I love hiking, and trekking in Nepal has always been on my bucket list. Therefore, I returned to Nepal after our last trip 20 years ago. Of course, this time with a different objective, that is, to hike to Annapurna Base Camp via Poon Hill.
To do that, I started training last October 2023. Unfortunately, I had a knee injury during one of the outings and must reconsider the whole itinerary. Still determined to go, I sought help from doctors to find a quick fix and simultaneously engaged with a personal trainer to create a bespoke program to strengthen myself without hurting the knee.
With my medical situation, we have decided only to trek to Poon Hill while my husband and friends would continue their hike to ABC. After reaching Ghorepani, I followed an alternate schedule, stayed another night, and rode a horse to Tadapani the following day cos it was a tough trek. This went well because our agent VJ from Grande Adventures made it possible and assigned a guide cum porter to me throughout my whole trip.
This article covers the scenery and activities from Tadapani to Gandruk and my trip to Sarangkot before returning to Pokhara. Many activities occurred during my stay in Gandruk, coinciding with the Nepalese New Year. You can read about the experiences of my teammate who went to ABC here.
Stay overnight at Ghorepani
After returning from Poon Hill, I took a good rest and had Momo for lunch.
Later, I explored further from the resthouse and saw the villagers drying buffalo meat in their kitchen.
Horseriding from Ghorepani to Tadapani
The following day, I woke up early and went to the rooftop of our guest house. The workers were carrying out some maintenance work on the water tank.
After a few days of having nearly the same types of breakfast, today I ordered macaroni and cheese.
While enjoying a much slower pace of life here, seeing people walk by unhurriedly is a relaxing experience. It is nice to be here watching those hikers walking back from Poon Hill. Their face was brimmed with joy and accomplishment, albeit some were dragging their feet, with the support of two walking poles at an exhausting stage, which reminded me of what I had experienced yesterday.
Today’s itinerary involves a horse ride from Ghorepani to Tadapani. While my teammate hiked to Tadapani yesterday, I had to stay another day to rest my injured knee, which had become slightly swollen.
Embarking on a horse ride was a thrilling new adventure. My horseman, Yam Pun, a striking young man with flowing hair, guided the horse with his unique commands. The horse, a gentle companion, carried me steadily along the path, instilling a sense of safety and confidence. Despite the distance, it was my first time riding a horse for such a prolonged period, making the experience all the more exhilarating.
I enjoyed the ride, albeit I had to be careful, especially when the horse went up and down. Yam Pun would ask me to come down if he found the trek too steep and unsafe for me to ride on the horse. That also meant that sometimes walking a short distance was necessary, especially at some steep climbs.
After about an hour, we stopped to let the horse have breakfast and rest! We were not in a hurry, so I took the time to immerse in this beautiful landscape.
Soon, we arrived at Thabala tea shop, next to the Yak Hotel. Here, hikers can ask for a pony or horse service.
The local guy was cutting Yak meat in the open. This is also a popular pit stop for the porters. Yam Pum rested and fed his horse with water.
Lunch was at Sunrise, where our teammate was having lunch yesterday. I opt for Dal Bhat this time, the staple for the porters virtually for every meal.
After lunch, we continue our ride to Tadapani.
But the weather started to turn gloomy, and soon, it started to rain. We had to put on our ponchos throughout before we reached Tadapani around 2 p.m.
There was not much to do after checking into the Grand View Hotel. In fact, no plan is the best plan up the mountain. So I had my tea just outside my room, as it was time to relax and enjoy the mountain scenery.
Hike from Tadapani to Gandruk
I woke up early to witness the majestic sunrise,
The open area in front of the hotel has an incredible view, so most hikers prefer having breakfast here instead of in the restaurant. I had my bread and omelet for breakfast.
After breakfast, I bid farewell to the friendly host of the teahouse. No more horseride for today, which means I would take three hours of slow hide to Gandruk.
We passed through an oak forest, separated by some full-blooming Rhododendrons. Along the way, we saw waterfalls, streams, bridges, and flora, different from the Ghorepani trek to Tadapani.
Halfway through, we stopped at Hillside Paradise Bhaisikharka for a tea break.
There were also plenty of butterflies in this region. I just randomly pointed with my camera and got this wonderful image.
We arrived at Ghandruk Guest House around 2 pm.
The room facilities and the surrounding scenery were far more satisfactory, considering we are now in a mountain village.
I had a good chat with the owner of the guest house. She told me about some of the history of this place and showed me a photo of when it first started compared to what it is like today.
A day in Gandruk
I woke up early this morning, hoping to get a better sunrise view. However, it was too cloudy, so I enjoyed my Thukpa in the garden outside my room.
It was the second day of the Nepalese New Year. The festive mood has fully permeated the village, as many local families wear traditional costumes to come to Gandruk to celebrate.
Today, I plan to walk around Gandruk, visit their village, meet with the local Gurun people, and visit the museums.
We explored the oldest village of Ghandruk. The view on the way to the town is spectacular.
The Gurun people are very friendly, and even the dog is friendly, too.
We arrived at the Gandruk Cultural Village. The locals were gracious enough to take photos with me, and the children played with me.
Next, I visited the Old Gurun Museum, which has a traditional vibe.
Gandruk is a popular tourist spot, as it can be reached by jeep. Many foreign tourists also visit, so the food choice is much more extensive than in other villages far up the mountain. Before returning to our guest house, we stop at a Western coffee house for a break.
I had fried noodles for lunch at the guest house.
Then, the weather turned gloomy, and it started to rain heavily from around three pm until midnight. There was not much I could plan to do, relax and embrace the serenity of the village’s slow-paced life.
From Gandruk to Sarangkot
We left Gandruk for Sarangkot the following day. Unlike yesterday, the morning sky was clear, and we witnessed a super clear sky with the sun beaming from behind the mystical Fish Tail.
Our teammate should have reached MBC, where Fish Tail was right before them.
After having the Gurun bread for breakfast, we left Gandruk Guest House for the Jeep depot. As we wanted to reduce the cost, we had to wait for other passengers to share the Jeep cost. Finding someone to share the jeep took us more than 1.5 hours.
The jeep took us to Binethanti Checkpoint. My guide cum porter Sunil help to clear my visa.
We took the jeep to Naudanda for lunch and hired a taxi to Sarangkot.
Finally, we arrive at Super View Lodge in Sarangkot at 2.30 pm.
Sarangkot is known for its vantage point from which one can view the Pokhara Valley, Phewa Lake, and the mountains. Regrettably, it was too cloudy for sunset and sunrise views.
Return to Pokhara
That was the itinerary while waiting for our teammate to return from the ABC Trek. While it is a pity I could not join them for the entire trek due to my knee injury, seeing the other side of Nepal has been a different experience. Gandruk is an ideal vacation spot for anyone who does not want to hike but wants to enjoy the mountain view of the Annapurna range, as it can be reached by jeep.
I will join our teammate shortly after returning to Pokhara. If you want to read about their adventures hiking up to ABC, click the link below. You will be able to read all their stories and experiences.
Other posts about our Nepal trip and related videos
- If you’re interested in reading about our Nepal trip, you can access all our articles by following this link.
- We have also posted all related YouTube videos for those who prefer watching videos at this link.
VJ Tamang, owner and tour guide of Grande Adventure, expertly organized and made our trip enjoyable. VJ can be contacted at https://www.grandeadventure.