Poon Hill Trek with Chitwan Safari and Trishuli Rafting in 8 Days: Guide and Cost (2027)

Last updated 16 October 2026.

Short answer: Our Poon Hill Trek with Chitwan Jungle Safari and Trishuli Rafting, 8 days packs three different Nepals into one week: a morning on the Trishuli river, two nights in Chitwan National Park, and a four-day walk to the Poon Hill sunrise at 3,210 metres, finishing with a flight from Pokhara to Kathmandu. It costs USD 1,680 per person on Budget, USD 2,070 on Standard and USD 3,015 on Luxury for two to four people. It suits families and active first-time visitors who want variety more than altitude.

I am Shreejan. This is the trip I suggest when a family tells me they have one week and want "a bit of everything". The altitude stays low, the days are varied and nobody gets bored. Here is how it works, what it costs and who it suits.

What is this trip?

On day 1 you raft the Trishuli river from Charaudi to Jholungepul, Class II and III water with a guide, safety briefing and a river lunch, then drive on to Chitwan. In Chitwan you see the park by jeep, by dugout canoe and on foot with a naturalist, and watch the Tharu stick dance. Then you drive to Pokhara and walk the classic Poon Hill loop through Ulleri, Ghorepani and Tadapani to Ghandruk.

How do the eight days run?

How hard is it?

The rafting is a fun, splashy half day; no experience is needed and the guides brief you before you start. Chitwan is easy. The trek is moderate: several hours a day on stone steps and uneven ground, but you sleep no higher than 2,860 metres and reach 3,210 metres only for the sunrise, so altitude is rarely a problem. If you want to skip the river, our Poon Hill and Chitwan, 8 days is the same idea without rafting.

What does it cost?

Prices are per person, read from our booking system on 16 October 2026. The full price list for every group size is on the trip page.

Budget gives you simple jungle-lodge and Pokhara rooms on a twin-share basis, shared lodge rooms on the trek, breakfast at the lodges and no porter, and you pay for meals on the trek yourself. Standard gives you a 3-star jungle lodge and Pokhara hotel, private lodge rooms on the trek where they exist, all meals from lunch on day 1 to breakfast on day 8, and one porter for every two trekkers. Luxury gives you deluxe lodges and hotels, all meals with every non-alcoholic drink, and your own porter.

Included on every tier: the rafting with guide, equipment and river lunch, the Chitwan activities with a naturalist, the park fee, a licensed guide, the ACAP permit and TIMS card, road transport, two Pokhara hotel nights, the Pokhara to Kathmandu flight and taxes. Not included: Kathmandu hotels, international flights, visa, travel insurance and tips.

What permits and fees apply?

The trek is inside the Annapurna Conservation Area, so you need the ACAP permit (NPR 3,000 for foreign visitors) and a TIMS card (NPR 2,000). Chitwan National Park charges NPR 2,000 per entry for foreign visitors. All are included in the price.

When is the best time?

Wildlife sightings are never guaranteed. Rhinoceros are commonly seen from the jeep, tigers rarely.

Is it good for children?

Yes, it is built with families in mind. The trek suits children who can walk four to five hours a day, and the rafting has its own age limit, so tell us every child's age when you book and we will plan the river morning around it. Read trekking with children in Nepal for more.

What should you pack?

For the river, quick-dry clothes, sandals that strap on and a change of clothes in a dry bag. For Chitwan, greens and browns, insect repellent and a hat. For the trek, broken-in shoes or boots, a warm layer and a light down jacket for the sunrise, a headtorch, a rain shell and sun protection. The Nepal packing list has everything else.

Porters and luggage

Government rules say a porter should carry no more than 20 kg. On Standard two guests share one porter at 10 kg each, on Luxury your own porter carries up to 15 kg, and on Budget you carry your own pack or add a porter.

What insurance do you need?

The highest point is Poon Hill at 3,210 metres, so your policy should cover trekking up to 3,500 metres, plus rafting, medical treatment and helicopter evacuation. Buy it at home.

Questions people ask

Do I need to know how to swim for rafting? It helps, but the guides fit you with a life jacket and helmet and give a full safety briefing first.

Why fly back from Pokhara? It saves a long day on the road at the end of a busy week.

Can we add Kathmandu sightseeing? Yes, add a day before or after. Our Kathmandu day tours guide helps you choose.

Can a solo traveller book it? Yes. The solo price covers your own rooms and guide.

What if it rains on the river day? The rafting company and our guide decide on the morning. If the river is too high, we change the plan.

How does it compare with the other combinations? See trek, Chitwan and rafting combinations compared.

What are the booking terms?

Group size is 1 to 20 and solo travellers are welcome; a solo price covers your own room and your own guide, so it is higher per person. The deposit is 10 per cent. It is non-refundable and there is no refund if you cancel, but you can move your trip free of charge to any date within one year with at least 72 hours notice. The balance is paid when you arrive in Kathmandu, in US dollars or euros, cash or card. Card carries a 3.5 per cent bank charge and cash carries none. We do not take Nepali rupees from foreign guests.

How do you plan this with us?

Message me on WhatsApp on +977 9810351300 with your dates, how many of you there are and the ages of any children. I will plan the river day around them and send the exact quote.

Written by Shreejan Simkhada, CEO of The Everest Holiday, from a family of three generations of family guides. TAAN Member #1586. WhatsApp +977 9810351300.