Overview of Nayapul

Nayapul (1,070 m) is the standard trailhead for two of Nepal's most popular trekking routes - the Poon Hill Trek and the Annapurna Base Camp Trek - a roadhead village on the Modi Khola where the bus and taxi drop-offs for tens of thousands of trekkers each year. The name means "new bridge" in Nepali - a reference to the suspension bridge over the Modi Khola that formerly marked the beginning of the trail. Nayapul itself is a functional trailhead rather than a destination: a cluster of shops, restaurants, and permit offices at the road's end.

The actual trekking begins not at Nayapul but at Birethanti (1,025 m), a 20-minute walk south along the Modi Khola bank - Birethanti has the ACAP permit checkpoint and the first genuine teahouse settlement of the Annapurna Conservation Area. Most trekkers arriving at Nayapul by vehicle walk directly to Birethanti for the permit check before continuing to Tikhedhunga or Ulleri.

The Trekking Trailhead

From Nayapul, the trail splits:

Poon Hill / Ghorepani direction: South through Birethanti along the Modi Khola bank, then west up the Bhurungdi Khola to Tikhedhunga (1,540 m) and the famous Ulleri stone steps to Ghorepani (2,850 m). This is the most-walked trail in Nepal by volume of trekkers.
Annapurna Base Camp direction: South through Birethanti and then north through Kimche and Ghandruk (1,940 m) toward Chhomrong (2,170 m) and the Modi Khola canyon to ABC (4,130 m). A 9-10 day round trip from this trailhead.
Annapurna Circuit (jeep road alternative): The old circuit route from Nayapul has been largely replaced by jeep road access; most circuit trekkers now start from further north on the Marsyangdi side.

Permit Checking at Birethanti

The ACAP (Annapurna Conservation Area Project) entry checkpoint is located at Birethanti - 20 minutes south of Nayapul. All trekkers must present:

ACAP entry permit (NPR 3,000 - purchase in advance at ACAP office in Pokhara's Damside area or at the Tourism Board office in Kathmandu)
TIMS card (USD 10 for agency trekkers; USD 20 for independent trekkers - purchase at TAAN offices)
Passport for identity verification

Without these documents, trekkers cannot pass the Birethanti checkpoint. Purchasing permits in Pokhara the afternoon before the trek (ACAP office near Damside: 09:00 - 17:00 daily) is the most convenient approach.

Getting There from Pokhara

Tourist bus from Pokhara lakeside: Daily departures 07:00 - 08:00 from the tourist bus park; NPR 200 - 300; approximately 1.5 hours to Nayapul. This is the standard option for budget trekkers.
Taxi from Pokhara: NPR 1,500 - 2,500 one way; 45 - 60 minutes. More flexible departure time; recommended for groups of 3+ where the per-person cost makes it competitive with the tourist bus.
Shared jeep: From Pokhara's main bus terminal; NPR 300 - 400/person; 1 hour.

First Day Walking from Nayapul

Most trekkers start from Nayapul between 08:00 and 10:00 after the 1 - 1.5 hour transit from Pokhara. The Birethanti permit check takes 15 - 20 minutes; from Birethanti, the first day's objective determines the pace:

Poon Hill route, Day 1 objective: Tikhedhunga (1,540 m; 2 hours from Birethanti) for a shorter first day; or Ulleri (2,050 m; 4 hours) for a standard first day; or straight to Ghorepani (2,850 m; 7 - 8 hours from Nayapul) for a long but rewarding single-day approach.
ABC route, Day 1 objective: Ghandruk (1,940 m; 5 - 6 hours from Nayapul via Kimche) is the standard first day's destination.

Weather in the Modi Khola valley below 1,500 m can be warm (25 - 30°C in October midday) - carry water from Nayapul and refill at Birethanti. The lower trail section through the Modi Khola gorge is subtropical in character; the rhododendron forest and proper trekking landscape begin above 1,800 m.

Practical Information

Altitude: 1,070 m (3,511 ft)
Coordinates: 28.2839°N, 83.7939°E
District: Kaski, Gandaki Province
Distance from Pokhara: 42 km (45 - 90 min by vehicle)
Birethanti ACAP checkpoint: 20 min walk south of Nayapul
Facilities at Nayapul: Basic restaurants, small shops, permit offices; no accommodation recommended here (stay in Pokhara the night before)
Best season: October - November; March - May