Poon Hill Annapurna Base Camp Trek -10 days

Drive or fly to Pokhara, the nature and lake city. If you drive to Pokhara by overland, it takes 6 hours drive and by fight, it is a 30 minute scenic Himalayan flight to Pokhara.In the Afternoon, free day in Pokhara, walk on the banks of Phewa Lake and boating on the lake to Barahi temple. From there you could see nice view of mount Fishtail and Annapurna.

Brekfast and drive along the zigzag route to Nayapul where we commence our trek to Birethanti, a large and prosperous riverside village at the confluence of the Modi and Bhurungdi Kholas (streams). We hike up to Sudame along the off road and then climb gradually up the side of the valley, Tikhedhunga. Cross suspension metal bridge and steep ascent on stone staircases to the village of Ulleri – and an amazing landscape of valley floor where we came during the day with marvelous views of Annapurna South and Hiunchuli.

After breakfast, start the days walk with steep climb to Ulleri village. There are about 3,000 stone steps to Ulleri village which will take about 2 hrs for this trail climbs up and gradually passes through the forest within 4 hours trek to Ghorepani at 2,800 m. Ghorepani is the mountain pass overlooking at the deep KaliGandaki valley wedged between two eight thousand meter peaks of Dhaulagiri and Annapurna.

Make a pre-dawn start for the 45 minute walk up Poon hill (3,210m/10,530ft); through rhododendron forest. From the grassy top of the hill there is an unobstructed panoramic view of the high Himalayas stretching from far western Dolpo, and Dhaulagiri (8,172m/26,812ft), the Annapurna Range in the north, including Machhapuchhare (Fish Tail) and on to Manaslu (8,163m) in the northeast. To the south, the mist slowly rises from the flatlands towards India. After countless photographs, walk back to Ghorepani for breakfast. The eastward trail to Tadapani and Chuile crosses numerous ridges through thick pine and rhododendron forest with occasional flat sections and wonderful views of the snow peaks to the north from high ground.

he trail dropping down to cross the Kimrong Khola on a suspension bridge and then gradually climbs into the forested Modi Khola Valley that carries glacial melt waters from the Annapurna Sanctuary. After lunch at the Gurung village of Talung, undulate for another 1½hrs, sometimes on stair cases up to the charming agricultural village of Chhomrong: the largest settlement in the valley. Views of the upper valley plus Annapurna South and Himal Chuli gradually come into view and continue downhill and uphill trek to Sinuwa.

Breakfast and trek up the upper Modi Khola Valley through dense forests of cane, rhododendron and oak. It rises then drops to the village of Bamboo (2,310m/7,580ft) on the banks of the river: a prefect lunch spot. After lunch, continue up through uninhabited forest to Dobhan, later crossing several avalanche chutes before reaching the small village of Himalaya.

As the altitude increases, forest gives way to alpine scrub and grasses. The valley walls steepen with the river raging far below. Explore the cave at Hinku before crossing a ravine and major avalanche track prior to reaching Deurali (3,230m). Breathtaking views into the sacred Annapurna Sanctuary gradually appear as the trail heads over a ridge and climbs to the Machhapuchhare Base Camp (3,700m/12,136ft). Another two hours slow walk up grassy slopes leads to the Annapurna Base Camp hotels on the Annapurna South glacial moraine.

Rise before dawn and climb onto the rim of the glacier for a photographic feast as the sun lights up the ring of peaks, the almost vertical ice walls around the valley, then the glacier in its U-shaped gorge: grinding relentlessly below your feet. Return to the hotel for breakfast and then retrace your steps on the easier down-trail as far as the quaint village of Sinuwa.

Today will be a long day, as you drop back down the valley to Taglung and then continue south, following the Modi Khola, to the prosperous village of Ghandruk. Northern views of Annapurna South, Hiunchuli and Machhapuchhare are in view along the route. The trail then drops through several villages as it returns to Nayapul and the bus back to Pokhara.

Fly or drive back to Kathmandu. Join on farewell dinner in the evening. O/N at Hotel in Kathmandu.