The Annapurna Villages Trek is a wonderful family trek in Nepal with accommodation in comfortable family run trekkers’ lodges along the way.
The Annapurna foothills is famous for the views of the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri massif without having to go too high or too far.
The crown jewel of the Annapurna Villages Trek is the Poon Hill Trek. The route offers beautiful walks in the heart of rhododendron forests, terraced fields, green landscapes and charming villages inhabited by the Gurung people of Nepal. When you arrive at Poon Hill, you can also admire the sunrise that illuminates the Annapurna massif, Dhaulagiri and other Himalayan Peaks. You will also feel the great serenity that reigns in the high mountains, dominated by the imposing presence of Annapurna South.
The Annapurna Villages Trek is comparatively easy. Poon Hill is at a medium altitude hence there are no risks of altitude related problems. Unlike the Annapurna Sanctuary trek, the elderly and children can also do the trek, as long as they are in good physical condition. The hostels are quite comfortable, very suitable for tourists. They most often offer hot showers and toilets. You will also have the chance to taste delicious and varied food ranging from local dishes to western dishes in the lodges.
The best time for the Poon Hill Trek is through October to December. It is dry during these times, and you are more likely to have a clear view of the mountains. Spring, from April to May, is also a good time, adding touches of red from the rhododendrons to the landscape. Winters are dry but often foggy, and snowfall can make progress difficult, but is still doable.
Our representative will pick you up at Kathmandu International Airport and drive you to your hotel. Depending upon what time you arrive, you can enjoy a full day at leisure and go on a welcome dinner with the KEEP WALKING FAMILY.
Look out for the KEEP WALKING NEPAL board behind the railing once you exit the airport terminal.
After breakfast you will get to experience the 2 most important sanctuaries in Kathmandu Valley: Pashupatinath & Boudhanath.
Pashupatinath Temple
Pashupati is the most important Hindu site in Nepal. Dedicated to lord Shiva, the fierce god appears there in his benevolent aspect of Pashupati. A holy place often compared to Varanasi (in India), the last rites of Hindus are carried out on the banks of Bagmati river.
Boudhanath Stupa
Boudhanath is the largest Stupa in Asia. In the bygone days caravans after crossing the Himalayas arrived at the Stupa to thank lord Buddha when the trip went well. The eyes of the Buddha painted at the four cardinal points cast an observant gaze on men and their actions.
After lunch, you will drive back to the hotel and spend the rest of the day at leisure. In the evening, you will be briefed by your trek guide on your upcoming adventure.
After breakfast, you will drive to Kathmandu airport for 25 min flights to Pokhara. You will check into your hotel in Pokhara and start the guided tour of Pokhara valley.
At first, you will drive 20-25 mins to reach Mahendra Cave and explore, and 10 min walk to reach Bat cave. Drive further 10-15 mins to KI Singh Bridge and come back to Lakeside Pokhara and have lunch and rest for a while.
Y9u will drive from the Lakeside to Gurkha Memorial Museum and explore the museum and after that head towards International Mountain Museum before 5:00 pm. Then back to the hotel.
After breakfast you will drive to Kimche along the Modi Khola. The route offers scenic views of terraced plantations, stone houses and roaring hills.
Ghandruk is one of the biggest Gurung village. The villagers are mostly Buddhist and still practice Shamanism and nature. Gurungs were mostly farmers and shepherds, but many are now enrolled in the British Gurkha Regiment. The village offers beautiful mountain views and has a Gurung Museum – detailing life and way of the local people, a monastery and a temple.
The quaint village of Tadapani on a ridge and offers beautiful views of the Annapurna Massif, Lamjung Himal and Machhapuchre and is frequented by trekkers journeying to the Annapurna Base Camp and Khopra Ridge.
After breakfast, we hike through a pretty mixed subtropical forest of rhododendron, magnolia and pine. The forest is also home to common langur (Entelle monkeys). The trail is well defined, and stone steps make the steep climb easy. In clear weather, Annapurna is visible throughout the trail.
After breakfast, we start descending down the forest to a river crossing across a wooden bridge. Descending further, we reach the village the Banthahti from where the trail gradually ascends through a dense forest to Deurali viewpoint. After Deurali, we hike further north to Thinga Thapla viewpoint, a.k.a Gurung Hill, (3,165m), the highest point of the day. This is actually the best view as the snowcapped range of Annapurna appears than Poon Hill.
After a quick descent, we arrive at the village of Ghorepani.
For the highlight of our Poon Hill trek, we start early in the morning for a 45m to climb to Poon Hill. The morning gruel is usually rewarded by a spectacular sunrise over the mountains; the rising sun over the snow-clad Annapurna massif, Gangapurna, Dhaulagiri, Machhapuchre and Himchuli is truly a sight to behold.
After spending some time on the mountain top, we start the long descent to the village of Ulleri.
You will drive back to Pokhara on a dirt road passing through Tikhedhunga and Nayapul, from whence we are back on the Beni Baglung highway to Pokhara.
At Pokhara, the rest of the day is at leisure. You can explore one of the many local cafes, souvenir shops or just relax at your hotel.
You will drive to Kathmandu via shared tourist bus. The bus leaves Pokhara at around 07:00.
You will drive along the Prithivi highway till Mugling and then follow the Tribhuwan highway to Kathamandu. The drive is scenic with views of the famous Trishuli river. During rafting season, there will be many groups rafting on the Trishuli river section from Fishling to Charaudi.
At Kathmandu, you will have the rest of the evening at leisure.
Your journey comes to an end today. If you have time, you can go shopping or sightseeing on your own or requested a sightseeing tour through Keep Walking Nepal.
A representative from the Keep Walking Nepal will drop you to the airport approximately 3 hours before the scheduled flight.
| Start | Finish | Availability | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wednesday 04/03/2026 | Friday 13/03/2026 | Trip Status available | Starting from $1705 | Book Now |
| Wednesday 18/03/2026 | Friday 27/03/2026 | Trip Status available | Starting from $1705 | Book Now |
| Saturday 05/04/2026 | Tuesday 14/04/2026 | Trip Status available | Starting from $1705 | Book Now |
| Sunday 19/04/2026 | Tuesday 28/04/2026 | Trip Status available | Starting from $1705 | Book Now |
| Friday 01/05/2026 | Wednesday 27/05/2026 | Trip Status available | Starting from $1705 | Book Now |
| Monday 01/06/2026 | Wednesday 10/06/2026 | Trip Status available | Starting from $1705 | Book Now |
| Saturday 03/04/2027 | Saturday 13/03/2027 | Trip Status available | Starting from $1705 | Book Now |
| Thursday 18/03/2027 | Saturday 27/03/2027 | Trip Status available | Starting from $1705 | Book Now |
| Monday 05/04/2027 | Wednesday 14/04/2027 | Trip Status available | Starting from $1705 | Book Now |
| Monday 19/04/2027 | Tuesday 04/05/2027 | Trip Status available | Starting from $1705 | Book Now |
Here is a list of what you might want to pack for the hike. Please take this as a starting point. You’ll need layers of warmer clothing during the winter. We provide a 75 liter duffel bag for you to use for the trek. It will be given to you during your pre-trip meeting in Kathmandu. The duffle bag is yours to keep. Also, you can rent sleeping bag and down jacket with us at the additional fee of USD 35 for each once you are in Kathmandu.
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