In most countries, Poon Hill would be called a mountain, but here in the
Himalayas it is certainly a hill. Poon Hill is one of the most famous
viewpoints in the world. In Nepal, it is probably the second most famous
viewpoint after Kala Pattar.
There are many options to extend a trip here, and the only limits to the
length of the trek are time and imagination. There are lodges all
along the route so there’s little need to carry a huge pack. The trek
is very popular and can be very crowded, so in other words, expect a
great trip with lots of mountain views, but don’t expect solitude. The
trail passes through several interesting villages and different
cultures, and the scenery is also very spectacular.
Since the trail never ascends to really high altitudes, it is suitable
for most people including children. When my wife and I did the trek
(and several others in the region), she was five months pregnant.
Macchapuchare seen from Poon Hill.
Getting There
You must first reach
Pokhara. This is a large city with all kinds of accommodation.
Pokhara can be reached by bus or by plane from Kathmandu. Since
flights are weather dependent, it really isn’t that advantageous to book
in advance. Simply show up at the airport, and if the weather is
clear, book a flight. Plan to stay a day in Pokhara to arrange trekking
permits (or porters if needed).
To get to the Naya Pul trailhead from Pokhara, take a bus ($.50 and 3
hours) or a taxi ($8 and 1 hour) to Naya Pul. To get to the Beni
trailhead, continue on the road beyond Naya Pul by bus ($1 and 5-6
hours) or taxi ($16 and two hours) to Beni.
A typical Gurung house seen among the terraced fields en route from Ghandruk to Naya Pul.
Route Overview-Naya Pul Route
The infamous 3280(!) stepped staircase on the Poon Hill route.
From Naya Pul, it is an easy and mostly flat walk to the village of
Birethanti. This is where the Modi Khola (river) and Bhurungdi Khola
(river) meet. The trail then begins to climb through the several small
villages of Ramghai, Sudame, Hille, and Tirkhedhunga. Just beyond here
is where the trail will cross a stream and the Bhurungdi Khola. This is
where the infamous staircase begins! Locals say that there are 3280
stone steps to Ulleri. The next village reached is Banthanti. You
will pass through a rainforest like section covered in ferns and
moss-covered trees. You will pass two more villages, Nayathanti and
Ghorapani before reaching Ghorapani Pass. Ghorepani Pass is the closest
village to Poon Hill and it is recommended that you spend the second
night here in order to get an early start for the sunrise from Poon
Hill. It is about 45 minutes to an hour to the top of Poon Hill from
Ghorapani Pass.
Total elevation gain from Naya Pul to Poon Hill is 1670 meters (5480
feet). From the summit of Poon Hill, there are several possibilities.
You can return the same way, or extend the trip to several other
locations. Five options will be discussed below.
More details are found on the
ROUTE PAGE.
Route Overview-Beni Route
The Beni Route
is an optional ascent route to Poon Hill. It can also be used as a
descent route from the Naya Pul Route, and that is how it will be
described here. It is a long 1700-meter (5577 feet) descent to Tatopani
from Ghorapani, and if you climbed Poon Hill that morning, your knees
will have a good workout. From Ghorapani, follow the trail down to the
north passing through a beautiful rhododendron forest. We saw a few
monkeys in the area, so keep your eyes open. The first village you
reach is Chitre, and from there you will descend to Sikha. Sikha is
where the Paudwar (pronounced “powder” and it has several spellings)
route joins the main route to Tatopani. The trail continues its
descent, sometimes using long stone staircases and passes the final
village of Ghara before dropping steeply to the confluence of the Ghara
Khola and Kali Gendaki (river). There is a national park checkpoint
here and everyone must sign in. A new suspension bridge takes you
across the Kali Gendaki. It is a short walk to Tatopani, where the
Jomsom Trek splits from the Beni here and will be discussed briefly in
another section.
To get to Beni from Tatopani you will follow the Kali Gendaki the entire
way. The trail changes often from year to year because of landslides
falling off the steep canyon walls.
From Tatopani backtrack a short distance, cross the bridge across the
Kali Gendaki, and then the Ghara Khola. Continue along the trail that
follows the Kali Gendaki down-river. There are a few small villages
and a waterfall along the way to Tiplyang. You cross the river on a
bridge here. The trail then goes through many marijuana fields before
reaching Baisari (basic lodges only) and then Galeshore. From here it is
only an hour or so to Beni, which is at the end of the trek.
More details on the route are found on the
ROUTE PAGE
Annapurna South from Poon Hill.
Route Overview-Paudwar Route
Although
this route parallels the main track from Ghorapani to Tatopani, the
track is little used by trekkers. We stayed in the village of Paudwar,
which was one of the best experiences we had in Nepal.
Apparently we were the only trekkers to visit Paudwar between October
2000 and December 2001, even though the route is close to a popular
trekking route. The trail is steeper and more difficult than the main
route, but the people were friendly in the village, and the village is
less touristy than the ones along the main track.
The trail is hard to find without a guide/porter that speaks the
language. A porter usually only cost $5 a day (in 2001), and is well
worth the money. Because you will probably need a guide the route will
only be described very briefly.
From Ghorapani, descend down to the village of Sikha as described above
in the Beni Route Description. It is here where you will leave the main
trail. From Sikha, head east along the trail and cross the Ghara Khola
river on what we call the “Indiana Jones Bridge” (as it was in 2001).
From here, the trail winds through intermitted forest and fields before
reaching the village of Paudwar. There was only one place to stay in
the village as of December 2001, and you stay with a Nepali family.
From Paudwar, the trail descends (with some up and downs) very steeply
to the confluence of the Ghara Khola and Kali Gendaki and joins the main
track described above in the Beni Route Description.
More details are found on the
ROUTE PAGE.
The Nepali house mentioned in Paudwar. This route is off the beaten track, and the only place to stay is with a Nepali family.
Route Overview-Onward along the Jomsom Trek and Annapurna Circuit
From
Tatopani, one option is to continue up the Khali Gendaki to Jomsom.
This is known as the Jomsom Trek, and is also part of the Annapurna
Circuit. The route will only be described briefly as this is a multi
week trek and other sources should be consulted. From Tatopani, follow
the trail up the Khali Gendaki to Jomsom. This is said to be the
deepest gorge in the world and at its deepest point is 6000 meters
(19,000) feet deep. Along the way are passed a huge waterfall and
several villages. Most people take two to three days to Jomsom. It is
recommended that you also extent the trip to at least Mukinath, which is
an interesting temple high in the mountains.
Update: The Annapurna Circuit to Mukinath now has a road and the trek has changed entirely.
More details are found on the
ROUTE PAGE.
Walking up the Kali Gendaki Valley on the Jomsom Trek.
Route Overview-Onward to the Annapurna Snactuary/Chomrong Route/Dhampus Route
This
is still another option of extending the trip from Poon Hill, and is
also an alternate ascent route of Poon Hill. From the village of
Ghorapani (not Ghorapani Pass), locate the trail and sign to Deulari
(the trail that splits off the main trail and heads east). Follow the
trail to the ridge-top village of Deulari and then very steeply down the
walls of a gorge to Banthanti. From Banthanti, continue along the
trail to Tadapani (not to be confused with Tatopani). Here is where the
routes and possibilities are endless. You can take one of three trails
up to join the trail going to the Annapurna Sanctuary trail at
Chomrong. The trails are the one through Chiukle, which is possibly the
most scenic route, the trail through Melaje, or the trail through Baisi
Kharka and then Ghandruk.
There is also the possibility of descending and ending the hike from
Ghandruk by taking the trails down to Birethanti or over to Dhampus.
More details are found on the
ROUTE PAGE.
Hillside village of Ghandruk (aka Ghandrung). Annapurna South is in the background.
Red Tape
There are no more trekking
permits required for the Annapurna region but you need to pay for a
ticket to enter the Annapurna Conservation Area.
You will also need a TIMS Card (Tourism Information Management System).
As of 2013, the cost is 2,000 NPR (22.25$US) and 1,660 NPR
(18.65$US)respectively. This is easily arranged in either Kathmandu or
Pokhara.
Time Needed for Treks
From
Naya Pul to Poon Hill is usually 3-4 days round trip. From Beni to Poon
Hill, most people take 5 days round trip. To ascend one route and
descend the other, plan on 5 days.
To extend the trip along the Jomsom Trek, plan on two weeks (more if you
take side trips) round trip to Mukinath. If you’re hiking the entire
Annapurna Circuit, plan on 18-21 days, more if you plan side. There are
endless possibilities in extending the trek into other areas.
Annapurna I from the Annapurna Sanctuary.
When To Climb
Mid September through mid
May is the best time to trek, although the trek can be done year round.
The monsoon is from June through mid-September, and this is not an
ideal time to go beacause the trails are very wet and the forest is full
of leaches, plus it rains every day and clouds usually obscure mountain
views.
October, November, March, and April are the most popular months, and the
trail and lodges can be very crowded. In my opinion, December is the
very best month. The weather is cooler than the most popular months,
but it is less crowded and prices are a bit lower. December is also a
very dry month.
We had 47 days in the region during late November and mid-January with
only one bad weather day. The winter season (late December through
February) is also a good time to go (unless you plan on completing the
entire Annapurna Circuit) with few crowds and usually good, but cold
weather, but you can expect to have some snow and ice on the trails.
Remember that there are villages along all the trails, so if you had to
sit out some bad weather, it’s not that bad.
Huinchuli (left) and Machhupuchhare (right) from Chomrong in December.
Camping
You could camp along the
trails, though I don’t know why anyone would want to. Every village has
several lodges for only a few dollars a night. Most (every one we saw)
are clean and pleasant. All lodges serve food and snacks; so don’t
bother with carrying any food along the trails.
Annapurna South from Annapurna Base Camp.
Mountain Conditions
No mountain weather forcast or weather cams are available.
Updates on the Political Situation
Most of the political problems Nepal was experiencing a few years ago are over.
