Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek

Driving time: 7 to 8 hours. The mountain scenery along the drive looks like a magnificent amphitheatre of staggering scale and the scenes in the passing villages are astonishing. You will spend the night in Pokhara, which gives you the opportunity to enjoy the ambience of Lakeside, or have a short walk around the valley and check out the restaurants and shops.

Driving time: 1 hour 30 minutes. Trekking time: 3 to 4 hours. From Pokhara, after the taxi stop you will start hiking toward Birethanti. From here your trail slowly climbs via Sudame and Hile to Tikhedhunga, where you will spend the night.

Trekking time: 6 to 7 hours. You will start by climbing uphill through rhododendron forest, passing the village of Ulleri. This is home of the Magar people (the largest ethnic people in Nepal). You will then carry on to Ghorepani, another big Magar village that is the gateway to Poon Hill. Here you will have an overnight stay.

Trekking time: 6 to 7 hours. Your first destination is Poon Hill (3,200 m). If you wake up early enough, you can arrive for the magnificent sunrise over Mt Fishtail, the Annapurna range and the Dhaulagiri range. This is a real hot spot for views of the Himalayas – you can see over a dozen peaks rising and shining into the sky. After your visit, you will head back to your lodge to have breakfast and commence trekking to Tadapani.

The first half of the trek is along a ridge with huge rhododendron forest. You will reach Gurung Hill, another viewpoint at the same height as Poon Hill, then descend to Deurali for a tea break. From Deurali you will trek along the stream that flows beneath lush, green jungle. Keep your eyes open for different kinds of birds and, of course, monkeys! You will spend the night in Tadapani, which is situated in the midst of one of the largest rhododendron forests of the area.

Hiking time: 3 to 4 hours. The trail drops down to Kimrong village and climbs straight up the Kimrong hill. From here it is a 1 hour hike to Ghandruk. Ghandruk is one of the most beautiful villages in Nepal and is the residence of the Gorkha people. The lodges have great facilities and there is also a Gurung museum and visitor centre. Enjoy an overnight stay.

Hiking time: 4 hours. Driving time: 1 hour. You will walk the trail to Nayapul, where you can have lunch and catch a taxi to Pokhara. Spending another night in the city will give you the chance to explore further.

Flight time: 40 minutes, or driving time: 6 to 7 hours. You have the choice of a flight, an early bus or a 4x4 back to Kathmandu.