Light Trails To Get You Started - Part II

• Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek

• Panchase Trek

Nepal is a greatest destinations to escape the urban world and indulge in natural merry and joy. Treading all of the avid landscapes can be difficult for novice travellers and trekkers. In this series, we explore various light walking trails which are great to begin one's journey of exploring Nepal.

Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek

• Basic Itinerary Days: 4 Days

• Route: KTM (Flight) -PKR - Nayapul (Jeep/Bus) - Tikledhunga (Trek)- Ulleri (Trek) - Ghorepani (Trek)- Poonhill (Hike) - Tadapani (Trek) - Ghandruk (Trek) - Nayapul (Trek)- PKR(Jeep/Bus) - KTM(Flight).

• Trek Style: Tea House

• Max Elevation: 3210 M

• Attractions: Best Sunrise view from Poonhill, View of magnificent mountains such as Dhaulagiri (8167M), Manaslu (8163M), Annapurna I (8091 M) and other Himalayas, Experience Magar and Gurung culture.

• Best Season: April - December

ACAP Trekking Permit:

• SAARC USD 2

• Foreigners USD 30

Tourist Service Centre

• Nepal Tourism Board Office, Bhrikutimandap, Kathmandu

• Nepal Tourism Board Office, Damside, Pokhara

The trail of Ghorepani in the past few years has become a popular short leg of the greater Annapurna Circuit Trail. Filled with beautiful encounters with the Himalayas, waterfalls, terrace hills, and welcoming Gurung and Magar communities. The Ghorepani trail has garnered its popularity due to its quick accessibility, and proper management.. An itinerary that can be completed between 4 to 5 days, the trail offers a greater taste of the Annapurna Region compared to the Royal and Panchase Trail. Although crowded, this trail delivers in its promise to be a gateway for its trekkers to experience Nepal, and also fuel desires to explore Nepal more.

The trail begins in Nayapul and makes its way through the villages of Tikhedunga, Ulleri Ghorepani, Tadapani and Ghandruk.

The viewpoint of Poonhill (3210M) is a popular destinations to view sunrise/sunset over the Himalayas. Depending upon the season, it offers a tantalizing view of the Himalayan range, with dense rhododendron forests filled a variety of bird species. Making to the viewpoint to witness the sunrise can be a difficult ordeal if one doesn’t plan accordingly. As the hike to the view tower is an average 30-45 minutes, making that trip early in the morning can be quite a challenge. It is recommended that you call the night early, and wake up 1.5 hours ahead of the hike. Drink warm water, and give your body enough time to fully rise awaken and make sure to do some stretches. This assures that your body isn’t caught off guard, with a steep climb. Also, make sure that your headlamp or flashlight is fully charged as it can be fairly dark.

Trekkers can opt to begin this trail by headed towards either Tikhedunga or Ghandruk. Nayapul to Ghandruk features a direct uphill if one wishes to trek from Nayapul itself, and at Tadapani as well. Whereas in comparison, Nayapul to Tikehedunga features moderate highs and lows, except for the large steps at Ulleri which can be a challenge.

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Panchase Trek

• Basic Itinerary Days: 3 Days

• Route: KTM - PKR ( Flight/ Bus) - Cross Fewa Lake (Boat) - Bhumdi ( Trek) - Panchase Hill ( Trek) - Australian Camp ( Trek) - Phedi (Trek) - PKR(Drive)

• Permit: Basic Permit (T.I.M.S)

• Cost: USD 25

• Trek Style: Tea House

• Max Elevation: 3210 M

• Attractions: Panoramic Himalayan View, Cultural Experience

• Best Season: September - November

Alike Royal Trek, the Panchase trail is another great opportunity to get a glimpse of the Annapurna Region, experience its culture and diversity in a short itinerary. Panchase is a set of five tall hills west of Pokhara with landmarks of both Hindu and Buddhist significance. The area is the intersection of three districts Kaski, Parbat and Syangja and offers an impressive view of Mount Dhaulagiri, Annapurna, Machapuchre, Lamjung Himal, Manaslu and others. The area offers a view tower which is perfect to witness the sunrise and sunset.

Away from the trails of ACAP (Annapurna Conservation Area), this is a secluded off the beat trail with low to moderate crowds which can be enjoyed all year round. Recommended during the months of September- December, the post-monsoon setting offers clear skies and great panoramic views of the Himalayas. One must note if the monsoon is late, the skies can be looming with clouds even till late October. This trail can also be accomplished during the winters. With little chances of snowfall, this region fares well in terms of sudden temperature drops. Warm clothes, thermal inners and gloves are recommended for the winter trek.

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Best Sunrise Views in Nepal – Part II

Nothing beats a warm cup of tea as you wait for the sun to bring light to the world. A country blessed with serene mountains and topography, Nepal truly at times resonates with the thoughts of Shangri-La. Amidst the numerous destinations to visit and experience in Nepal, the sites mentioned below share in common a vantage to experience the beauty of a sunrise and sunset.

Thus, if you plan on visiting these destinations shortly, make sure to have your itinerary include this magical experience.

4. Poon Hill

5. Kala Patthar

Required for Trek

Trekkers Information Management System (TIMS) Card

SAARC

• NRS. 300/USD 3 (Per Individual in group trekkers)

• NRS. 600/USD 6 ( Free Individual Trekkers)

Foreigners

• NRS. 1000/ USD 10 (Per Individual in group trekkers)

• NRS. 2000/ USD 20 ( Free Individual Trekkers)

Obtain TIMs card from:

• Tourist Service Centre

  • Nepal Tourism Board Office, Bhrikutimandap, Kathmandu

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Poon Hill

• Attraction: Poon Hill View Tower, Cultural Experience, Tea House Trekking

• Altitude: 3210 m

• Accessibility:

  • Closest Airport: Pokhara Airport (PKR)

  • Distance From Kathmandu: 177 KM

  • Distance from Ghorepani: 13.4 KM

• ACAP Trekking Permit:

  • SAARC

    • NRS. 200/ USD 2

  • Foreigners

    • NRS. 3000/ USD 30

  • Tourist Service Centre

    • Nepal Tourism Board Office, Bhrikutimandap, Kathmandu

    • Nepal Tourism Board Office, Damside, Pokhara

A jewel of the Annapurna Circuit Trek the summit of Poon Hill at the altitude of 3210 m is a climb one has to make before the crack of dawn if one wishes to witness the magnificent sunrise. One can plan an itinerary to Poon Hill from a 4-day trek to 7 or complete the entire Annapurna Circuit Trek.

A 4-day itinerary features a trek that begins from Nayapul to Ulleri, Ghorepani, Poon Hill and treks to Ghandruk Village. This route can be taken from the opposite direction, where one can begin their trek from Ghandruk. Many choose to make this trek from the direction of Ghandruk, as it features fewer uphill steps. The infamous steps of Ulleri fall on the downward direction if this trek is made from Ghandruk.

The peaks of Dhaulagiri, Annapurna I, Annapurna South, Machapuchare, Annapurna II, Annapurna III, Gangapurna, Tukuche Peak, Dhampus Peak, Hiunchuli, Gurja Himal, Nilgiri Himal are visible from the viewpoint of Poon Hill. The most recommended season to make this trip is post-monsoon beginning September to May.

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Kala Patthar

• Attraction: Kala Patthar Sunrise and Sunset View, Everest Base Camp Trek, Gokyo Ri Complex, Gorakshep, Namche Bazar

• Altitude: 5545 m

• Accessibility:

  • Closest Airport: Lukla Airport (LUA)

  • Distance From Kathmandu: 150 KM

  • Distance from Namche Bazar: 22.1 KM

• Sagarmatha National Park/ Everest Base Camp Permit Cost

  • SAARC

    • NRS. 1500/ USD 15

  • Foreigners

    • NRS. 3000/ USD 30

• Obtain a permit from:

  • Tourist Service Centre

    • Nepal Tourism Board Office, Bhrikutimandap, Kathmandu

  • The entry point of Sagarmatha National Park

    • Monzo, Solukhumbhu

  • Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality Entrance Permit

    • (Charge levied not only to trekkers but also to the tourists who tour the region via helicopter) NRS. 2000/ USD 20

• Obtain a permit from:

  • The entry point of Sagarmatha National Park, Monzo, Solukhumbhu

The viewpoint of Kala Patthar translates to ‘Black Rock’, is generally viewed as a short hike from Gorka Shep during ones trek to Everest Base Camp. The base of Kala Patthar stands at 5,644 m above sea level and is maximum altitude one can reach during one's trek to EBC. Kala Patthar is famous for two things; the spectacular view of Everest and the brave the infamous sunrise and sunset. To achieve viewing the sunrise and sunset from Kala Patthar, one must have a few days to spare at Gorak Shep. The viewpoint of Kala Patthar is a 2-3 hour hike from Gorak Shep and one can manage to view the sunrise and sunset if s/he plans his/her hours accordingly.

A few tips for those who wish to make the sunrise trip to Kala Patthar

1. Recommended during the months of September- November.

2. Keep an eye on the temperature. Make sure to look out for sudden temperature drops before deciding to make this trip and be prepared with extra layers just in case.

3. Make sure your devices are charged to the max. The cold drains the batteries of your devices fast, thus make sure to either carry spare batteries for your DSLR.

4. Have a good nights sleep and a hearty meal.

5. Sunrise in the region generally is between 5:00- 6:00 AM. If one is to make it on time, they must leave between 3-3:30 AM as the trek averages out 2-3 hours.

6. Don’t get up and go! Many trekkers make the mistake to sleep a bit late, look at the clock and make a run for it. This is normally never recommended, as your body hasn’t gotten the time to normalize and completely wake up. Thus, no matter how late you are; its recommended to some time, normalize breathing, stretch and drink a little amount of water before heading out.

7. Wear fresh and dry pair of socks.

8. Carry a freshly boiled bottle of water.

9. Only carry the essentials and make sure to not forget energy bars.

Back to Part - I

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