Tips

How To Hike Poon Hill, Nepal In 4 Days

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If you’ve ever been to Nepal, then you’ll know that hiking is one of the most popular activities in this country. There are literally thousands of hikers who flock towards this lovely country every single year, especially during the high seasons. Nepal offers many treks that will keep you busy anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. Its many hiking trails have a wide variety of experiences to offer. In this post, we’ll be examining the Ghorepani / Poon Hill trek, which is going to take you 4 days if you are well prepared.

The Ghorepani / Poon Hill trek is the ultimate introductary trek for beginning hikers, who haven’t seen much yet, and desperately need to get some experience under their belts by strapping on those hiking boots and jumping in with both feet!

If you are visiting Nepal for a few weeks and you don’t want to spend too much time hiking, then this 4 day hike is the hike for you. Poon Hill is 3810m above sea level, and it will give you some great scenic views of the beautiful Nepal country.

When To Visit?

The late summer up until autumn would be a great time to visit the Ghorepani / Poon Hill area for a little trek. I’m talking around September to November. This is the end of the so called monsoon season. There can be some seriously heavy downfall in the evenings. But if you’re lucky, you’re also going to be catching plenty of clear skies and cover from the clouds.

How Hard Is It?

You can argue about how hard this trek is. It’s officially categorized under easy. But some people are going to be of the opinion that is it in fact a moderate trail. It’s all relatively, ofcourse. It greatly depends on how much experience you’ve got. Just about any trek is going to seem hard if it’s the first trek you’ve ever done.

On the other hand, if you’re an experienced Everest Base Camp trekker, then you’re going to think of this trail as a breeze. You won’t need to bring any rock climbing shoes on this trail, or anything close to that. Just keep in mind that you’ll be spending hours walking up 3500 stairs on this trek!

Tips & Tricks

  • Bring your own toilet paper. The tea houses you will encounter, do not have it.
  • Pay for 2 meals at a tea house, and you’re likely to get accommodation for free.
  • If you are ever in need of medical help, then you’ll find hospitals in Ulleri, Ghorepani and Ghandruk.
  • Don’t lose your water bottle. They’ll refill your bottle, but you won’t get a new one.
  • Watch out for leeches during the rainy season. Carry some salt with you to get rid of them easily.
  • Bring loads of rupees with you. There’s no ATMs on Poon Hill, unfortunately.
  • WiFi is available for cheap at some spots.
  • The higher you get onto the mountain, the more expensive snacks and water are going to be.
  • When applying for entry to this trek, you’ll need 2 passport sized photographs.
  • The sunrises are awesome. Be sure to wake up in time to see them.

What To Pack?

You’re going to be carrying your stuff pretty much the whole day. You’ll have to pack lightly if you want this trek to be anywhere near comfortable and sustainable. You can hire a Sherpa (porter) to make the load easier on you. If you’d rather enjoy the track without a porter, then make sure not to pack a whole lot above 13 lbs.

You will have to pack for 4 days, separated by 3 nights. You’ll encounter tea houses on the way up Poon Hill. They will have the facilities for you to hand wash & dry your own clothes.

Here’s some stuff you ought to be packing:

  • Comfortable hiking shoes
  • T-Shirts
  • Shorts
  • Socks
  • First aid kit
  • Long sleeve shirt
  • Poncho
  • Waterproof jacket
  • Sunglasses
  • Hat
  • Sleep bag liner
  • Bug spray
  • Sunscreen
  • Kindle
  • Plastic bag (for wet clothes)
  • Snacks (you can buy more on the way, but it’ll cost you)
  • Rupees
  • Camera
  • Towel
  • Water bottle

How To Book?

You’ve got a number of options available to you when it comes to booking the Ghorepani / Poon Hill trek.

  1. You can go at it alone or with a travel partner. This one’s definitely the cheapest.
  2. You can hire a local guide from your hotel, or from somewhere else if you just so have happened to receive a recommendation from a friend or acquaintance. This one’s a little pricier, but still cheap.
  3. You can book your trekking package via an agency. This is how most people do it. It’s the most expensive option you’ve got. But it’s also the most convenient one.

Most first timers will probably go the agency way. And that’s probably great for the first time. However, once you’ve become acquainted with Nepal and its Ghorepani / Poon Hill trek, then you might consider going at it alone on your next trek.

Only do this if you are feeling confident!

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About the author

Brian

Hi, I’m Brian Bradshaw. I’m a super duper mega hiking enthusiast, with a love for everything that has to do with outdoors, hiking, gear, footwear and more.

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