Annapurna Base Camp Trek via Poonhill

You will arrive in Kathmandu on the very first day of your trip. A representative from Glorious Himalaya will be waiting for you outside the terminal, holding a sign with your name on it. Upon arrival in Nepal, you will be greeted and transferred to your hotel in the heart of Kathmandu. Once you have checked into your hotel, you can relax there for a while or go out and about to get a feel for the neighborhood.

Get some breakfast and get ready to leave Kathmandu as soon as you can. We take a tourist bus from Kathmandu to Pokhara by the lake Fewa. To get to Pokhara, you need to take a bus for about 8 hours. Your lunch stop will be in the town of Malekhu, which is known for its river fish. From Kathmandu’s domestic airport, you can also take a scenic flight to Pokhara. Today’s drive will take you by farms, villages, terraced fields, rivers, streams, lush valleys, rough canyons, and farmlands, all of which are typical of rural Nepal.

When you get to Pokhara, there will be a private car waiting to take you to your hotel. Tonight, our guide will tell you about the trip. On the lakeside in Pokhara, there are great restaurants with a wide range of cuisines and a lively nightlife with dance and music performances.

This is the day first of ABC Poon Hill Trek.  The trek commences at  Ulleri (1,960m) after 3 to 4 hours of driving by private/Public vehicle from Pokhara via Nayapul (1,010m), Birethanti, Tikhedhunga (1160m), Hille (1,495m) village.  In the begging, we walk through the village and farm terrace ascending gently, through dense forests of oak and rhododendrons towards Banthanti (2,250m). Occasionally,  the Longgur (long tail black mouth Monkey) jumps in the trees. Then, continue to walk towards Nangethanti (2,460m), after an hour’s walk we arrive at Ghorepani (2840m). Stay overnight at a Teahouse.

Without eating breakfast, we get up at the crack of dawn and walk for an hour to the top of Poon Hill. Some of the best sunrises in Nepal can be seen from Poon hill, which offers a breathtaking panorama. Dhaulagiri I and II, Annapurna I, Annapurna South, Himchuli, Gangapurna, Mt. Fishtail, Mardi Himal, and Lamjung Himal are all visible from the peak of Poon hill. Ahead of the mountains are some hills that, come spring, are covered in rhododendron. Enjoying tea atop Poonhill while taking breathtaking photographs is a perfect way the morning. After a long morning walk, we head back to Ghorepani for breakfast.

After breaking for breakfast, we set out on the trail that will lead us down to Tadapani. We can stop for food at Banthanti around noon to eat. Today, the trail is teeming with monkeys. Once we get to Tadapani, we’ll have a fantastic view of Fishtail Mountain.

Today we walk from Tadapani to Chhomrong where the main trail to Annapurna Base Camp is rejoined. We begin descending quite steeply into the valley. At the bottom will be a suspension bridge that we cross. Slowly we reach Taglung village where we can rest for some time. As Chhomrong lies at a lower altitude the descent continues for quite some time till we reach Chhomrong. We cross through many farmlands and can get to see animals like mules on the trail as well which bring food higher up. Crossing Upper Chhomrong, we have to walk for around 20 minutes more to reach Chhomrong where we stay for the night.

We leave Chhomrong early in the morning towards Dovan. Initially, we have to descend many stone steps which seem to go on forever. We then cross the suspension bridge and start the ascent to Sinuwa. Crossing Bamboo so named after the large number of bamboo trees that surround the area we keep walking toward our destination. Nearby Bamboo you may even get a glimpse of the Red Pandas and bears. A number of waterfalls also deck the route. After crossing Sinuwa the region becomes entirely vegetarian. We then have to start descending to reach Dovan where we will settle for the night.

Today is a comparatively short day of trekking as we only have to cover around 7-8 kilometers. The trail continues to be filled with Bamboo and Rhododendron trees. As we walk we near the Hinku Bridge. We can go for a short detour to Hinku Cave which is located nearby as well. We continue following the Modi river until we reach Deurali for lunch. The trek today only lasts 3-4 hours so we can freshen up to explore nearby and relax for a larger push tomorrow.

You’ll get to the Annapurna Base Camp today. The train slowly goes up the mountain in the morning, and then it goes down the mountain quite steeply for some time. After a short hike further, you can get to the Machhapuchhre Base Camp. From here, you can see the Hiunchuli, Annapurna South, Annapurna I, Annapurna III, and other mountains in the area.

You start walking and make your way through the region with less vegetation until you reach the Annapurna Base Camp in just under two hours. You’ve reached the top of your hike at 4,130 meters. In the morning, you can watch the sunrise over the steep south face of Annapurna, which rises above you from the lap of this beautiful mountain. Standing at the base of the tenth-tallest peak in the world is a very big accomplishment. We can roam around the Annapurna Base Camp today and check out the area and see the awesome sunset.

Sunrise at the Annapurna Base Camp is glorious. Taking numerous pictures, we grab breakfast and begin our descent back after reaching the climax of the trip. In order to reach Bamboo today, you will follow the same path that led you to Bamboo. Following the Modi Khola again we begin our trek after breakfast.

At Bamboo, you’ll drop to an elevation of roughly 1700 meters. These two locations are separated by roughly 18 kilometers, making the journey between them the longest of the entire trip. Here you can get both pickled bamboo and bamboo vegetables. We stay here at a lodge and retire to bed after dinner.

First thing in the morning in Bamboo, eat some food and then walk for about an hour through the woods to get to Sinuwa. We walk back up the stone steps we descended on the way to ABC from the town of Sinowa. Depending on our hunger levels, we can either stop for lunch at Sinowa or head straight to Jhinu danda.

We arrive at Jhinu Danda, sign in, and immediately head to the on-site hot spring for some much-needed Rest & Recuperation. A cold-water river originates in the glacier regions and flows past the hot spring. The lodge is where we’ll be spending the night after a nice, relaxing bath. After the long journey is over, we can celebrate here.

After breakfast, we will depart from Jhinu Dada on our final day of hiking. Until you reach Siwai, we’ll be walking alongside the Modi River. It takes around three hours to walk from Jhinu Danda to Siwai, which is located about a few kilometers away. Siwai is accessible from Pokhara by road. There will be a vehicle waiting for you at Siwai to drive you back to Pokhara. Pokhara is home to a variety of tourist hotspots like Fewa Lake. As the sun sets over Fewa Lake, we can enjoy a variety of cuisines and toast our successful trek at the Lakeside.

Kathmandu and Pokhara are connected by the picturesque Prithvi Highway. Lunch options include Muglin and Malekhu, both of which are excellent choices.  Malekhu is famous for its fresh fish, caught in the nearby Trishuli River. Travel time can be lengthy, however, due to traffic and road conditions, especially in Muglin and Kathmandu. As an option, we can visit the Manakamana temple, which is located not far from Kurintar. We’ll walk you back to your accommodation. At last, your journey comes to an end in Kathmandu.

On our final day in Kathmandu, after breakfast, our vehicle and guides will meet you at the hotel three hours before our flight back. It was wonderful to finally meet you at Glorious Himalaya. We shall remember the good times we shared as we pray for your safe return home. In Nepal, we say “Feri Bhetumla,” which translates roughly to “Until We Meet Again.”