Ghandruk & Poon Hill travel guide

Gurung village and the short Poon Hill trek in the Annapurna foothills. Most people stay 2–4 nights. Best months: Mar, Apr, Oct, Nov, Dec.

Highlights

• Poon Hill sunrise
• Ghandruk Gurung village
• Annapurna South and Machapuchare views
• Rhododendron forests

Things to do in Ghandruk & Poon Hill

• Poon Hill sunrise trek (Ghorepani) · 3 h · about ₹3,000 per person. Usually walked as a 3–4 day loop Nayapul/Ulleri–Ghorepani–Poon Hill–Tadapani–Ghandruk. Leave Ghorepani about 4:45am for the 45-min climb to 3,210 m. ACAP permit (NPR 3,000) needed, and since 2023 foreigners are generally required to use a licensed guide.
• Ghandruk village walk · 2 h · free. Stone-paved lanes and slate roofs facing Annapurna South and Machapuchare; lots of steps.
• Gurung museum · 1 h · about ₹100 per person. A traditional house with tools, clothing and Gurung customs; small entry fee.
• Tadapani rhododendron forest walk · 5 h · free. The Ghorepani–Tadapani stage passes through rhododendron forest, flowering mainly March–April. Trails can be icy in winter.
• Mohare Danda community trek sunrise · 8 h · about ₹2,500 per person. A quieter alternative to Poon Hill on a community-lodge route; adds 1–2 days and needs the same ACAP permit.
• Jhinu Danda hot springs · 5 h · about ₹200 per person. About 3h from Ghandruk, then a steep 20-min path down to riverside pools. Often combined with the walk out to the road.
• Gurung cultural dance evening · 1.5 h · about ₹500 per person. Local mothers' groups perform on request in the trekking seasons; ask your lodge.

Where to stay in Ghandruk & Poon Hill

• Teahouses in Ghandruk, Ghorepani and Tadapani (budget, ₹700–₹2,000 a night): Twin rooms with shared bathrooms; cheapest when you eat dinner and breakfast there.
• Upgraded Ghandruk lodges (mid, ₹3,000–₹6,500 a night): Attached bathrooms, hot showers and Annapurna South from the terrace.
• Boutique lodges in Ghandruk and on the lower trail (premium, ₹8,000–₹16,000 a night): Heated rooms and better food, usually booked as part of a guided package.

What to eat

• Dal bhat (refills included): Teahouse kitchens on the trail
• Gurung bread with honey: Ghandruk and Ghorepani teahouses

Getting there

• ~3h by jeep to Pokhara
• Trail links Ghandruk, Tadapani and Ghorepani (~5–6h each stage)

Good to know

• Jun–Sep: leeches, landslides on the jeep roads and cloud-covered peaks.
• Dec–Feb is clear but freezing at Ghorepani (2,860 m) before sunrise.

Nepal itineraries with Ghandruk & Poon Hill

• Short trek: Poon Hill and Ghandruk from Pokhara · 9 days, Kathmandu → Ghandruk & Poon Hill → Pokhara · from ₹60,200 per person, base estimate before flights. The classic short trek in the Annapurna foothills: Ghorepani and the Poon Hill sunrise, then down through Tadapani to the Gurung village of Ghandruk. The Ghandruk stop covers the trail nights.