Poon Hill Trail [1/4]
13 September ’20
Welcome to Poon Hill Trail!
Start new game [yes/no] ?
> yes
You find yourself in the middle of Nepal, just south of the Annapurna protected region, in the city of Pokhara. Prepare well, for the Poon Hill hike is not for faint of feet!
Adventure awaits!
The bus from Kathmandu to Pokhara had been pleasant enough - $20 got you the luxury seats and lunch was included.
You have a companion joining you on your journey. What would you like to name her?
> Osmanthus
We’ve already done some shopping and gotten our Annapurna passes - let’s take a look.
> inventory
You:
* Ratty old vans
* 30L neon yellow hiking backpack
* Annapurna pass
* 1 kg of salt
* Lots of snacks
* ₹30,000
* $40
Osmanthus:
* Brand new hiking boots (worth ₹8,000 = $75)
* Day hike backpack
* Annapurna pass
Jeez, should I really go hiking in these vans? They’ve got so many holes in em - I tried using some shoe glue to patch em up but they just keep coming apart. But I really don’t want to carry a big pair of hiking boots with me after the hike. Plus they’re expensive! Better to stick with the vans.
Osmanthus says she isn’t as strong as I am, so I’m the one that got stuck carrying the 30L backpack and all the snacks.
> set off
You prepare to set out! The first destination on the Poon Hill Trek is the entry town of Nayapul. Asking at the front desk of the hotel it seems that you can either take a six hour bus ride, or a three hour taxi ride.
[8 hours until sunset]
You can either:
1. Take the bus [₹200]
2. Hire the taxi [₹2000]
I hate parting with ten times as much currency as I have to otherwise, but we really want to make it to Hile today. Besides ₹2,000 is only worth about $20 anyways…
> hire a taxi
[-₹2000]
The fog that has settled over the landscape helps to make the switchbacks the taxi driver takes at breackneck speed a little less scary, as you can't see how far down you'd fall.
You spend the long and bumpy taxi ride up the mountain familiarizing yourself with your route.
We had mapped out the hike mostly based on past experiences of online travel blogs. There were some variations in the routes, but mostly they stuck to a common theme:
- Day 1 (yellow): Bus/Taxi to Nayapul, hike to Tikhe Dhunga. Hiking distance: 5.5 miles, ascend: 2,000 feet, descend: 300 feet.
- Day 2 (blue): Tikhe Dhunga to Ghorepani. Hiking distance: 6 miles, ascend: 5,000 feet, descend: 250 feet.
- Day 3 (red): Wake up pre-dawn and hike to Poon Hill to catch the sunrise. Back to Ghorepani, then on to Tadapani. Hiking distance: 7.5 miles, ascend: 3,000 ft, descend: 3,500 feet.
- Day 4 (green): Hike from Tadapani to Ghandruk, where you catch a shared jeep back to Nayapul/Pokhara. Hiking distance: 4 miles, ascend: 200 feet, descend: 2,500 feet.
The Empire State Building is 1,250 feet, so on day two we’ll be going up the equivalent of four Empire State Buildings 😱😱😱
Suddenly, the taxi driver pulls off onto the edge of a switchback. He explains that traffic going into Nayapul is backed up, and points you to a backroute that you can take to make it the rest of the way down.
Peering off in the direction he's pointing you don't see much. You figure you could simply ask him to keep going. He says it'll take another three hours, but if there's no actual traffic it should only take another thirty minutes... On the other hand the hike down should probably only take an hour.
[6 hours until sunset]
You can either:
1. Tell him to take you to Nayapul anyways
2. Hike down
Well, you and Osmanthus are both ready to get started with the hiking anyways.
Bye bye Mr. Taxi Man - and hello Annapurna!
> hike down
You strap your gear on and hike down the mountain.
The hike leaves you winded - you're more out of shape than you thought.
[+30 exhaustion]
Crossing a small bridge, you arrive in the village of Nayapul. A T shaped junction that mostly serves as the closest bus stop to the Annapurna protected region. There are some Jeep drivers offering their services, which would turn the one hour hik to Birethanti into a ten minute ride.
[5 hours until sunset]
You can:
1. Stop for a meal and some tea [-₹500]
2. Hire a Jeep to Birethanti [-₹500]
3. Hike to Birethanthi
Definitely ready for some food.
> meal and tea
You pick a lodge close to the edge of town and sit down for a Dal Bhat and a pot of Nepalese tea.
[-₹500][-40 exhaustion]
Wow that was the best damn Dal Bhat I’ve had in my entire time here in Nepal. These people up in the mountains really know how to cook!
[4 hours till sunset]
You can:
2. Hire a Jeep to Birethanti [-₹500]
3. Hike to Birethanthi
We’re fired up from that food and tea. Let’s get hiking!
> hike
You trek your way over to Birethanthi, being passed by one or two jeeps on the way, and meeting some local chickens.
As well as officially crossing the border into the Annapurna conservation area!
The river, swollen from the monsoon rains, rages down below.
[+15 exhaustion]
Arriving at Birethanthi you stop in at the Annapurna checkpoint and register your passes that you applied for down in Pokhara. You have officially entered the Annapurna region!
[+3 enthusiasm]
[4 hours till sunset]
You can:
1. Stop for some tea and snacks
2. Continue onwards towards Tikhe Dhunga
Still feeling fueled up from the food. Got plenty of water. Let’s hit it!
> continue
This part of the trail, although still wide, is much more steep. Your pace is slower than before. You hike for an hour.
[+20 exhastion]
Another pair, more well outfitted than you are and hiking at a faster pace, passes you. Osmanthus deems this "unacceptable". You hike for an hour.
[+20 exhaustion][+1 determination]
You arrive at Sudame. You are an hour away from Tike Dhunga. Osmanthus announces she needs a break.
[2h till sunset]
You can:
1. Refuse, and push on till Tikhe Dhunga [+Osmanthus anger]
2. Acquiesce, and stop for some tea
Well we have enough time, and I could use a break too…
> tea
Another pot of Nepalese tea and some time off your feet is just the ticket.
[-₹200][-15 exhaustion]
[1.5h till sunset]
You can:
1. Lodge here in Sudame
2. Push on to Hile
3. Push on to Tikhe Dunga
May as well make it as far as we can!
> tikhe duna
You push yourselves a little faster and ignore the temptation to stop for the night in Hile.
You arrive at Tikhe Dhunga just as dusk closes in, making any further hiking to dangerous. You shop around for lodging options.
[sunset]
You can:
1. Lodge at Laxmi Guesthouse [-₹200]
2. Lodge at Manisha Guesthouse[-₹200]
3. Lodge at Chandra Guesthouse [-₹500][+ waterfall view]
You would prefer the cheaper option, but Osmanthus wants the waterfall view. Chandra guesthouse it is…
> chandra
Upon walking in a second time the manager announces that he's offering a special rate at ₹200 a night.
[-₹200]
By the time you make it to your room it's pitch black outside and the waterfall is hidden in the darkness.
[dark]
You can:
1. Have some dinner [-₹2000]
2. Go straight to bed
Are you kidding me? Of course we need dinner!
> dinner
The plastic laminated menu contains the usual selection - ranging from the more traditional Dal Bhat, Muesli, or Momo to the more clearly-westernized Chicken Mushroom Soup, Scrambled Eggs and Toast, or Spiced Omellete. And of course the ever present Nepalese tea.
You order and eat an excessive amount, washing it all down with a pot of Nepalese tea.
[-₹2000]
There is another group of people in the dining area consisting of two young women and two young male Nepalese guides.
[dark]
You can:
1. Chat with them
2. Listen in
3. Go up to bed
Too lazy to chat. Let’s listen in a sec.
> listen
They appear to be moderately drunk. The young men are doing what young men do and hitting on the girls. Nothing of interest passes between them.
[dark]
You can:
1. Chat with them
2. Continue to listen in
3. Go up to bed
Yikes. I can’t imagine being those girls and having to spend the whole trek dealing with that.
> bed
You wash up and are pleasantly surprised that the showers are hot! But the air outside is so, so cold. You climb in bed, the sound of the waterfall soothing you to sleep.
...zzz...
[-100 exhaustion]
To be continued!