Poon Hill Trek with Chitwan Jungle Safari and Trishuli Rafting, 8 Days is an 8-day rafting, jungle safari and trek for first-time visitors and families with fit children who want a river day, the jungle and a short mountain trek in one trip. It reaches 3,210 m (Poon Hill sunrise) and is graded Easy: Class II and III rafting, two flat jungle days, then four days of walking on stone steps, mostly below 3,000 m. It costs from USD 1,680 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 and rafting 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 |
| Rafting | Trishuli river, Charaudi to Jholungepul, Class II and III, on day 1 |
| Best months | November, and the second half of October. Late March to April also works |
| 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 1,680 per person, Budget, couple. Standard USD 2,070, Luxury USD 3,015 |
Why I built it this way
Most people who ask me for a trek and a safari also ask whether they can fit in some rafting. This is the answer, and it is the easiest of the three versions we run. Day 1 is the Trishuli river, the classic first rafting trip in Nepal, on the way to the jungle. Then two nights in Chitwan, a drive to Pokhara, and the four-day Poon Hill trek, with a flight back to Kathmandu.
It is the same trip as our Poon Hill Trek with Chitwan Jungle Safari, 8 Days, with the rafting added on day 1, and it follows the same idea as our Mardi Himal trek with Chitwan and rafting, but with the gentler trek. The rafting is Class II and III, so it suits beginners and families, and our rafting guide says it suits ages 10 and over. Day 1 is a long day, and I would rather say so now than surprise you at the river.
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, is the reward. The first day climbs about 3,000 stone steps and day 6 is the longest, so poles help. Read Trek Plus Chitwan Jungle and Trishuli Rafting in One Trip: The 8 and 9 Day Combinations Compared, White Water Rafting in Nepal: Rivers, Rapids, and Which Trip to Choose and Poon Hill Trek Itinerary: 4 and 5 Day Options, Day by Day before you choose.
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. Hotel nights in Kathmandu are not included, so you choose your own. 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, the rafting is best in October to December and March to May, and Poon Hill is best in October, November and late March to April. November suits all three. One price applies all year.
Starting dates for 2027
This trip needs the river, the jungle and the Poon Hill sunrise to agree, so the windows are narrower than for a plain trek. These are the ones I would pick for 2027. Festival dates 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. The river is cold and low. Chitwan is cool. | Possible, pack warm |
| Late March to April 2027 (Holi expected 22 to 23 March) | Rhododendron on the Poon Hill slopes. Chitwan is hot, up to 35 to 40 C by April. Good rafting weather. | Good |
| May 2027 | Hot low down, cloud and storms build in the afternoons. Rafting season is ending. | Not my first choice |
| June to mid September 2027 | Monsoon. High river, flooded jungle trails, leeches and cloud on the trek. | No |
| October 2027 (Dashain expected 6 to 10 October, Tihar expected 29 to 31 October) | Clear and lush, busy around the festivals. Book early. | Best from mid October, avoid the festival days |
| November 2027 | The best month for all three: clear mountains, comfortable jungle, good rafting. | Best |
| December 2027 | Clear and cold. Chitwan mornings are foggy. The river is cold. | Good, pack warm |
Tell me your dates and I will tell you what I know for that week. We check the river, 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.
| 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 2,000 per person per entry | 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. These prices hold for 2027.
| Group size | Budget | Standard | Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 guest (solo) | USD 2,575 | USD 2,970 | USD 4,950 |
| 2 to 4 guests | USD 1,680 | USD 2,070 | USD 3,015 |
| 5 to 8 guests | USD 1,240 | USD 1,645 | USD 2,550 |
| 9 to 12 guests | USD 1,135 | USD 1,535 | USD 2,440 |
| 13 to 20 guests | USD 1,105 | USD 1,500 | USD 2,410 |
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 your Kathmandu hotel to Charaudi on the Trishuli river, raft, and then continue by road to Chitwan. 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. 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 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
- Quick-dry clothes and a change of dry clothes for the rafting day, and sandals that stay on your feet
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
- Trek Plus Chitwan Jungle and Trishuli Rafting in One Trip: The 8 and 9 Day Combinations Compared
- White Water Rafting in Nepal: Rivers, Rapids, and Which Trip to Choose
- Trishuli or Bhote Koshi Rafting: Which River to Choose from Kathmandu
- Poon Hill Trek Best Time: Month by Month, With Rain, Sunshine and Night Lows
- Chitwan Jungle Safari: Tigers, Rhinos, and What to Actually Expect
- Things to Do in Chitwan: Jeep Safari, Canoe, Jungle Walk, Tharu Culture and Birds
- 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.
