Pokhara Hotels

Geography, then, is mostly to blame for Pokhara's mystical charm. The city resides within a deep valley in the verdant Gandaki zone and hill region of Nepal. Mountains spire dramatically in the distance and provide a sharp and supremely photogenic contrast with the crystalline waters of Phewa Lake. The ultimate, often inevitable, effect on observers new to this altitudinous part of the world borders on worshipful awe.

Like Kathmandu and, indeed, the rest of Nepal, Pokhara is a pilgrimage destination of sorts, with a handful of pristine pagodas, temples and shrines on display. The likes of Bindhya Basini Temple, Bhimsen Temle, Barahi Temple and the World Peace Pagoda top the tourist list and compete with a few vital museums for your time.

Pokhara’s Top 10

Pokhara History

• Sarangkot Hill Fort – Ruins of an old fort built by the British and currently occupied by the Nepalese Army. Great for photos as long as you don’t take pictures of the soldiers.
• Ghurkha Museum – A well-maintained museum built to commemorate the famous Ghurkha Regiment.
• Bhimsen Temple – A 200-year-old shrine to the ancient Newari god of trade and selling.
• Varahi Temple – Renowned Hindu temple built in the 1800s to honour Vishnu. The unique, two-tiered pagoda style architecture reflects Pokhara’s Hindu history.
• Bindhya Basini Temple – Built in the 1700s, an ancient stone temple consecrated to the Hindu goddess Shiva.

Pokhara Art & Culture

• Pokhara Museum – A small museum with unique exhibits of Nepalese artefacts.
• Tashi Pakhel – The largest settlement of Tibetan monks, more than 100, and site of the annual Masked Dances Festival held in January and February.
• International Mountain Museum – Honours the mountaineers who climbed the Himalayan Mountains. Exhibits of the original mountain climbing gear used and the flora, fauna and history of the Himalayans.
• Tamu Kohibo Museum – Commemorates the culture of the indigenous Tamu people of Pokhara. The mix of animism, shamanism and Bonist religion is reflected in their art and woodcarvings.
• World Peace Pagoda – Built by Buddhist monks from Japan, this is a dazzling white pagoda with scenic views and great for photography.

Pokhara Shopping

• Fishtail Organic Garden – Offers organic products, such as yak milk soap, wild honey, local herbal teas and organic coffee.
• Mandala Book Shop – Wide selection of guidebooks, postcards and coffee-table photo books of Nepal.
• Dhukuti – Handicrafts and local art produced by villagers throughout Nepal.
• Religious Specialty Shops – Lining Tersapati Street are a number of shops selling Hindu and Buddhist candles, woodcarvings, etc.
• Lakeside East – The heart of the shopping and commercial centre of Pokhara caters to young travellers.

Gay & Lesbian Pokhara

• Busy Bee Cafe – Great hangout and gay-friendly nightlife. Easy meeting spot.
• Club Amsterdam – Great club for mixing and mingling with gay friends.
• Club Bistro – Great European atmosphere and good food.
• Club Paradiso – Loud music and great bands in a gay-friendly atmosphere.
• Aussie Bar on the Lake – Swinging place for gays that serves great food and beer.

Pokhara Events

Clandestine yoga ashrams and meditation studios dot the countryside in the vicinity of Pokhara proper.

Sarangkot is a small mountain village outside of Pokhara with magnificent panoramas of the Himalayas.

Treks to the Annapurna range, home to some of the most dangerous summits on the planet, rely on Pokhara as a platform.

Bagh Jatra is a traditional Newa festival held in August.

Pokhara Street Festival is a flagship arts and culture bash at the end of December.

Old Bazaar is one of the best marketplaces in Nepal and the place to shop in Pokhara.

Diwali is a major holiday in Nepal.

When To Go

Pokhara enjoys subtropical weather but altitude tempers and alters conditions to a considerable degree. Overall, visitors can expect a four season climate with moderate to heavy rainfall from June to September.

Throughout the winter months of December to February, temperatures waver from 39°F (4°C) to 64.5°F (18°C). In summer, from June to September, the weather heats up between 66°F (19°C) and 81°F (27°C).

Balmy months to consider include March, April, October and November.

Getting Around

Bus fleets depart Kathmandu for Pokhara ever fifteen minutes or so and offer the most dependable mode of transport between the two. The journey takes six hours on a good day but security checkpoints and precarious road conditions can sometimes bump it up to eight or nine.

Royal Nepal Airlines offers affordable fares between Pokhara and Kathmandu. Total flight time is a brief twenty minutes but long enough to enjoy spectacular views of the Himalayas.

Bicycle, motorcycle and scooter rentals abound in Pokhara and provide a good alternative to taxis. From a service perspective, the modest bus and tram network in the city is somewhat arbitrary.

General Information

Attractions & Activities

Restaurants & Nightlife

Climate