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Trekking Routes: The Jomosom Trek
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Day 1: Pokhara to Ulleri
Pokhara to Naya Pul: 1-3 hours; Naya Pul to Birethanti: 30 minutes; Birethanti to Hille: 2 1/2 & hours; Hille to Ulleri: 2 1/2 & hours. Elevation Gain: 3,300 ft. (1,006m) from Naya Pul to Ulleri.
This first day is a long one, so try to get an early start. From Pokhara, you can take a taxi or bus to the trailhead of Naya Pul. A bus to Naya Pul costs Rs26 (40¢), and a taxi can cost anywhere from Rs500 to Rs700 ($7.60 to $10.60). It takes an hour by taxi or 2 to 3 hours by bus to reach this trailhead. Naya Pul is a classic Nepali trailhead boomtown. Actually, it's not really a town at all, but rather an untidy collection of roadside stalls that spill down a steep slope to the decrepit bridge that marks the start of this trek. Ironically, Naya Pul means "new bridge," yet this bridge is in worse condition than any other bridge on this entire trek (barring one or two that have been washed away by landslides).
From here it is a 30-minute walk up a flat trail to Birethanti (3,500 ft.; 1,067m), which is at the confluence of the Modi Khola and the Bhurungdi Khola. Birethanti is a very attractive and prosperous-looking village with a wide stone-paved trail and several comfortable lodges. The first lodge on the left as you enter the village has a terrace overlooking the river and the bridge. This terrace is an excellent place to have lunch. If for some reason you need a place to stay in Birethanti, check out the Lakshmi Lodge (straight ahead from the bridge), which, at Rs800 ($12.10) per night, is expensive by trekking standards but is among the most attractively decorated lodges you'll find anywhere in Nepal.
From Birethanti, the trail climbs northwest up the valley of the Bhurungdi Khola, passing a waterfall just as you leave the village. Stay on the north bank of the river. During the dry season the trail may be in the riverbed, whereas in the wetter months it is likely to climb high on the slope above the river. Pass through the small villages of Ramghai and Sudame, beyond which the trail becomes wider and easier to follow. Crossing terraced fields, you enter the village of Hille (5,000 ft.; 1,524m), where there are a few lodges. Continuing through Hille, you reach Tirkhedhunga (5,175 ft.; 1,577m), where there are a couple more lodges, in another 20 minutes.
Beyond Tirkhedhunga, the trail crosses first a stream and then the Bhurungdi Khola. Here begins the climb up the infamous Ulleri staircase, a switchbacking stairway of stone steps that climbs 1,600 feet (488m) up a south-facing slope without shade. At the top of this stairway is Ulleri (6,800 ft.; 2,073m), an attractive Magar village with slate-roofed houses and several good lodges. From Ulleri you can see Annapurna South (23,680 ft.; 7,218m) and Hiunchuli (21,130 ft.; 6,440m).
Day 2: Ulleri to Ghorapani
Ulleri to Nayathanti: 2 hours; Nayathanti to Ghorapani Pass: 1 1/2 & hours; Ghorapani Pass to Poon Hill: 1 hour. Elevation Gain: 2,700 ft. (823m), plus 975 ft. (297m) gain and loss to climb Poon Hill.
By climbing to Ulleri on your first day, you break up the long climb to Ghorapani, which is the goal of the second day. Above Ulleri, you leave the terraced hillsides for oak forest. In the middle of this forest is the tiny village of Banthanti, where you'll find several teahouses. Above Banthanti, you enter a dense forest that is almost perpetually enshrouded in clouds. Mosses and ferns grow on the twisted, gnarled branches of huge old rhododendron trees. This trail is almost always muddy or snowy or both, so watch your step. Continue climbing to the village of Nayathanti, which has several lodges. Ascend through forest to the village of Ghorapani (9,365 ft.; 2,854m), which is just 10 minutes below Ghorapani Pass (9,500 ft.; 2,896m). At the pass itself there are about 20 lodges that, with their sheet-metal siding, are among the ugliest lodges of this entire trek. The Super View Lodge and the Hotel Snowland are about the best choices here.
Rising above Ghorapani is the reason for all the lodges (and trekkers) at this particular spot: Poon Hill (10,475 ft.; 3,193m). The sunrises and sunsets from this hill are some of the highlights of this trek. It is about an hour from Ghorapani Pass to the top of Poon Hill. From west to east, the view encompasses Dhaulagiri (26,790 ft.; 8,166m), Tukuche (22,700 ft.; 6,919m), Nilgiri (22,765 ft.; 6,939m), Annapurna I (26,540 ft.; 8,089m), Annapurna South (23,680 ft.; 7,218m), Hiunchuli (21,130 ft.; 6,440m), Tarke Kang (23,595 ft.; 7,192m), and Machhapuchhare (22,942 ft.; 6,993m).
All the hotels at Ghorapani Pass are recent constructions. There was no village here until trekkers began traveling this route in large numbers. Since the opening of all these lodges, the deforestation of Ghorapani Pass has been rapid. The massive old rhododendrons that make this area so beautiful are disappearing at an alarming rate. In order to reduce your impact on this area, please don't demand a large fire to sit by at night, and wait until you get to the hot springs at Tatopani for a hot bath (or use a solar shower). These two simple measures will do much to ensure the future beauty of this pass.
Day 3: Ghorapani to Tatopani
Ghorapani to Sikha: 2 1/2 & hours; Sikha to Tatopani: 3 1/2 & hours. Elevation Loss: 5,465 ft. (1,666m).
From Ghorapani, the trail descends 5,465 feet (1,666m)-all of the Elevation Gained climbing up from Birethanti. It's this 5,465-foot ascent and 5,465-foot descent that many inexperienced and out-of-shape trekkers find so difficult and discouraging. Many trekkers make it as far as Tatopani and give up on the trek altogether. By breaking the ascent to Ghorapani into 2 days, it's much easier to descend all the way to Tatopani in 1 day. However, if you climb to Poon Hill from Ghorapani Pass for sunrise, you will be adding almost 1,000 feet (305m) of extra climbing and descending, which means you might want to split up the descent as well.
From Ghorapani Pass, a steep, muddy (often icy) trail descends through rhododendron forests that are home to gray langurs. Lower down, the forest changes to oak trees before terraced fields take over above the village of Chitre (7,600 ft.; 2,316m). In Chitre there are numerous lodges and a good view of Dhaulagiri. Try the New Dhaulagiri Lodge or the Namaste Lodge. Continue descending through extensively terraced hillsides, crossing a landslide area, to Sikha (6,300 ft.; 1,920m), a Magar village with picturesque slate-roofed houses and several lodges. There is a fantastic view of Dhaulagiri from here. From Sikha, the trail descends more gradually, crossing another landslide area before reaching Ghara (5,800 ft.; 1,768m), where there are more lodges. Beyond Ghara, the trail climbs slightly up a rocky slope to a teahouse and then begins descending again. From this teahouse, the trail descends 1,600 feet, (488m) mostly on a stone stairway. The trail finally bottoms out at the confluence of the Ghara Khola and the Kali Gandaki, where there is an Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) checkpoint. This is also the junction with the trail to Beni and Baglung. Head upstream here and cross a suspension bridge over the Ghar Khola. A little farther, the trail crosses the Kali Gandaki on another suspension bridge.
There may be a new trail between this bridge and Tatopani by the time you arrive. In September 1998, a massive landslide broke loose from the slope on the opposite bank of the river. The landslide completely blocked the Kali Gandaki River, slammed into the river bank, and destroyed the trail. A temporary trail, which climbed steeply 400 feet (122m) up to get around a cliff and then dropped 500 feet down into Tatopani, was built soon after the landslide, but there were plans to create a more permanent route in the future. Parts of Tatopani were flooded by the temporary lake that formed behind the natural dam created by the landslide.
Tatopani (3,900 ft.; 1,189m) means "hot water" in Nepali, and there are indeed hot springs here. Consequently, Tatopani is a favorite resting spot for both trekkers and Nepalis. The main hot springs are just below the center of the village and were almost completely inundated with silt when the lake formed behind the landslide. They may have been restored by the time you arrive, but don't get your hopes too high. Because of their location beside the river, these springs have been repeatedly damaged by floods, and even when they're in the best condition, they are usually dirty and not very appealing. However, if you desperately need a hot bath, you may want to try soaking here. There are also several more hot springs along the trail to Beni and Baglung. You'll see lots of signs advertising lodges near these other hot springs. Remember, nudity is not acceptable in any of the hot springs.
There are lots of lodges in Tatopani, and some even have satellite TV (you just can't escape from CNN). A specialty of the lodges here is evening happy hour, with cheap beers and free popcorn. The Dhaulagiri Lodge and the Trekkers Lodge, both with attractive gardens, are the top choices here. Be sure to show your trekking permit at the police checkpoint just south of the village.
Day 4: Tatopani to Ghasa
Tatopani to Dana: 2 hours; Dana to Kabre: 2 hours; Kabre to Ghasa: 2 hours. Elevation Gain: 2,900 ft. (884m).
From Tatopani, head up the west bank of the Kali Gandaki on a trail that ascends gradually. The surrounding mountains give the false impression that you're quite high up, but near the village of Jhartare, you pass through orange groves, indicating the low elevation here. In the winter months there are always people selling oranges along this stretch of trail. It's a good idea to stock up for the higher altitudes. After passing the Miristi Khola, a large river flowing into the Kali Gandaki on the opposite bank, you pass through a small tunnel. After two small villages you cross a stream and enter Dana (4,700 ft.; 1,433m), a long village surrounded by orange groves. Dana has several lodges. Shortly before reaching Dana, you pass a suspension bridge across the Kali Gandaki, but you should stay on the west bank. In the upper section of Dana, be sure to notice the old three-story homes with their ornately carved wooden windows.
Continuing up the valley, you climb steadily and pass a beautiful waterfall, at the base of which is the Waterfall Lodge and the village of Rupse Chhara, which not coincidentally means "beautiful waterfall." Continuing, you soon cross a wooden bridge over a narrow gorge of the Kali Gandaki River. Above this bridge, the trail passes through Kopchepani (5,575 ft.; 1,699m) and then traverses rocky cliffs on a wide trail that is cut into the cliff face in places. The trail then recrosses the Kali Gandaki, this time on a suspension bridge. From the bridge, the trail climbs to Ghasa (6,800 ft.; 2,073m), a large Thakali village that is divided into three distinct sections. In the lower section, try the Eagle Nest Guest House; in the upper section, try the New Florida Guest House or Dhaulagiri Guest House.
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