Poon Hill: The Best Himalayan Mountain Sunrise Hike

After conquering the Thorong La Pass at a mighty altitude of 5416m, the Annapurna Circuit is not finished yet. The next 4 days complete the trek from Muktinath to Pokhara and onto Kathmandu leaving you with amazing memories. This leg of the journey features my favourite moment in Nepal at Poon Hill for a majestic sunrise over the Annapurna Range! This blog will include some tips about what souvenirs to pick up to remember the trip. Plus a collection of Annapurna and Nepal-inspired Artwork that I’ve created. If you have missed the first 10 days of the Circuit then check out Part 1 and Part 2 before completing the epic trek.

Annapurna Circuit: Day 9 – Muktinath to Tatopani

There is not much rest after a mammoth day hiking over Thorong La Pass. The more luxurious accommodation compared to Thorong Phedi is welcomed to rest and recover. Today’s itinerary involved a 6-hour bus journey from Muktinath through Jomson (where flights to Kathmandu are possible) onto Tatopani. The journey is not exactly too restful given the stop-start nature and bumpy roads as you travel along the Muktinath valley below Dhauligiri. For lunch, Dawa chose not to follow the crowds and went to a better restaurant for a surprisingly delicious Dal Bhat. The afternoon leg to Tatopani ventured above a steep gorge with narrow roads the bus tip-toes along. Multiple times, you could look vertically down at the rocks and raging rapids below while the tyres half overhung the edge. It is not for the faint heart but the drivers are talented at squeezing through bridges, around corners and narrow passes.

Tatopani is known for its natural Hot Springs next to the river. And after a worrying bus journey, some relaxation for the mind and body is welcomed. Tatopani is a small town on the route towards Pokhara and is where the last 2 days of trekking begin. The Hot Springs are located down near the river and are rather popular with tourists and locals to bathe in the warm waters. It’s the ideal spot for a peaceful moment away from technology to take in the mountain views while the body recovers. The hotel was fairly basic and small compared to the relative luxury in Muktinath.

Annapurna Circuit: Day 10 – Tatopani to Ghorepani

Distance – 15.83km
Ascent – 1778m
Descent – 204m
Moving Time – 3h27
Max Altitude – 2870m
Avg Pace – 25:36/km

Starting Point – Tatopani (1300m)
End Point – Ghorepani (2870m)
Weather Conditions – Very warm day with more cloud coverage, 20-25°C.

Day 10 is back to the hiking with a huge 1778m of ascent from Tatopani to Ghorepani. It’s a good job there is a rest day beforehand to help prepare to get back into the rhythm. The trail starts by following the river along the valley before crossing multiple suspension bridges. The climate is warmer than the higher passes days earlier and the flora is more tropical. The steep ascent up a staircase is rewarded with stunning views back towards Nilgiri Himal and the Annapurna Massif overhead. There are rice fields layered on the hills to gaze upon as you climb higher through the small villages. Once again, the lunch spot was perched on a roof with epic views Dhaulagiri mountain range and over the horizon.

After lunch, the afternoon is a long slog up the valley towards Ghorepani. There views are less spectacular than the morning and the trail is a lot quieter than the previous week’s trekking. I noticed the end of the Circuit lonelier as my trekking friends had different itineraries after Muktinath. The trail leading up to Ghorepani at 2870m is steep and rocky which took hours to reach the town. Ghorepani is a larger town due to the Poon Hill trek, Annapurna Base Camp Trek and Circuit all passing through. There is an abundance of hotels to choose from and shops to pick up souvenirs. It’s best to get an early night’s sleep before the early morning rise for the sunrise hike tomorrow. The Ghorepani hotel was vast with a good amount of communal showers, and toilets even if it was load due to the thin walls/doors.

Annapurna Circuit: Day 11 – Ghorepani to Pokhara

Distance –21.85km
Ascent – 497m
Descent – 2255m
Moving Time – 4h30
Max Altitude – 3210m
Avg Pace – 16:35/km

Starting Point – Ghorepani (2870m)
End Point – Birethanti (1100m)
Weather Conditions –Very cloudy day, little sun and mild temperatures, 15°

Poon Hill Sunrise Hike

My favourite moment of the whole Annapurna Circuit was the sunrise hike to Poon Hill. We woke at 4am to give plenty of time to hike 1.5km from Ghorepani to Poon Hill (3210m). Most people advise 1 hour up the dark trail using head-torches to guide the way. It’s best to bring a light pack with water, camera and layers to keep warm while waiting. We were fastest and first to arrive so got a prime spot up the Tower. However, we waited an hour in the cold for sunrise to begin but was worth it! Poon Hill is very popular during peak seasons with hundreds of people observing the spectacle so go early. The orange sky and golden sunlight illuminating Dhaulagiri, Annapurna & Machapachure provides one of the best Himalayan sunrise views. The Panoramic views are breath-taking and have inspired my artwork and even a tattoo.

Final Trek

The final day of trekking on the Annapurna Circuit involves an awful lot of descending (over 2200m)! After enjoying the Poon Hill sunrise, it’s time to repack for the last time and grab breakfast. The trail starts off weaving through picturesque autumnal magnolia forests along streams. A common theme is the ever-changing climates as you head towards forests and rice fields. As the Annapurna Circuit finishes, you’ll notice the Base Camp & Sanctuary trekkers slogging up in the opposite direction. The trail consists of mainly stone steps and is much harder than the rest of the trek! After a delicious final dal Bhat on the trail, we hiked along the river almost suffocating from the dense low-altitude Oxygen compared to Thorong La Pass. The end of the Circuit was at the ACNP Check in Birethanti which was a little anti-climactic, to be honest with no final finish line as such.

Pokhara

Having said that congratulations are in order, the proper celebrations would wait until we were back in Kathmandu! But for now, it’s best to get a Taxi or Bus from Birethani to Pokhara (30 mins). I don’t exactly remember this taxi ride back as I crashed asleep in the back and woke in the bustling Pokhara streets. The Pokhara Hotel was modern and high-end compared to the teahouses on the trek. Pokhara has a fabulous waterfront on Lake Fewa with small boats and views of the Himalayan mountains in the distance. It feels odd being back in civilisation surrounded by crowds after the solitude of Annapurna. There are street performers and artists everywhere so it’s worth soaking in the contemporary dancing and local musicians.

Annapurna Circuit: Day 12 – Pokhara to Kathmandu

After a 6am hotel breakfast, I finished re-packing before we grab a taxi to the bus station for the 7am departure. We arrived with time to spare and enjoyed an apple pastry with tea. The bus journey takes between 8-9 hours to travel the 200km with many stops. It took ages to escape the suburbs of Pokhara where our bus had a mechanical and required a garage. After an hour’s delay, we were back on the road and took the long journey as a chance to reflect upon the Circuit trek, read, listen to music and attempt to sleep. Lunch was a lovely spot along the river with surprisingly good Dal Bhat. The final hour crawling through Kathmandu traffic was painful but at least we passed by the Pashupatinath Temple. A final taxi took us to the same hotel as Day 1 with an upgraded double room.

To celebrate the completion of the trek, Dawa and I were treated to a fancy Nepalese restaurant courtesy of Ram from Sherpa Trekking. The food was exceptional with the best Momos I had tried, a great Dal Bhat (to be expected) and I tried Nepalese Sake which was deadly! Dawa and I had a lovely evening celebrating and chatting about mountaineering before we said goodbye and gave him his well-earned tip. Afterwards, I went into the shopping area to spend the last of my Nepalese rupees on souvenirs. To start with I was searching for Into Thin Air book by Jon Kraukeur which I picked up for a bargain price. Then I found an Annapurna map and small prayer flags to decorate my bedroom. I didn’t get a chance to fully explore Kathmandu such as Durbar Square so have a reason to return.

Annapurna Circuit: Day 13 – Kathmandu

The last day in Kathmandu was a short day with an early trip to the airport after checking out of the hotel. For once, it was a quiet ride to Tribhuvan Airport and there was surprisingly relaxed security measures. I had some Nepalese rupees spare so challenged myself to spend it all before leaving Nepal. A chai tea and pastry was the breakfast along with left-over trekking snacks. After being disconnected and offline during the trek, I was slowly catching up with friends and family whilst waiting for the flight. I spent the remaining Rupees on my 3rd Buddha statue and got ready for the long flight to Doha. The Qatar flight was a good opportunity to continue the reflection as well as watch some films and attempt to sleep. Eventually, I landed at Heathrow having completed a solo trip that changed the way I viewed the world.

Memories for a Lifetime

• Mountain Trekking – My first experience trekking was unforgettable and I fell in love with the activity. The simplicity of backpacking from teahouse to teahouse through beautiful landscapes was captivating. It was a challenge both physically and mentally carrying all my equipment by myself. This gave me a great feeling of accomplishment when I finished the 150km total distance. Overall, I found a sense of calm and confidence from the Annapurna Circuit where I felt more grounded and connected to nature.
• Himalayas – The Annapurna Massif was imposing with towering snow-capped peaks, deep valleys and tough terrain to scale. I felt fortunate to see Annapurna, Manaslu and Dhaulagiri, all 8000m+ mountains, on the trek and enjoyed the varied climates. The weather was close to perfect for hiking each day. I loved the challenge of High altitude and it was a life achievement reaching Thorong La Pass at 5416m. The lasting memory was a sense of insignificance compared to the huge Himalayan mountains and gave a perspective on the fragility of humanity.
• Nepalese Culture – What sets apart the Nepalese long-distance treks is the Nepalese guides, porters and locals. They were all so welcoming, and hospitable along with great humour that made you smile. Given how poor the country is, the people seemed happy with the little things in life and something I gained from my travels. The culture is heavily dependent on adventure tourism but the ancient religions influence everywhere with the Buddhist culture the most prominent in the Annapurna region. I loved learning about the Buddhist lessons and visiting the monasteries and monuments.
• Backpackers – I remember fondly the fellow trekkers I met along the circuit mainly in the first 10 days. It took a few days to break the ice but by the time I reached Thorong La Pass and Muktinath, I had made many like-minded friends who loved the mountains and exploration. It made me realise, how much life experience can gain from a relatively short period away from the normal routine in the UK.

Souvenirs

Nepal is a beautiful country with strong religious and spiritual influence. The country’s economy is reliant on tourism from mountain adventures and religious sights with prices being much cheaper than in Western countries. Collecting souvenirs from Nepal is a great way to remember the incredible memories made and help local vendors. And given how cheap gifts and mementoes are, it’s easy to buy a lot and then struggle to pack them for the plane home. Typical Nepalese souvenirs include Nepali black teas, Kukri knives, buddha statues, singing bowls, Tibetan prayer flags or Mani Wheels. Obviously given the Himalayan landscape, there is an abundance of outdoor mountaineering equipment and novelty Everest-based gifts for sale too.

Pokhara is ideal for picking up souvenirs due to its close proximity to Annapurna and with no more trekking, the backpack weight is less of an issue. In particular, the Pashmina shawls are of excellent quality with incredible patterns and colours making a great gift. I bought small Buddha statues, a metal singing bowl, and a poster to make a collage of the trip (see below). Kathmandu had even more shops down every street to buy souvenirs with more bookstores and counterfeit climbing gear so be careful when buying brands such as North Face. I enjoyed the bargaining culture and learnt to scout around some shops to see for the best price and next started the haggling. You’ll be able to find similar items at other shops so don’t be afraid to walk away but likewise don’t take the mick given it’s such a poor country.

Travel Journals & Art

Final Thoughts

What is the best mountain sunrise you’ve watched? Poon Hill has been my favourite view and has gotten me into early morning hikes to start the Day in the best possible way. If you fancy a shorter trek than the Circuit or Base Camp, then the Poon Hill trek could be a good alternative.

The Annapurna Guide gives an overview and planning tips for an epic Himalayan adventure in Nepal. Please share the Annapurna series of Blogs for other people travelling to Nepal.