POKHARA: More than 10,000 tourists have visited the Ghorepani area to see the rhododendrons in bloom.

A total of 10,664 domestic and foreign tourists visited the tourist destinations of Ghorepani and Poon Hill, which fall within Annapurna Rural Municipality-6 of Myagdi, over the course of two months.

According to data from the police checkpoint at Ghorepani, 6,747 foreign tourists arrived during the Nepali months of Falgun and Chaitra (from mid-February to mid-April 2026). Nepali tourists also came to see the rhododendrons during these two months, with 3,917 domestic visitors reaching Ghorepani.

When spring arrives, the rhododendrons bloom in full abundance across Ghorepani’s forests, turning them a deep red. Ghorepani has become the destination every year for domestic and foreign tourists who come to see the ridges blanketed in rhododendrons. In recent years, as travel has become easier, Ghorepani has also become a preferred destination for domestic tourists.

Data shows that 4,267 Nepali tourists visited Ghorepani in 2082 BS (mid-April 2025 to mid-April 2026) alone, while 20,156 foreign tourists also made it their destination. Across the full year of 2082 BS, a total of 24,423 domestic and foreign tourists visited the Ghorepani area.

A road now reaches Ghorepani, shortening the journey considerably. Tourists who prefer not to walk can reach Ghorepani easily by jeep from Pokhara. Those who enjoy four to five hours of travel can take a jeep for half the distance and then walk the remaining half through the rhododendron forest to reach Ghorepani, from where Poon Hill is accessible.

For those who wish to see the sunrise, two hours of uphill walking from Ghorepani brings you to Poon Hill, from where magnificent views of the Himalayas unfold.

Ghorepani can also be reached by walking from Nayapul in Kaski via Ghandruk. For a shorter journey, domestic tourists take a jeep from Pokhara to Banthanti in Kaski, from where it is about five hours on foot to Ghorepani. Reaching Ghorepani on the first day, one can easily return to Pokhara the next.

Ghorepani has comfortable hotels to stay in, though booking in advance is advisable during the tourist season as some visitors find no rooms available. Two hours of uphill walking from Ghorepani reaches Poon Hill, from where the sunrise and Himalayan views are magnificent.

“This year, rain and cloud brought unseasonal snow that blocked the mountain views. The flowers began to wilt and tourist numbers have been down for three or four days,” says Dam Bahadur Pun, operator of Sunny Hotel in Ghorepani and former chair of Annapurna Rural Municipality. “Compared to last year, slightly more tourists came this time around. The rhododendrons bloomed well this season too. If the weather had stayed good, the rhododendrons would have lasted all through April, and the tourist traffic would have continued.”

He says that with the abundant blooming attracting more domestic and foreign visitors, tourism businesses also earned better this season compared to last year.

Views of Nilgiri, Annapurna, Machhapuchhre, Dhaulagiri, and other peaks can be enjoyed from Poon Hill. The best ti

me to see the rhododendrons begins in the third week of March. By the fourth week of Marcxh and first week of April, Ghorepani’s ridges are completely blanketed in bloom. By the second week of April, the flowers begin to touch the ground.

The following photographs of rhododendrons in full bloom in the Ghorepani and Poon Hill area were taken in the second week of April 2026:

Domestic tourists busy taking photos with rhododendrons as the backdrop.

Sunrise view as seen from Poon Hill.

Tourists practicing yoga in the Poon Hill area.