2 Apr 2026 12 min to read

Yes, you can hike the Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek in July. The Annapurna region is experiencing a full monsoon in July, which results in muddy trails, leeches, and rain on most afternoons. The views of the mountains from Poon Hill  may be obscured by clouds. However, the forest turns a deep green, the teahouses remain warm, the trail remains open, and you will probably feel like the route is all yours. July is a great month to do this trek if you are adaptable, organized, and willing to turn down views of the clear sky in favor of the full glory of the jungle.

So you are thinking about doing the Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek in July? Good for you! July is the rainy season in Nepal, and although it is not the most popular time to trek, it is entirely feasible to do the Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek. You just need to know what to expect and be prepared.

This guide will tell you exactly what July on the Poon Hill trail looks like. The leeches, the weather, the trail conditions, the mountain views ( certain days!), and everything else that truly contribute to the special and unique experience of trekking poon hill in July. By the time you finish reading, you will know whether July is right for you.

Can You Do the Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek in July?

Yes. And not just barely. This trek is one of the easiest in the whole Annapurna region, which means July does not break it, it just changes it a little.

The maximum altitude is 3,210 metres at Poon Hill. You will not deal with altitude sickness. The total walking distance over 4 days is around 32 kilometres. Daily walking hours stay between 4 and 6 hours. 

The trail itself is well-built. Stone steps, wide paths, clear direction markers. Most of the route runs through proper forest with tree cover above you. That actually helps in the rain.

What is the Weather Like in July on the Poon Hill Trek?

As we all know, July is the peak rainy/monsoon season. But it does not rain all day, every day. We have organized more than a hundred treks in ghorepani, and here is something that we have find out: mornings are clearer, sometimes even dry. Rain usually starts to hit hard by mid-afternoon. Evenings can stay wet or clear up by nightfall.

At Ghorepani village, the air feels cool and fresh even in July. It is not cold during the day. You will walk in a light layer and feel comfortable. But mornings at Poon Hill, before sunrise, drop to single digits. Pack a warm mid-layer for that 4 am hike.

At lower elevations around Nayapul and the Modi Khola valley, July is warm and humid. The forest is thick and the air feels heavy. This is the section where sweat and rain combine to make you feel fully soaked by 10 am. Here, it’s best to wear light, quick-drying clothing.

The table describes the July temperatures at various locations along the route:

Location	Altitude	Morning Temp	Midday Temp	Night Temp
Nayapul (start)	1,070m	20-22°C	26-28°C	18-20°C
Tikhedhunga	1,495m	18-20°C	22-25°C	16-18°C
Ulleri	2,050m	15-18°C	20-22°C	13-15°C
Ghorepani	2,874m	10-13°C	16-20°C	8-11°C
Poon Hill (viewpoint)	3,210m	6-9°C	12-15°C	5-8°C
Tadapani	2,630m	11-14°C	17-20°C	9-12°C
Ghandruk	1,940m	16-19°C	22-24°C	14-16°C

Mountains You Can See from Poon Hill in July

On a clear day, poon hill is one of the best mountain viewpoints in all of Nepal. You can see more than 20 peaks from this single spot without moving your feet.

In July, those views depend heavily on the morning. Cloud sits thick by mid-morning and completely blocks the range. But in the early hours, between 5am and 9am, gaps in the cloud do appear. 

Here are the peaks visible from Poon Hill, and what July does to each of them:

Mountain	Altitude	Visibility in July
Dhaulagiri I	8,167m	Often hidden, appears in early morning gaps
Annapurna I	8,091m	Mostly cloud-covered, rare clear windows
Annapurna South	7,219m	Partially visible on clearer mornings
Machhapuchhre (Fishtail)	6,993m	Closest peak, sometimes breaks through cloud
Nilgiri North	7,061m	Usually cloud-covered in July afternoons
Hiunchuli	6,441m	Visible on better mornings from Poon Hill
Tukuche Peak	6,920m	Occasional clear views in early July mornings
Lamjung Himal	6,983m	Low visibility most of July
Annapurna IV	7,525m	Rare sightings through cloud gaps
Gangapurna	7,454m	Partially visible when Annapurna cloud lifts

There is a 30-50 percent chance of seeing these mountains before 9 a.m. But after that it is almost 0%.

Honest Pros and Cons: Ghorepani Poon Hill in July

Before you decide to go to Ghorepani Poon Hill, here is the pros and cons of the trek.

Why July Works for Poon Hill Trek

• Almost no other trekkers on the trail. You have the teahouses to yourself.
• Prices of teahouses during the off-season is more affordable, including lodging and food.
• The forest between Tikhedhunga and Ghorepani is at peak green. It looks completely different to the dry-season.
• You can witness many waterfalls during the trail  that are dry in October.
• As the maximum altitude is only 3,210 metres so there is no serious altitude risk and anyone can including your family members from kids to grandpa, can do it.

Why July Is Harder for Poon Hill Trek

• Mountain views from Poon Hill are not reliable, as the cloud covers peaks most of the time.
• Leeches from Nayapul to Ulleri are harmless, but they will surprise people who have not dealt with them before.
• The trails are slippery, so you’ll always require trekking poles in July.
• There might be occasional road closures before Nayapul/Ulleri during very heavy rain.

Some Glimpse of Ghorepani in July Month

Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek: April vs July vs October

Factor	April (Spring)	July (Monsoon)	October (Autumn)
Weather	Warm days, dry, some afternoon haze late season	Heavy rain most afternoons, humid, mornings clearer	Stable, dry, cool days and cold nights
Mountain Views	Good, occasional haze after mid-April	Possible mornings only, cloud covers peaks by 10am	Excellent and very reliable all day
Trail Condition	Dry and solid, dusty in lower sections	Wet and muddy below 2,000m, solid stone above	Dry, firm, easy underfoot
Crowds	Moderate to busy, peak bloom draws trekkers	Very few, near-empty trails	Busiest season, trails and teahouses packed
Rhododendrons	In full bloom, red and pink throughout forest	Deep green, no bloom, dense and alive	Green fading, no bloom
Leeches	Rare, not a concern	Active below 2,000m from Nayapul to Ulleri	None
Teahouse Bookings	Book ahead advised	Walk-in, plenty of rooms	Book ahead required, fills fast
Teahouse Prices	Peak season rates	Off-season rates, lower across the board	Peak season rates, highest of the year
Temperature (Ghorepani day)	10-18°C	16-20°C	5-15°C
Temperature (Ghorepani night)	5-10°C	8-11°C	0-5°C
Poon Hill Sunrise	Clear and reliable most mornings	Possible 30-40 min window just after dawn, 4:30am start essential	Outstanding, best of the year
Road Closures	None expected	Occasional after heavy rain near Tikhedhunga	None expected
Best For	First-timers wanting bloom, good views, spring feel	Solo budget trekkers, those with fixed July dates	First-timers wanting guaranteed views and classic conditions

The Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek Route in July

Nayapul to Ulleri

The drive from Pokhara to Nayapul takes around 90 minutes. In July, the hills along the way are an extraordinary green, the rice terraces and the rivers running fast with monsoon water. It is a beautiful introduction to what the whole trek will look like.

From Nayapul, the trail follows the Modi Khola river through Birethanti before hiking to Tikhedhunga. And then come the steps. The stone staircase up to Ulleri is about 3,767 steps (someone counted!), and it is the most physically demanding section of the whole trek. On a wet July day, the stone can be slippery, so take your time on the ascent and be extra careful on any descents. When you reach Ulleri, you have a view back down the valley, made even better by the monsoon greenery.

Ulleri to Ghorepani

This is, in our opinion, the most beautiful part of the July trek. The trail climbs steadily through a dense rhododendron and oak forest, and in July this forest is absolutely alive. Everything is green. Waterfalls tumble off the hillsides. The air smells of damp earth and mountain vegetation.

This is also the trail where you need to watch out for leeches. They are most active in the forest, particularly after rain. Check your socks and ankles at every rest stop. 

Banthanti is a lovely spot for lunch on the way up. From there, it is a steady climb to Ghorepani village, which sits beautifully at the treeline with the forest behind it and the mountains (when visible!) ahead. Ghorepani is your base for the Poon Hill sunrise.

Poon Hill Sunrise

Get up early. We mean really early. Most trekkers aim to leave Ghorepani at 4:30 AM to reach Poon Hill (a 45-minute climb) in time for sunrise between 5:15 and 6:15 AM, depending on the time of year. Bring your headlamp, wear your warm layers, and go for it regardless of the weather. The predawn hour is when the mountains are most likely to appear in July, and even if the views are misty, the experience of standing on that hilltop in the early light with the forest below you is something special.

There is a tea and coffee stall at the top of Poon Hill, which feels like a small miracle at 5 AM. Treat yourself.

Onward to Ghandruk

After Poon Hill, we strongly recommend continuing to Ghandruk rather than heading straight back to Nayapul. Ghandruk is one of the largest and most beautiful Gurung villages in the Annapurna region. In July, with fewer tourists around, it is a wonderful place to spend time. Visit the Gurung Museum, walk through the stone-paved lanes, and enjoy a meal with locals who actually have time to talk to you. It adds a day to the trek, but it is absolutely worth it.

Permits You Need for the Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek

There are two permits that are required for the Ghorepani Poon Hill trek. The Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP) costs NPR 3,000, and  the TIMS card costs NPR 2,000. You can obtain both at the Nepal Tourism Board office in Pokhara. It will cost you NPR 5,000, roughly USD 37 to 40.

Our team handles the paperwork for all Nepal Holiday Trip clients.

Teahouses in Ghorepani in July

Ghorepani has around 20 to 25 teahouses on the ridge. In peak autumn, these fill up fast and you need to book ahead. In July, that is not a concern at all.

July is deep off-season on this trek. The number of trekkers on the trail drops significantly compared to October or April. That means you can walk into almost any teahouse in Ghorepani and choose your room. No pressure, no rush, no other groups already filling the dining room.

Every teahouses offer twin-share rooms with shared bathrooms. A few newer lodges have attached bathrooms. Room costs in July typically run NPR 500 per night, lower than peak season rates. 

The dining rooms have a wood stove or yak-dung fire in the corner, long wooden benches, and trekkers from two or three countries sharing the same space. In July, with fewer people, those rooms feel quieter and more personal. You actually interact with the teahouse family to know about the village, the trek, and the weather.

Food available at Ghorepani teahouses in July covers the full standard menu: dal bhat, fried rice, noodle soup, omelettes, pancakes, garlic soup, tea, and coffee. Dal bhat is always the best value and the most filling. A full dal bhat meal with unlimited rice refills costs NPR 500 to 600.

Hot showers are available at most Ghorepani teahouses, either solar or gas-heated. In July, solar showers depend on how much sun the panels have seen that day. Gas-heated showers are more reliable but cost extra, usually NPR 100 to 200. After a wet July day on the trail, a hot shower at Ghorepani is necessary.

Asked Questions about Poon Hill July Trek

Last updated on 2 Apr 2026

Dhruba Bhatta