Trekking the Himalayas is a breathtaking experience that you should not miss when you are in Nepal. So that’s where we found ourselves during our trip to Nepal in July 2024. We flew with Yeti Airlines from the chaotic Kathmandu (the capital of Nepal) to Pokhara to avoid the hassle of the bus. Rumors has it that the bus journey from Kathmandu to Pokhara takes about 9 hours, because the road is particularly difficult and in some places dangerous.
Pokhara is therefore considered the gateway to the Annapurna mountain range of the Himalayas. Anyone who chooses to include some trekking on their trip to Nepal, will first have to arrive to Pokhara. A beautiful, picturesque town that is worth spending two or even three days, if you have the luxury of time.
So, the day of the trek, a jeep came to pick us up from the hotel directly to the starting point of the trail. The journey lasted approximately 1.30 hours and from there our adventure began, literally, inside the beautiful mountains of the Himalayas.
In the Himalayas there are many trails to choose from and they vary from 4 to 15 days. We chose the beginner’s trail, the well-known Ghorepani Trek. The Ghorepani Trek is one of the most popular and accessible trails in the Annapurna Himalayas in Nepal. It is an experience that combines natural beauty, cultural diversity and great opportunities to admire the view of the Himalayas.
Below you will read some important information about Ghorepani Trek:
Location and Duration
Ghorepani Trek is located in the Annapurna region on the western side of Nepal. The trail usually starts from Nayapul village which is about 1.5-2 hours drive from Pokhara city. The route is relatively short and can be completed in 4-5 days, depending on your pace and the stops you will make.
Permission
For the Ghorepani Trek, special permits such as TIMS (Trekkers’ Information Management System) and Annapurna National Park Entry Permit are required. Your local mountain guide will take care of issuing your permit, as long as you send them your passport photo, a photo of yourself and your Travel insurance policy number.
Difficulty and Height
The Ghorepani Trek with a total length of 45 km is considered to be of moderate difficulty, making it accessible to both beginners and more experienced trekkers. The highest point of the route is Poon Hill, which is at an altitude of about 3,210 meters. Although the height is not particularly high compared to other Himalayan peaks, the view from Poon Hill is spectacular and includes peaks of the mountains: Himchuli (6441m), Family mountain (6000m), Annapurna South (7219m), Dhaulagiri (8167m), Fishtail (6993m), Nilgiri (7400m) and others.
Accommodations and Infrastructure
The Ghorepani Trek is well organized with many teahouses along the way. These accommodations offer basic amenities such as hot meals, a private room with a bed and private bathroom and sometimes hot showers (Note: Not all provide private bathroom and hot water). The availability of accommodation makes trekking relatively comfortable, even for those without much experience in the Himalayas.
Best Season for Trek
The best seasons to attempt the Ghorepani Trek are spring (March-May) and autumn (September-November). These periods offer mild temperatures and clear skies, ideal conditions for hiking and mountain views. In winter, although temperatures are low, the scenery is magnificent with snow, but weather conditions can make access difficult.
Trekking the Himalayas
Ghorepani trek Day #1
We woke up excited and having already met with our guide who would accompany us on the Trek from the previous day, we started our way to the village of Nayapul. With 6 kg hiking bagbacks and only with the essentials of the day, we continued walking (about 20′) to the village of Viretatnti where our TIMS were also checked. From there on, our 4-day path officially beginned without knowing what awaited us and without being able to change our minds!
On our first day, the day of the climb, we only saw steps, steps that had no end. Our big mistake on the 1st day was that during the long lunch break, we ate a lot. Our stomaches were heavy, making our ascent even more difficult. In total, we climbed another 3,000 steps to reach the village of Ulleri (2,100m) where we spent the night in a tea house with a private room and private bathroom. The view, already so impressive, prepared you for the incredible beauty that we would encounter in the following days.
We hand washed our clothes and laid them out outside hoping that they would dry despite all the humidity. We went down on the terrace of the tea house to order our dinner and then just retired to our rooms to rest.
Ghorepani trek Day #2
The next day we found ourselves already quite tired but as we said there was no going back. The best and the “worst” of course were next! After enjoying the view at 2,100m. we had breakfast, said goodbye to the tea house and started our second day of trekking aiming to reach Ghorepani village at 2,874m in the afternoon.
The route was better than previous. The climb of course continued but the landscape started to change, as we started to enter the jungle, but there were flat areas which offered us some rest. Waterfalls, verdant paths, bridges and flags with Nepali prayer wishes fluttering made the setting magical.
During the route, our guide informed us that we might meet leeches, as in this monsoon season and due to high humidity, they are everywhere. Of course, we passed this information on until Manos saw blood on his back and then a tiny leech walking on his shoulder. There, we started to realize that maybe we’re going to struggle a little bit more but for a different reason this time.
We stopped for a light lunch this time at one of the many shelters you come across on your route and unfortunately for us it started raining. It didn’t stop us at any point from continuing our course, but helped the leeches appear. We put everything on, socks over trousers, raincoats, hats and way out onto the road with the leeches. We will never forget the unequal battle against them, while they were climbing out of our shoes and tried to enter our body from wherever they could. A leech was found sucking blood over my socks, inside my hiking boots, when we finally reached Ghorepani. She must had been doing her work there for over 2 hours. Just to let you know that I didn’t understand anything, her bite doesn’t hurt at all, but the bleeding continues for at least 2 hours.
So, we finally arrived at Ghorepani village. Our joy and our relief were indescribable. We were getting closer and closer to the dream, despite the circumstances. The village of Ghorepani, which means “Water for Horses”, is one of the key stopping points on the trail. It is a traditional village of the Gurung tribe, with guesthouses and cafes that offer you the opportunity to rest and enjoy local cuisine. We spent the night at Sunny Hotel, in double rooms with private bathroom, delicious food, hospitable hosts and an incredible view.
Ghorepani trek Day #3
The 3rd day starts energetically with morning awakening and ascent to 3,210m. (1 hour approx) to the famous Poon Hill, the main attraction of Ghorepani Trek. The climb to Poon Hill is done early in the morning so that you can enjoy the spectacular sight of the sunrise over the peaks of the Himalayas, with an unforgettable panoramic view of the snow-capped mountains. Due to weather conditions, we went up a little later, when the sky had cleared of many of the clouds. The view is shocking. We were standing in font of a sight unlike anything we had never seen before. We forgot about leeches, there was no fatigue. Time seemed to have stopped. In front of us were snow-capped mountain peaks, such as Annapurna south at 7,219m. Himchuli at 6,441m, Family mountain at 6,000m, Dhaulagiri at 8,167m, Nilgiri at 7,400m, as well as the treacherous Fishtail mountain at 6,993m.
Back to the Sunny Hotel for breakfast and after that, our descent which continued through paths of the dense and beautiful jungle. We walked along small rivers, streams, dense forests of rhododendrons, bamboo, and beech. The guide informed us that the flowering of rhododendrons in the spring here is particularly impressive. After our customary lunch break it started to rain lightly again and we fought another uneven battle with the leeches that were falling on us. We reached our last tea house in the village of Tadapani at 2,630m.
Our last refuge was also the most picturesque of all. It was reminiscent of the old days in a Greek village. Outdoor shared bathroom (with hot water though), large stove in the indoor dining area where we hung out our hand washed clothes to dry. The rain intensified and continued throughout the night. We stayed up late in the dining room drinking hot tea and joking about our difficulties leading up to this day.
End of Ghorepani trek Day #4
Our day started with tension because it hadn’t stopped raining since previous evening. We refused to start while it was raining because we would have to deal with the leeches again. We took our breakfast and lied down again waiting. We thought we might stay another day there. Of course, this meant that we would miss the continuation of our trip to Chitwan, but we still preferred that over leaving in the rain. Manos monitored the windy application (very accurate) and informed us that after half-hour the rain would stop for 2-3 hours. We had to be ready to go.
We said goodbye to the village of Tadapani and entered the jungle to complete, after 3 hours and without a long stop for a lunch break this time, our descent to the village of Ghandruk at 2,012m. When we got there, we counted, literally mocking our wounds from the leeches. Ghandruk made a special impression on us, because it is so picturesque and well-kept, as also from every house and shop there was music, laughter and joy. Indeed, our arrival there rejuvenated us mentally.
From there we had 2 options. Either we would walk another 2.5-3 hours to the starting point in the sun, or a jeep would pick us up and take us to Pokhara, for a total of 7 euros. Guess what we chose! We were very tired (our calves and backs already were in pain) so we were very happy to get into the jeep, which would take us to Kimche. Well, at some point we had to continue on foot for 2 minutes to avoid a collapsed (due to natural causes) road and another jeep was waiting for us on the opposite side to take us to Pokhara. It sounds eerie or maybe scary, but we had a blast. Although exhausted, we laughed a lot as we rocked up and down the bumpy road. It was a pure 4-day adventure! After all, we came to the Himalayas, we weren’t expect anything less than that!
Ghorepani Trek offers you a thrilling experience in the Himalayan mountains, a combination of natural beauty, cultural experience and adventure. Its accessibility and diversity make it an excellent choice to experience the Himalayas without too much difficulty, while enjoying unique and unforgettable moments. Of course, it’s nice to choose a season other than the monsoons, so you don’t have to deal with excess humidity and annoying leeches.
Live the magic of the Himalayas, check our recommended itinerary here: 12 DAYS NEPAL: KATHMANDU-POKARA-HIMALAYAS-CHITWAN
