Trekking in Pokhara: routes, permits and how to plan

Ghorepani Poon Hill (4 days) and Mardi Himal (5-6 days) are widely considered the cheap and best treks from Pokhara. Both feature breathtaking panoramic Himalayan views with affordable teahouses and direct roadhead access from Pokhara (no costly domestic flights required). For an ultra-budget 1 to 3 day trek, Dhampus, Australian Camp, and Sarangkot are the cheapest starting options.

A budget trek in Pokhara typically costs $30 to $50 per person per day when sharing a licensed guide with a friend or small group. This covers teahouse rooms ($4-$8/night), filling meals like Dal Bhat ($18-$25/day), and permits (ACAP ~$23, TIMS ~$15). Booking locally in Pokhara avoids western agency markups of 200-300%.

Yes. To trek cheaply and safely: 1) Always hire a licensed guide through a registered agency as required by law; 2) Split guide and jeep costs with other trekkers; 3) Rent quality down jackets and sleeping bags in Lakeside Pokhara for $1-$2/day instead of buying; 4) Bring a water purifier or purification tablets to save on single-use bottled water; 5) Never rush acclimatisation.

Yes. Pokhara sits at about 820 m directly south of the Annapurna massif and has more nearby trailheads than anywhere else in Nepal — from a half-day walk up Sarangkot to the two-week Annapurna Circuit. It is the standard base for sorting permits, hiring a guide and reaching the start of an Annapurna trek.

Ghorepani Poon Hill — four days, a highest point of about 3,210 m, warm teahouses and a famous sunrise viewpoint. If you have only one to three days, the Dhampus and Australian Camp ridge or Sarangkot give Annapurna views with much less climbing.

Sarangkot is a one-day ridge walk (or drive up, walk down) at about 1,591 m. For an overnight, the Dhampus–Pothana–Australian Camp loop or Panchase are one to two nights of easy teahouse trekking.

It depends on the route. Nepal Tourism Board maintains a list of trekking routes that require a licensed guide and an agency-issued TIMS card, and several Annapurna routes are on it. Short viewpoint walks near the city are treated differently. Check the live Nepal Tourism Board list close to your trip.

Most routes need an Annapurna Conservation Area (ACAP) entry permit issued by the National Trust for Nature Conservation. On the listed routes you also need an agency-issued TIMS card with a licensed guide. Fees differ for foreign, SAARC and Nepali nationals and have changed in recent years — use the official pages when budgeting.

October to November and March to May give the most reliable clear mornings and are the busiest. Winter is possible but cold with snow on higher routes. The June to September monsoon brings rain, cloud that hides the peaks, and leeches on forest trails.

The fixed costs are the ACAP permit and, where required, the TIMS card. On top of that, a licensed guide and an optional porter are paid a daily rate, and teahouses charge per night for a room plus a menu price for meals, with extras for hot showers, charging and Wi-Fi higher up. Transport to and from the trailhead and any gear rental in Pokhara are separate. Confirm current rates with a registered agency.

Poon Hill is gentler — mostly stone steps, comfortable teahouses and a 3,210 m high point. Mardi Himal is shorter overall but climbs faster to a steep, exposed ridge at about 4,450 m with simpler lodges. Choose Poon Hill for a first multi-day trek; Mardi Himal if you want a more alpine feel and have recent hill-walking experience.

You should be comfortable walking for several hours on consecutive days, including long stone stairways around Chhomrong. There is no high pass, but you sleep above 3,000 m for several nights, so a gradual ascent and at least one buffer day matter more than raw fitness.

You can plan the trip yourself, but you still need the correct permits and, on the listed routes, a licensed guide arranged through a government-registered trekking agency. Vivid Trek Nepal is an independent planning guide — it does not sell trips or take bookings; use the trek-brief tool and talk to a registered agency.

October to November is the peak season, with the clearest mountain views after the monsoon. March to May is the second window, warmer and with rhododendron in bloom. Winter is cold on high routes, and June to September brings heavy rain and cloud.

Yes. Dashain 2026 runs 11–25 October with tika on 21 October, and Tihar peaks with Laxmi Puja on 8 November and Bhai Tika on 11 November. Weather is usually clear, but flights, buses, hotels and trails are busy, so book early and keep a spare day. Confirm dates close to travel, as they follow the lunar calendar.

Fly from Kathmandu in about 25 to 35 minutes, or travel by road on the Prithvi Highway, roughly 200 km and usually 6 to 8 hours. Visitors travelling overland from the south can reach Pokhara by road from the Sunauli–Bhairahawa crossing in roughly six hours or more. Entry rules depend on your passport, so check the Department of Immigration.