Nepal – Wonders of Traveling

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Where does the Poon Hill Trek start?

The gateway to the Poon Hill Trek is a small town called Nayapul. You can reach Nayapul by taxi from Pokhara (about 30 min flight from Kathmandu). The ride to Nayapul takes about 1.5 hours, so take this into account when you’re making your way over there.

How long does the trek take?

If you want to do the Poon Hill Trek, it will take you four to five days. You will be walking from village to village. Most people start in Nayapul and then make their way over to Ghorepani. We, however, decided to do the hike in the opposite direction. This meant the trails would be less crowded.

Do you need to hire a guide?

When we were hiking, we noticed that every other group we ran into was accompanied by a guide. However, we felt like it wasn’t necessary to bring a guide. If you have done lots of hikes before and are an experienced hiker, you don’t really need to hire a guide. The trails are well indicated and the hike is never dangerous. However, if you have no experience with hiking at all, it might be wise to bring a guide along.

What do you need to bring?

It’s not necessary to bring special equipment when doing the Poon Hill Trek. There’s no need for helmets or ropes. Just bring enough clothes (you will be hiking for 4-5 days after all) with you. Along the trail you will bump into plenty of villages where you can buy something to drink or eat. They all serve several types of warm meals so you’ll never go hungry!

Poon Hill Trek

Day 1: Nayapul to Ghandruk

Since we went to Nepal during the Monsoon, it was raining cats and dogs when we arrived at Nayapul. After waiting until the skies cleared a bit, we decided to start our hike. Be advised that you need a permit to do the Poon Hill Trek. We got ours through the owner of the homestay we were staying at in Pokhara. Also, you need a TIMS card if you’re planning on hiking in Nepal, so make sure you get your hands on one of those too.

From Nayapul you have to walk to Birethanti where they will check your permit and allow you to start your hike. This is also where you can either opt to go left and head towards Ghorepani, or go right and make your way over to Ghandruk. We took a right and started the seven hour long hike in the direction of Ghandruk. The first part of the hike was quite boring. We were walking on an unpaved, dirt road for about an hour before the road suddenly changed into about a million steps (or at least that’s what it felt like). In the meanwhile it had stopped raining and it became extremely humid and warm. If you’re not used to humidity like this, I warn you: you will sweat. A LOT.

Be prepared for thousands of steps. Your knees will most likely hurt by the time you arrive at the outskirts of Ghandruk. Does this mean the hiking is finally over and you can relax immediately? No… When you arrive at the sign “Welcome to Ghandruk”, you still have to conquer several hundred steps before reaching the first hotels. You will find several hotels scattered all around Ghandruk. If you feel like you can still manage to add a couple more steps to the total, I would advise you to go to a hotel higher up the hill. This means less steps for day 2!

Total elevation: 990 meters (from Nayapul – 1010m to Ghandruk – 2000m)
Total hiking time: 7 hours

Poon Hill Trek

Day 2: Ghandruk to Deurali

On day 2 we left from Ghandruk to head in the direction of Deurali. Be aware that if you’re hiking Poon Hill during the monsoon, there will be leeches everywhere. It’s impossible to feel them, you will only notice once you’re already bleeding. They’re also tiny, so not that easy to spot.

While during the first day you’re walking through rice fields, the second day, you’ll feel like you’re walking in the jungle. At one point we even spotted baboons! This really made me realise I was no longer hiking in Europe. You will pass by beautiful waterfalls, but once again, you will have to mount A LOT of steps.

After hiking for about 8 hours, we decided to call it a day in Deurali. Be aware that Deurali is an extremely small village. You won’t be able to choose from twenty different hotels. In Deurali there is only 1 hotel with about 20 rooms. Also, the rooms don’t have any electricity and basically only have 2 beds and a small table. There is also no private bathroom (unlike in Ghandruk). If you want to shower, they will send you to a small shed where they’ve installed a hose. Don’t expect anything fancy at all, it’s very “back to basics”.

In Deurali you can also get a beautiful view on the Himalayas from the Watch Tower. This tower is located a bit higher up than the lodges. You have to walk for about thirty minutes to reach it, but the view is so worth it. And so were the 20 leeches which had found their way to my legs (through my pants and shoes!).

Total elevation: +/- 600 meters
Total hiking time: 8 hours

Poon Hill Trek

Day 3: Deurali to Ghorepani

Because we had hiked a bit longer on day 2, the 3rd day of the trek didn’t take as long. During this stretch we, once again, spent a lot of time walking in the forest. Only every now and then we rose above the trees and got to see a bit more of the surrounding area. In the afternoon we arrived at Ghorepani. It was clear this was a much more touristic area than Deurali. You will be spoilt for choice when looking for a hotel here.

We chose to check in at Hotel Superview, a beautiful and spacious hotel with amazing views on the Himalayas. Once again, we didn’t have a private bathroom, but there were 2 big bathrooms per floor which you could use.

Total elevation: +/- 400 meters
Total hiking time: 3 hours

Poon Hill Trek

Day 4: Poon Hill and Hille

On day 4 we were finally going to see what we came for: Poon Hill. This meant we already had to get up at 4:45 AM (what an ungodly hour!). However, if you want to see the sun set over the Himalayas, you sometimes have to make sacrifices.

Together with hundreds of other people, we started ascending the stairs in the darkness. After about an hour we arrived at Poon Hill, only to realise we couldn’t see any of the mountains because of the fog and clouds. Every once in a while we could spot a tiny little bit of the mountains. After waiting for about an hour, we realised we were most likely not going to see much of the Himalayas. However, normally you should get a spectacular view here.

Luckily, by the time we arrived at the hotel, we got to see the Annapurna South and Annapurna I. We decided to rest a bit more before starting our hike back to Nayapul. I feel like I’m repeating myself a lot, but once again there were several thousands of steps we had to conquer. Because our knees were screaming to be put out of their misery, we decided to stay in Hille that night.

Total elevation: +/- 400 meters (to Poon Hill), 1300 meters (from Ghorepani to Hille)
Total hiking time: 1 hours (to Poon Hill), 5 hours (from Ghorepani to Hille)

Poon Hill Trek

Day 5: Hille back to Nayapul

The last day of the Poon Hill Trek was quite calm and easy. We left from Hille and walked all the way back to Nayapul. The final part only took us about 3 hours.

Total elevation: +/- 400 meters
Total hiking time: 3 hours

Poon Hill Trek

If you have any more questions about doing the Poon Hill Trek, please feel free to leave a message!

]]> https://www.wondersoftraveling.com/2018/03/13/what-you-need-to-know-before-doing-the-poon-hill-trek/feed/ 1 5 things to do in Pokhara, Nepal https://www.wondersoftraveling.com/2017/12/17/5-things-pokhara-nepal/ https://www.wondersoftraveling.com/2017/12/17/5-things-pokhara-nepal/#comments Sun, 17 Dec 2017 15:35:10 +0000 http://www.wondersoftraveling.com/?p=845 A lot people who travel to Nepal will eventually make their way over to Pokhara. It’s the gateway to amazing treks in the Himalayas such as Annapurna Basecamp or Poon Hill, or one day hikes such as Sarangkot or the World Peace Pagoda. It’s a town located next to the beautiful Phewa Lake which is surrounded by some of the highest summits in the world. That is, if you go there outside of monsoon season. Today I’d like to tell you about 5 things you can do while spending time in this gorgeous laketown.

Getting there

Pokhara is located about 200 kilometres away from Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu. If you’d like to make your way over to Pokhara, you have two options: by bus or by plane.

Taking the bus is obviously the cheapest option. However, the cost of the ticket of course depends on the agency you decide to go for. Some might offer very basic seats, while others offer lunch and WiFi. The price varies from about €10 for basic seats to €25 for more luxurious seats. You must however endure about 7 hours on the windy, unpaved Nepalese roads.

If you prefer the luxury and speed of a plane, then you must dig a bit deeper in your wallet. We booked our tickets in our hotel and paid about €100 both ways. The only thing we had to do was make our way over to the domestic flight terminal at Tribhuvan airport and take the 30 minute flight to Pokhara. It couldn’t have been any easier.

World Peace Pagoda #pokhara #nepal

A post shared by Jolene Follens (@wondersoftraveling) on Sep 11, 2016 at 1:06am PDT

Hiking or biking to the World Peace Pagoda

When arriving at Pokhara, you’ll notice a beautiful white pagoda looking out over the city and Phewa Lake. You can visit the World Peace Pagoda for free, but you might have to make a bit of an effort to get there. Of course you can always take the taxi or a minibus there, but hiking or biking there is a nice alternative and will get you in the right shape before you leave for your trek. I must warn you that the road up to the Pagoda is extremely steep. This, in combination with the 99% humidity, will make you sweat like never before. I’m speaking from experience! However, the view from the Peace Pagoda will make you forget all about the effort you made to get there. The view over Pokhara and the mountains (if it’s not cloudy) is so worth it!

International Mountain Museum

If you’re a big fan of hiking and mountain climbing, then the International Mountain Museum will be right up your street. But even if you’re not crazy about hiking, it’s still a very interesting museum to put on your list. And for only €3 it won’t break your bank. Here you’ll learn about the first ascents of all the 8000 meter high mountains, you’ll get to admire breathtakingly beautiful photographs of the roof of the world and learn more about the animals which call the Nepalese mountains their home. If you’re interested in the different kind of tribes which inhabit Nepal, then you’ll learn everything about them here. It’s a very interesting museum which will not only teach you a lot about this fascinating country, but also about its colourful inhabitants.

Pokhara almost looks like the Venice of Nepal #nepal #travel #instatravel #travelgram #wanderlust #instago #tourist #travelphotographer #visiting #instavacation #travelawesome #traveldiaries

A post shared by Jolene Follens (@wondersoftraveling) on Jun 14, 2017 at 2:41am PDT

Bike around Phewa Lake

Renting a bike in Pokhara is very useful; it’s an easy way to get around the city. It also gives you the opportunity to bike around the lake (or most of it). Leave behind the hustle and bustle of Pokhara, and make your way to the isolated settlements on the shoreline of the lake. Here you’ll get to witness how the Nepali people, who don’t work in tourism, really live.

While I was biking around the lake, I had a nice encounter with a Nepalese boy. As I was taking a short break, the boy walked over to me and started ringing the bell of my bike. He was looking at my bike admiringly, almost as if he’d never seen one before. Just ringing the bell put a big smile on his face. It’s a memory I definitely cherish forever! So if you want to get away from the chaos of the hectic city, then going for a bike ride along the lake is definitely a good option.

Paraglide from Sarangkot

Sarangkot is one of the hills surrounding Pokhara. This is the place to go if you want to get a really nice view on the Himalayas. Not only do you get to enjoy beautiful views here, you can also opt to go paragliding. You can easily book a tour with one of the many agencies which are located in the main street of Pokhara. As you probably know, paragliding isn’t exactly cheap. However, Nepal is one of the cheapest countries in the world, so you won’t spend that much money staying here. If you like adventure, then paragliding over Phewa Lake is money well spent! A 30 minute tandem flight costs you about €70. If you prefer to go for an hour long flight, be prepared to spend about €110.

Even if paragliding isn’t really your thing, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t visit Sarangkot. Like I said before, you can get breathtakingly beautiful views on the Himalayas from Sarangkot. You can either hike your way up, or you can take a taxi which normally brings you almost all the way to the top. You still have to climb some stairs to get to the view point, but that only takes about 5-10 minutes. Definitely a must if you’re in Pokhara.

5 things to do in Pokhara, Nepal

Take a break and roam the streets of Pokhara

If you want to take a break from all the activity and want to take a rest day, Pokhara still has a lot to offer. From outdoor cinema to exotic bars located along the lakeside, Pokhara has it all. One of the things you’ll notice as well, is that the city is full of small souvenirs shops. If you’re looking for some Nepali clothes or jewelry, you will be spoilt for choice. Just make sure you watch out because Nepali traffic is quite hectic and chaotic and you’ll feel like you need eyes on your back. However, it is much better than traffic in Kathmandu. Pokhara feels a bit like a place where you can get some rest from the chaos of the capital city.

5 things to do in Pokhara, Nepal

Have you ever been to Pokhara? What was your favourite activity there? Please feel free to leave a comment below!

]]> https://www.wondersoftraveling.com/2017/12/17/5-things-pokhara-nepal/feed/ 1 7 things to do in Kathmandu https://www.wondersoftraveling.com/2017/09/10/7-things-do-in-kathmandu/ https://www.wondersoftraveling.com/2017/09/10/7-things-do-in-kathmandu/#comments Sun, 10 Sep 2017 15:57:12 +0000 http://www.wondersoftraveling.com/?p=732 Exactly one year ago I was exploring the ‘roof of the world’, Nepal. As I already mentioned earlier, there are a couple of things you should know before going there. In this article I may have painted a rather negative picture of the country, but that was only because I wasn’t quite prepared for what was waiting for me. Today I would like to tell you a bit more about what you can visit and do in Kathmandu; because despite the high noise and smog levels, I really enjoyed my time there.

Durbar Square

Durbar Square is probably one of the most known highlights of the capital of Nepal. This massive square is located in the heart of Kathmandu. Unfortunately, after the massive earthquake of 2015, a lot of century-old temples and buildings on Durbar Square were left damaged. This became quite clear when I was walking around on Durbar Square since lots of temples hadn’t been rebuilt yet.

However, despite the damage Durbar Square should definitely be high up on your list. You can visit or admire 50 different temples which were built in between the 16^th and the 18^th century. Before entering the square, all foreign citizens will be asked to buy an entrance ticket which costs 1000 rupees, or about €10. Even though the entrance fee is quite expensive (for Nepalese standards), Durbar Square is definitely worth a visit. Here you’ll find temples in which some of the old Nepalese kings resided. The ones I liked the best were: Taleju (the biggest temple), Jagannath, Kal Bhairav, Swet-Bhairav, Kaandasthamp and Nautale Durbar. Luckily, all these temples are within walking distance and you can visit them in just a couple of hours.

7 things to do in Kathmandu

Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple)

Swayambhunath Temple is located on top of a hill, 3 km west of Kathmandu city center. You can reach this hill in two ways: you can either take a cab which will drive you all the way to the top, or you can choose to climb 356 steps. I decided to go for the last option. Once you arrive at the foot of the hill, you will understand why this temple is also called the “Monkey Temple”. While making your way up, you will be accompanied by hundreds of monkeys!

Don’t underestimate the climb to the top. When I visited Swayambhunath, humidity levels were at 90% which caused me to sweat like never before. However, once you arrive at the top you will be rewarded with an amazing view all over Kathmandu. You will see hundreds of thousands of small houses all seemingly attached to each other. You’ll spot the beautiful hills surrounding the capital. It will be so worth the effort!

The Swayambunath Stupa is the oldest one in its kind and was already built in the 5^th century! Take your time to walk around the massive Stupa, stroll on the surrounding square and admire the other small temples which are also located on top of this hill. Definitely one of the highlights of Kathmandu!

7 things to do in Kathmandu

Pashupatinath

The Pashupatinath complex is located on both sides of the Bagmati river and consists of a staggering 518 temples. The Pashupatinath temple is one of the most holy temples of Hinduism. Hindus spend the last weeks of their lives in this temple and are cremated on the river banks. According to Hinduism, people who die in the Pashupatinath temple will be reborn as humans, regardless of their karma or the way they have lived their lives. The last journey Nepalese Hindus make is one that takes them from the Bagmati River to the Ganges, the holy river.

As a tourist, it is basically impossible not to witness these cremations. Before going to Nepal I had heard about the cremations taking place here, and I actually didn’t want to see them. However, since they are taking place on the river banks, it’s hard not to accidentally witness one. Even though I didn’t want to see one, in hindsight I am actually happy I did. It was very impressive to see how Nepali people deal with death. It is so different compared to Europe. A Nepali man also told us that wives used to be cremated alive with their deceased husband! Luckily, that is no longer the case now.

Unfortunately, if you’re not a Hindu, you cannot enter the biggest temple of the complex. However, since you can visit and admire hundreds of other temples at Pashupatinath, this should also be on your to-do list. Tickets also cost 1000 rupees.

7 things to do in Kathmandu

Boudhanath

The temples and stupas of Durbar Square and Swayambhunath are not the only temples worth visiting. Boudhanath temple should also be high on your list. This temple is located 6.5 km from Durbar Square. I would recommend taking a taxi there because we tried to walk there, relying on Google Maps and ended up getting completely lost.

The Stupa is one of the biggest in the whole world and is surrounded by tons of nice souvenir shops and restaurants. For me, visiting Boudhanath was one of the best experiences in all of Kathmandu. At the time, they were still in the process of restoring the Stupa. However, even if I couldn’t see the Stupa in all its glory, it still looked incredibly impressive.

7 things to do in Kathmandu

Thamel

Thamel is a touristy neighborhood about 1.5 km from Durbar Square. A lot of tourists choose to reside in this area because it feels a bit more “Western”. You can find hundreds of shops selling Nepalese clothes, souvenirs and hiking equipment. If you’re a bit scared to try out Nepalese food, you should head to Thamel because several Italian restaurants are located here. Stroll through the windy streets of Thamel and you’ll bump into book shops, cozy bars and cafes where you can enjoy a very tasty continental breakfast. If you want to book activities or excursions, this is also the place to be. Several travel agencies are located in Thamel.

However, you will still notice you’re walking in Nepal, and not in a Western country. Hundreds of cars will constantly pass you by on unpaved roads, while several cows sleep on these same roads. It is a sight you will not see in Europe, but it definitely has its charm!

Garden of Dreams

As I already mentioned earlier, Kathmandu is a very loud and noisy city. However, there are some places you can go to if you feel like you need to flee from the chaos. Garden of Dreams is the perfect spot to go to when you need a little break. This beautiful garden is located in Thamel. Entrance tickets cost 200 rupees (about €2).

The garden will feel like an oasis of peace and quiet. You can sit down on one of the benches, stroll through the garden or have a drink in the cafe which is located within the garden.

Everest Mountain Flight

Another thing you can do in Kathmandu, is taking the Everest Mountain Flight. Spotting the highest mountain of the planet has to be one of the biggest dreams of anyone who decides to go to Nepal. We, however, were very unlucky. We had underestimated the monsoon season. The weather was never good enough for us to take the Everest Mountain Flight.

This flight leaves from the International Airport of Kathmandu and is operated by Buddha Air. The whole flight takes about 1 hour, and will give you the chance to see Mount Everest with your own eyes. This, of course, comes at a price. Tickets for this flight cost about 190 dollars per person.

#nepal #impressies

A post shared by Jolene Follens (@wondersoftraveling) on Sep 5, 2016 at 10:28am PDT

If you have visited Kathmandu and feel like I left out something, please feel free to leave a comment!

]]> https://www.wondersoftraveling.com/2017/09/10/7-things-do-in-kathmandu/feed/ 2 5 things I wish I knew before going to Nepal https://www.wondersoftraveling.com/2017/08/21/5-things-wish-knew-going-nepal/ https://www.wondersoftraveling.com/2017/08/21/5-things-wish-knew-going-nepal/#comments Mon, 21 Aug 2017 11:08:14 +0000 http://www.wondersoftraveling.com/?p=465 As someone who grew up in a family that is crazy about mountains and mountaineering, it comes as no surprise I wanted to go to the “roof of the world”. In September 2016 I travelled with my dad to Nepal to see the highest mountains of this planet with my own eyes. To be honest, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect since I had never been to Asia before and I had only travelled to Western countries, like Europe and the US.

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Once I arrived in Nepal it felt like I had just entered a completely new world. In case you’ve been thinking about travelling to this fascinating country yourself, here are some things you might want to know:

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1. SHOWER CABINS/CURTAINS DON’T EXIST

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This might be a common thing in Asia, but since Nepal was the first Asian country I visited, I was very surprised when I opened the bathroom door. I was scanning the room and said to my father: “Why don’t we have a shower?”, until I realized there actually was one. Only there was no shower cabin or curtain to be found.

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You basically flood the whole bathroom if you take a shower, which is a lot of “fun” if you want to go to the toilet. It’s also not ideal if you want to keep your towels and/or clothes in the bathroom because they will inevitably get wet. At first I thought maybe our hotel didn’t want to invest in shower cabins, until we travelled around in Nepal and I realized that every single shower was the same.

5 things I wish I knew before going to Nepal

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2. IT IS STILL MONSOON SEASON IN SEPTEMBER

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We decided to travel to Nepal in September because there are 2 public holidays in Malta during this month, which meant I had to take less days off of work. I only had to take off 11 days to stay in Nepal for 18 days! However, this meant that it was still monsoon season in Nepal. Before I left I thought it wasn’t going to be that bad. I was expecting some small showers which would only last about 15 minutes. The best time to travel to Nepal is from October to December, and silly me thought it wasn’t going to be too bad in early/mid September. I could not have been anymore wrong!

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Our main goal of this trip was to spot the Himalayas, and hopefully do the Everest mountain flight. Did we manage to do that? Not really. The mountains were surrounded by clouds for most of our stay. We only got to see them on the plane from Kathmandu to Pokhara, and while we did the Poon Hill trek. We basically considered ourselves very lucky whenever we could spot one of the highest mountains on earth. Pokhara is known for amazing views on the Himalayas, but to be honest, we never got to see those. The Everest mountain flight also didn’t happen because the weather wasn’t stable enough.

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Lesson learnt, never underestimate monsoon season! If you’re considering travelling to Nepal in September, I highly recommend postponing your trip one month until the dry season has started.

5 things I wish I knew before going to Nepal

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3. KATHMANDU IS LOUD

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I knew I was visiting a city with more than 1 million inhabitants, but I don’t think I ever could’ve been prepared for the amount of noise there is in Kathmandu. One thing I really had to get used to was the endless amount of honking. Living in Malta already taught me that people don’t just honk if there’s an emergency (like in Belgium), but Kathmandu was on a whole other level. It was almost as if Nepalese people don’t know how to drive without honking. Luckily earlier this year the Nepalese government decided to make the city a “no horn zone”. Your ears will be very happy to hear this!

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Visiting this city is not just an attack on your hearing, but also on your other senses. Kathmandu is covered in a big cloud of smog (so much that I got a headache after wandering around the city for more than 30 minutes) and you will feel like you need eyes on your back. I didn’t know where to look first! Cars, motorcycles, bikes, they were coming from all sides and as you might expect, they do not follow any traffic rules!

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As long as you’re prepared for this, I am sure you will enjoy this fascinating city. It’s most likely unlike any other place you’ve ever been!

5 things I wish I knew before going to Nepal

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4. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE AS A TOURIST

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Doing a road trip in Nepal might sound romantic or adventurous in theory, in practice it is basically a suicide mission. As I mentioned above, there don’t seem to be any traffic rules at all. There is no right of way. It is basically each man for himself.

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So how can you visit the country? For longer distances you can take one of the domestic flights. We took a 30 minute flight from Kathmandu to Pokhara for about €100 pp. Otherwise you could opt to take the bus, but this will most likely take you 6 hours (excluding delays) and the roads aren’t exactly in the best conditions. You can also rent a private chauffeur or choose to make use of taxis.

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You will fear for your life more than once when you’re on the road in Nepal. The taxi drivers overtake other cars without looking. The state of the roads and the behaviour of other drivers will probably make you want to stay inside your hotel. But that would mean you wouldn’t be able to see or do anything, so you just have to go for it and hope nothing will happen. Then again, these drivers have been driving in Nepal all of their lives, so they do know what they’re doing.

5 things I wish I knew before going to Nepal

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5. TOURISTS PAY FOR EVERYTHING

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As two people from Belgium it was quite easy to spot us in a crowd. Everyone immediately knew we were tourists, which meant we were getting different treatment than Nepalese people. During our first and second day we wanted to visit Durbar Square in Kathmandu. There is no official entrance (just a small ticket booth on the square), so it’s basically possible to enter Durbar Square without paying. At least if you’re Nepalese. However, since we can’t pretend to be local inhabitants; guards and police officers immediately stopped us and ordered us to pay or show our entrance ticket. This happened every time we left the area and wanted to walk back in. We were constantly stopped, while all the other people could just casually walk in and out Durbar Square without any problem.

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You should also expect to pay a lot more for entrance tickets than other Nepalese people or people from neighbouring countries. Don’t be surprised if you see that you end up paying at least twice as much as local inhabitants.

5 things I wish I knew before going to Nepal

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These were the 5 things that surprised me the most when visiting this peculiar country. Have you been to Nepal? Did something else surprise you too? Don’t hesitate to leave a comment!

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