, EU, Australian, and Canadian citizens, can get a Nepal visa on arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport. You can also apply online in advance to save time at immigration. A 15 day visa comfortably covers this short itinerary with plenty of room to spare. Indian citizens don't need a visa at all. Bring a valid passport, one passport photo, and the visa fee.
Travel Etiquette
- Always pass mani walls, chortens, and prayer wheels on your left, walking clockwise. This is a real Buddhist observance, not a suggestion.
- Ask before photographing people directly. A smile and a gesture toward your camera is usually enough. A shaken head means no, and that's the end of it.
- Yield the trail to porters and mule trains. Stay on the uphill side when you do, particularly on Day 1's longer stretch.
- A donation at any shrine along the route is appreciated but never expected. Don't make a show of it either way.
- Even on a fast paced Day 1, take a moment to greet teahouse owners properly rather than rushing past. A quick Namaste matters regardless of your pace.
- Tipping is customary, not mandatory, and matters more than it might seem. Guides and porters rely on it as real income. Ask your operator for a typical range rather than guessing.
Training for the Poon Hill Trek 4 Days
This is the more demanding of our two Ghorepani Poon Hill itineraries, and Day 1 specifically deserves real preparation. Start training at least 6 weeks out.
- Cardio, 3 times a week, building toward 75 to 90 minute sessions. Day 1 alone runs 10 to 11 hours and climbs over 2,000m, genuinely long by any Annapurna region standard.
- Load-bearing hikes with a daypack at 5 to 6kg, at least twice weekly in your final month. The Ulleri stone steps, tackled in one continuous push on this itinerary, demand real leg strength.
- This is not the itinerary to start with if you have no multi day hiking background. Our 5 day version covers the same destination at a pace almost anyone can manage.
- Fitness doesn't prevent altitude sickness, though this trek's low altitude ceiling means the real risk here is physical exhaustion on Day 1, not AMS. Train for that specifically.
Porter and Weight Limitation
One porter carries up to 12kg shared between two trekkers on this route. Keep your personal duffel to around 6 to 8kg for comfortable sharing. Given Day 1's length, pack lighter than you might for our 5 day version, since you'll be carrying your own daypack for close to 11 hours.
Electricity & Connectivity
Electricity and charging are available at Ghorepani and Ghandruk, both offering reliable connectivity given their size. Most lodges charge a small per device fee. Mobile data through NTC or Ncell works reliably throughout this entire itinerary.
Getting to Pokhara and the Nayapul Transfer
This trek starts and ends in Pokhara, not Kathmandu. It uses standard road transport throughout, with no domestic flight involved at any point.
Getting to Pokhara itself is a separate step. Most travelers arrive from Kathmandu by road, roughly 6 to 7 hours. A 25 minute domestic flight is available as an addon.
Day 1 starts early and runs long. We recommend arriving in Pokhara at least one full day before departure, rather than connecting straight from an international flight. Weather rarely disrupts the Pokhara to Nayapul transfer itself.
