Poon Hill Trek with Chitwan Jungle Safari, 8 Days is an 8-day jungle safari and trek for first-time visitors and families with fit children who want animals and mountains in one week. It reaches 3,210 m (Poon Hill sunrise) and is graded Easy: two flat jungle days, then four days of walking on stone steps, mostly below 3,000 m. It costs from USD 1,460 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.
Poon Hill with Chitwan at a glance
| Duration | 8 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. 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. Road to Chitwan and Pokhara, fly Pokhara to Kathmandu |
| Wildlife | Jeep safari, dugout canoe, jungle walk, birdwatching and Tharu culture. No animal rides |
| Permits | Annapurna Conservation Area, TIMS, Chitwan National Park fee. All included |
| Hotels | 2 nights at a Chitwan jungle lodge and 2 nights in Pokhara are included. Kathmandu nights are not |
| From price | USD 1,460 per person, Budget, couple. Standard USD 1,850, Luxury USD 2,765 |
Why I built it this way
Everyone asks me for the same thing: mountains and animals, in one trip, without a long flight between them. This is the answer. You start with two nights beside Chitwan National Park, where you look for rhinos, birds and crocodiles from a jeep and a dugout canoe, then drive to Pokhara and walk the Poon Hill trek in four days. It ends with a short flight to Kathmandu.
I put the jungle first on purpose. It is flat and warm, and it gives your legs two easy days before the steps of Ulleri. Poon Hill is the trek we send most first-timers on. You sleep no higher than 2,860 m, the lodges are close together, and the sunrise from Poon Hill, at 3,210 m, over Dhaulagiri and the Annapurna range is the reward. The first day climbs about 3,000 stone steps, and day 6 is the longest. Read Poon Hill Trek Itinerary: 4 and 5 Day Options, Day by Day and Chitwan Jungle Safari: Tigers, Rhinos, and What to Actually Expect.
We do not sell animal rides. Our Chitwan days are a jeep, a dugout canoe, a walk with a naturalist, Tharu culture and birds. Customers find us because of that. If you would like to add a day of white-water rafting on the Trishuli, ask me and I will price it as an extra.
Hotel nights in Kathmandu are not included, so you choose your own. Two Pokhara nights are, and so are all the road transfers and the flight back. 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. The Chitwan notes come from our Chitwan seasonal guide. Neither is a forecast.
| 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 |
Chitwan is best from October to March and Poon Hill is best in October, November and late March to April, so October, November and March are the months that suit both. One price applies all year.
Permits and costs
We apply for every permit and pay for all of them. You send us your passport details early.
| 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 |
| Chitwan National Park entrance | NPR 3,000 | Included, on top of the lodge and activities |
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.
| Group size | Budget | Standard | Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 guest (solo) | USD 2,355 | USD 2,750 | USD 4,700 |
| 2 to 4 guests | USD 1,460 | USD 1,850 | USD 2,765 |
| 5 to 8 guests | USD 1,020 | USD 1,425 | USD 2,325 |
| 9 to 12 guests | USD 915 | USD 1,315 | USD 2,220 |
| 13 to 20 guests | USD 885 | USD 1,280 | USD 2,190 |
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
On day 1 we drive from Kathmandu to Chitwan, five to six hours along the Trishuli river. On day 3 we drive on to Pokhara by private vehicle. 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 8 you fly to Kathmandu. Pokhara flights can be delayed by cloud, so keep a spare day before your international flight. The Pokhara to Baglung road lost about 150 m at Sahasradhara on 27 September, and repairs began on 29 September (position as at 7 October). Our Pokhara trailheads are on that road. We check 48 hours before departure, and if the 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 and walks at the pace of the slowest walker. On the safari, you follow your naturalist, keep to the jeep and the canoe and never walk into the forest alone. Wildlife is wild, and no sighting is guaranteed.
The stone steps are hard on knees, especially on day 1 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
- 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 activities. 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 |
| Chitwan and Pokhara hotels | Simple lodge and hotel, twin share | 3-star jungle lodge and 3-star hotel, private room | Deluxe jungle lodge and deluxe hotel, ensuite |
| Meals | Breakfast at the lodge and hotels. Trek meals not included | Breakfast, lunch and dinner | All meals, fruit and nuts, soft drinks, tea and coffee whenever you want |
| 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 Best Time: Month by Month, With Rain, Sunshine and Night Lows
- Poon Hill Trek Itinerary: 4 and 5 Day Options, Day by Day
- Chitwan Jungle Safari: Tigers, Rhinos, and What to Actually Expect
- Things to Do in Chitwan: Jeep Safari, Canoe, Jungle Walk, Tharu Culture and Birds
- Best Time to Visit Chitwan National Park: Month-by-Month Wildlife Guide
- 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.
