Separate the city visit from the trek
Kathmandu and Pokhara can anchor a first Nepal visit. Decide how much time you want in the cities before choosing a trek, and allow flexible days around road travel and flights. A twelve-day holiday should not become a fixed mountain deadline.
Use the first part of the trip for Kathmandu's cultural sites, then move to Pokhara. Choose a trekking itinerary with a registered agency according to your experience, fitness and available days. Retain a buffer before returning to Kathmandu and your international departure.
Confirm guides, permits and route conditions
Foreign independent trekkers in Nepal's national parks and protected areas are subject to guide requirements. TIMS and protected-area permits must be checked for the exact route; arrangements and local implementation can vary. Read the current Nepal trekking advice and obtain confirmation from a registered trekking agency before paying.
Ask who your guide is, what the price covers, how accommodation and meals work, and what happens if the route must change. Include insurance appropriate to your maximum altitude and evacuation needs. A porter and a licensed guide perform different roles.
Poon Hill is not below all altitude-illness risk
The earlier claim that altitude illness starts only at 3,500 metres was wrong. Risk can occur around 2,500 metres and sometimes lower, particularly after rapid ascent. Poon Hill reaches approximately 3,210 metres, so its name or relative popularity does not remove that risk. Acclimatisation varies between people.
Plan gradual ascent and seek individual advice before the trip if medication may be appropriate. Do not continue ascending with symptoms. Worsening symptoms require prompt action and descent; severe symptoms require urgent medical help. Use the CDC altitude guidance when planning with your clinician and guide. This guide no longer gives a routine medicine dose or promises that tea, water or an energy drink prevents altitude illness.
Let conditions decide the day's route
Weather, snow, landslides and river conditions can affect access in any season. Check local forecasts and trail information before setting out. Turnaround decisions should reflect conditions and the whole group's health. The presence of teahouses does not make an isolated route risk-free.
Price the complete trek
Request a written breakdown for permits, guide and porter services, accommodation, food, transport, equipment and any optional charges. Check whether the quote is per person or shared by the group. Keep a reserve for additional nights and changes; do not assume an evacuation cost or insurance payout is fixed.
Continue with route planning, budget considerations and documents and cover.
Altitude planning
Plan gradual ascent and do not continue upwards with symptoms. For prevention and treatment decisions, use CDC altitude guidance with advice specific to your route and health.