The Dhaulagiri Massif from Poonhill Top
Signoff 2016 and welcome 2017 with a completely different experience!
We invite you to experience a novel way to celebrate Christmas and New year this December – A winter trek in the Annapurna Sanctuary (Poonhill Circuit) in the Nepal Himalaya.
The 5 day Ghorepani-Poonhill trekking loop is one of the most pleasant and sought after short treks of Nepal and affords beautiful views of Dhaulagiri, Annapurna and Macchapucchre ranges. Poon Hill, which is the highest point on the trek at 3210m is one of the finest vantage points in the Himalaya from where you can witness about 60 peaks higher than 6000m and the giants – Dhaulagiri(8167m) and Annapurna 1(8091m). A great introduction to Himalayan trekking and Nepalese Himalaya, this trek passes through farmlands and picturesque villages nestled into the foothills of Annapurna conservation Area. We will be staying at simple tea-houses on the trail, a charming way to experience Nepali hospitality and witness the lifestyle of the natives. The traditional villages – Ghorepani and Tikhedunga are big Magar and Gurung settlements in the Annapurna sanctuary with wonderful views of the the Himalayan ranges.
The trip starts on Christmas eve with your arrival at Kathmandu and a day of sightseeing followed by the 5 day trek in Annapurna sanctuary with the beautiful lake city of Pokhara as base. Kathmandu and Pokhara, the 2 main cities of Nepal will play host for our Christmas and New Year celebrations before and after the trek.
This is an opportunity to celebrate and step into the new year on a clean slate physically, emotionally and spiritually!
THIS IS A GUARANTEED DEPARTURE.
DATES: Dec 24th , 2016 to Jan 1st , 2017 (9 days)
Mar 11th to 17th, 2017 (7 days) – Holi Departure
On the way to Tikhedunga
TRIP HIGHLIGHTS:
- Incredible views of Annapurna , Dhaulagiri and Fishtail Massifs
- Phenomenal sunrise on Poonhill with amazing Himalayan Panorama
- Natural Hot Springs at Jhinu Danda
- Walk through dense bamboo/rhododendron forests
- Street festival cum Carnival on New Year’sEve in the lake city of Pokhara
Trip Duration: 9 Days – 5 days trekking
Trip Grade: Moderate
Max Group Size: 12
Highest Altitude: Poon Hill Top, 3210m
Highest Sleeping Altitude: Ghorepani, 2810m
Best Time to Go: Throughout the year, except Monsoons
Places Visited: Kathmandu, Pokhara, Annapurna Sanctuary
MAP:
Trip Activities:
- Trekking
- Tea-House Stays
- Local Experiences
- Kathmandu Sightseeing
- New year Carnival in Pokhara
Accommodation:
- 2 nights at Hotel in Kathmandu
- 2 nights at Hotel in Pokhara
- 4 nights at Tea-Houses on the trek route
The Fishtail Peak at dawn as seen from Poonhill
Major Mountains seen on the trail:
Annapurna South(7219m), Annapurna 1(8091m), Dhaulagiri(8167m) Massif, Gangapurna(7455m), Nilgiri(7061m), Hiunchuli (6441m), Machhapuchhre(6993m), Tukuche(6920m), Gurja Peak(7193m), Dhampus Peak
TRIP COST
9 days Itinerary
- INR 59600 – for Indian Nationals
- USD 950 – for foreigners
7 Days Itinerary
- INR 44600 – for Indian Nationals
- USD 790 – for foreigners
Difference in cost is due to differential pricing in Nepal for flights, hotels and permits for foreigners
PHOTO GALLERY
More photos of the trek on FB – Annapurna Panorama Trek – Oct,2016
Cost Includes:
- 2 nights in 3 star hotel in Kathmandu at twin sharing on bed and breakfast basis
- 2 nights in 3 star hotel in Pokhara at twin sharing on bed and breakfast basis
- Christmas and New Year Eve grand dinner parties
- Arrival and departure transfers between Airport and Hotel
- Domestic airfares both ways KTM-Pokhara-KTM
- Trekking Permits and Annapurna Conservation Area entrance fee
- 3 meals per day- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner with beverages(tea/coffee) throughout the trek
- Accommodation in simple Tea-houses on twin sharing basis on trek
- Porterage of baggage during the trek(15Kg/person). 1 porter between 2 trekkers
- Charges for Trek Crew – Qualified Trip Leader, local Nepalese guide, Sherpas and Porters
- Includes service tax
Cost Excludes:
- International Airfares to and out of Kathmandu
- Visas
- Meals not mentioned in the above itinerary at Kathmandu and Pokhara
- Mineral water during trek. Account for about INR 300-350 per day for drinking water(mineral/boiled) on the trek. A litre costs an avg of INR 100 on the trek
- Any additional transport or activities apart from the trip itinerary
- Travel Insurance
- Expenses rising through unforeseen conditions like bad weather, natural calamities, flight cancellations, etc
- Rescue and evacuation services
- Expenses of any personal nature like phone calls, drinks, cigarettes, souvenirs, laundry, etc
- Tips
DETAILED ITINERARY:
Day 1: Arrive Kathmandu(1300m)
Arrive at the Tribhuvan International Airport at Kathmandu. The airport is small and can get very chaotic in the peak tourist seasons. Getting past the immigration and baggage claim takes a while. Ask for an official’s help if you have trouble finding your luggage. Our representative will be waiting outside the airport with a placard that reads “Adventure Sindbad”. Look out for this as you walk out of the chaotic airport. You will then be driven to the hotel in Thamel where your trip leader will receive you and assist with the check-in process and orientation. The comprehensive trip briefing will happen in the evening once all the clients have arrived and assembled at the hotel.
Evening Christmas party.
Meals: LD ; Overnight Hotel.
Day 2: Kathmandu Sightseeing
Nepal is a beautiful country not only for its big mountains but also its rich cultural heritage and architecture. We spend the first half of the day visiting the famous sites of Kathmandu valley covering Pashupatinath Temple, Swayumbunath and Boudanath. Thamel, where our hotel is situated is also a bustling shopping area and has lots of options for buying adventure gear. The rest half of the day can be spent walking around the markets of Thamel and doing any last minute shopping for the trek. The Kathmandu Darbar Square which is just 15 mins walk from the hotel is another World Heritage site that deserves a visit.
Meals: B ; Overnight Hotel.
Day 3: Fly to Pokhara(830m). Drive to Nayapul(1050m). Trek to Ulleri(1960m)
We start early and take the 25 mins flight to the beautiful lake city of Pokhara. If you are lucky to grab the right hand seats of the plane, you will witness some amazing sights of Manaslu and Annapurna ranges during the flight. We drive directly from the airport for 2 hrs to Nayapul(1050m), the famed starting point for many treks. Nayapul is also the confluence of Modi Khola and Bhurundi Khola .There is a Tourist check post at Birethanti 30 mins ahead where we need to register before moving ahead. The trek to Ulleri takes about 6 hours and follows the Bhurundi khola. The terrrain is relatively flat in the first half and gets steeper with many steps to climb post lunch. The toughest patch is the climb from Tikhedunga to Ulleri( 2 hrs) towards the end of the trek with about 3200+ steps. Be ready for some serious quad workouts right after lunch. Despite the effort, we cannot stop ourselves from falling in love with the rustic atmosphere, fresh mountain air and its vastness.
Trekking time: 6 hrs
Meals: BLD ; Overnight Tea-House.
Day 4: Trek Ulleri to Ghorepani(2810m)
Today is a similar walk starting with a steep ascent to Nangetanti(2450m). Once you get into your rhythm , you stop concentrating on the effort and the beautiful vistas around you take priority. The scenery changes from village farms to rainforests and beautiful waterfalls in the tiny creeks. We stop for lunch at Nangethanti. Post lunch we have another 800m of ascent spread across a longer distance famously called the Nepali Flat…meaning some up and some down!! Ghorepani is a big village and all our efforts of the day are rewarded with some incredible views of the Himalaya. We retire to bed early since we have a super early start the following day to catch the sunrise above PoonHill. This is also the day that you may feel mild affects of altitude.
Trekking time: 6 hrs
Meals: BLD ; Overnight Tea-House.
Day 5: Morning hike to Poonhill(3210m) & back. Trek Ghorepani to Tadapani(2700m)
With our torches and headlights we make an early start(4.30am) and trek uphill for about an hour to Poon Hill to catch the sunrise over the Himalayan giants. The star lit night sky is itself a great joy to watch as we ascend slowly to the highest point on our trek. The glorious sight that awaits us at Poon Hill at sunrise, is our prize for all the trekking effort to reach this place. From left to right, you have the Dhaulagiri range, Annapurna range and Macchapuchare peaks. Annapurna South towers over everything else.
We descend to our Tea-House for breakfast. After breakfast we set-out on our up and down descent to Tadapani through the most amazing rhododendron and bamboo jungles. Lookout for some charming creeks with little waterfalls throughout our descent.
Trekking time: 8 hrs
Meals: BLD ; Overnight Tea-House.
Day 6: Trek Tadapani to Jhinu Danda(1700m)
The walk today continues through massive rhododendron forests through shade, deep valleys and endless stairs to the mountain ridge at Jhinu Danda. There are scenic waterfalls on the route and a chance to encounter some wildlife. Watch out for white faces moneys, mountain goats and himalayan birds. Jhinu Danda is famous for the natural hot springs and the lovely open air hot water baths built right next to the Modi Khola. Read more about it here.
Trekking time: 4 – 5 hrs
Meals: BLD ; Overnight Tea-House.
Day 7: Trek Jhinu Danda to Siwai. Local Jeep to Nayapul. Drive to Pokhara
We trek the last mile through small hamlets and farmlands to reach the roadhead at Siwai. We hire the local jeep to drive us on the jeep track till Nayapul from where we hop onto our cars for the drive to Pokhara (2 hrs). A hot shower awaits us at the comfortabe hotel in Pokhara. Evening, we can go checkout the Fewa lake and the hip and happening lakeside street at Pokhara.
Trekking time: 3 hrs
Meals: BL ; Overnight Hotel
Day 8: Free day in Pokhara. Evening Street Festival
We gift ourselves a lazy day in Pokhara checking out the vibrant yet laid back city. Pokhara is the city to chill out in if you have a lot of time in Nepal. Spend time by the beautiful Fewa Lake, read a book in one of the numerous coffee shops along the lake or pamper yourself at the spa. New year time is very famous around Pokhara for the street festival which goes on for about 4 days around this period. The whole Lakeside boulevard is filled with music, dance and a riot of colours. Locals and tourists alike flock the main street to join in the festivities. A lovely way and an awesome destination to end the year and celebrate the entry into the next. Gala dinner in the evening.
Meals: BD ; Overnight Hotel
Day 9: Fly to Kathmandu. Depart
We have an early breakfast and drive to the airport and take the short flight to Kathmandu. Onward Departure from the airport. Trip Ends!
TRIP LEADER
Vishwas Raj
This trip is the launch trip of Adventure Sindbad, and will be led by its founder Vishwas Raj, a senior mountain guide and outdoor professional. Vishwas has spent the last 8 years working in Indian and Nepalese Himalaya with two leading adventure companies in different capacities. His skills include high altitude trekking, climbing small summits and white-water kayaking. He has led numerous treks in different parts of the Himalaya including Ladakh, Zanskar, Kullu, Spiti, Uttarakhand, Darjeeling, Sikkim and Nepal. He is a certified mountaineer, an avid photographer, and a yoga practitioner. When not leading trips, Vishwas spends his time exploring new trails and reconnoitering routes that would interest the discerning traveller.
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