It is a definite option to just take a Jeep or bus out from
Tatopani to Pokhara . Being a purist, however, I decided to continue onwards on
foot to complete the Annapurna Circuit. If done in full the last part involves
a massive ascent and then descent over two to three days via Ghorepani and Poon
Hill.

I started hiking at dawn to get as far as possible before
things warmed up. After crossing the river on a suspension bridge the trail
climbed steeply out of the valley up about 600 stone steps. From there it was mostly
through terraced fields and villages named Ghara and Shikha populated mostly by
the Magar ethnic group. I stopped for lunch just past Shikha at the Serendipity
Inn and decided to call it a day as the afternoon storms began. I had done
about half of the 6,000 foot climb to Ghorepani, plenty for me for a day,
especially in the warm humid conditions that prevail south of the main
Annapurna range.

It was another half day for me to Upper Ghorepani on the top
of the ridge at 2,800 meters (more than 9,000 feet), some stretches of which
were through flowering rhododendron forest . I’m used to rhododendrons as
ornamental shrubs but in the Himalayan foothills rhododendrons are quite large
trees. Ghorepani must be the meanest place in the world – the “Welcome to
Ghorepani” sign over the trail was a grueling 400-plus steps before you
actually got to the village. I spent the afternoon around the village as the
afternoon storms started up again.

Ghorepani is popular as part of shorter four-day or longer
treks done out of the Pokhara area as well as being on the Annapurna Circuit
trail, so it’s a very busy place. The big draw is sunrise on Poon Hill (3,210
meters), a short 1,000 foot climb out of town. I got up at 4:30 A.M. for the
crowded pilgrimage to the top of the hill with probably at least 500 of my
closest friends for a busy circus scene. As soon as the sun came up most
scampered quickly back down? I don’t get it – the light keeps getting better
for pictures for quite a while after sunrise as the sunshine illuminates the
peaks. From Poon Hill the sunrise views of the Dhaulagiri Massif to the
northwest are significantly nicer than those of the closer Annapurnas .

I went back to my guest house to shower and have breakfast
and then began the monster 2,000 meter (6,600 feet) descent to the end of the
trek at Naya Pul. The trail was very steep for many stretches with 3,000
(according to a guidebook) stone steps between the villages of Ulleri and Tikhedhunga.
It was warm, hazy, and humid, and absolutely miserable as I descended. “It’s almost
over!” I kept telling myself, especially over the last miles on the switchbacks
of a dirt road.

Around 5:00 in the afternoon as I started hearing a few
rumbles of thunder a taxi driver started pestering me to give me a ride to Naya
Pul. With each 100 meters I walked his price dropped until it sounded like a
reasonable deal (500 rupees or about $5). Quite a smart move since the last
stretch past Birethanti to Naya Pul was an ugly muddly construction site
between run-down commercial towns accessible by car. I expected to spend the
night at Naya Pul and take the public bus the next morning to Pokhara . It didn’t
take much arm twisting by the taxi driver for me to agree to a ride all the way
to Pokhara for $20.

Finished! Success! I made it! Although I cut it short by a
few miles at each end, I believe in total I went about 240 kms or 150 miles.