TRIP REPORT

journey to poon hill: Awakening of the senses

A view of the Annapurnas at dawn from the summit of Poon Hill in Nepal.

Text and photography by Lanqin

Jan. 12, 2026

Nepal Himal welcomes trip reports from hikers on their trekking experiences in Nepal. If you like us to publish your report on our website, contact us. We will publish it in your native language and a translation in English.

For me, being in Nepal is an experience that fully awakens all my five senses — sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. Last April, I travelled from Kathmandu to Pokhara to discover Nepal through its culture and nature. After two days in Kathmandu, I set out on an 80-kilometre mountainous journey through one of the world's most famous trekking regions. These sensations eventually came together at the 3,210-metre summit of Poon Hill. The moment I saw the Annapurna peaks across the valley was a sight forever etched into my memory.

View of snowy mountain peaks in Nepal.

WHAT I SAW:

Kathmandu appeared visually dense yet harmonious through my eyes: During my first two nights, the city shimmered in warm yellow under the cover of darkness. By day, five-coloured prayer flags fluttered everywhere — a symbol of faith and blessing in the wind. I saw a young couple posing for wedding photos at Durbar Square, and a father teaching his little girl to ride a bicycle. I dived into a bookshop called Pilgrims to explore the uniqueness of local culture and stories. By the river at Pashupatinath Temple, I witnessed locals performing silent farewells to the cycle of life and death, and I was deeply moved by how the people of Nepal expressed their understanding of life.

A young girl learning to ride a bicycle with assistance from his father in Kathmandu in Nepal.

Beyond the city of Kathmandu, my horizon further expanded. Pokhara had an entirely different colour palette. Winding roads took me to lofty heights from which Phewa Lake shimmered like a luminous ellipse nestled within a valley. Along the trail, I encountered Himalayan Langur monkeys while vibrant red alpine rhododendrons unexpectedly burst into view. At dawn on Poon Hill, both moonlight and sunlight illuminated my path. Annapurna’s peaks flashed into view through the clouds. Upon reaching the summit, my rapid breathing carried my emotions to a crescendo. Every hiker’s face lighted up in excitement. The towering peaks before us flickered between light and shadow in the mist, and my heartbeat gradually slowed, and my senses shifted towards awe.

Red alpine rhododendrons unexpectedly burst into view on the Poon Hill Trek in the Annapurna region in Nepal.

WHAT I HEARD:

The sounds on the trail were rich and varied. The most constant sounds were greetings of "Namaste" shared with clasped hands among hikers. In Nayapul, the music and dancing were so joyful and full of celebration that it was hard for me not to join in. But the most healing sounds were the small ones: the chime of mule bells, the calls of goats and deer, fruit falling through leaves, the clack-clack of trekking poles on stone, and the sound of my own deep breaths. Most importantly, I cherished the conversations I had with my best friend on that 80-kilometre walk.

A group of people, including children and adults, are dancing outdoors in the Poon Hill area in Nepal.

WHAT I SMELLED:

Scents in Nepal shift and flow. In Thamel in Kathmandu, the air was rich with herbal incense from boutique shops, mixed with the aroma of butter lamps at street-corner shrines. In the forests of Ghorepani, the air became damp and cool, smelling of wet earth and grass. On the night before the final climb to the summit of Poon Hill, the air was thick with the smoky, charred scent of wood burning in the teahouse hearth. 

WHAT I TASTED:

The flavours of Nepali food were both familiar and new. Dal Bhat (lentil soup and rice) was my life-sustaining fuel - that salty, savoury soup with free refills became my favourite. Momos, dipped in a special spiced sauce, were another classic; they are thicker and more filling than Chinese dumplings. In the mountains, “fresh mint lemon tea” at teahouses was my top choice — the aroma of fresh mint in hot water was incredibly refreshing and helped me with the rising altitude.

A traditional meal of dal bhat (rice and lentils) in Nepal.
A plate of momos, or dumplings, in Nepal.

WHAT I TOUCHED:

Physical touch is uncommon in modern life, yet Nepal invites it at every turn. I touched the worn, smooth brass prayer wheels at Swayambhunath, and felt the warm hands of villagers inviting me to dance. I felt the trees that supported me during the climb. At charity stations run by local villagers along the hiking trails, a young girl dabbed a touch of vermilion on my forehead with her finger. And the moment my hands plunged into the cold mountain stream — every sensation made me feel truly alive in that moment, my body healthy and my mind at peace.

A man in a burgundy cap and gray and navy outdoor jacket is squatting and giving a treat to a black dog on a leash, with a brick wall and flower pots in the background.
Close-up of a person's hand holding a green fig fruit with rough textured skin and small bumps.

Lanqin is a traveller from China. She undertook this trek with a friend in April 2025. Read her trip report in Chinese as she originally wrote it here.