Sunrise at Poon Hill

After breakfast your driver will pick you up for the two-hour drive to Birethanti. On the way, you will be able to see the high peaks of the Himalayas looming in the distance as the road winds its way up to the starting point of this short Nepal trek. Packed with your camera, warm sweater and some water you'll head off, accompanied by your guide and local porters. The villagers wave goodbye as you slowly begin your ascent.

The path leads through a thick bamboo forest to lush green fields where cows with red plumes on their heads graze. There's plenty of opportunity to stop off for some pictures or a drink on the way. After about 4 hours you arrive in Tirkhedhunga, a small village with a couple of shops, a wobbly hanging bridge across the river and waving children that follow you full of curiosity. You'll be sleeping in a basic lodge. There's running water but don't expect a hot shower... 

 After a hearty breakfast it's time to pack your things and head off on the trek. The first stretch is fairly easy as you walk downhill into the valley. As you cross the river Burungdi Khola make sure to stop and admire this spectacular mountain river. The freezing cold meltwater flows down from high up on the mountain. Then it's the most strenuous part of your short Nepal trek. Heading up some stony steps you slowly make your way to 2000m.

At the end of this strenuous climb you'll be rewarded with an amazing view of the snow-capped mountains rising up above the surrounding hills. The last part of the trek is pretty level and leads through a colourful and aromatic rhododendron forest. On arrival in Ghorepani put your feet up, have a drink and relax. As you look around you'll see the colourful prayer flags blowing in the wind at the many temples and snowy mountain peaks in the background. 

It's an early start on Day Four of your Nepal short trek, so as not to miss the highlight of this trip, the sunrise at Poon Hill. After breakfast, you start the one-hour climb to the top at 3190m. Once you reach the top, sit yourself down on a nice comfy rock and watch as the sun slowly colours the white peaks of the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri a deep orange. It's enough to give you goose bumps...

When the sun's up, the trek continues to Tadapani, where you'll stay overnight. You'll meet a lot of local villagers on the way carrying all kinds of interesting paraphernalia. Everything is lugged up the mountain from sacks of rice to live chickens in big baskets, even entire beds. The local men all wear simple flip-flops but they're still a lot faster than us tourists in our hiking boots. On the way, you'll pass through green fields where you can see farmers working the land. At the end of the afternoon you reach a small Gurung village where you will spend the night in a basic lodge.  

In the morning, you will leave for the last part of the sunrise trek to Nayapul, about 2 hours - downhill all the way. When you arrive, you'll find your transportation waiting for you for the two-hour drive to Pokhara. This friendly town is the trekking hub for the Annapurna region. Most of the hotels are situated around the lake and this is also where you'll find plenty of bustling bars and restaurants. You'll stay in a lovely comfortable lakeside hotel a perfect place to relax after your Nepal short trek. A little extra comfort won't go amiss and you'll deserve it after the action of the past few days. On a clear day, you can see the snow-capped mountain peaks in the distance, you can rent a boat and go out on the lake or visit the golden Varahi temple. 

After another night or two in Pokhara you can head back to Kathmandu either by Greenline tourist bus, or domestic flight, just ask one of our travel specialists.

Best time to travel
The best time of year to go trekking in Nepal is Spring (March - May) or Autumn (October-November). Summer (June - September) is monsoon season and the rain can make travel difficult with occasionally landslides blocking the roads. Trekking in the rainy season is always possible but paths can become muddy and slippery and treks and flights are sometimes delayed cancelled due to poor weather conditions. The winter months (December - February) can be pretty cold at night, but with great visibility for trekking, but some of the higher mountain passes may be blocked due to heavy snow fall.


Accommodation
During these Nepal short treks you will be staying in trekking lodges also called tea houses. These are (very) basic Nepali lodges with just a couple of rooms with two separate beds. The lodges have running water but don't expect a hot shower. Blankets are available but we recommend bringing your own sheet bag or sleeping bag. You can rent sleeping bags in Pokhara and kathmandu, but we can't guarantee the condition or standard of hired bedding so it's often best to bring your own.
 

Food and drink
The trekking lodges that you'll stay in during your Nepal short trek offer some good value meals and drinks and you can get a satisfying meal for less than £4. The menu consists of local dishes like Dahl Bhaat (rice with lentils), steamed momo's (a type of Nepali/Tibetan dumpling filled with vegetables or meat), and locally-made bread. Often you can get some western dishes like tomato soup, pizza or pancakes. During the day the many tea houses or 'bhatti's' are a great place to stop off for a hot cup of tea or an ice-cold coke.

Luggage
Besides your guide the trek will be accompanied by one porter between two people. The porter can carry up to 15-30kg (15kg should be plenty for a short trek)for your combined essentials in one of your backpacks so it's wise to take only the essentials and perhaps carry things that you need to hand yourself in a daypack ie: mineral water, suncream, lightweight umbrella to use as a sunshade. You can leave the rest of your luggage at the hotel where you were staying before the start of the trek.