Pokhara – what to do and what to see at Nepal’s mountain resort: Phewa Lake, trekking in the Himalayas, relaxation, shopping, and interesting places.
When I planned the Annapurna trek, and then to Mardi Himal, I wanted to stay after the high-altitude hike and relax for three days in Pokhara.
Pokhara is the ideal place to have a great rest after coming down from the heights. For those who aren’t much interested in climbing, but like a relaxed atmosphere and a warm climate, Pokhara is perfect for slow leisure with views of the Himalayas and Phewa Lake.
Vacation season in Pokhara – when is the best time to plan a trip
The vacation season in Pokhara coincides with the warm and dry months in Nepal.
From February to May, and from September to the end of November – dry warm weather sets in (+25-30 degrees). At this time, trekkers and climbers from all over the world head to the mountains. They fill Pokhara’s streets before and after their climbs. The rest of the tourists are lovers of sunrises and a relaxed way of life. There are also many Nepali tourists in Pokhara. For them, Pokhara is the main Nepali resort with a pleasant mild climate and excellent tourist infrastructure.
Despite the fact that eight-thousanders are only a hundred kilometers away from Pokhara, it’s relatively warm here even in winter. And after you come down from the mountains, you feel like you’re in the tropics – in mid-March I was swimming in Phewa Lake.
Where is Pokhara located
Pokhara is located on the border of the Annapurna National Park at the foothills of the Himalayas. The city adjoins the picturesque and quite large Phewa Lake. In good clear weather, the beauty Machapuchare (Fish Tail) is reflected – sacred to Nepalis, this mountain resembles a fish’s tail.
Pokhara is the third largest city in Nepal. Pokhara is much cleaner than Kathmandu: almost no garbage on the streets or on the lake shore. Add clean mountain air without smog (provided the jungles aren’t burning), plus a very cool vacation vibe. At the same time, Pokhara is a very calm city, with locals friendly to tourists.
Where to stay in Pokhara
Pokhara’s tourist infrastructure is conveniently concentrated in a small area. Specifically, along Lakeside Street, which runs along the shore of Phewa Lake. Here there is a large selection of good budget hotels, a huge number of restaurants, cafes, and shops catering to tourist needs – from souvenirs and clothing to fiction books.
Restaurants with a variety of cuisines: Eastern – Chinese, Japanese, Nepali, European cafes with pastries and specialty coffee, vegetarian and organic menus, seafood and meat with excellent steaks.
There are plenty of hotels and guest houses, cafes and restaurants, night clubs, shops where you can buy everything – from souvenirs to trekking gear. That’s why from morning till evening there is constant movement on Lakeside – people, scooters, and motorbikes carrying locals and tourists, new hotels being built, music playing everywhere – the area lives in its own special rhythm.
In Pokhara, as in Nepal in general, prices are quite affordable and there is a wide choice of accommodation types. We stayed in good hotels – the price was a maximum of $25 for a double room per night including breakfast. The last time was in 2021 and we stayed at Hotel Lake Shore at exactly this price.
Depending on your wish and budget, you can rent a hotel room with all amenities and fast internet, a bed in a hostel, or apartments with everything you need – kitchen, utensils, and appliances for a long stay.
How to get to Pokhara
Although transport connections to Pokhara are reasonably well-established, getting here is relatively expensive (especially by Nepali standards), or takes a long time.
You can fly from Kathmandu on a small plane, the ticket for which costs tourists several times more than it does for locals. But this is the best time option – the flight takes only one hour. Or you can take a bus that goes through the mountain switchbacks and covers 200 km in 8 hours – boring and physically tiring.
The Pokhara airport is located 2 km from the city center – a taxi costs 250-300 rupees.
A one-way ticket costs $90, travel time is 25 minutes.
Cheaper option – buses from Kathmandu to Pokhara. Tickets can be bought at any tourist agency in Kathmandu, cost about 1200 rupees ($10). The route is 180 km, but along a mountain road, so the journey takes 5–6 hours.
What to do in Pokhara
Relaxed rest by Phewa Lake. We stayed at one of the hotels on Lakeside, took daily walks along the line of tourist shops and little stores, on the lakeside promenade. We sat in cafes on the lake shore, enjoying momo, salads, and coffee with delicious pastries. And in the evenings we would go dance at one of the clubs, listen to Nepali rock at the Hard Rock Cafe, and spent time with friends on a cozy restaurant terrace.
Shopping – in Pokhara there are many shops where you can buy pashmina (silk scarf), yak wool plaid, semi-precious stones and jewelry, singing bowls, and other Nepali souvenirs. You can also buy trekking clothes here, although it’s better to bring your trekking shoes from home and break them in beforehand. In shops and stalls you can bargain – locals overcharge, but are also willing to compromise. But the prices on Lakeside are higher than in Thamel in Kathmandu.
Rent a boat for the whole day or a few hours. My friends and I spent a whole day boating on the lake, sailed to an island where the Varahi Temple is located, and crossed to the opposite shore, where we swam in the cool lake waters, hidden from the eyes of locals.
Climb up to the Peace Stupa, located on the opposite shore of the lake, on a high hill from where you can see the Himalayan peaks and Pokhara in the palm of your hand in the morning.
Take a trip to the cave and temple Gupteswar Gupha, which is a 20-minute taxi ride from Pokhara’s tourist center. A river flows into the cave, forming a wonderful waterfall.
Paragliding. Contacting one of the agencies on Lakeside that provides paragliding services, you can fly with an instructor over the lake surrounded by the Himalayas. The views from above are fantastic.
Do a yoga retreat at one of Pokhara’s retreat centers specializing in healthy nutrition, yoga, and meditation.
Trekking from Pokhara – in the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri region
Go trekking. For example, to the Annapurna Base Camp (4100 m), which took me 9 days. This is an incredibly beautiful route through rhododendron forests, past rice terraces and mountain rivers spanned by suspension bridges, up to snowy peaks more beautiful than anything I’ve seen in the world.
Or to the equally beautiful and easiest trek to the Mardi Himal ridge. It takes 5–7 days, very easy – the maximum ascent height is 4250 m. From here you can also see a wonderful sunrise over Machapuchare and Annapurna.
About our trek to Mardi Himal I wrote about in detail – you can read here.
Or climb up to the Poon Hill viewpoint (3200 m). An unprepared tourist will be able to do this route in 4 days. From there you get a panorama of the Annapurna, Machapuchare and Dhaulagiri mountains.
My conclusions and recommendations for visiting Pokhara
A vacation in Pokhara can be described in a few words: cheap, warm, and pleasant.
As everywhere in Nepal, accommodation prices are low here, there are many good hotels with affordable price tags, where you can happily and painlessly stay for a few months.
It is warm here even in mid-February – there is snow in the mountains, but here you can already sunbathe.
And it’s pleasant – Pokhara is still a resort on a lake. Here you don’t want to stress, there’s a wonderful party atmosphere, plenty of delicious cheap cafes. There’s always someone to meet and chat with on any topic, especially about the mountains and climbing.
I would love to live in Pokhara for 2–3 months to fully enjoy everything I wrote about.
Useful articles and links:
- Emirates – where to relax by the sea apart from Dubai
- Road trip in Jordan – route, main sights, and travel expenses
- Cappadocia – how to fly in a hot-air balloon
- Nepal guide – how to prepare for an independent trip
- Chitwan – trip to the Nepalese jungle
Where to look for low prices on flights to Kathmandu International Airport:
Don’t forget to buy travel medical insurance – online on the portal HotlineFinance
Booking a hotel is easiest – Booking.com
