Pokhara: what to see, where to stay and how to get around

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Pokhara lies on Phewa Lake at about eight hundred metres, and only some thirty kilometres away the Annapurna range rises to over eight thousand — one of the greatest rises from valley to summit anywhere on earth. It is the base for the Annapurna treks, and one of the favourite places of Israeli travellers in Nepal. Half a day; the mountains are clearest from October to April, in the early morning.

A short history of Pokhara

Pokhara grew up on an ancient trade route between Tibet and India, beside Phewa Lake and at the foot of the Annapurna range. Until the mid-20th century it was a small town that could be reached only on foot. In the 1950s a small airfield opened there, followed by roads, and the city became the starting point for treks in the Annapurna. Above it rises Machapuchare, whose summit may not be climbed. On 1 January 2023 an international airport opened in the city, and on 15 January that year a plane crashed near it, killing 72 people.

The ten best sights in Pokhara

1
Lakeside
The travellers’ strip along the lake
2
Phewa Lake
Row a wooden boat out to the island temple
3
Chabad House
Shabbat meals for Israeli travellers
4
World Peace Pagoda
A white stupa on the ridge over the lake
5
Sarangkot
Sunrise over the Annapurnas; paragliding launch
6
Davis Falls
A stream that vanishes underground
7
Tibetan Settlement
Refugee village of carpet weavers
8
International Mountain Museum
The Himalaya, its peoples and its climbers
9
Seti Gorge
A river in a crack a few metres wide
10
Bindhyabasini Temple
A Hindu temple on a hill in the old town

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What is an audio walk?

Tours in Pokhara →

A guide in your headphones: open the walk on our site, walk from stop to stop, and at each one your phone tells its story. No guide, no group, and free. This is the first walk in Pokhara:

Free walking tours in Pokhara

The lake and the mountains

Lakeside · The strip of guesthouses, cafés and trekking shops along the eastern shore of the lake. On a clear morning the peak of Machapuchare, the Fishtail, stands over the water — a sacred mountain that has been closed to climbers since 1957, so its summit has never officially been reached.
Chabad House · Pokhara and Kathmandu are stations on the great Israeli trip to Nepal. The Chabad House here hosts Shabbat dinners for trekkers and, before the season, gives advice on routes and safety. In October 2014 a sudden blizzard on the Annapurna circuit killed about forty trekkers and guides, among them four young Israelis — a reminder to register, take a guide and check the weather.
Phewa Lake · Painted wooden boats carry visitors across the lake to the little island temple of Tal Barahi, a pagoda-roofed shrine to a form of the goddess Durga, where pigeons crowd the steps and on Saturdays the queue to worship reaches the water.
World Peace Pagoda · A white stupa on the ridge across the lake, built by Japanese Buddhist monks of the Nipponzan Myohoji order and finished in 1999. Many visitors row across and climb up through the forest; from the top the whole lake and the Annapurnas spread out.
Davis Falls · A stream pours into a hole and disappears underground into a tunnel. It is named after a Swiss visitor, Mrs Davis, who was swept away and drowned here in 1961. Across the road a stair leads down into the Gupteshwor cave, where you can see the falls from below.
Tibetan Settlement · After the Chinese took Tibet and the Dalai Lama fled in 1959, refugees settled around Pokhara. In their camps they weave carpets on upright looms, and old women in traditional dress sell jewellery by the lake.

Sunrise, gorges and caves

Above the town is the sunrise viewpoint of Sarangkot; in town, a river disappears into a crack in the earth, and to the north are caves and the museum of the Gurkhas. A full day by taxi; Sarangkot before dawn.

Sarangkot · A ridge-top village where crowds gather before dawn to watch the sun strike the snow of Dhaulagiri, Annapurna and Machapuchare one after another. Later in the morning paragliders launch from here and circle over the lake with eagles — one of the most famous flying sites in the world.
International Mountain Museum · A museum of the Himalaya, its peoples and the history of its climbing. Annapurna, climbed by a French team in 1950, was the first mountain over eight thousand metres to be summited, three years before Everest.
Seti Gorge · The Seti river, milky white with limestone from the mountains, runs through town in a crack in the earth only a few metres wide and tens of metres deep. From the bridges you hear it far below but can barely see it.
Bindhyabasini Temple · A white Hindu temple on a hill in the old part of town, dedicated to the goddess Bindhyabasini, where families bring offerings and animals are sacrificed on Saturdays and festival days.
Gurkha Memorial Museum · Since 1815 Nepali soldiers, the Gurkhas, have served in the British Army, famous for their curved kukri knives and their courage, and many came from the hills around Pokhara. The museum tells their story, and their many Victoria Crosses.
Bat Cave · A dark cave where thousands of bats hang from the ceiling. The adventurous leave by climbing out through a narrow chimney in the rock; next to it is Mahendra Cave, of limestone formations.

Into the hills

Pokhara is the door to the Annapurnas. Even without a long trek, a day or two in the foothills brings you face to face with the peaks. Permits and a guide are now required for the treks; register before setting out.

Nayapul · The roadhead about an hour and a half from Pokhara where many treks into the Annapurna Sanctuary and to Poon Hill begin, crossing a suspension bridge into the villages of the Gurung people.
Australian Camp · A grassy meadow at about two thousand metres, reached in a few hours’ walk, facing Annapurna South and Machapuchare. Teahouses here let you sleep and wake to the peaks at dawn.
Dhampus · A Gurung village spread on a ridge, with stone houses, terraced fields and homestays, often the first night of short treks from Pokhara.
Begnas Lake · Back in the valley, a quieter lake east of Pokhara among rice terraces and fish farms, where you can row out without the crowds of Phewa.
Phewa Lake · In the afternoon the clouds usually build over the mountains, and the lake becomes the place to rest, with boats for hire along the shore.
Lakeside · Back in Lakeside for the evening, among trekkers just down from the mountains, with live music in the bars and dal bhat in the cafés.

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Getting to Pokhara and getting around

Pokhara Airport · Short flights from Kathmandu with mountain views
Nayapul · Where many Annapurna treks begin

Cheap eats in Pokhara

Nepal eats dal bhat twice a day: rice, lentil soup, vegetable curry and pickle, refilled until you say stop — the trekkers’ slogan is dal bhat power, twenty-four hour. Momos, dumplings of buffalo, chicken or vegetables, are the snack; the Thakali set of the Annapurna villages is the feast. Lakeside also serves Israeli food for its many Israeli visitors.

Lakeside · Dal bhat, momos and Israeli cafés
Chabad House · Kosher meals and Shabbat dinners
Dhampus · A Thakali set in a teahouse

Museums in Pokhara

Pokhara’s museums tell of the mountains, their climbers and the Gurkha soldiers of the hills.

International Mountain Museum · The Himalaya and its climbers
Gurkha Memorial Museum · The Gurkhas
Tibetan Settlement · Tibetan refugees and carpets

Nature and day trips near Pokhara

Lakes, gorges and caves in the valley, and above them the Annapurna range, among the highest mountains on earth.

Sarangkot · Sunrise over the Annapurnas
Australian Camp · A short trek to the peaks
Seti Gorge · The hidden river
Begnas Lake · The quiet lake

Things to do in Pokhara with kids

With children: a boat on the lake, caves with bats, paragliders overhead and a vanishing waterfall.

Phewa Lake · A rowing boat
Bat Cave · Bats and a chimney
Davis Falls · The vanishing stream

Holy places in Pokhara

Hindu temples, Tibetan Buddhist monasteries, a Japanese peace pagoda and a Chabad House by the lake.

World Peace Pagoda · The white stupa
Bindhyabasini Temple · The goddess on the hill
Phewa Lake · The island temple
Chabad House · Shabbat in the Himalaya

Nightlife in Pokhara

Pokhara’s nights are Lakeside: live music bars, trekkers celebrating their return, and the lake under the stars.

Lakeside · Live music bars
Phewa Lake · The shore at night

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Frequently asked questions about Pokhara

What is there to see in Pokhara?

The top sights in Pokhara are Lakeside, Phewa Lake and Chabad House. The full list on this page has 10 sights, each with a photo and a short note.

How many days do you need in Pokhara?

Three to four days are enough to see the best of Pokhara without rushing, including at least one walking tour.

Is there a free walking tour in Pokhara?

Yes. sleepntrip has 3 free audio walks in Pokhara, with no guide and no group: your phone tells the story at every stop. The first one: The lake and the mountains.

How do you get to Pokhara and get around?

The main ways are Pokhara Airport and Nayapul. Full details are in the transport section on this page.

Where to stay in Pokhara, and for how much?

sleepntrip shows only rooms in Pokhara that meet nine conditions: a good location, high guest scores, cleanliness, and a price of up to $80 a night for two. Pick your dates and see what is free.

Looking for a hotel in Pokhara for your dates?

Only rooms that meet nine conditions, up to $80 a night.

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