One of the most beautiful trails in Nepal, the trek up to Poon Hill leaves Ghorepani village before dawn. The summit is 3210m above sea level with views to major 8000m peaks of the Annapurna Range.
Poon Hill Trek – Summit and Ghorepani to Tadapani
“I didn’t realize how excited I would be to get up at 4 am! I threw some warm clothes on and my hiking boots, went down for a cup of hot chocolate, put on my brand new headlamp and, feeling like a wally, joined the rest of the gang for the trek up Poon Hill to see the sunrise over the Himalayas.
There were loads of people with the same idea, it’s a popular event. The walk takes about one hour, in the pitch black broken only by torchlight and the stars, a steep walk, fast-paced at first in single file, up 700 stone steps…
Prakash played some Nepalese melody on his smart phone with a chant-like beat and the atmosphere was cool. It wasn’t as cold as the guide had expected, and I stripped off layers of jumpers along the way!”
Poon Hill Summit
Poon Hill stands 3210m above sea level and the effort to reach the plain at the top is well worth any effort. The 360 degree panoramic views encompass the Annapurna Range taking in several major peaks over 8000m, some of the highest in the world.
Everyone was waiting to photograph the sunrise which came just before 6am today, but the truly magical experience is watching the first rays of sunlight touch the tips of the majestic mountains with a glowing golden light.
Padam pointed out the various peaks clearly visible… Dhaulagiri (8167m), Manaslu Himal (8156m), Annapurna 1 (8091m), Annapurna 2 (7935), Annapurna 3 (7575m) and Annapurna 4 (7535m), Nilgiri Himal (6940) and Machapuchare (6993m) – the famous ‘Fishtail’ which has never been climbed!
Just after dawn a light plane flew across the scene, the morning flight to Jomson, Nepal’s apple growing region, and the start of the remote Mustang hike. Yes, flying over the Himalayas at dawn has just hit number one on my wish list. Padam Bhandari promises to take me next time we come to Nepal!
Day 3 Poon Hill Trek: Ghorepani to Tadapani
The walk back down to breakfast in the lodge before setting off for the day was much more relaxing! We left Ghorepani behind and the trail led gently down and uphill, then along a ridge through a misty cloud forest. Our rain macs and waterproof backpack covers came in handy to keep out the damp, but the fine drizzle was quite welcome.
Padam had taken us along a less crowded route today, in fact we only passed a couple of hikers (coincidentally Spanish) and a goat herd with his flock! In the middle of nowhere there was a decrepit tea stall which served lovely hot, spicy Masala tea!
A track descended to follow a small mountain river and scattered waterfalls. Lunch was at a scenic teahouse, where we took our boots off for a cool paddle in the stream avoiding the stinging nettles.
The majority of plants in Nepal that I recognized are very similar to those in Spain and Britain, but I didn’t see much wildlife at high altitude.
Tadapani village
We eventually came to Tadapani (2540m) where we stayed in a crowded lodge for the night. There was a big group of enthusiastic Chinese hikers, kitted out in the latest gear, as well as various other nationalities.
The guides and porters had to sleep outside in tents tonight.
The dawn views from Tadapani well made up for the basic accommodation and food (this wasn’t a great lodge). Getting up in the dark was no hassle by now; I just threw on some trousers and jumpers over my sleepwear, grabbed my camera and went out to get a good vantage point!
In front of the lodge there are 180 degree views with a different perspective towards some of the highest mountains in the world. It is like an extraordinary balcony view! You can see Gangapurna peak (7454m), Annapurna South, Annapurna 3 and Fishtail. Our Italian friend Simone was videoing the scene, and Juan came and joined me with our new camera as the skyline began glowing pink and gold, as dawn broke over the Himalayas.
Day 4 Poon Hill Trek: Tadapani to Ghandruk
Today’s walk really was easy in Nepali terms. The trail downhill from Tadapani took us through more scenic woods and alongside rivers flowing with pure mountain water towards Ghandruk (1940m), halfway down the ‘hillside’ which we reached early afternoon.
Ghandruk village
Ghandruk is the biggest Gurung settlement in the Annapurna Region and quite prosperous by Nepali standards; many villagers live here, although the older children go to boarding school in Pokhara. Once again, the locals are of Gurkha descent and quite a legend!
The lodge we stayed at was one of the cleanest and nicest; the proprietor was a friendly guy and expert baker. They served delicious chocolate cake, apple strudel, croissants, and freshly baked bread! Now I knew why I’d seen several German Bakeries in Nepal, it’s a long tradition and there are training places in the cities.
After some quick laundry, Juan and I walked around with Padam and Prakash watching typical village life. Once again the mountain views were stunning, the awesome peaks towering above the clouds.
Back at our lodge I had a tuna pizza for dinner, a change from the usual Thali Set lentil dal bhat and Tibetan bread. Afterwards we spent the evening laughing as our guide Padam tells ancient stories of these mythical mountains, and Juan shares some wild adventurous outdoor quotes.
Simone tries to shoot a serious video of Padam explaining the Annapurna circuit over a map. His girlfriend Alex, who teaches English as a foreign language in Australia, gives Prakash some practical lessons. At 18 he is a porter and training to be a mountain guide (Nepal Adventure Point are strict about the 15kg limit – some companies are not and we’d seen porters on the trails carrying far too much).
I relax and really can’t believe that I am sitting here, in a fairly remote place in the middle of the Himalayas!
Next day we hiked across the Modi River Valley, on the final part of our trek through the amazing Himalayan foothills.
For information on treks and activities in Nepal contact BB Bhandari at Nepal Adventure Point.
Poon Hill Trek – Related Posts
Continue reading about our amazing Poon Hill trek
Nepal Poon Hill 6 Day Trek – Landruk to Dhampus
Poon Hill Trek: Ghandruk – Landruk – Tolka – Dhampus (part 3)
The Nepal Poon Hill trek comes to an end at Ghandruk. However, our guide suggested walking in the Himalayan foothills for 2 more days so we went for it, and set off down the hillside to the Modi River.
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Wow, what a beautiful trek!!
The Himalayas are absolutely spectacular and the Poon Hill foothills trek in Nepal is easy if you love walking. It’s also lovely to see the Nepalese culture and the people’s genuine kindness.