Introduction
Bea & I arrived in mid-May from Singapore in Kathmandu. We stayed a few days in Kathmandu city to go around and meet our Nepali friends. We shared our ideas about trekking for a few days. One friend recommended that we hike to Poon Hill, which is beginner friendly. Afterward, we went to Thamel, the tourist hub with many trekking offices, to book an organized budget trip. Finally, we decided to go to the “Trekking Guide Team Adventure” office, which recently got many good reviews on Google Maps.
Kabi, the owner, set up a six-day itinerary starting in Kathmandu. Having a local Nepali tour guide for such a trek is a must. The government adjusted the rule being effective from the 1st of April, 2023 onwards. We also added a porter to our group who could carry our heavy luggage throughout the hike.
After that, we had a few more days in Kathmandu to prepare our backpacks and do two hikes in Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park.
1st Day – Bus from Kathmandu to Pokhara
We left our Hotel in Thamel at 06:00 AM. Guide and porter picked us up, and it was just a ten-minute walk to the Tourist Bus Stop. At 07:00 AM, the bus departed. We had two short toilet breaks every five minutes and a twenty-five-minute break for lunch. Lunch will cost you around 500 Nepali Rupees per pax ($4), which comes with good food at the restaurant. At 03:30 PM, we arrived in Pokhara and took a cab to our Hotel near the Lake Hotel Splendid View. We rest the day and get our equipment ready to hike.
2nd Day – Hike from Birethanti (1’025m) to Tikhedhunga (1’520m) to Ulleri (1’960m)
Early in the morning, around 05:00 AM, we got up and got ready for the trekking. We had our bags ready and went down to eat our breakfast with our tour guide and porter. Around 7:00 AM, our cab arrived, and we drove to Nayapul – Birethanti, where we started trekking to Poonhill. Our Tour guide presented all the permits, and we started the trek. The trail was not challenging, and it was fun to do. Especially since the weather was perfect. We passed a big river, small villages, and a primary school. We also met some locals who are heading to Ulleri. Then we had our lunch at Heli restaurant around 1:00 PM near Tikhedhunga. We ate and relaxed, then started the second half route running to Ulleri. It began to get hot, and we needed to do many stairs to Ulleri. This was the most challenging part, especially since we had been hiking for many hours already, and our legs were so tired. Finally, after more than a thousand stairs, we arrived at our destination, and it was a relief to relax our legs. We stayed at Super View Guest House, the place is cozy, and they have a comforter to warm you. We took a shower and relaxed. Then we ate dinner. We also talked to our guide about the next hike and ended the day by having a good rest.
3rd Day – Hike from Ulleri (1’960m) to Ghorepani (2’860m)
We got up at 06:00 AM and had our breakfast at 07:00 AM. Bea had boiled eggs, toast, and hot coffee. I ordered a pancake with jam. At 07:30 AM, we left on the way to Ghorepani. We walked until 01:00 PM to have dinner in Nangethanti at 2’450m altitude. The path was not as steep as the day before. Luckily there were fewer stairs. After fried rice and mo-mo, we managed the past part in precisely two hours and arrived at upper Ghorepani village. The weather was still lovely today, but the temperature started dropping to 14°C. Today, we stayed at Snow View Lodge and Restaurant. They also provided a hot shower and Wi-Fi. If you need mobile data at this altitude, get a Namaste SIM Card. Ncell does not have a signal most of the time. We went to bed at 08:00 PM to get up at 03:30 AM to start the hike to Poon Hill for a sunrise view.
Ghorepani Hiking
4th Day – Hike from Ghorepani (2’860m) to Poon Hill (3’210m) back to Tikhedhunga (1’520m)
I got up at 03:00 AM and was slightly disappointed hearing the rain from outside. It was pouring. I woke up Bea, and we still got ready our things to hike up to Poon Hill. 04:00 AM It was still pouring, and I told my guide we did not have to go right now and try maybe after breakfast. So Bea & I went back to sleep. At 07:00 AM, we went to the dining hall. There was a heater where the owners used wood and warm the place. The hospitality was great, and we felt at home. All the tourists were here, and most of them continued their trek without the hike to the viewpoint. I decided at 07:30 AM to jog up the last part with my guide to the top. I paid instead of 150Nrs just 100Nrs entry fee, but there was no mountain view. It was foggy and still raining at the top. At 08:30 AM, I was back at the Hotel, and we decided to change the route and walk the same way today. According to the itinerary, we would hike up to eight hours to Ghandruk, but it started becoming too challenging to do in just a day, so we chose plan b. We hiked down to Tikhedhung to find a hotel for a night. From today on, the weather was rainy and very foggy. We had to wear our rain jackets. At Sarega Guest House in Tikhedhunga, we arrived around 05:00 PM.
5th Day – Hike from Tikhedhunga (1’520m) to Birethani (1’025m)
On Our last day hiking, it was raining all the time. We left the tea house at 09:00 AM and arrived in Birethani three hours later. We took a cab back to Pokhara to stay at the same hotel for one night. We did a quick laundry of our clothes and enjoyed a meal near the lake.
6th Day – Bus from Pokhara to Kathmandu
At 06:30 AM, we had breakfast, and by 07:00 AM, we took a cab to the bus park. We gave the guide and porter an envelope with a small tip in US Dollars. We became good friends, and we had a fantastic time hiking together. The tourist bus left late at 07:45 AM. The route back was muddy from the rain and very traffic near Kathmandu. It took us almost ten hours. Finally, we stayed at a new hotel in Kathmandu to relax and rest our feet.
Our Travel package for the 6 Days adventure in US Dollars
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Tour Package Price (2 PAX) 450$ - 750$
Package Details according to the PDF
Detailed Expenses in US Dollars
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Daily cost for a Nepali tour guide 15$ - 20$
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Daily fee for a Nepali porter 10$ - 15$
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Daily tips for guide and porter 5$ - 10$
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Permit for Annapurna sanctuary per person 23$
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TIMS Card (officially, you need it, but mostly nobody checks it) 17$
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One meal at a restaurant 3$ - 5$
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One bottle of water 0.75$ - 1.5$
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Snacks (chocolate bar, biscuits etc.) 0.5$ - 2$
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Wooden Cap bought in Ghorepani 6$
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Accommodation (Tea houses run by Nepali families) 3$ - 8$
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Rain Jacket bought in Thamel 10$
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Bus Kathmandu to Pokhara 08$ - 15$
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Taxi from Hotels to Bus Park 3$ - 7$
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Namaste SIM Card without load 2.5$
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Ncell SIM Card without load 2.5$
Tips
- Wi-Fi is available in almost any restaurant or hotel. The signal might be low and unavailable in the room, but it’s usually good in common places. If you sleep or eat, Wi-Fi is mostly free. Sometimes they ask 100Nrs for the password.
- Ncell SIM Card Signal was not available at high altitudes. So I bought a Namaste SIM card and almost always had a 4G Signal.
- Our rooms had thick comforters so that a sleeping bag was not necessary.
- Trekking Sticks are overrated for this hike. We used bamboo sticks
- Negotiate
Conclusion
It was a wonderful hike to Poon Hill. We were lucky to have no rain on two hiking days. We did it at the start of the rainy season, which was not the best time, but we still had very little rainfall. It was cloudy a few times, but we spotted many snow mountains and had breathtaking views during our hikes. It was the ideal choice for newcomers who do not have a lot of hiking experience.
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