Kathmandu, Pokhara and Poon Hill Tour and Trek, 10 Days is a 10-day tour and trek for first-time visitors who have ten days and want Kathmandu, Pokhara and a mountain walk in one trip. It reaches 3,210 m (Poon Hill, sunrise only) and is graded Easy: two relaxed city days, four days of walking on stone steps below 3,000 m, and a lake day. It costs from USD 1,525 per person (Budget, couple). The price per person is the same for a private trip and a group of the same size, and it falls as the group grows.
Kathmandu, Pokhara and Poon Hill at a glance
| Duration | 10 days, Kathmandu to Kathmandu |
|---|---|
| Maximum altitude | 3,210 m / 10,531 ft (Poon Hill, sunrise only). You sleep no higher than 2,860 m at Ghorepani |
| Grade | Easy. Four trekking days of 3 to 6 hours on stone steps, and relaxed city days. No technical skill needed |
| Best months | October and November, and late March to April for rhododendrons |
| Group size | 1 to 20, always private |
| Starts and ends | Kathmandu. Fly to Pokhara and back |
| Permits | Annapurna Conservation Area and TIMS. Included, with all sightseeing fees |
| Hotels | 3 nights in Kathmandu and 3 in Pokhara are included |
| Start dates | You choose. See the windows for 2027 below |
| From price | USD 1,525 per person, Budget, couple. Standard USD 2,065, Luxury USD 2,835 |
Why I built it this way
Many of my guests have ten days and want everything: the temples of Kathmandu, the lakes of Pokhara and a real mountain walk. This trip does that in a sensible order. You spend two days in Kathmandu with a heritage guide, fly to Pokhara, walk the four-day Poon Hill trek, and finish with a rest day on the lake before the flight back. It is the Poon Hill trek, our most popular first trek, wrapped in the best of the cities.
I put the trek in the middle on purpose. You arrive rested and used to the altitude of the city, the trek is short enough that your legs are fine for Pokhara afterwards, and the flight back is at the end, when a delay costs least. You sleep no higher than 2,860 m, the lodges are close together, and the sunrise from Poon Hill, at 3,210 m, is the reward. The first day climbs about 3,000 stone steps. Read Poon Hill Trek Itinerary: 4 and 5 Day Options, Day by Day and Kathmandu and Pokhara in 4 Days: A City Tour Itinerary That Works before you choose.
Unlike our trek-only packages, this one includes your Kathmandu hotel nights: three in Kathmandu and three in Pokhara, matched to your tier. If you would like the jungle too, look at our Poon Hill trek with Chitwan jungle safari. Every booking helps pay the teacher's salary at our Nagarjun Learning Center in Saldum. The Everest Holiday is a family company founded in 2016, from three generations of guiding in the Himalayas.
Best time to go, month by month
Rain and temperatures are 1991 to 2020 averages from the national weather stations, as in our Poon Hill month-by-month guide. They are not forecasts.
| Month | What it is like | My verdict |
|---|---|---|
| January | Chitwan has cool, foggy mornings. Ghorepani (2,860 m) averages 5 C by day and -4 C at night, and Poon Hill is -6 C at night. Clear, very few trekkers. | Good, if you pack warm |
| February | Cool in Chitwan, with thin cover and good rhino sightings. Ghorepani 6 C by day and -3 C at night. Clear and quiet. | Good, if you pack warm |
| March | Spring begins. Ghorepani 9 C by day and 0 C at night, rhododendrons starting. Chitwan is getting hot. | Good |
| April | Rhododendrons in flower on the slopes. Ghorepani 13 C by day and 4 C at night, but Pokhara gets 141.7 mm of rain and Chitwan can reach 35 to 40 C. The best views of animals at the water. | Good, hot in Chitwan |
| May | Hot in Chitwan and the south side is much wetter (Pokhara 354.7 mm). Cloud and storms build in the afternoons, so the sunrise is a morning gamble. | Not my first choice |
| June | Monsoon. Pokhara 648.2 mm, Lumle 866 mm. The trail is slippery and leeches are common. Chitwan has floods and some lodges close. | No |
| July | Monsoon, the wettest month. Pokhara 941 mm, Lumle 1,473 mm. | No |
| August | Monsoon. Pokhara 839.4 mm, Lumle 1,419 mm. | No |
| September | The rains are easing but Pokhara still gets 635 mm and the trail is wet. | No |
| October | The clearest month. Pokhara gets 159.2 mm and falling, Ghorepani is 13 C by day and 7 C at night, and Chitwan is lush and clear at 25 to 30 C. Busy around Dashain. | Best, with November |
| November | Dry and clear. Pokhara gets 17.2 mm. Ghorepani is 10 C by day and 3 C at night. Peak season in Chitwan too. | Best, with October |
| December | Dry and cold. Ghorepani 7 C by day and 0 C at night, Poon Hill -2 C. Chitwan is cool, with misty mornings and near-certain rhino sightings. | Good, if you pack warm |
October and November are the clearest months, and late March to April the second window. One price applies all year. Pokhara is warm and green most of the year, and Kathmandu is cooler.
Starting dates for 2027
You choose your start date, because every trip is private. These are the windows I would pick for 2027. Festival dates for 2027 are the expected ones from public calendars, and the government confirms them each year.
| Window in 2027 | What to expect | My advice |
|---|---|---|
| Late February to mid March 2027 | Clear on Poon Hill, cold at Ghorepani. Quiet in the cities. | Good, if you pack warm |
| Late March to April 2027 (Holi expected 22 to 23 March, Nepali New Year 14 April) | Rhododendron on the Poon Hill slopes. The festivals fill the city streets and the lodges. | Good |
| May 2027 | Warmer, with cloud and storms building in the afternoons. The sunrise is a gamble. | Not my first choice |
| June to mid September 2027 | Monsoon. Wet trails, leeches and cloud on the trek. | No |
| October 2027 (Dashain expected 6 to 10 October, Tihar expected 29 to 31 October) | Clear and busy around the festivals. Book early. Some businesses close for Dashain. | Best from mid October, avoid the festival days |
| November 2027 | Dry and clear, with cold mornings on Poon Hill. | Best |
| December 2027 | Dry and cold, with Poon Hill at about -2 C at night. | Good, if you pack warm |
Tell me your dates and I will tell you what I know for that week. We check the road and the weather before departure.
Permits and costs
We apply for every permit and pay for all of them. You send us your passport details early. City entrance fees are in the price too.
| Permit or fee | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annapurna Conservation Area permit | NPR 3,000 | Included. Poon Hill is inside the conservation area |
| TIMS card | NPR 2,000 (NPR 1,000 SAARC) | Included, we issue it through our agency |
| Kathmandu heritage sites | Swayambhunath NPR 200, Durbar Square NPR 1,000, Pashupatinath NPR 1,000, Boudhanath NPR 400 | Included |
The price per person falls as the group grows, and a child pays the same as an adult. Private or group, the price per person is the same. Here is the full table. These prices hold for 2027.
| Group size | Budget | Standard | Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 guest (solo) | USD 2,345 | USD 3,035 | USD 4,570 |
| 2 to 4 guests | USD 1,525 | USD 2,065 | USD 2,835 |
| 5 to 8 guests | USD 1,160 | USD 1,695 | USD 2,465 |
| 9 to 12 guests | USD 1,025 | USD 1,530 | USD 2,255 |
| 13 to 20 guests | USD 1,005 | USD 1,510 | USD 2,230 |
Not included: international flights, your Nepal visa (USD 30 for 15 days or USD 50 for 30 days, paid in cash on arrival), Kathmandu hotel nights, travel insurance, tips, personal spending and any extra porter (USD 25 per day plus 13% VAT and the 3.5% bank charge). You pay a 10% deposit to book and the balance in Kathmandu. We take US dollars or euros, in cash or by card, and card payments carry a 3.5% bank charge.
Getting there and getting back
You arrive in Kathmandu on day 1 and fly to Pokhara on day 3, a flight of about 25 minutes. On day 4 we drive to Nayapul and walk. After the trek your vehicle meets you at Ghandruk and drives you to your Pokhara hotel, and on day 9 you fly back to Kathmandu. Pokhara flights can be delayed by cloud, so keep a spare day before your international flight. We check road conditions 48 hours before departure. If a road is not open, we move your dates free of charge.
Visa on arrival is USD 30 for 15 days or USD 50 for 30 days, and your passport must be valid for at least six months. Read Nayapul: The Trailhead for Poon Hill, Annapurna Base Camp and Khopra Danda for the trailhead.
Safety and altitude
You sleep no higher than 2,860 m, so altitude sickness is unlikely, but it is possible, and children catch it more easily than adults. Your guide checks your oxygen level with a pulse oximeter on the trek and walks at the pace of the slowest walker.
The stone steps are hard on knees, especially on day 4 and day 7, so I suggest trekking poles. Buy travel insurance at home that covers trekking to 3,500 m and helicopter evacuation.
What to pack
- Broken-in walking boots (not trainers) and a pair of sandals for the lodge
- Neutral clothes in greens and browns for the jungle days, and insect repellent
- A fleece and a warm layer for Ghorepani evenings, and a waterproof jacket
- A hat, sunglasses and SPF 50 sun cream
- A head torch for the Poon Hill sunrise climb
- A day pack of about 25 litres. Your duffel goes with the porter
- Binoculars if you have them
- Plasters, blister care and any personal medicines
- Trekking poles are useful for the stone steps
- Smart-casual clothes for the cities and a modest layer for temples (shoulders and knees covered)
- Our full list is in Nepal Trekking Packing List: What to Bring, What to Skip, What to Buy in Kathmandu
Budget, Standard or Luxury
All three tiers do the same route and sightseeing. What changes is how you sleep, what you eat and who carries your bag.
| Budget | Standard | Luxury | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rooms | Shared rooms in simple teahouses | Private twin rooms, attached bathroom where the lodge has one | Private deluxe rooms, ensuite where the lodge has one |
| Porter | None. You carry your own pack. An extra porter is USD 25 per day plus 13% VAT and the 3.5% bank charge | One porter for every two trekkers, 20 kg each in total. A solo guest has no porter: the guide carries up to 10 kg | One dedicated porter for every trekker |
| Kathmandu and Pokhara hotels | Simple hotels, twin share | 3-star hotels, private room | Marriott or a similar 5-star hotel in Kathmandu (a similar 5-star hotel for groups of 15 or more), deluxe hotel in Pokhara, ensuite |
| Meals | Breakfast at the hotels. Other meals not included | Breakfast, lunch and dinner every day | All meals and all non-alcoholic drinks, fruit and nuts on the trek |
| Vehicle | Private car or van sized to your group | Private car or van sized to your group | A more spacious air-conditioned private vehicle |
| Guide | Licensed guide, one per group (a second from 13 guests) | Licensed guide, one per group (a second from 13 guests) | Licensed guide, one per group (a second from 13 guests) |
Read before you book
- Poon Hill Trek Itinerary: 4 and 5 Day Options, Day by Day
- Poon Hill Trek Best Time: Month by Month, With Rain, Sunshine and Night Lows
- Kathmandu and Pokhara in 4 Days: A City Tour Itinerary That Works
- Poon Hill & Ghorepani Guide: Sunrise Trek in the Annapurna Region
- Things to Do in Pokhara: Nepal's Adventure Capital on the Lake
- Getting from Kathmandu to Pokhara: Flight, Tourist Bus, and the Journey That Is Part of the Adventure
- Poon Hill Trek Cost 2026/2027: What You Actually Pay, Tier by Tier
The Everest Holiday is a family company founded in 2016, from three generations of guiding in the Himalayas.
