Two friends and I independently trekked to Poon Hill and then Tatopani in the Annapurna Mountain Range (independent trekking means no guide, no porter—and guess what, it’s easy…if you pack light ; ) In general, the hiking isn’t all that difficult and the path is straightforward. The best time to do this hike is October-November. The weather should be sunny, clear, dry, and warm during the day, getting slightly chillier at night. We hiked in mid-October, and the weather was great besides the freak storm that hit on Day 3 of our trek. Fortunately we were safe (and dry) in our guesthouse in Ghorepani. Many others higher up in the Annapurna circuit got caught by the sudden blizzard. It is advisable to check the weather forecast before setting out. In our case, I don’t know that this storm was on anyone’s radar.
I will lay out for you a record of our trek in addition to tips, tricks, and packing advice at the end.
Poon Hill - Tatopani Trek (4-5 days)
Day 1: Nayapul -> Ulleri (4-6 hours)
Day 2: Ulleri -> Ghorepani (4-6 hours)
Day 3: Ghorepani -> Poon Hill (45 min - 1hour, go at sunrise, can also be done at sunset on day 2 or whenever you wish!) -> Ghorepani -> Tatopani
Day 4: Jeep/Bus back to Pokhara (Tatopani -> Beni -> Pokhara)
So before you set off for Pokhara, get your permits in Kathmandu. (This is something a guide would do for you if you hire one, but it is easy enough to do on your own!) We just walked to the Office of Tourism (not far from Thamel), filled out the forms, attached a few passport-sized photos (4 photos are necessary and can be taken there for a fee if you don’t have any on you), and paid the necessary fees (about 4000 rupees or $40).
From Kathmandu, take the tourist bus to Pokhara (~700 or $7). It picks up in the early morning outside of Thamel and will be about 7 hours with stops along the way for food and bathroom. You can buy this bus ticket at your hotel or any tour agency. Be sure to get the bus ticket a day in advance.
Day 1: Set out early in the morning the day of your trek for Nayapul. You can split a cab with others (~1500 rupees or $15 total) or take the local bus for much cheaper. We took a cab, split 3 ways. You really can’t fit more than 3 people plus your gear in the tiny cabs! The ride to Nayapur will be about 1-1.5 hours.
In Nyapul you can get a bite to eat and some tea before setting off on your trek. Start your hike early! We spent most of Day 1 in the hot, hot sun… whoops.
We arrived in Ulleri and found a guesthouse very easily. There were many options, and because we were quick hikers, we had our pick (yea for beating the crowds!) We stayed at Hilltop Guesthouse. We got a lovely room on the top floor for just 500 rupees ($5). You can get even cheaper than that, but we were pleased with our comfy bed and attached bathroom. Guesthouses along the way are cheap because they expect you to eat at their guesthouse restaurant for dinner and breakfast. Place your dinner order at least 1 hour ahead of time because it will take that long to prepare! Also, place your breakfast order the night before.
Day 2: We set off early the next morning to Ghorepani. This time the trek was not so sunny, spent most of the time on a lush, jungly path with waterfalls and moss-covered trees. Again, we hiked quickly and made it to Ghorepani in just 4 hours. If you want a room with a view, when you arrive in Ghorepani, walk past the first set of guesthouses, follow the steps straight (up a small hill) to where you can see the whitecap Annapurna mountain range. We stayed at Tukuche Peak View. It had a nice common area with a fire in the center—it was great to have during the 24-hour storm we got stuck in while there (the same freak storm that claimed many lives further up in the Annapurna range). We paid 500 for a 3-bed with attached bathroom and lovely mountain view.
Day 3: We were too lazy to catch the sunrise on Poon Hill (3193 meters), but made it up there by 8am or so. It is a bit steep and so many stairs. We made it to the peak in 45 minutes from Ghorepani. It’s a nice view and there is an observation deck and a little tea shack at the top. The nice thing about Poon Hill is you can hike it without any gear since you need to return to Ghorepani anyway.
We returned to Ghorepani and checked out of our hotel. We ventured onward to Tatopani. This was a 7-8 hour downhill hike. Not too difficult, but, man, will you feel it in your calves for the next few days! Tatopani is a cute village with several guesthouses to stay at. Ours was called Hotel Himalaya I think, and we paid 200 for a room with a shared bathroom.
Tatopani (not to be confused with Tadapani) has hot springs and our reason for going! It is a natural hot spring, though there are man-made, outdoor pools that are emptied and cleaned out regularly. There are also hot showers available there, so bring your own shampoo and a towel ; ) You must pay a fee to enter the hot springs but it isn’t much. You can also see parts of the river are steaming from the hot spring.
Day 4: Catch the early bus to Beni and then to Pokhara. We missed this bus and had to do some hard bargaining for a jeep to get us to Beni (got it down to 1500 rupees split between 3 people and spent several hours on incredibly bumpy roads with constant stops for additional passengers) and then transfer to a local bus to Pokhara for 220 rupees. You could also hike back but you could not have paid me to hike back up to Ghorepani had we decided to return the way we came, iyy! (The people we passed going in that direction looked miserable!)
Packing List (rule of thumb, PACK LIGHT)
Essentials
-cash money! (there aren’t ATMs along the way so bring what you think you will need.. and then some! you will be paying for inexpensive guesthouses and slightly more expensive than big city food prices in the guesthouses so budget accordingly)
-sunscreen and a hat (it is very sunny on some parts of the trail so protect yourself! also, the sunscreen is expensive on the path)
-headlamp (you may find yourself hiking in the dark or experience frequent power outages while at your guesthouse)
-playing cards (food wait time will decrease dramatically! look up some games before setting out. i was kicking myself for forgetting the rules to some games…because you can only play B.S. so many times…!)
-a book (you will be disconnected from the internet for much of this trip. don’t expect wi-fi or outlets everywhere you go!)
-earplugs (because walls are thin and people are loud!)
-warm clothes (dress in layers—I didn’t need a heavy jacket, just a few layers kept me warm: underarmor, fleece/polyester jacket, and rain jacket/windbreaker, though we didn’t get so high up in the mountains but hat & gloves also came in handy for Poon Hill and cold evenings/mornings)
-1 hiking outfit and 1 loungewear outfit for the guesthouse (I wore the same outfit every day for hiking—shorts and tank top because the weather was hot—and the same outfit every evening when I wanted to change into something warm/clean—long underwear, underarmor, fleece jacket)—also, 3 pair underwear + 2 pair socks (hiking pair and lounge pair) this clothing plan really keeps packing to a minimum :P
-tennis shoes for hiking & a pair of flip flops for the guesthouse
-toothpaste, toothbrush, soap (basic toiletry kit! who needs a razor, makeup, or shampoo ? apparently not me… you can shower when you get back to pokhara : )
-swimsuit + towel (if you plan to go to the hot springs in Tatopani)
-camera (+ extra charged battery… it is such a breath-takingly beautiful hike.. you will probably want to take many photos)
-water bottle (go green, refill along the way at free, natural springs… no need to buy plastic water bottles!)
-granola bars/nut mixes (you can buy this at the grocery store in Pokhara or the German Bakery has some delicious peanut biscuits/museli biscuits which were great trail snacks)
-TP (often comes in handy ; )
NOT Essential (ie in my opinion, DO NOT BRING!)
-hiking boots (I just wore tennis shoes, no problem. The path is mostly dry with a few wet spots here and there… my ancient, falling apart Nikes were troopers ;)
-multiple changes of clothes (see my note above in essential items)
-sleeping bag/tent (the guesthouses are cheap and comfortable, offering extra blankets so you stay warm at night)
-bug spray (we did not encounter any bugs! maybe if you go at a different time of the year there are bugs? I don’t know)
-shampoo, razor, makeup, etc (as i said, stick to the basics because these things are not necessary… your hat will cover your greasy mop and who are you trying to impress anyway? ;)
-umbrella (a rain jacket will suffice, but hopefully you won’t get caught in any rain!)
-computers, iPads, etc… (leave ‘em behind. it’s your chance to unplug and connect with nature!)
-music player (listen to nature! or make a friend while hiking : )
**Day 3 & 4 listed above were actually Day 4 and 5 for us as we were stuck in the freak storm on Day 3, but this is what you could do if you had 4 days. Also, if you like a place enough, stay there longer! Additionally, there are more villages and guesthouses between the places we stopped so you could really stretch out your hiking.
I will lay out for you a record of our trek in addition to tips, tricks, and packing advice at the end.
Poon Hill - Tatopani Trek (4-5 days)
Day 1: Nayapul -> Ulleri (4-6 hours)
Day 2: Ulleri -> Ghorepani (4-6 hours)
Day 3: Ghorepani -> Poon Hill (45 min - 1hour, go at sunrise, can also be done at sunset on day 2 or whenever you wish!) -> Ghorepani -> Tatopani
Day 4: Jeep/Bus back to Pokhara (Tatopani -> Beni -> Pokhara)
So before you set off for Pokhara, get your permits in Kathmandu. (This is something a guide would do for you if you hire one, but it is easy enough to do on your own!) We just walked to the Office of Tourism (not far from Thamel), filled out the forms, attached a few passport-sized photos (4 photos are necessary and can be taken there for a fee if you don’t have any on you), and paid the necessary fees (about 4000 rupees or $40).
From Kathmandu, take the tourist bus to Pokhara (~700 or $7). It picks up in the early morning outside of Thamel and will be about 7 hours with stops along the way for food and bathroom. You can buy this bus ticket at your hotel or any tour agency. Be sure to get the bus ticket a day in advance.
Day 1: Set out early in the morning the day of your trek for Nayapul. You can split a cab with others (~1500 rupees or $15 total) or take the local bus for much cheaper. We took a cab, split 3 ways. You really can’t fit more than 3 people plus your gear in the tiny cabs! The ride to Nayapur will be about 1-1.5 hours.
In Nyapul you can get a bite to eat and some tea before setting off on your trek. Start your hike early! We spent most of Day 1 in the hot, hot sun… whoops.
We arrived in Ulleri and found a guesthouse very easily. There were many options, and because we were quick hikers, we had our pick (yea for beating the crowds!) We stayed at Hilltop Guesthouse. We got a lovely room on the top floor for just 500 rupees ($5). You can get even cheaper than that, but we were pleased with our comfy bed and attached bathroom. Guesthouses along the way are cheap because they expect you to eat at their guesthouse restaurant for dinner and breakfast. Place your dinner order at least 1 hour ahead of time because it will take that long to prepare! Also, place your breakfast order the night before.
Day 2: We set off early the next morning to Ghorepani. This time the trek was not so sunny, spent most of the time on a lush, jungly path with waterfalls and moss-covered trees. Again, we hiked quickly and made it to Ghorepani in just 4 hours. If you want a room with a view, when you arrive in Ghorepani, walk past the first set of guesthouses, follow the steps straight (up a small hill) to where you can see the whitecap Annapurna mountain range. We stayed at Tukuche Peak View. It had a nice common area with a fire in the center—it was great to have during the 24-hour storm we got stuck in while there (the same freak storm that claimed many lives further up in the Annapurna range). We paid 500 for a 3-bed with attached bathroom and lovely mountain view.
Day 3: We were too lazy to catch the sunrise on Poon Hill (3193 meters), but made it up there by 8am or so. It is a bit steep and so many stairs. We made it to the peak in 45 minutes from Ghorepani. It’s a nice view and there is an observation deck and a little tea shack at the top. The nice thing about Poon Hill is you can hike it without any gear since you need to return to Ghorepani anyway.
We returned to Ghorepani and checked out of our hotel. We ventured onward to Tatopani. This was a 7-8 hour downhill hike. Not too difficult, but, man, will you feel it in your calves for the next few days! Tatopani is a cute village with several guesthouses to stay at. Ours was called Hotel Himalaya I think, and we paid 200 for a room with a shared bathroom.
Tatopani (not to be confused with Tadapani) has hot springs and our reason for going! It is a natural hot spring, though there are man-made, outdoor pools that are emptied and cleaned out regularly. There are also hot showers available there, so bring your own shampoo and a towel ; ) You must pay a fee to enter the hot springs but it isn’t much. You can also see parts of the river are steaming from the hot spring.
Day 4: Catch the early bus to Beni and then to Pokhara. We missed this bus and had to do some hard bargaining for a jeep to get us to Beni (got it down to 1500 rupees split between 3 people and spent several hours on incredibly bumpy roads with constant stops for additional passengers) and then transfer to a local bus to Pokhara for 220 rupees. You could also hike back but you could not have paid me to hike back up to Ghorepani had we decided to return the way we came, iyy! (The people we passed going in that direction looked miserable!)
Packing List (rule of thumb, PACK LIGHT)
Essentials
-cash money! (there aren’t ATMs along the way so bring what you think you will need.. and then some! you will be paying for inexpensive guesthouses and slightly more expensive than big city food prices in the guesthouses so budget accordingly)
-sunscreen and a hat (it is very sunny on some parts of the trail so protect yourself! also, the sunscreen is expensive on the path)
-headlamp (you may find yourself hiking in the dark or experience frequent power outages while at your guesthouse)
-playing cards (food wait time will decrease dramatically! look up some games before setting out. i was kicking myself for forgetting the rules to some games…because you can only play B.S. so many times…!)
-a book (you will be disconnected from the internet for much of this trip. don’t expect wi-fi or outlets everywhere you go!)
-earplugs (because walls are thin and people are loud!)
-warm clothes (dress in layers—I didn’t need a heavy jacket, just a few layers kept me warm: underarmor, fleece/polyester jacket, and rain jacket/windbreaker, though we didn’t get so high up in the mountains but hat & gloves also came in handy for Poon Hill and cold evenings/mornings)
-1 hiking outfit and 1 loungewear outfit for the guesthouse (I wore the same outfit every day for hiking—shorts and tank top because the weather was hot—and the same outfit every evening when I wanted to change into something warm/clean—long underwear, underarmor, fleece jacket)—also, 3 pair underwear + 2 pair socks (hiking pair and lounge pair) this clothing plan really keeps packing to a minimum :P
-tennis shoes for hiking & a pair of flip flops for the guesthouse
-toothpaste, toothbrush, soap (basic toiletry kit! who needs a razor, makeup, or shampoo ? apparently not me… you can shower when you get back to pokhara : )
-swimsuit + towel (if you plan to go to the hot springs in Tatopani)
-camera (+ extra charged battery… it is such a breath-takingly beautiful hike.. you will probably want to take many photos)
-water bottle (go green, refill along the way at free, natural springs… no need to buy plastic water bottles!)
-granola bars/nut mixes (you can buy this at the grocery store in Pokhara or the German Bakery has some delicious peanut biscuits/museli biscuits which were great trail snacks)
-TP (often comes in handy ; )
NOT Essential (ie in my opinion, DO NOT BRING!)
-hiking boots (I just wore tennis shoes, no problem. The path is mostly dry with a few wet spots here and there… my ancient, falling apart Nikes were troopers ;)
-multiple changes of clothes (see my note above in essential items)
-sleeping bag/tent (the guesthouses are cheap and comfortable, offering extra blankets so you stay warm at night)
-bug spray (we did not encounter any bugs! maybe if you go at a different time of the year there are bugs? I don’t know)
-shampoo, razor, makeup, etc (as i said, stick to the basics because these things are not necessary… your hat will cover your greasy mop and who are you trying to impress anyway? ;)
-umbrella (a rain jacket will suffice, but hopefully you won’t get caught in any rain!)
-computers, iPads, etc… (leave ‘em behind. it’s your chance to unplug and connect with nature!)
-music player (listen to nature! or make a friend while hiking : )
**Day 3 & 4 listed above were actually Day 4 and 5 for us as we were stuck in the freak storm on Day 3, but this is what you could do if you had 4 days. Also, if you like a place enough, stay there longer! Additionally, there are more villages and guesthouses between the places we stopped so you could really stretch out your hiking.
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