--- title: "Top 10 Things To Do in Pokhara, Nepal | Wimup" description: "The ten best things to do in Pokhara, ranked and mapped: Phewa Lake, sunrise at Sarangkot, paragliding off the ridge, the World Peace Pagoda and Begnas." url: https://wimup.com/city/pokhara type: City guide updated: 2026-09-03 publisher: Wimup (https://wimup.com) --- # Top 10 Things To Do in Pokhara Pokhara, Nepal · Asia · By Wimup Editorial, 15 min read Pokhara sits at 822 metres with the Annapurna range filling the skyline 30 km north, and the town is arranged around that view. Phewa Lake holds the foreground, Sarangkot takes the sunrise, and the trailheads for Poon Hill, Mardi Himal and Annapurna Base Camp are inside an hour by road. ## Quick answer Pokhara is Nepal's second city and the base for the Annapurna region: a lake at its centre, a valley floor at 822 metres, and 8,000 metre peaks on the horizon. Two days covers Phewa Lake, sunrise at Sarangkot, the World Peace Pagoda and a paragliding flight off the ridge. Longer usually means a trek, which is what most visitors are here for. ## Quick facts - **Best months:** Oct · Nov · Mar · Apr - **Ideal length:** 3 days - **Budget per day:** $35–90 - **Language:** Nepali, with Gurung and Magar spoken across the hills and English used throughout tourism - **Getting around:** Walk Lakeside, taxis and ride-hailing apps for the rest, local buses and jeeps to the trailheads - **Tourism board:** [Official site](https://ntb.gov.np/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ## The 10 best things to do in Pokhara ### 1. Phewa Lake and Tal Barahi Temple Lake · Lakeside (Baidam), west of the city centre The lake is why the town is where it is, and the pagoda of Tal Barahi sits on an island a few minutes out from the shore. Hire a wooden doonga at the Lakeside jetties and row yourself, or pay a boatman. Go early: the Annapurna reflection holds until the wind gets up mid-morning. - **Time:** 1 to 2 hours - **Cost:** Boat hire at the Lakeside jetties - **Best at:** First light, before the wind - **Tip:** Life jackets come with the boat and are worth wearing Links: [Ramsar listing](https://rsis.ramsar.org/ris/2257) ### 2. Sunrise at Sarangkot Viewpoint · Sarangkot, about 11 km north-west of Lakeside The ridge at roughly 1,600 metres is the standard Pokhara sunrise: Dhaulagiri, the Annapurnas and the fishtail summit of Machhapuchhre lighting up over the valley mist. Taxis leave Lakeside around 5am for the climb. Clear mornings are an October to April proposition. - **Time:** 2 hours with the drive - **Cost:** Taxi from Lakeside - **Best at:** 45 minutes before sunrise - **Tip:** Walk back down to Lakeside in about two hours rather than riding ### 3. Paraglide off the Sarangkot ridge Adventure · Take-off at Sarangkot, landing beside Phewa Lake One of the steadiest tandem paragliding sites anywhere: a road to the take-off, reliable thermals off the ridge and a landing field on the lake shore. Flights run 20 to 40 minutes depending on the package. Mornings are the dependable window, and the monsoon months are not. - **Time:** Half a morning - **Cost:** Tandem flight, booked in Lakeside - **Best at:** Mid-morning thermals - **Tip:** Ask whether the quoted price includes the photo and video package ### 4. World Peace Pagoda Landmark · The forested ridge on the south shore of Phewa Lake Nepal's first peace pagoda, inaugurated on 30 October 1999 and the seventy-first built by the Japanese order Nipponzan Myohoji. The white dome stands 115 feet, and the terrace looks straight back up the lake to the Annapurnas. Cross by boat and climb through the forest for the better arrival. - **Time:** 2 to 3 hours from Lakeside - **Cost:** Free, plus the boat across - **Best at:** Late afternoon - **Tip:** The walk up from the south shore takes 30 to 45 minutes ### 5. International Mountain Museum Museum · Ratopairo, southern Pokhara, near the old airport The Nepal Mountaineering Association's museum, opened on 5 February 2004, and the one place here that treats Himalayan climbing as a subject rather than a souvenir. Expedition equipment, the geology of the range, and the peoples who live under it. Two hours is about right. - **Time:** 2 hours - **Cost:** Ticketed, priced by nationality - **Best at:** A cloudy morning - **Tip:** The climbing wall and the model of Manaslu are outside, behind the halls Links: [Website](https://www.nepalmountaineering.org/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ### 6. Devi's Fall and Gupteshwor Mahadev Cave Natural landmark · Siddhartha Highway, Chhorepatan, southern Pokhara The outflow from Phewa Lake drops into a sinkhole and runs about 150 metres underground, which is how the waterfall got its Nepali name, Patale Chhango. The cave over the road puts you beside the same water, past a Shiva shrine and down a wet stairway. Both are ticketed, ten minutes apart on foot. - **Time:** 1 hour for both - **Cost:** Small entry fee at each - **Best at:** Monsoon and just after, when the flow peaks - **Tip:** The lower cave steps stay slippery year-round, so wear grippy shoes ### 7. Pumdikot Shiva statue Viewpoint · Pumdi Bhumdi, on the ridge south of Phewa Lake A 108 foot Shiva, statue and stupa base together, opened in 2021 on a ridge at about 1,500 metres with 108 lingas ringed around the base. It gives the fullest view of the lake and the town, and at sunset it is far quieter than Sarangkot is at dawn. - **Time:** 2 hours with the drive - **Cost:** Free - **Best at:** Sunset - **Tip:** Taxis run to the gate; the walk up from Chhorepatan takes about two hours ### 8. Begnas Lake Lake · Begnas, about 15 km east of Lakeside The valley's second lake, 3.28 km² of it, with fish cages along the shore and none of Lakeside's traffic. Row out, or walk the ridge between Begnas and Rupa Lake, which takes about two hours one way. The fish on the shoreline menus comes out of the water in front of you. - **Time:** Half a day - **Cost:** Local bus or taxi from Prithvi Chowk - **Best at:** Late afternoon - **Tip:** Rupa Lake sits 4 km east and is the quieter half of the walk ### 9. Australian Camp day hike from Kande Day hike · Trailhead at Kande, about 45 minutes by road from Lakeside The shortest way into Annapurna scenery without committing to a trek: an hour of stone steps from Kande up to a ridge meadow at about 2,060 metres, then on to Dhampus and down to the road. Machhapuchhre stands directly in front of you. It is inside the conservation area, so carry the permit. - **Time:** 5 to 6 hours with transport - **Cost:** ACAP permit, NPR 3,000 for foreign nationals - **Best at:** Clear mornings, October to April - **Tip:** Buy the permit in Pokhara before you go rather than at the trailhead Links: [Conservation area](https://ntnc.org.np/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ### 10. Old Pokhara and Bindhyabasini Temple Neighbourhood · Bagar and Bindhyabasini, northern Pokhara The town that existed before tourism: Newar shopfronts along the old trade road north, and the white Bindhyabasini shrine on the bluff above them, busiest on Saturday mornings. It is a 20 minute taxi from Lakeside and a completely different city at the end of it. - **Time:** 2 hours - **Cost:** Free - **Best at:** Saturday morning - **Tip:** Combine it with the Bat Cave and Mahendra Cave, both a few km further north ## Best adventure sports in Pokhara Five more ways to use the ridge, the river and the lake. 1. **Ultralight flight** (15 to 60 min · Pokhara airport): Open-cockpit flights from the airport over the lake and the Annapurna foothills, 15 minutes to an hour. 2. **ZipFlyer Nepal** (1.8 km · 56° incline · Sarangkot to Hyangja): 1.8 km of cable and close to 600 metres of vertical drop, from Sarangkot down towards Hyangja. 3. **Bungee at Hemja** (70 m tower · Hemja): A 70 metre tower cantilevered over the river, 25 minutes north of Lakeside on the Baglung road. [Website](https://www.highgroundnepal.com/bungee?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) 4. **Rafting the Seti** (Grade 2 to 3 · Seti Gandaki): Half and full days of grade 2 to 3 water on the milky Seti, with the put-in about an hour from town. 5. **Kayaking on Phewa** (By the hour · Lakeside): Kayaks by the hour along the Lakeside shore. Flat water, no permit, and the pagoda as a target. ## Best treks and day hikes from Pokhara Where the Annapurna routes actually start, and what each one costs in days. 1. **Ghorepani and Poon Hill** (3 to 4 days · 3,210 m · Trailhead at Nayapul): Three to four days to a 3,210 metre viewpoint facing Dhaulagiri and the Annapurnas. The busiest short trek in Nepal. 2. **Mardi Himal** (4 to 5 days · Trailhead at Kande): Four to five days along a ridge directly under Machhapuchhre, starting from the road at Kande. 3. **Annapurna Base Camp** (7 to 10 days · 4,130 m · Trailhead at Nayapul or Kande): Seven to ten days into the sanctuary at 4,130 metres, ringed by Annapurna I, Annapurna South and Machhapuchhre. 4. **Panchase** (2 days · 2,517 m · West of Phewa Lake): Two days on the ridge west of Phewa, through rhododendron forest to a 2,517 metre summit view. 5. **Kahun Danda** (Half day · East of the centre): A half-day climb from the east side of town to a view tower above the valley. No permit needed. ## Best caves and gorges in Pokhara The limestone the valley sits on, and the river cutting through the middle of it. 1. **Mahendra Cave** (200 m long · Batulechaur): 200 metres of Pleistocene limestone with stalactites, found by villagers in 1951 and named for the king who visited in 1959. 2. **Bat Cave** (150 m · Torch provided · Batulechaur): Chamere Gufa, 150 metres of passage a short walk from Mahendra Cave, with a resident horseshoe bat colony. 3. **Seti River gorge** (Free · K.I. Singh bridge): The Seti runs through the middle of town in a slot a few metres wide. K.I. Singh bridge is where you see it. ## Best temples and monasteries in Pokhara Three worth the taxi, none of them on the lake shore. 1. **Matepani Gumba** (Free · Matepani): A Karma Kagyu monastery on a wooded hill east of the centre, with the valley laid out from its courtyard. 2. **Tashi Palkhel** (Est. 1962 · Hyangja): The oldest Tibetan settlement here, established in 1962 at Hyangja, with a monastery and a carpet workshop. 3. **Tashi Ling** (Free · Chhorepatan): The second settlement, near Devi's Fall, home to around 250 families, with a monastery and a carpet showroom. ## Best museums in Pokhara Three small collections, each about one thing. 1. **Gurkha Memorial Museum** (Ticketed · Deep, northern Pokhara): Uniforms, medals and regimental history of the Gurkha units, beside the British camp in the north of town. 2. **Pokhara Regional Museum** (Ticketed · Nadipur): The valley's own history, and the Gurung, Thakali and Magar communities of the surrounding hills. 3. **Annapurna Natural History Museum** (Inside the campus · Prithvi Narayan Campus): The butterfly museum, inside Prithvi Narayan Campus: insects, birds and the geology of the range. ## Best restaurants in Pokhara Five Lakeside long-runners, each known for one thing. 1. **Caffe Concerto** (Italian · Since 1987 · Lakeside): Italian, open since 1987, with wood-fired pizza and its own bakery attached. 2. **OR2K** (Vegetarian · Lakeside): Floor-cushion seating and a vegetarian Middle Eastern menu. The hummus and falafel are the order. 3. **Krishna's Kitchen** (Thai · Sedi, north Lakeside): Thai cooking in a garden at the quiet north end, under the paragliding landing field. 4. **Moondance** (International · Lakeside): A Lakeside fixture for steaks, pizza and a wine list, busy from the first evening of the season. 5. **Busy Bee Cafe** (Bar · Live music · Lakeside): Live music most nights, and where the rest of the strip ends up after ten. ## Best day trips from Pokhara Five that work in a day, ordered by how far the road runs. 1. **Ghandruk** (Jeep · 1 day · Annapurna foothills): A Gurung village at about 2,000 metres with a village museum and Annapurna South overhead. Jeeps go and return in a day. 2. **Bandipur** (75 km · 2 hrs · Tanahun): A Newar hill town on a ridge 75 km east, with a car-free main street. About two hours by road. 3. **Manakamana** (Cable car · Gorkha): A cable car up to a hilltop temple on the Kathmandu road, and the standard break on that drive. 4. **Tansen** (4 hrs · Palpa): A Newar hill town on the Siddhartha Highway about four hours south, under the Srinagar ridge. 5. **Chitwan National Park** (5 hrs · Overnight · Sauraha, Chitwan): Nepal's first national park, and its rhinos, about five hours south at Sauraha. Better as an overnight. [Website](https://chitwannationalpark.gov.np/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ## Festivals & annual events in Pokhara (2026) - **Maghe Sankranti** (Mid-January): Ritual bathing at the river confluences at dawn, then sesame sweets and yam eaten across the valley. - **Maha Shivaratri** (February or March): Gupteshwor Mahadev draws overnight crowds to its cave shrine, the biggest night of that site's year. - **Holi** (March): Colour and water thrown along the Lakeside strip through the afternoon. Wear nothing you want back. - **Nepali New Year** (Mid-April): Baisakh 1 in the Bikram Sambat calendar, marked with processions, temple visits and family meals. - **Ropain, National Paddy Day** (Late June): Rice planting turns into a mud festival in the paddies around the valley, on Asar 15. - **Dashain** (September or October): Nepal's longest festival, fifteen days of it. Shops shut, buses fill and the town empties homeward. - **Tihar** (October or November): Five nights of oil lamps and marigold along the strip, with Deusi and Bhailo singing door to door. - **Pokhara Street Festival** (28 December to 1 January): Food stalls, music and a boat race along about 3.5 km of Lakeside, run by REBAN Pokhara. ## Must-try dishes in Pokhara, Nepal - **Thakali khana set**: The Thak Khola version of dal bhat: black lentils, greens and a curry, all on one plate. - **Chukauni**: A Gandaki potato salad in whipped yogurt, with mustard oil, turmeric and chilli. - **Dhido with gundruk**: Millet or buckwheat mash with fermented leafy greens. The hill staple, not a tourist dish. - **Momo**: Steamed or fried dumplings with tomato achar. Buffalo is the default filling. - **Sekuwa**: Charcoal-grilled marinated meat, sold by the plate once the evening cools. - **Fried lake fish**: Sahar and trout out of Phewa and Begnas, fried whole and eaten by the water. - **Sel roti**: A crisp ring of fermented rice batter, fried fresh at festival time. - **Thukpa**: Tibetan noodle soup, best in the settlements at Hyangja and Chhorepatan. ## Pokhara transport & airports - **Pokhara International Airport** (PKR): Opened on 1 January 2023 east of the centre. The hop from Kathmandu takes about 25 minutes and runs several times a day. Scheduled international service has not started. [Buddha Air](https://www.buddhaair.com/flights-to-pokhara?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - **Tourist coaches** (Prithvi Highway): About 200 km from Kathmandu on the Prithvi Highway, six to eight hours depending on the road. Tourist coaches leave both cities early in the morning. - **Bus parks and trailheads** (Local buses): Prithvi Chowk handles long distance. Baglung bus park serves the west and the trailheads at Nayapul and Kande. Jeeps run the same routes and leave when full. - **Around town** (Taxis): Taxis are unmetered in practice, so agree the fare first. Ride-hailing apps work here, and Lakeside rents scooters and bicycles by the day. ## Pokhara at a glance - **Country:** Nepal - **Region:** Gandaki Province, Kaski district, in the Pokhara valley at 822 metres - **Population:** 600,051 in Pokhara Metropolitan City at the 2021 census, across 464 km² and 33 wards - **Founded:** A trading stop on the route between the Kali Gandaki valley and the plains, grown into Nepal's second city - **Nickname:** The city of lakes. Declared Nepal's tourism capital in March 2024. - **Language:** Nepali is official, with Gurung and Magar spoken across the surrounding hills and English used throughout tourism - **Currency:** Nepalese rupee (NPR, Rs) - **Time zone:** Nepal Time, UTC+5:45, no daylight saving - **Calling code:** +977, with 61 as the Pokhara area code - **Airports:** Pokhara International (PKR), opened 1 January 2023, on the east side of the city - **Power:** 230V, 50Hz, type C, D and M plugs - **Emergency:** 100 for police, 101 for fire, 102 for ambulance ## Interesting facts - Machhapuchhre, the fishtail peak on the skyline at 6,993 metres, has never been summited. Climbing it was banned after 1957. - The valley floor sits at 822 metres and Annapurna I stands at 8,091 metres, about 30 km apart in a straight line. - Annapurna I was the first 8,000 metre peak ever climbed, on 3 June 1950, by a French expedition. - The nine lakes of the Pokhara valley became Nepal's tenth Ramsar wetland site on 2 February 2016. - Pokhara is the wettest of Nepal's cities, and the monsoon between June and September delivers most of that rain. ## Pokhara travel FAQ ### Is Pokhara worth visiting? Yes, and for two different trips. It is the base for the Annapurna treks, with trailheads under an hour away by road, and it is a lake town that holds three days on its own: Sarangkot at sunrise, a paraglider off the ridge, and the peace pagoda across the water. ### How many days do you need in Pokhara? Three, if you are not trekking. One for Phewa Lake and the World Peace Pagoda, one for Sarangkot at sunrise and a flight down, one for Begnas or the caves. Add the trek on top: four days for Poon Hill, seven to ten for Annapurna Base Camp. ### When is the best time to visit Pokhara? October and November are the clearest months, with March and April close behind. The monsoon from June to September hides the mountains for days and grounds the paragliders. Winter is dry and clear, but Sarangkot before dawn is cold. ### How do you get from Kathmandu to Pokhara? Fly in about 25 minutes, or drive the 200 km of the Prithvi Highway in six to eight hours. Tourist coaches leave both cities early in the morning. Flights run through the day and are the first thing cancelled when the weather closes in. ### Do you need a permit to trek from Pokhara? Yes. Everything above the valley sits inside the Annapurna Conservation Area, and the entry permit costs foreign nationals NPR 3,000. Buy it in Pokhara rather than at the trailhead. Nepal also requires foreign trekkers on these routes to walk with a licensed guide. ## Nearby guides - [Kathmandu](https://wimup.com/city/kathmandu.md): Nepal · 10 picks - [Janakpur](https://wimup.com/city/janakpur.md): Nepal · 10 picks - [Thimphu](https://wimup.com/city/thimphu.md): Bhutan · 10 picks - [All of Asia →](https://wimup.com/asia): 109 cities Part of the [Nepal guide](https://wimup.com/country/nepal.md) · [Asia](https://wimup.com/asia.md) ## Sources - [Pokhara tourism board](https://ntb.gov.np/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Phewa Lake and Tal Barahi Temple: Ramsar listing](https://rsis.ramsar.org/ris/2257) - [International Mountain Museum (official site)](https://www.nepalmountaineering.org/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Australian Camp day hike from Kande: Conservation area](https://ntnc.org.np/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Bungee at Hemja (official site)](https://www.highgroundnepal.com/bungee?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Chitwan National Park (official site)](https://chitwannationalpark.gov.np/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Pokhara International Airport: Buddha Air](https://www.buddhaair.com/flights-to-pokhara?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - Rankings are Wimup editorial picks. Prices, durations and budgets are editorial estimates, not live quotes; check the official site before you go.