Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek

Arrive in Kathmandu and meet your Mantra Adventure guide. Transfer to Thamel hotel for check-in and evening briefing. The Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek is Nepal's most accessible mountain trek — combining spectacular Himalayan sunrise views with the rich cultural landscape of Gurung villages, rhododendron forests and the iconic hot springs at Jhinu. Welcome dinner included. Meals: Dinner.

Morning flight to Pokhara — 25 minutes in the air versus 6 hours on the road. Check in to a lakeside hotel and spend the afternoon on Phewa Lake with the Annapurna Range reflected in the water. The World Peace Pagoda at sunset is a highlight. Meals: All included.

Short drive to Nayapul then begin the trek through terraced farmland and small Gurung settlements along the Modi Khola. Tikhedunga — with its rushing waterfalls and suspension bridges — is a gentle introduction to Annapurna trekking. Walking time: 2–3 hours. Meals: All included.

The iconic climb — ascending the 3,600 stone steps from Tikhedunga through dense rhododendron forest past Banthanti to the ridge-top village of Ghorepani. The forest in spring is a riot of pink and crimson blooms; in autumn it turns golden. Ghorepani at sunset: Dhaulagiri and Annapurna South catching the last light above a sea of cloud. Walking time: 5–6 hours. Meals: All included.

The alarm goes at 4am for the 45-minute climb to Poon Hill. The Annapurna chain — Annapurna I through IV, Machhapuchhre, Dhaulagiri and Hiunchuli — all simultaneously visible as the first light catches the peaks. Many trekkers describe this as the finest mountain sunrise view they have ever seen. After breakfast, descend through a different forest trail to Tadapani — a village on a forest ridge with excellent Annapurna South views. Walking time: 4–5 hours total. Meals: All included.

Descend through oak and rhododendron forest to the classic Gurung village of Chhomrong — perched on a ridge with spectacular views of Annapurna South and Hiunchuli. The terraced hillsides and traditional stone architecture are quintessential Nepal. Walking time: 4–5 hours. Meals: All included.

Descend from Chhomrong through stone-stepped paths and terraced fields to the Modi Khola river at Jhinu. The natural hot springs on the riverbank — warm, clear thermal pools just metres from the rushing river — are one of Nepal's great trekking rewards. Spend the afternoon soaking away the accumulated aches of the past four days. Walking time: 2–3 hours. Meals: All included.

Easy final walking day through farming villages to Nayapul. Jeep transfer to Pokhara for the evening or direct to Kathmandu. If overnight in Pokhara, enjoy a lakeside farewell dinner. Walking time: 3–4 hours. Meals: All included.

Airport transfer for your international departure. Poon Hill at dawn — the Annapurna chain blazing with alpenglow — is an image you will carry for the rest of your life. Meals: Breakfast.