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Everything to know about Poon Hill Trek

A trek to the mountains is one of the most popular wishlist entries in many journals. The feeling of having the cool breeze (even chilly at times) on your face as you make your way up the valley towards the mountains is a wonderful experience. Here we put up everything to know about Poon Hill Trek, under the following headings:

  • Nepal and Nepal tourism
  • History of Poon Hill Trek
  • Places to stay during Poon Hill Trek
  • Quotation for Poon Hill Trek
  • Best season to visit Poon Hill Trek

Nepal and Nepal tourism

The Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal is a landlocked country that borders China in the north and India in the south, east and west. Bangladesh is located in the southeastern point of Nepal. The widely used language here is ‘Nepali’ and they are known for their bravery and honesty world-wide. Nepal is the home for eight of the ten tallest mountains in the world, including Mount Everest. It is also the home for many historic Hindu temples and Buddhist monasteries, like the Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu.

Tourism is the largest industry in Nepal, and it proves to be the main source of revenue for the Nepalese people. With possession of the eight highest peaks in the world, Nepal is a hot spot destination for tourists, mountaineers, rock climbers, and adventure enthusiasts. Therefore, Mountaineering and other types of adventure tourism and ecotourism are important to the economy of Nepal.

History of Poon Hill

Poon Hill, also known as Ghorepani, is a village in the Myagdi District of the Dhaulagiri Zone of northern Nepal. The literal meaning of the word ‘Ghorepani’ is “water for a horse” in Nepali, where ‘Ghore’ means “horse” and ‘pani’ means “water”. The more commonly used name for Ghorepani is Poon Hill, and Poon Hill lies 17 kilometers from the district of Beni and is at an altitude of around 2874 meters. This village lies within the territory of the Annapurna Conservation Area (ACA), therefore every visitor is required to have a National park permit to visit. The place was used as a resting spot by the ancient traders where they found water for their horses, hence the name speaks for itself. Since the construction of roads started the main source of income for the residents of Poon Hill shifted from trading to tourism. Since then, the economy of the villagers at Poon Hill has taken a toll for the better.

Places to stay during Poon Hill Trek

Your pick up point may vary, if you are coming from Kathmandu, you will need to be in Pokhara. But if you are already at Pokhara, then your journey starts from Nayapul, from where you begin your trekking towards Tikhedhunga for the night. From Tikhedhunga, we head towards Ghorepani, through Ulleri. The basic accommodation here is tea houses. Early morning we head towards Poon Hill which is a 6 hours walk. Then we come back to Ghore Pani and go down towards Tadapani for a night’s stay. From Tadapani, we take the trail through Ghandruk and Landruk till we come to Tolka. After a goodnight’s sleep at Tolka, we walk towards Dhampus. From Dhampus, we take an hour-long drive to Phedi. And from Phedi, another 2 hours drive back to Pokhara. We will have a rest day at Pokhara, where you can go for sightseeing around. Then depending on your itinerary, we head back to  Kathmandu.

Quotation for Poon Hill Trek

The trek to Poon Hill is a relatively short but really sweet trip since you will be experiencing the view of several mountains in a short span of time. The trip can either begin from Kathmandu or Pokhara, but the nearest town near the entrance to the trekking trail is Pokhara. Depending on the choice of itinerary, you may land up resting for a day at a hotel in Pokhara. Our journey begins with a 1.5 hours drive to Nayapul from your hotel in Pokhara.

After you drop off at Nayapul, it’s time to pick up your rucksacks and begin the hike towards Tikhedhunga (roughly translates to “sharp stone” in Nepali). The trek takes about 4 hours and it’s not a difficult trek either. With an elevation of 1540 meters, you will trek along gentle plains and well-maintained path and riverbank trails. You also come across the orange fields while walking along the banks of the river Bhurugundi Khola. Your rest will be at a tea house at Tikhedhunga.

The next day we head towards Ghorepani village. You can catch glimpses of the Annapurna peaks as you make your way uphill. The total duration of the trek is 7-8 hours. We rise up early in the morning to get a good view of the sunrise at Poon Hill. It is a 45 minutes walk up the valley. On a clear day, the view of the Annapurna is nothing but majestic. After the wonderful sight, we head back down again to Ghorepani. After a brief rest and packing your belongings, we head towards Tolka. The total hike duration to Tolka is 7-8 hours.

Your journey is almost at its end as we leave Tolka towards Dhampus. You can take in the sight of the green valley and get a magnificent view of Machhapuchhre. From Dhampus, we take an hour’s drive to Phedi. And from Phedi take 2 hours to drive back to Pokhara back to your hotel. Finally a rest day at Pokhara, and if your quotation ends in Kathmandu, you will be taken there via a flight.

Best season to visit Poon Hill Trek

A trek to the valley leading to Poon Hill can be taken at any time of the year. However, the best season to visit Poon Hill is Spring and Autumn. It is definitely easier to trek in these parts when there is no rain or snow on the trail. So, when the weather is clear and the temperature is not extreme, you get the most of the views. During the Spring and Autumn seasons, the weather is pleasant. You can enjoy the pastures green and the clear blue sky which go hand in hand to bring out the surrounding landscape.  Even if the days are warmer, the nights can still be chilly. So don’t forget your warmest clothes.

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