10 Reasons to visit Pokhara

Renowned for its natural beauty, Pokhara is regarded as the tourist capital of Nepal. Located

203 kilometers west of the Kathmandu Valley, Pokhara is the topmost priority of any tourist

visiting the country. Serene Lakes, ancient caves, and the beautiful views of the Himalayas

drive the sensation of peace and calm to anyone visiting the beautiful city. Pokhara is the

ultimate destination to get-away from the never ending hassle of the everyday life. It is also

popular for various adventure sports like trekking, rafting and paragliding. The beautiful city

has a little bit of everything. Natural scenery is the first thing that comes to mind with the

name “Pokhara”, but the right amount of urban touch has made the city equipped with all

the latest facilities and any visitors should not feel any inconvenience at any point.

There are numerous reasons to why someone should visit Pokhara. I have taken an effort to

break it down to 10 most enjoyable aspects of the city.

1. PHEWA LAKE (LAKESIDE).

Phewa Lake is one of the most happening tourist destinations in Pokhara, along with six other lakes. These lakes originate from the glacial rivers in Annapurna Mountains. Swimming and boating in the beautiful lakes brings everyone’s mind at ease. The Lake stands out because of the small island located in the center of the lake, upon which is the Hindu temple “Barahi”. Lakeside, the area around Phewa Lake, is the tourist neighborhood with foreigners from all around the world. The area consists of strings of hotels, pubs and bars where visitors can hang out and enjoy Nepali drinks and variety of music

2. VIEWS OF THE HIMALAYAN RANGE.

Anybody who travels to Pokhara has high expectations about the vast mountains floating in the horizon. And, they are not disappointed. Sun-rise and sun-set views of the Annapurna range is so beautiful, visitors hike for hours onto the Sarangkot hill-top. Mt. Machhapuchhre, named after its “fish-tail” shaped structure can be seen from anywhere in Pokhara and gigantic Dhaulagiri and Manaslu rest idle at distance.

3. TREKKING

Trekking is a fantastic adventure in Pokhara. Visitors have a variety of choices to trek in the mountains around Pokhara. Most popular trekking sites from Pokhara are; Poonhill, Annapurna Base Camp, Annapurna Circuit, Jomsom and Muktinath, and Royal Trek (which was named, after Prince Charles himself took part in this trekking.) Trekking in Pokhara allows visitors to gaze at the beautiful scenarios while gathering first-hand experience of the local life

4. MUSEUMS

International Mountain Museum is the most popular museum in Pokhara. As the name suggests, the entire museum is dedicated to historical documents and chronicles on mountaineering. Valuable information about climbing is also featured in the museum. Gurkha museum and Pokhara regional museum are other popular museums in Pokhara. Gurkha museum is full of photographs and achievements of brave Gurkha warriors. Museum was specifically designed to honor the bravery and glory of the Gurkha soldiers. Pokhara Regional Museum is full of history and culture of original Pokhara valley. It covers various ethnic backgrounds and traditions of the past.

5. ANCIENT GLOOMY CAVES

Another popular place to visit in Pokhara is its ancient caves. Mahendra Cave, also known as cave of bats, is a series of large limestones and the entire ceiling of the cave is covered with bats anytime of the year. David’s Falls, locally known as Patale Chhango, is a dark cavern underground, which sucks in the river flowing out of Lake Phewa. Modern myth is that; a foreigner named David was swept away by the river and lost his life. Hence the name, David’s falls. Gupteshwor Gupha is a Hindu shrine with the phallic symbol of Lord Shiva enshrined there.

6. SETI GANDAKI RIVER.

This river flows underground at different places in the city. There are points where the river emerges barely 2m wide, but surprisingly the depth exceeds imagination and is over 20 meters. It is said that the Seti-Gandaki River flowing underground can be overheard while the river itself remains invisible. The powerful blow from the river has formed a deep gorge, called the Seti Gorge.

7. BEGNAS LAKE

Begnas is another famous name after Phewa Lake. Unlike the latter, this lake remains less crowded yet equally beautiful. This could be the perfect place for someone who wants to immerse in the nature and enjoy peacefully. Visitors can take boats for hire and also dive into the waters with appropriate safety measures.

8. OLD BAZAAR

Old bazaar is bright and colorful and another one of Pokhara’s “must-visit” places. The shops in this market sell everything from edibles to souvenirs, jewelry and so on. Only 4 km away from the Lakeside, the market is full of ethnically diverse traders. At the heart of the Bazaar is another Hindu shrine dedicated to the Hindu goddess Bhagwati. Saturdays and Tuesdays are especially crowded in the temple, with devotees making offerings for the goddess.

9. WORLD PEACE PAGODA

South of the Phewa lake, located atop the hill is a magnificent white dome created by Buddhist monks. This stupa was built as a symbol of peace and thus, named World Peace Pagoda. There are 3 different ways to reach the famous “Shanti Stupa”; by boat, through the jungle, and the dam. The safest and easiest way to reach there would definitely be by boat. This is recommended for the newbie tourists to avoid getting lost. Breath taking views of the Annapurna range and the Phewa Lake can be seen from the Stupa.

10. IT’S AFFORDABLE.Despite the beautiful scenarios and unlimited array of fun, it would all be ruined if it was unaffordable for normal folks. Luckily though, the trip to Pokhara is affordable and the visitors can choose their own style of accommodation with the string of competitive hotels offering the best prices. The trip to Pokhara can be done either by flight from Kathmandu to Pokhara, which will allow you to have a sky-view of the whole Pokhara valley. Another alternative is the bus ride right alongside the Trishuli River. You will be able to experience a “breath of fresh air” literally, on this route. Pokhara is the ultimate destination for relaxation.