Annapurna Base Camp Trek via Poon Hill

The Annapurna region of central Nepal draws more trekkers than any other mountain area in the country. Two routes inside this region sit in their own category. Poon Hill, the famous viewpoint at 3,210 meters above the town of Ghorepani, offers a sunrise panorama of Dhaulagiri, Annapurna, and Machapuchhare that has appeared in more travel photographs than almost any other image from Nepal. Annapurna Base Camp, sitting at 4,130 meters inside a natural granite amphitheatre ringed by eight peaks above 6,500 meters, is one of the finest high mountain cirques accessible to trekkers anywhere on earth. This 12-day itinerary visits both.

The route starts at Ulleri and climbs through the stone staircase villages of the lower Modi Khola area to Ghorepani, then rises for the Poon Hill sunrise before crossing the ridge into the Modi Khola valley toward Chomrong, Sinuwa, and the upper sanctuary. The final push through Deurali and Machhapuchhare Base Camp delivers the trekker to ABC on Day 7. The return descends through Bamboo and the rhododendron forest to Jhinu Danda, where natural hot springs beside the Modi Khola provide one of the most welcome endings to a Himalayan trek available anywhere.

Combining these two destinations in 12 days is tight but achievable with the right pacing, good weather, and a guide who understands the daily demands of the route. The itinerary drives from Pokhara to Ulleri on Day 3 to maximise walking time in the sanctuary and minimize transit days, and the return to Nayapul on Day 10 closes the loop before the drive back to Pokhara. No domestic flight is required at any stage.

Two of Nepal's Greatest Trekking Destinations in One Complete Journey

What Makes This Combined Route Special

The standard ABC trek follows a direct route from Nayapul through Tikhedhunga, Ulleri, and Ghorepani, or alternatively through Chhomrong from a higher starting point. A separate Poon Hill trek typically goes in and out from Ghorepani. This itinerary structures the two as a single connected circuit, using the Ghorepani approach for the Poon Hill viewpoint and then continuing north into the sanctuary rather than returning south. The result is a route with genuine geographic flow: you are always moving forward into new terrain rather than retracing steps.

The rhododendron forests on this route deserve specific attention. The trail between Ulleri and Ghorepani passes through what is arguably the finest rhododendron forest in Nepal below 3,000 meters. In March and April, when the blooms peak, the path becomes a corridor of red, pink, and white that is almost unrealistically vivid. In autumn, the same forest is a deep green backdrop for clear mountain views and crisp hiking weather. The route through Tadapani and Chuile descends through more forest before opening onto the terraced hillsides above the Modi Khola, where the scale of the Annapurna range begins to assert itself fully.

 

Highlights of the Annapurna Base Camp Trek via Poon Hill

• Poon Hill Sunrise (3,210 m): One of the most celebrated mountain viewpoints in Asia, delivering a panoramic dawn view of Dhaulagiri at 8,167 m, Annapurna I at 8,091 m, Annapurna South at 7,219 m, Hiunchuli, Nilgiri, and Machapuchhare in a single frame.

• Annapurna Base Camp (4,130 m): A granite amphitheatre at 4,130 meters encircled by Annapurna I, Annapurna South, Hiunchuli, Tent Peak, Gangapurna, and Machapuchhare, considered one of the world's finest trekking sanctuaries.

• Machapuchhare (6,993 m): The sacred fishtail peak whose distinctive double summit appears at almost every stage of the upper sanctuary approach and dominates the view from ABC and Machhapuchhare Base Camp.

• Rhododendron Forests: The trail from Ulleri through Ghorepani and Tadapani passes through some of Nepal's most extensive and spectacular rhododendron forest, at its most vivid during the March to April bloom.

• Jhinu Danda Hot Springs: Natural thermal springs beside the Modi Khola river at 1,760 meters, a celebrated final day reward after the physical demands of the upper sanctuary section.

• Ghorepani Village (2,860 m): The classic Poon Hill gateway village with well-developed teahouse infrastructure and one of the friendliest stopping points on any Annapurna trekking route.

• Tadapani and Chuile: The forest ridgeline traverse from Ghorepani through Tadapani connects the Poon Hill section to the Annapurna sanctuary corridor through an exceptionally scenic middle section.

• Chomrong Area: The largest settlement on the upper ABC route, with views across the Modi Khola gorge to Annapurna South and Hiunchuli directly above.

• No Domestic Flight Required: The entire route is accessible by road from Kathmandu to Pokhara and then to the trailhead, with the return completing the loop at Nayapul for the drive back to Pokhara.

• Complete Annapurna Experience: Forest villages, terraced hillsides, high alpine meadows, glacial moraines, and the enclosed sanctuary combine in a single 12-day journey that covers the full altitudinal range of the Annapurna region.

 

Detailed Journey Breakdown

Kathmandu and the Drive to Pokhara

Day 1 covers arrival in Kathmandu with the standard transfer and briefing. Day 2 is the scenic drive from Kathmandu to Pokhara, covering approximately 200 kilometers along the Prithvi Highway through the Trishuli River valley. Day 3 drives from Pokhara to the Ulleri area and begins the trek immediately with the first walk up through Nangethanti to Ghorepani.

The Poon Hill Section

Day 4 begins with the pre-dawn walk to Poon Hill for sunrise, then descends and traverses the forest ridge to Tadapani and Chuile. This is the most visually spectacular single day of the trek for many trekkers, combining the famous Poon Hill panorama with a full forest traverse through the upper rhododendron zone.

The Sanctuary Approach

Days 5 and 6 descend from Chuile through Lower Sinuwa and climb through the Modi Khola gorge to Deurali. The trail passes through Bamboo, Dovan, and Himalayan Hotel, climbing progressively through the narrowing gorge where the walls rise to several hundred meters above the path. Day 7 is the culminating day: the push from Deurali to Machhapuchhare Base Camp and then to Annapurna Base Camp at 4,130 meters.

Return Through the Forest and Hot Springs

Days 8 and 9 descend from the sanctuary through Bamboo to Jhinu Danda, with the hot springs at Jhinu providing a natural conclusion to the high-altitude section. Day 10 covers the final trail walk to Nayapul and the drive back to Pokhara. Day 11 is the drive from Pokhara to Kathmandu and Day 12 is the international departure.