Trek Guide

Muldai View Point Trek Guide 2026: The Quieter Poon Hill Alternative

Muldai View Point trek 2026 guide: a 3,637m Annapurna sunrise with a fraction of Poon Hill's crowds. Route, 6-day plan, ACAP permit cost and best…

By Travel Himalaya Nepal · Jun 14, 2026

Read the full story

Poon Hill's view, without the crowds. Muldai delivers a 360° Annapurna and Dhaulagiri sunrise from 3,637m with a tiny fraction of the dawn traffic. Six relaxed days from Pokhara. A scenic loop through Ghandruk, Tadapani and Dobato — short driving, classic…

Travel Himalaya Nepal · News

Why trek Muldai instead of Poon Hill?

Poon Hill earned its reputation honestly: it is accessible, the sunrise is spectacular, and it slots into a long weekend. But its popularity is now its weakness. Muldai sits roughly 425m higher, faces a similar arc of peaks, and sees only a small share of the…

Travel Himalaya Nepal · News

Route & itinerary overview

The trek is a loop that begins and ends in Pokhara, so you never retrace the same trail twice — one of its quiet pleasures. Here is the shape of a typical six-day plan: Days 1–2: Short drive from Pokhara to the trailhead near Nayapul or Kimche, then climb the…

Travel Himalaya Nepal · News

Difficulty & fitness

Muldai is honestly graded moderate . There is no scrambling, no exposure and no technical terrain — it is a walking trek on well-trodden trails. What earns the grade is the up-and-down: the Annapurna foothills are relentlessly steep in places, with long…

Travel Himalaya Nepal · News

Permits & 2026 cost

This is one of the trek's biggest advantages: it is not a restricted area , so there is no expensive special permit. For 2026 you need the Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP), which costs NPR 3,000 per foreign trekker (around USD 23). The TIMS card has…

Travel Himalaya Nepal · News

Best time to go

The two prime windows are autumn (October–November) and spring (March–April) . Autumn gives the cleanest, most stable skies of the year and the sharpest mountain views — the safest bet for sunrise. Spring is warmer and brings the rhododendron forests above…

Travel Himalaya Nepal · News

How to get there

Everything begins in Pokhara , a 25-minute flight or six-to-seven-hour drive from Kathmandu. From Pokhara it is a short road transfer — usually one to two hours — to the trailhead near Nayapul, Kimche or Ghandruk, depending on road conditions. There is no…

Travel Himalaya Nepal · News

Accommodation: teahouse, not tent

Muldai is a teahouse trek from start to finish — no camping gear required. Ghandruk and Ghorepani have comfortable, well-established lodges, many with private rooms, hot showers and hearty menus. The higher stops at Dobato are simpler and fewer, so beds there…

Travel Himalaya Nepal · News

What to pack

Because the ceiling is modest and the lodges are good, you can travel light. The essentials are sturdy broken-in boots, warm layers for the cold viewpoint dawn (it can be near freezing at Muldai even in shoulder season), a windproof shell, a down jacket, a…

Travel Himalaya Nepal · News

Who it's for — and Muldai vs Poon Hill

This trek is ideal for first-time Himalayan trekkers, families with active teenagers, photographers chasing an uncrowded sunrise, and anyone short on time who still wants a proper multi-day loop rather than an out-and-back. If your priority is the absolute…

Travel Himalaya Nepal · News

Altitude & safety

At 3,637m, Muldai sits low enough that serious altitude sickness is uncommon, but it is not zero-risk — some travellers feel mild symptoms above 3,000m. The gradual profile of this loop helps you acclimatise naturally, and our guides watch for headaches, poor…

Travel Himalaya Nepal · News

Plan your trek

Trek Nepal with local guides

NMA-certified guides · permits sorted · 5,000+ treks since 1998.

Plan this trek

Free guide

Get the free Nepal Trek Insider Guide

Permits, costs, seasons and routes — the essentials we send every traveller, plus a free, no-obligation trip quote.

↑ Swipe up

Your free Nepal trek kit

Read the full report and grab the free Nepal Trek Insider Guide — or ask our Pokhara team for a tailored, no-obligation quote.

Read more & get the free guide Plan my trip — free quote