Is September a good month for the Poon Hill trek?

The second half is very good and the first half is still monsoon. Walking from about 15 September gives clean air, green hills and far fewer people than October.

When do the leeches stop?

Roughly a week after the last sustained rain, which usually means the third or fourth week of September. Anyone walking in the first fortnight should still expect them below Ghorepani.

Is September or October better for Poon Hill?

October is more reliable and much busier. Late September gives nearly identical conditions with a fraction of the crowd and a greener landscape, at slightly higher risk of rain.

How warm is Ghorepani in September?

Mild. Days reach 18 to 22°C and nights stay at 10 to 14°C, which is the most comfortable sleeping of the autumn months.

Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek in September: Weather & Crowds

September temperatures, valley to high camp

Waypoint	Elevation	Day	Night
Tikhedhunga	1,440m	25 to 29°C	17 to 20°C
Ghandruk	1,940m	22 to 26°C	14 to 17°C
Ghorepani	2,800m	18 to 22°C	10 to 14°C
Poon Hill	3,210m	15 to 19°C	7 to 11°C

The monsoon retreats from the Annapurna foothills through September, usually clearing in the third week. Rain days roughly halve compared with August, and the character changes from systems to showers. The improvement people notice most is the air. Three months of rain have washed the dust out of it, and the first clear September dawn at the viewpoint after a wet walk in is a genuine shock.

On the trail

Trail conditions in September

Early September walks like August, wet and slippery with leeches below Ghorepani. From about the 15th the trail dries fast, and the leeches disappear roughly a week after the last sustained rain.

This is the greenest the route ever looks. The rice below Ghandruk is high and about to turn, the forest is dense, and every stream is still running hard. A late September trek gives you monsoon landscape under autumn skies, which is a combination available for about two weeks a year.

The Ulleri staircase is still humid in September and still the hard part. It gets easier every week as the temperature drops.

Crowds & teahouses

Who else is up there

Quiet for the first fortnight, filling from about the 20th as the autumn season starts. Everything is open throughout. By the end of September Ghorepani is busy enough that booking ahead becomes sensible again.

Getting in & out

Flights, roads and logistics

The Pokhara flight becomes reliable again through the month, with the first ten days still subject to weather cancellation. Pokhara fills from mid-September. Book ahead for anything in the last week.

Some mountains
don't wait

Permits close. Weather windows narrow. The best Everest region teahouse beds fill by October, and spring season opens again in March. Our Kathmandu team is already booking for autumn. If you have been planning a trek, this is the window.

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Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek in September

September temperatures, valley to high camp

Trail conditions in September

Who else is up there

Flights, roads and logistics

What changes this month

September questions