Poon Hill Trek in December and January: Cold, Short Days and What to Expect

Last updated 2 October 2026. The trail was reported open on 29 September, with one road problem on the way to Pokhara's trailheads, set out below.

The short answer: yes, Poon Hill works in December and January. It is the lowest and mildest of our Annapurna treks, the highest night is Ghorepani at 2,860 m, and Pokhara, where you start and finish, is mild in winter. It is not warm. Expect cold nights, short days and possible snow on the upper trail, so we recommend it for a first winter trek, in early December if you can choose. January is colder, and from mid-January the cold deepens further.

Is the Poon Hill trek open in December and January?

The trek is open in winter in a normal year, and the trail was reported open as of 29 September 2026. Nobody can say yet what December and January will bring, so here is the road position as of 2 October 2026, with dates:

• The Pokhara to Baglung road lost about 150 m at Sahasradhara on 27 September.
• Repair work began from both directions on the Pokhara to Korala route on 29 September.
• On 1 October the Maldhunga bridge approach linking Baglung and Parbat was still washed away.
• We have seen no report that Sahasradhara has reopened, so the last position we have is 29 September.

Our route starts from Pokhara and Nayapul, so it is the least exposed of the big treks to these road problems, but it is not immune. We confirm the road to the trailhead 48 hours before you go. If it is shut, we find you an alternative route or starting point and tell you before you travel. The dated detail is in Trekking Nepal in November 2026 and Trekking Nepal in December 2026.

How cold is it?

Ghorepani and Poon Hill are well above Pokhara and colder, and we do not quote a figure for them. Pokhara, 827 m, where you start and finish, has these published monthly averages (1991 to 2020 normals).

Pokhara is mild, and that is part of the appeal: the first and last nights are in a hotel, in a town where the daytime is pleasant. It is a poor guide to the upper trail, which is more than 2,000 m higher. Snow accumulates between 2,000 and 3,000 m in the Annapurna Conservation Area, and in the winter of 1999 to 2000 the ground above 3,000 m stayed snow-covered until the end of March. Ghorepani at 2,860 m sits inside that 2,000 to 3,000 m band, and Poon Hill at 3,210 m is above it. So expect cold nights at Ghorepani and the possibility of snow on the trail above Ulleri, and plan for a sunrise at Poon Hill that is cold and often windy. That last point comes from our guides' experience.

How many hours of daylight do you have?

About 10 hours 30 minutes in December. In Kathmandu the sun rises at 6:35 and sets at 17:09 on 1 December, and rises at 6:48 and sets at 17:14 on 21 December. Poon Hill is further west, so use these as a rough guide. The climb to the viewpoint starts in the dark with a head torch, because you want to be on top before sunrise. Our itinerary days are short, 3 to 6 hours of walking, so the short days cost you less here than on a long-day trek.

What does the 6-day itinerary look like?

This is our current itinerary.

For the full distances and effort, see the Poon Hill distance guide.

Is December better than January?

Early December is the better half of the winter. Compared with November, early December brings colder nights and emptier lodges, but the settled weather has not gone. Late December has the shortest days and the coldest nights of the month, and from mid-January the cold deepens further. This is our guides' judgement. If your dates are flexible, aim for early December. If you must go in January, go early in the month and keep a spare day in Pokhara in case the weather turns.

Will the mountains be visible?

The view from Poon Hill takes in the Dhaulagiri and Annapurna ranges and Machhapuchhre. Whether you see them depends on a clear dawn, and we cannot promise one. The itinerary has one sunrise at Poon Hill. If cloud covers it, there is no second chance on the schedule, and your guide will tell you before you set out whether it is worth the cold start.

Are the lodges open?

We have not yet re-checked the lodges at Ulleri, Ghorepani and Tadapani since the September rains. We call them before we confirm your dates, and we tell you the answer before you pay a balance. In our guides' experience the dining room is the warm room and the bedrooms are cold, which is why we provide a sleeping bag and a down jacket (check the inclusions on the package page for your tier).

What does it cost?

The 6-day trek is from US$920 Budget, US$1,285 Standard and US$2,445 Luxury per person for one traveller, and less per person for larger groups (from US$499 Budget, US$990 Standard and US$1,235 Luxury for two to four people). On Budget you carry your own bag and meals are not included. On Standard you have all meals and one porter for every two trekkers, so a solo Standard trekker has no porter and the guide carries up to 10 kg. On Luxury you have a dedicated porter and all meals with fruit and nuts. Kathmandu hotels are not included on any trek tier, but the two Pokhara hotel nights are part of the itinerary. There is no separate winter price list, and we do not promise a winter discount. A 10 per cent deposit holds your dates and the balance goes in Kathmandu. A card payment of the balance carries a 3.5 per cent charge, and we take US dollars or card, not Nepali rupees, from foreign guests. If you need to move, you can reschedule free with at least 72 hours' notice to any date within one year. The deposit itself is not refunded if you cancel. If we cannot run the trip, we refund what you paid less taxes, bank and card charges and money already spent. Insurance must be bought at home. The Annapurna Conservation Area fee is NPR 3,000 and the TIMS card is NPR 2,000, and we arrange both. We do not list fixed December or January departures, so contact us for dates.

Who should not do it in winter?

Anyone with a condition made worse by cold, such as Raynaud's disease, should talk to a doctor first. Anyone who needs to be sure of a mountain view on a fixed day. Anyone with a tight onward flight, because a road delay on day 5 or 6 can cost a day. If you want a higher trek and accept the cold, the ABC distance guide and the Mardi Himal guide cover the options, but both have colder nights, and Poon Hill is the one we would pick for a first winter trek. For the other seasons, see autumn, spring and Poon Hill versus Mardi Himal. The general guide is here.

Tell us your dates on WhatsApp, +977 9810351300, or email [email protected], and we will tell you the road position that day.

Itinerary, prices, fees and road position are as of 2 October 2026.

About The Everest Holiday

We are a family company in Kathmandu, three generations of Himalayan guides, registered in 2016 and a member of the Trekking Agencies' Association of Nepal, number 1586. When you book with us you deal with the family, not a call centre.

Every booking helps fund our Nagarjun Learning Center. We fully run the centre at Saldum, where 70 children learn with a teacher I pay for personally.

Written by Shreejan Simkhada, CEO of The Everest Holiday and third-generation Himalayan guide. TAAN Member #1586.

Short on time over the holidays? Our guide to Christmas and New Year treks from Pokhara, 3 to 5 days compares Panchase, Poon Hill and Mardi Himal, with prices and what is open.