Jeep + walk (2 days) 2.5–3.5 h drive + 2 days' walk
This is the standard way. A jeep takes you from Pokhara past Nayapul to Hile at 1,430 m in about 2.5 hours. You walk to Tikhedhunga and up the long staircase to Ulleri at 2,020 m, about 3–4 hours, and sleep there. Day two climbs through oak and rhododendron forest via Banthanti and Nangethanti to Ghorepani in 4–5 hours. Height gain on the two days is roughly 1,450 m.
Jeep + walk (1 day) 3.5 h drive + 4–5 h walk
When the road beyond Hile is dry, jeeps can climb the dirt track to Ulleri, saving the steepest part of the staircase. From Ulleri it is 4–5 hours to Ghorepani, so fit walkers can arrive the same evening. The drive is rough, the track is often closed by mud in the monsoon, and arriving at 2,874 m from 822 m in a single day is a large jump, so go slowly and drink plenty of water.
Walk via Ghandruk 2–3 days
The clockwise approach drives about 3 hours to Ghandruk at 1,940 m, then walks 3–4 hours to Tadapani at 2,630 m and 5–6 hours over the Deurali pass at 3,090 m to Ghorepani. It takes longer but gains height more gradually and passes through the largest Gurung village in the area. Many people use this route on the way out instead, ending at Ghandruk and driving back to Pokhara.
Stops on the way
- Nayapul
- Birethanti ACAP checkpoint
- Hile
- Tikhedhunga
- Ulleri
- Banthanti
- Nangethanti
Start walking from Hile before 10 am so that you climb the exposed Ulleri staircase before the afternoon heat and cloud.
Questions travellers ask
How long does it take from Pokhara to Ghorepani?
Plan on two days. The jeep to Hile takes about 2.5 hours, then you walk 3–4 hours to Ulleri for the night and 4–5 hours on to Ghorepani the next day. Strong walkers who drive to Ulleri can reach Ghorepani in one long day, but the altitude jump and the rough road make the two-day approach more comfortable.
Can you drive all the way to Ghorepani?
Not on the standard route from Pokhara. Jeep tracks have pushed up from both the Ulleri side and the Myagdi side, and some vehicles reach villages below Ghorepani in the dry season, but there is no reliable road to the village itself. Conditions change each year and after every monsoon, so check current status before you travel. Most trekkers walk at least the final 4–5 hours.
How many steps are there to Ulleri?
The figure usually quoted is about 3,300 stone steps between Tikhedhunga at 1,540 m and Ulleri at 2,020 m, a climb of roughly 480 m in 2–3 hours. Nobody has an official count, and some steps have been rebuilt, but it is the hardest section of the Poon Hill trek. Take it slowly, use poles, and rest in the shade.
Do I need a permit to go from Pokhara to Ghorepani?
Yes. The trail is inside the Annapurna Conservation Area, so you need an ACAP entry permit, which costs NPR 3,000 for foreigners and NPR 1,000 for SAARC nationals including Indians. It is checked at Birethanti and Ghorepani. Rules on licensed guides for foreign trekkers have changed since 2023, so check current status before you travel. Our packages include both.
