Short Ghorepani Poonhill Trek – 8 Days

Day 01: Drive from Kathmandu to Pokhara (914m) this will take about six hours.
It’s a lovely six hours scenic drive to the lake city of Pokhara (915m,), 200 kilometers west of Kathmandu. As you climb out of the Kathmandu valley, only to quickly descend again to the Trisuli River, you follow upstream to its junction with the Marsyangdi River. You follow the Marsyangdi gently up through heavily terraced fields and small hill towns to the Seti River that takes you directly into Pokhara. Blessed with pleasant weather, Pokhara is tourist's paradise with a lot of natural as well as cultural heritage sites that include serene lakes, caves, and temples of Buddhist and Hindus along with the grand mountains. You can observe views to the north across the hills and Phewa Taal (lake) to the white peaks of the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri ranges. This drive will take most of the morning, leaving much of the afternoon to romance the beauty of the lake city. You also have the option to fly from Kathmandu to Pokhara which takes about 25 minutes. 
 
Day 02: Trek from Pokhara (915m) to Nayapul (1050m) by car which is about one and half hours drive.
You begin your trek from Nayapul (1050m) to Tirkhedhunga (1577 m) via Birethanti (1065m) which takes about four and half hours.  After breakfast at hotel you could drive by car or van for one and half hours to Nayapul. Then you start your trekking. The first part of your trek is easy passing through numerous small villages and settlements. Afterwards you could ascend gently to the final destination of the day. The majority of the local folks around here are Gurungs and their religion is Buddhism. They are engaged in agricultural activities, tourism business and some are also employed in the Nepalese and Indian armies. Overnight at our teahouse lodge.

Day 03: Trek from Tirkhedhunga to Ghorepani (2675 m) and this takes about six hours.
To begin your trek, you could ascend steeply for the early 2 hours and then ascend gently passing through Ulleri (2070m) and Banthanti, Magar villages. On the way, you could see good views of Machhapuchhre or Fish Tail (6997m), Huinchuli (6441m), and Annapurna south peak at (7219m). Now your trail is quite easier passing through forest and descends gently up to the final camp. You could see some of the wild life such as monkey and various species of birds. Overnight at our lodge.

Day 04: Trek from Ghorepani to Poonhill (3180m) to Tadapani (2675m) which takes about five and half hours.
We rise early for our morning trip to Poonhill (3232m) to enjoy the sunrise view over Mt. Dhaulagiri (8167m), Tukuche Peak (6920m), Nilgiri (6940m), Varaha Shikhar (7847m), Mt. Annapurna I (8091m), Annapurna South (7219m), Annapurna III (7855m), Machhapuchhre (6993m), Annapurna IV (7525m), Annapurna II (7937m), Lamjung Himal (6931m) and other numerous snowcapped mountain peaks. After breakfast, trek Ghorepani to Tadapani (2650 m) through the deep forests of rhododendrons, bamboos and oaks. En-route, you frequently see waterfalls, rocks, wild animals, local birds and a lot of green sceneries. Tadapani is a small village surrounded by beautiful forests which grants you a magnificent view of Annapurna South, Hiunchuli, Fishtail, and Annapurna II and so on. 

Day 05: Trek from Tadapani (2675m) to Ghandruk (1950m) and it takes about three hours.
It is very easy trek by descending gently all the way through rhododendron, oak and other kinds of dense forests. You could hear the sweet chirping of birds on the way. This is one of the popular destinations for bird lovers. Ghandruk is a big Gurung village. There is a handicraft centre and Gurung museum hereabouts. From this village you could see good views of Annapurna South, Hiunchuli, Gangapurna (7455m), Annapurna III (7755m) and Fishtail. 

Day 06: Trek from Ghandruk (1950m) to Pothana (1990m) which takes about six hours.
First part of your trek is steeply down following stone staircase to Kimbu (Bee hive). Kimbu or Bee hive is located at the elevation of 1200 meters on the bank of Modi Khola. Now your trail steeply ascends following the stone staircase up to Landruk. The trail ascends gently for early two hours and again ascends steeply for an hour to Deurali (2150m) passing through Tolkha village (1850m). From this point you can see panoramic view of Dhaulagiri I (8167m), Annapurna South (7219m), Hiunchuli (6441m), Fishtail (6997m), Annapurna III (7755m), Annapurna IV (7525m), Annapurna II (7937m) and Lamjung Himal (6930m). Now the rest of the trail descends gently down to Dhampus passing through Pothana village (1900m). 

Day 07: Trek from Pothana to Dhampus Phedi (1113m) which takes about four hours.
Your trail descends gradually for at least an hour and follows gravel road for two hours and then steeply descends to Phedi passing through Dhampus village, paddy fields and forest protected by local community. Upon your arrival at Dhampus Phedi, you could take a vehicle to reach Pokhara and chill out. 

Day 08: Drive from Pokhara to Kathmandu by tourist mini bus that takes about seven hours.
While driving from Pokhara to Kathmandu, you head up to Damauli, Dumre, Mugling and Kurintar where Nepal's first Cable car is operated to reach Manakamana Temple. En route, you could enjoy the mountain views, green sceneries, rice terrace fields, vegetable fields and people engaged in their daily life activities. This journey gives you deep insights in to Nepal’s lovely rural landscapes. From Naubishe you climb up to Thankot, the gateway to capital city. You are then directly taken to your hotel You can also fly from Pokhara to Kathmandu which takes about 25 minutes. The choice is yours. Down here at Tashi Delek Nepal Treks we are sure that you enjoyed your trek to the hilt. In the evening, we visit a well known Nepali kitchen for a good Nepalese dinner. As we enjoy our dinner, we will be entertained to a thrilling cultural dance performed by the local belles. This is a complimentary outing arranged on behalf of Tashi Delek Nepal Trek for the good welfare of our respected guests. Overnight at your hotel. 

Visa Information

All visitors are required to arrange a visa in order to enter Nepal. A Nepalese visa can be easily obtained upon arrival on arrival in Kathmandu at the airport or Nepalese embassy abroad. But nationals from Afghanistan, Iraq, Cameroon, Ghana, Somalia, Swaziland, Palestine, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Ethiopia and Liberia cannot secure the Nepalese Visa upon arrival. The Visa can also be secured at entry point at Nepalese borders. A valid passport for at least six months, recent digital photo (size: 1.5" x 1.5") will be required and you can obtain visas for Nepal from the Nepalese Consulate in your country or up on arrival in Kathmandu Airport. Nepalese visas cost USD 25 for 15 days and USD 40 for 30 days till date.

Official Papers

Some of the required official documents are your valid passport, 4 extra passport sized photographs (for trekking permits), travel insurance, airline tickets and luggage tags. Visas can be obtained upon entry into Nepal.

Weather Information

Weather in the mountains is pretty difficult to predict.  Nights are generally cooler and days are warm.  Months of winter (January and February) are bit colder but the days can be quite beautiful and warm if the sun is out. It snows during the month of January, February and December in Himalayan areas.

Best time to travel

Nepal offers diversified geographical regions and so as the climatic condition differs from the Himalayas to the plains. The climate varies as per the season. Nepal generally offers 4 seasons amongst which autumn and spring are the two most favorable ones for visiting Nepal. It is always wise to know about the weather and climatic condition of the place you visit. The best time to travel really depends on your destination, activities and season of travel. Our destination specialists will recommend certain travel times after learning more about your preferences. The favorable months for trekking and climbing are usually September – November, and February – April. The monsoon season is June – August.

Physical Fitness

Even though the physical fitness plays an important role in trekking you don’t have to be super athletes or a marathon runner to trek in Nepal.  Many people of good fitness for their age can complete the trek. You can prepare yourself before hand by doing some yoga which will prepare you in your breathing as you will be going to the higher altitude. Running or hiking to hills, going for a long walk will also help you. And if you live in urban area running in the stairs of a tall building will also work better in keeping you fit for trekking. All though these preparations aren’t strictly compulsory, you can do well even when the preparations you do aren’t rigorous like that of some ultra-athletic person. Do these things in moderate pace for two months or even less.  And you are set to complete any trekking to Nepal.

Travel Insurance

Doing the insurance while trekking is Nepal is not compulsory but will surely help you a lot if you do one, as it covers any comprehensive expenses possible to acquire due to medical issues or accidents. Your travel insurance must protect air ambulance, treatment charge, rescue and evacuation, product cancellation and refundable charges, flight delay and cancellations. We suggest you to bring you travel insurance certificate or send us scan copy and it must be issued from your home land. We do not arrange or sell insurance so you can find your local travel insurance for this.

Vaccination for Nepal

All travelers should consult with their physician or update on vaccination requirements before travel. (Your doctor or health-care provider will determine what you will need, depending on factors such as your health and immunization history, areas of the country you will be visiting, and planned activities) For traveling to Nepal; we recommend you to take a vaccination of Polio, Tetanus, Typhoid, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Rabies etc, it is not really must but recommended.

Booking Process

While you chose which trip you wanted to go with, contact us to our head office Thamel Marg, Kathmandu Nepal by email or phone, email is more easy and clear options, as soon as we get your email or call we will process for your booking. We need 20% booking amount to confirm your booking, the payment can be made through the Bank transfer, Credit card payment (Master/Visa card) or through online money transfers also Money Gram, Western Unions or others. After we get the 20% amount we will confirm your booking and you will get the official booking and payment receipt. The final balance for the tour will be paid upon arrival in Kathmandu.

Safety Guidelines

• Do proper research about the company that you are planning to trek with and make sure they are legally registered travel agency.
• You should be well acquainted about the travel health and travel insurance before travelling.
• Have idea about the climate, geography, temperature and environment of Nepal before starting your trip.
• Using credit cards instead of cash is a wiser idea.
• Majority of the Nepalese people are nicer but there are few scammers you will come meet on your way and need to avoid them, for example ‘holy men’ who will try to plant a tika (a red paste denoting a blessing) on your forehead demanding a payment for it on streets.
• Be careful while buying the medicinal herbs as some may be illegal for you t take home and also be aware of duplicate products.
• Never get yourself involve in doing drugs, trafficking and sexual relations with children as there is a strict rules for these cases and might get yourself into a big problem.
• Take copies of your passport, visa, air ticket and trekking permits and keep them separately from the originals.
• Prepare yourself for altitude sickness and be familiar with its symptoms so that you can follow the guidelines for safe acclimatization.

Where is Nepal?

Nepal is a landlocked country located in Southern part of Asia sharing the border with China form north and India from the south, east and west. It is especially known for its multi-cultural, multi-racial, multi-linguistic and multi-ethnic diversity in unity. It is a small country with many world's most beautiful mountain ranges, art, culture, and wildlife, no wonder it is the paradise for the trekkers from all around the world. Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal is also known for its most unique culture and heritages which directly grabs the attention and takes you to the time of old civilization from 12th century.

What is Nepal known for?     

Nepal is mostly known for Mt.Everest, highest peak in the world. It is also known as the birthplace of Lord Buddha, who was the pioneer of the Buddhist religion. Eight of the fourteen eight-thousanders are located in the country, either in whole or shared across a border with China or India. Besides that, it is also known as multi-ethnic, multiracial, multicultural, multi-religious and multilingual country. Overall, Nepal is known for its hospitality as there is a saying in Sanskrit  “Atithi Debo Bhaba”. (Guest are god).

How can I obtain a Visa?

All visitors are required to arrange a visa in order to enter Nepal. A Nepalese visa can be easily obtained upon arrival on arrival in Kathmandu at the airport or Nepalese embassy abroad. But nationals from Afghanistan, Iraq, Cameroon, Ghana, Somalia, Swaziland, Palestine, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Liberia cannot secure the Nepalese Visa upon arrival. The Visa can also be secured at the entry point at Nepalese borders. A valid passport for at least six months, recent digital photo (size: 1.5" x 1.5") will be required and the following fees either in USD dollars cash or the equivalent local currency:

Is the country politically safe and stable?

Nepal is one of the newly democratic countries in the world with many active political parties, ideas, ideologies, and leaders. Now Nepal has the communist government elected with 2/3 of the majority so, now it has the fully stable government it does not affect the daily life of the residents and the tourist. Life moves on, as usual, unperturbed.

When Is The Best Time To Travel?

Nepal offers diversified geographical regions and so as the climatic condition differs from the Himalayas to the plains. The climate varies as per the season. Nepal generally offers 4 seasons amongst which autumn and spring are the two most favorable ones for visiting Nepal. It is always wise to know about the weather and climatic condition of the place you visit. The best time to travel really depends on your destination, activities and season of travel. Our destination specialists will recommend certain travel times after learning more about your preferences. The favorable months for trekking and climbing are usually September – November, and February – April. The monsoon season is June – August.

What kind of weather (how cold does it get) can we expect during trekking?

Weather in the mountains is pretty difficult to predict. Nights are generally cooler and days are warm. Months of winter (January and February) are bit colder but the days can be quite beautiful and warm if the sun is out. It snows during the month of January, February, and December in Himalayan areas.

Are Vaccinations Required?

Immunizations are not required to visit Nepal. (Exception: if you are traveling from an area infected with Yellow Fever, you must have a certificate.) Depending on the season and region of travel, certain vaccinations and/ or medications are suggested and we will recommend preventative measures. We do encourage all travelers to be current on routine immunizations. Also, we recommend the vaccines for polio, Diphtheria, Tetanus, typhoid, yellow fever, hepatitis A/B, Influenza (Flu), Japanese encephalitis, and Tuberculosis. Meantime, it is better to consult your professional doctor about your travel and he/s might recommend you properly. You can also take the suggestion of local travelers who have traveled Nepal before and know more about the required precautions. Please note that the protection that can be gained from vaccines varies from 50% to almost 100%. So remember that even if you have taken a vaccine you might still get the disease, although you will have greatly reduced your chances of getting ill.

How fit do I need to be for the trek?

You don’t have to be a super athletic person but despite the ages should be moderately fit. We recommend to running, hiking to hills and long walk as a preparation.

Are ATM booths easily available?

Yes, ATM booths are easily available around the major city area where you can use both credit and debit cards. But there are only few ATM booths on the way to your trek, so it’s better you withdraw your cash before to trek.

What type of food to expect during the trek? 

Nepal is rich in cultural diversity. Meal habits of the Nepalese vary with the ethnicity and the geographical differences. Normally, the local has a habit of taking milk/black tea in the morning, before noon take lunch after mid-day take light snacks as Khaja and Dinner in the evening. The lunch and dinner comprise Dhido (short of porridge), Dal, Bhat, Tarkari, Achar (Lentil, Rice, Curry, and Pickles). However, you can have a choice of Indian/Continental/Italian/ Chinese food even in some trekking regions.

Is drinking water safe while trekking? 

Drinking water should be treated by boiling and water purification by medicine or with filtered. We suggest carrying a water purifier while trekking to be on a safe side.

Are there any tourist police in Nepal?

Of course, there is tourist police located near the Nepal Tourism Development Board's Office. Also, there are complaint counters at the airport, Basantapur Durbar Square, Thamel and so many other places. Tourist police are specially trained in English and have the detailed local knowledge to assist tourists. For security and travel related assistance, you can reach any of the officers from telephone 4-247041, 4-4268969 from 11 am to 5 pm.

Is Nepal safe? Is a woman traveling alone safe with your company?

Absolutely Nepal is safe for the traveler. Firstly, Nepal is considered as one of the peaceful countries in the world (chances are it's safer here than your home-country). Secondly, while you're on one of our trips, we take personal responsibility for your well-being, a responsibility we commit very seriously.

What about Time in Nepal?

Nepal is +5 hours 45 minutes ahead to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT: +0545). For example, when it is noon in Kathmandu, the standard time of London is 6.15am, 4.15am in Sydney, 1.15am in New York and 10.15 pm the previous night in San Francisco. The strange 15-minute difference is said to be a reflection of the exact time at the summit of Mt. Gaurishankar.

Travel Insurance

Doing the insurance while trekking in Nepal is not compulsory but will surely help you a lot if you do one, as it covers any comprehensive expenses possible to acquire due to medical issues or accidents. Your travel insurance must protect air ambulance, treatment charge, rescue and evacuation, product cancellation and refundable charges, flight delay and cancellations. We suggest you bring your travel insurance certificate or send us scan copy and it must be issued from your homeland. We do not arrange or sell insurance so we suggest you to do a research on the company and do the travel insurance.