Annapurna Sunrise Trek(9 days)

The Annapurna Sunrise Trek, also known as Poon Hill Trek, is a relatively easy walk meandering through villages and rhododendron forests. This invigorating trek showcases some of the best views of Annapurna and neighboring Himalayas especially from the Poon Hill. The added presence of rice terraces completes the picture making Poon Hill a photographer’s paradise. The trek begins with sightseeing of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Kathmandu. After which we take a flight to Pokhara, the real walking begins from Nayapul. we then trek to the beautiful Gurung village of Ghandruk and enjoy the ethnic hospitality along with the cultural magnificence of Gurung Museum. Trekking through the rhododendron forests that bloom with red flowers during the springtime, descending down to Birethanti, and passing by waterfalls and a few small villages and settlements will be a thrilling experience. We walk further to Naya Pul and then drive to Pokhara which marks the end of this marvelous trek.  The 9-day Trek itinerary is designed for the trekkers who want a less demanding but short and beautiful trek, especially with their family and kids in the rural mountainside with up-close Himalayan views. However, if you long for a longer trek in the Annapurna region while also reaching its base camp, then Annapurna Sanctuary trek – 14 Days would be the best option. For trekkers who prefer a more demanding trek with the whole Annapurna circuit to cover in about two week’s time, Annapurna Circle Trek – 17 Days would be perfect. Again, for trekkers willing to undertake a more demanding trek in and near the Annapurna region, please choose  Annapurna Circuit Trek – 21 Days.

Day 01: Arrival in Kathmandu (1,300m/4,264ft)

After arriving in Kathmandu, a representative from Himalayan Glacier will pick us up from the airport and take us to our hotel. In the afternoon, we may take a rest or visit Himalayan Glacier’s office. In the evening, there will be a welcome dinner hosted by Himalayan Glacier. For dinner, you will be served authentic Nepalese cuisine which will introduce you to the country’s food culture. Overnight in Kathmandu.

Day 02: Kathmandu: Sightseeing and trek Preparation

Today after breakfast we start a guided tour to several of the most historical and spiritual attractions in Kathmandu which are also listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites. We visit the historic Durbar Square, the sacred Hindu temple of Pashupatinath, the famous ‘Monkey Temple’ (Swayambhunath) and Buddhist shrine (Bouddhanath), which is also one of the largest stupas in the world. At noon, we get our equipment checked by our climbing leader, get introduced to fellow participants, and discuss our trip at Himalayan Glacier’s office. Overnight in Kathmandu.

Day 03: Fly to Pokhara (823m/2,700ft) and trek to Ulleri (2050m/6725 ft): 30 min flight and 6 hours trek

We take an early morning flight to Pokhara and enjoy amazing views of the Himalayas from the right side of our plane. Upon our arrival in Pokhara, the beautiful lake city, we are rewarded with magnificent views of the Himalayas including Dhaulagiri, Manaslu, Machhapuchhre, the five peaks of Annapurna and others. After taking a rest, we drive to Naya Pul and start the trek. We pass through sub-tropical valley forests, sometimes on the carved trail on the side of the cliff. After lunch, we cross the Bhurungdi Khola (river) via a bridge to the village of Tikhedhunga. The Ulleri Hill with thousands of steps and boulders that continually go upward will really prove a test of our stamina. We reach Ulleri by late afternoon. Overnight in Ulleri.

Day 04: Ulleri to Ghorepani (2,750m/9,020 ft): 4 – 5 hours trek

After breakfast, we ascend to the Ghorepani village. The name Ghorepani in Nepali means ‘horse-water’ due to it being an important campsite for traders before it became a trekker’s stop. Ghorepani is an interesting place with small shops and stalls for selling local products and crafts. The town has two parts: one in a saddle and the other a few hundred feet lower. We stop at the higher part of the Ghorepani village that offers panoramic views of the surrounding mountains including Annapurna South and Nilgiri mountains. Since Ghorepani lies quite higher than our previous stop, we begin to feel the chilly weather especially in the evenings. Overnight in Ghorepani.

Day 05: Ghorepani to Tadapani (2,700m/8,860ft) with a visit to Poon Hill: 6 – 7 hours

To catch the sunrise over the Himalayas, we make an early morning climb along the steep trail to the viewpoint of Poon Hill (3,210m/10,529ft), the most popular trekking destination of the Annapurna region. It is also a great viewpoint to enjoy the amazing views of Mustang, Pokhara and more than 20 of the highest mountains including the close-up views of the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri ranges. The snowy peaks of the high mountains loom above and around us glowing in the morning light. After taking photographs and having some coffee or tea or hot chocolate, we return back to Ghorepani. After breakfast, we head east and climb a nearby ridge. We descend through rhododendron forests, pass by spectacular waterfalls along the way and reach Tadapani to spend the night.

Day 06: Tadapani to Ghandruk (1940m/6360 ft): 3 – 4 hours

From Tadapani, we make a steep descent through the dense and dark forest. This part of the trek will be through a thick forest of old rhododendron trees. When the rhododendron trees are in bloom, these forests actually turn into amazing gardens. By afternoon, depending upon the season of travel, we also get to enjoy cherry blossoms in bloom on the slopes on the other side of the ravine. After trekking some more minutes, we enter the village of Ghandruk, a slope settlement with stone houses mostly inhabited by the Gurung people. Along with enjoying the stunningly close-up towering views of Fishtail, Annapurna South, and Hiunchuli mountains, we also acquaint ourselves with the simple but rich cultural traditions of the Gurung people at the Gurung Museum in Ghandruk.

Day 07: Ghandruk to Pokhara: 4 hours trek and 1 hour drive

Today we trek from Ghandruk to Naya Pul then drive back to Pokhara. The trek will be downhill all the way to Birethanti. We step onto a staircase paved with stone slabs, curving in and out of the village and then into terraced farms. It keeps on going down almost without any breaks from Ghandruk until Modi Khola river valley. From Birethanti, a half-an-hour’s walk takes us to Naya Pul. The journey on foot comes to an end at Nayapul. we then drive to Pokhara for an overnight stay.

Day 08: Fly to Kathmandu

We fly to Kathmandu in the afternoon. The left side of the airplane offers some amazing views of the Himalayas. After arriving in Kathmandu, we leave for our hotel. We enjoy the day leisurely or catch up on some last minute shopping or explore any landmarks we missed during our first day in Kathmandu. To celebrate the successful completion of our journey, we will have a farewell dinner in the evening. Overnight in Kathmandu.

Day 09: Final Departure

Our journey in Nepal comes to an end today! A Himalayan Glacier representative will drop us off at the airport approximately 3 hours before our scheduled flight. On our way to home, we have plenty of time to plan our next adventure in the wonderful country of Nepal.
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DATE AND TIMES

The given prices are per person and exclude international flights. Given below are the departure dates available for online booking. If the given date is not favorable then please contact us and we will happily customize your trip on dates more appropriate for you.

Himalayan Glacier also organizes trips on small groups, so we recommend you to reserve a seat for yourself by booking with us right away. Hurry! The adventure awaits you.

Book our fixed departures

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• Airport pickups and drops ina private vehicle
• 3-star hotel accommodation in Kathmandu and Pokhara with breakfast
• Teahouse accommodation during the trek
• All meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) during the trek
• Welcome and farewell dinners
• All ground transportation on a comfortable private vehicle as per the itinerary
• Domestic flights (Kathmandu-Pokhara-Kathmandu)
• Guided city tour in Kathmandu by private vehicle
• Entrance fees for sightseeing/monument visits as per the itinerary
• An experienced, English-speaking and government-licensed trek leader and assistant trek leader (4 trekkers: 1 assistant guide)
• Porter service (2 trekkers: 1 porter)
• Staff costs including their salary, insurance, equipment, food and accommodation
• Down jacket and sleeping bag  (to be returned after trip completion) and trekking map are yours to take
• All necessary paperwork and trekking permits (ACAP, TIMS)
• Medical kit (carried by your trek leader)
• All government and local taxes

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• Nepalese visa fee
• International airfare to and from Kathmandu
• Excess baggage charges
• Lunch and dinner in Kathmandu
• Extra night accommodation in Kathmandu and Pokhara in case of early arrival, late departure, and early return from the mountain(due to any reason) than the scheduled itinerary
• Travel and rescue insurance
• Personal expenses (phone calls, laundry, bar bills, battery recharge, extra porters, bottle or boiled water, shower, etc.)
• Tips for guide(s), porter(s) and driver(s)

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Accommodations

We will be accommodated in 3-star hotels in Kathmandu and Pokhara; and teahouses during the trek. We will stay at Hotel Moonlight in Kathmandu and Mt.Kailash Resort in Pokhara.  All accommodations are on twin-shared basis. Single supplement will be served on request and will cost an additional USD 330. Himalayan Glacier will arrange rooms with attached washrooms; however, teahouses in some places only have shared washing and toilet facilities. Also note that single rooms are readily available in Kathmandu, Pokhara and the trekking regions at lower elevation but it might be difficult to find them at higher elevations.

Meals

During our trek, we can enjoy authentic Nepalese food as well the more common international cuisine (Tibetan, Continental, Italian, Indian, etc.). Breakfast and dinner will be served from the teahouse or from a lodge menu where we spend the night whereas lunch will be served on the way to the next destination. All meals will be provided during trekking while only breakfast will be available in Kathmandu and Pokhara. There will also be welcome and farewell dinners for guests.

Safety

Many national governments provide a regularly updated advice service on safety issues involved with international travel. We recommend that you check your government’s advice for their latest travel information before departure and ensure that your travel insurance covers you for all areas your itinerary covers. Please refer to our website’s safety page for links to major travel advisories and updates on safety issues affecting our trip.

We strongly recommend the use of a neck wallet or money belt while travelling, for the safe-keeping of your passport, air tickets, cash and other valuable items. Leave your valuable jewellery at home – you won’t need it while travelling. Many of our hotels have safety deposit boxes, which is the most secure way of storing your valuables. A lock is recommended for securing your luggage.

Your leader will accompany you on all included activities, however during your trip you’ll have some free time to pursue your own interests, relax and take it easy or explore at your leisure. While your leader will assist you with the available options in a given location, please note that any optional activities you undertake are not part of your Intrepid itinerary, and Intrepid makes no representations about the safety of the activity or the standard of the operators running them. Please use your own good judgement when selecting an activity in your free time. Please also note that your Leader has the authority to amend or cancel any part of the trip itinerary if it’s deemed necessary due to safety concerns.

For more details on the type of conditions and safety standards you can expect on your trip, please refer to Intrepid’s operational safety policy on our website. We recommend that you take a moment to read through this information before travelling, and would appreciate any feedback on how well it’s being implemented in the field:

http://www.intrepidtravel.com/contact-us/safety

TRAINING FOR A TREK
Before deciding whether or not you want to travel on this trip, please have a read of the training for a trek document.

http://d3oxn90f3yphmd.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/Intrepid_Trekking-Training-Manual.pdf

INTERNAL FLIGHTS:

There have been a number of recent air accidents in Nepal. We only use airlines that have passed strict safety audits for internal flights on this trip, including Buddha Air, Yeti Air & Tara Air. EU clients please see our safety page for important information regarding internal flights in Nepal.

PERSONAL SAFETY – NEPAL:

Pick-pocketing and bag-snatching are common, particularly in airports and on buses. Take care when walking around at night. Avoid walking on your own and don’t carry large sums of cash. Keep valuables in a hotel safe if possible. Bars and restaurants now close at midnight as part of a government crackdown on illegal activities. Foreigners remaining in bars and clubs after hours have been detained by the police.

FESTIVALS:

Travelling in India and Nepal whilst the Holi festival is on (a lunar festival but generally held in March every year), can at times be dangerous – a lot of locals participate in consumption of intoxicating substances. The day has been associated with physical violence and danger. Your leader will be advising you and your group on what places to avoid on this day and it may even be necessary for us to alter your itinerary for the day to avoid putting you or our group leader in high risk situation.

TRAFFIC AND DRIVING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD:
Depending on where you come from please note that drivers in this part of the world may drive on the opposite side of the road from what you are used to. Look both ways before crossing any road. Traffic can be a little more chaotic than you might be used to at home. Be aware!

SEAT BELTS:
Please be aware that local laws governing transportation safety may differ from those in your home country and not all the transport which we use is able to provide seat belts.
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