Poon Hill in four days: our first Himalayan trek
Two beginners, one sunrise and a lot of stone steps. A short lodge-to-lodge walk from Ulleri to Ghandruk that showed us how much we could enjoy the mountains without any technical skill.
Arjun Mehta
2 Apr 2026 1 min read
- When March 2026
- Length 4 days
- Travelled As a couple
- Spent USD 380 per person
In this story6 sections
We are not athletes, which is exactly why Poon Hill appealed. Four days, lodges every night, no carrying a tent. The plan was simple: drive out of Pokhara, climb to Ghorepani, watch the sun rise over the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri ranges, and walk down the other side.
The staircase
People warn you about the steps above Ulleri and they are right: thousands of them, steep and uneven. Take them in short bursts and stop to look back at the valley. By late afternoon we were in Ghorepani, a cluster of lodges at 2,860 metres with a wood stove in every dining room.
Sunrise from Poon Hill
The alarm went off at 4:30. In the dark we climbed with a few dozen others, all breathing too loudly to talk. At the top the horizon went from grey to pink to gold, and the whole Annapurna range appeared out of the dark one peak at a time. Back at the lodge, breakfast tasted better than any breakfast has a right to.
The last two days were gentler: rhododendron forest to Tadapani, then down to Ghandruk and a view of Machapuchare. We went home already planning a longer trek.
What we would tell another beginner
Eat early, drink water and keep the first day short. We saw people in jeans and trainers and people with full trekking kit, and everyone reached the top. What mattered was starting slowly. The teahouse food was simple and filling, dal bhat with unlimited refills, and the lodge owners were glad to talk about the village and the weather.
At a glance
- When
- March 2026
- Length
- 4 days
- Travelled
- As a couple
- Spent
- USD 380 per person
- Getting around
- Drove from Pokhara to Ulleri; finished at Ghandruk and went back by road.
- Stayed
- Family-run lodges with hot showers at Ghorepani and Ghandruk.
As Arjun Mehta describes the trip; details may have changed.
The route
- 1
Day 1
Ulleri
Start of the long stone staircase.
- 2
Day 2
Ghorepani
Overnight at 2,860 m, the village below Poon Hill.
- 3
Day 3
Poon Hill
Sunrise viewpoint, climbed before breakfast.
- 4
Day 4
Tadapani
Rhododendron forest and a quiet lunch.
- 5
Day 5
Ghandruk
A large Gurung village with slate-roofed houses at 1,940 m.
Arjun Mehta’s tips
- Start the Poon Hill climb by 5:00 to reach the top before the sun.
- Bring poles: the stone steps are hard on knees going down to Ghandruk.
- Layers matter more than a big jacket; mornings are cold and afternoons warm.
What I would do differently
We tried to see everything on day one and arrived at Ghorepani exhausted. Slow down on the stairs; you have all afternoon.
Written by
Arjun Mehta
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