Phase 6 Tatopani - Poon Hill

Phase 6: Tatopani – Poon Hill (2 Days)

After a few days of resting in Tatopani, enjoying the hot springs, washing all my hiking clothes, and having a cozy reunion with my friends, it was time to continue. The next goal was Poon Hill, a stunning viewpoint on the south side of the Annapurna Massif.

Stage 17: Tatopani – Ghorepani (16.6 km)

After two wonderful days of rest in Tatopani, it was time to hike again. Everything felt fresh, and I started with renewed energy. This was fortunate because it turned out to be a fairly challenging stage with a lot of climbing.

The first 2 km were still slightly descending along the road from Tatopani, further into the valley alongside the river. After 2 km, I turned left via a bridge to cross the river. At a checkpoint, I showed my pass again and continued into the new valley, but this time heading upwards. The climb began immediately on the right side of the valley.

Slowly, the sun emerged from behind the mountains, and the weather became sunny and warm. There was a lovely zigzagging hiking trail, and after 2 km, I reached the first village. The path ran straight through the village, continuing upward toward the next one. On the other side of the valley, white peaks appeared behind the first mountain ridge, and colorful villages surrounded by rice fields were visible throughout the valley. All morning, I walked through small villages, alternating with forest sections, quietly climbing upwards.

When I got hungry for lunch, I had just passed a village, and it took a while before I found a place that was open. But the wait was rewarded with a delicious lunch on a plateau with a stunning view. I ordered an extra apple pie to fuel up for all the elevation gain and met another traveler who had been cycling through Nepal for 4 weeks.

After lunch, there was another hour and a half of solid climbing. Through a beautiful forest path that seemed endless, I finally saw the entrance gate to Ghorepani. In Ghorepani, I quickly found accommodation (almost the entire village consists of stays for tourists). With a warm hot chocolate and a shower, I warmed up.

In just over 16 km, I had climbed from 1,250 meters to nearly 2,900 meters in altitude. With 1,816 meters of elevation gain along the way, this was one of the heaviest stages in terms of elevation but also one of the most beautiful, thanks to the magnificent green valley I walked through all day. I went to bed early because everyone wants to see Poon Hill at sunrise.

Stage 18: Poon Hill – Landruk (21.8 km)

Around 5 a.m., the alarm went off, and I got up quickly to climb Poon Hill in the dark. Poon Hill is located on an open, high spot, offering a fantastic view of the Annapurna massif and Dhaulagiri (8,167 m). It’s very popular among tourists because it’s easy to reach without much hiking. Over the past few days, I hadn’t seen many hikers, but on the short route from Ghorepani upward, I suddenly encountered entire groups of tourists.

The route is a path with many steps. Not everyone was an experienced hiker, so I overtook many on the way to the top. At the summit, it was already busy with people waiting to see the sunrise, and everyone was looking for a good spot. Then, we had to wait because the sun didn’t rise until around 6:30 a.m.

Slowly, it grew lighter, and the white peaks were the first to be illuminated, creating a magnificent view. There’s a viewing tower on Poon Hill, which I climbed, and I watched the sun slowly appear above the mountains. After enjoying the view for about an hour, I took the same route back down in the beautiful morning light.

I had breakfast in my guesthouse and packed my things because the hiking day had only just begun. From Ghorepani, I took the route toward Thapla Dana, which was actually a similar route with steps leading to another hill, just like Poon Hill, with almost the same view. Along the way, I saw almost no one, so I was back on the route of the real hikers. At this summit, the view was at least as beautiful, but with only a handful of other admirers.

Then, I followed a descent on a beautiful path through a very diverse forest, truly a magnificent route. The path ran next to a stream that sometimes flowed nearby and sometimes farther below. After passing two villages consisting mainly of guesthouses, I still had to cross a mountain ridge toward Tadapani. This was another intense climb, steeply ascending through a beautiful dense forest.

Upon arriving in Tadapani, I found a guesthouse and enjoyed a delicious lunch outside. Now, I had a view of the other side of the mountain ridge, and for the first time, I saw the sacred Mardi Himal mountain (also called "Fishtail" because of its shape). This was the final destination of my long hiking route. I saw that there was still a considerable valley and a solid climb ahead, so after lunch, I continued into the valley.

For the rest of the afternoon, I descended through another beautiful forest path. The descent steadily led toward Ghandruk. Early in the afternoon, I saw the substantial village, which was clearly a real village that existed for more than just hikers. Through the steep streets, I walked right through the beautifully colored houses, where many Nepalese were busy with their daily activities.

My goal for the day was on the other side of the valley in the village of Landruk. I saw a very steep descent beginning from the village down to the river below. My legs were feeling the strain from a day of descending, but I reached the fast-flowing river. Then, there was still a short but steep climb until I reached Landruk. Here, I found a guesthouse on a beautiful viewpoint toward Ghandruk, where I was served a delicious dinner.

It had been a tough day with 1,164 meters of elevation gain, but especially the descent from 3,200 meters to 1,300 meters was hard on the knees. Tomorrow, another considerable climb awaited, so I went to bed early to rest.