Pokhara is a big tourist spot because it has the beautiful Phewa Tal Lake, great mountain scenery, and is the gateway to the most popular treks in Nepal. It is one of the most beautiful places in Nepal. There are several excellent one day trips and short works in the area. Some of the best river rafting tours in Nepal begin nearby. It is a pleasant laid-back, relaxed place to stay for a while. Located at just 800m above sea level, it is close to the 8000m Annapurna and Dhaulagiri mountain ranges and there some outstanding views to the north. Machhapuchhare (Fishtail Peak), which is one of the most beautiful mountains in the world, is right next to the city. Pokhara is 200km west of Kathmandu. It is a great place to relax after a long trek.

Pokhara has an excellent selection of good hotels and restaurants. Hotels are clean, well-maintained and often have a pleasant garden. Restaurants have a wide selection of Western, Chinese, and Italian and have a pleasant atmosphere. Hotel views sometimes get blocked by newly built ones, so thing can change often in Pokhara.

There are three large lakes, Phewa Tal right next to the city, and Rupa Tal and Begnas Tal, which are a little east of town.

The road between Kathmandu and Pokhara (Prithvi Highway) was built in the early 1970s with the help of the Chinese. The road from the Indian border town of Sanauli was built with the help of the India also in the 1970s. The first tourists to find Pokhara were hippies in the 1970s. Since then Pokhara has become a major tourist town.

It is not as cold here in the winter as Kathmandu, because it is at 884m elevation, while Kathmandu is at 1500m. It can get pretty hot in May and June.

The rainfall can be heavy during the monsoon and the humility can be really bad. It receives about twice as much rain as Kathmandu yearly/
The Pokhara Valleys is mainly Chhetris and Bahuns, while the hills surrounding Pokhara are mainly inhabited by Gurungs. The Gurungs make up a good percentage of the Gurkhas regiments in India and other places.

Para Gliding. Fly freely amongst the magnificent Himalaya with eagles and griffons to join you as you soar over lakes and villages. Bring your own equipment. Sarangkot is the jumping off point for paragliders.

Mountain views : Clearly the most stunning of Pokhara's sights is the spectacular panorama of the Annapurna range which forms its backdrop. The Annapurna massif includes Annapurna I to IV and Annapurna South. Although the highest among them is Annapurna I (8,091 m), it is Machhapuchhre (6,977 m) which dominates all others in this area.

Phewa Lake : The second largest lake in the Kingdom roughly measuring 1.5 by 4 km, is the center of all attractions in Pokhara. It is the largest and most enchanting of the three lakes that add to the resplendence of the resort town. The eastern shore, popularly known as Lakeside or Baidam, is the favorite home base for travellers and is where most of the hotels, restaurants and handicraft shops are located.

Begnas Lake and Rupa Lake are located about 15 km from Pokhara at the end of a road that turns north from the highway to Kathmandu. Divided by a forested hillock called Panchabhaiya Danda, the lakes offer the perfect nature retreat because of their relative seclusion. Splendid boating and fishing opportunities can be had here.

Barahi Temple : Built on an island in Phewa Lake, this two-storied pagoda is dedicated to the boar manifestation of Ajima, the protectress deity representing the female force. Devotees can be seen, especially on Saturdays, carrying animals across the lake to be sacrificed to the deity.

World Peace Stupa, a massive Buddhist stupa, is situated on top of a hill on the southern shore of Phewa Lake. Besides being an impressive sight in itself, the shrine is a great vantage point which offers superb views of the Annapurna range and Pokhara city.

Seti Gandaki : . Flowing right through the city, the boisterous river runs completely underground at places. Amazingly, at certain points the river appears hardly two meters wide. But its depth is quite beyond imagination - over 20 meters! Mahendra Pul, a small bridge near the old Mission Hospital, provides a perfect view of the river's dreadful rush and the deep gorge made by its powerful flow.

Seti Gorge and the Green Canyon. The View Point of The Fulbari Resort offers an unrivaled panorama of the Annapurna range with Lamjung Himal, Annapurna II, Annapurna IV, Machhapuchhre, Annapurna III, Annapurna I and Annapurna South extending from right to left. A splendid vista of the Seti Gorge, a deep and narrow gorge cut by the Seti river, and the Green Canyon spreads out below.

Devi's Fall. Locally known as Patale Chhango, Devi's Fall (also known as Devil's, Devin's or David's) is an awesome waterfall lying about 2 km south-west of Pokhara airport on the highway to Tansen. Legend has it that a trekker (Devin, David...) was washed away by the Pardi Khola and disappeared down into an underground passage beneath the fall.

Gupteswar Gupha is a sacred cave located near Devi's Fall. The cave is almost 3 km long. It has some big hall-size rooms and some passages. This cave holds special value for Hindus since a phallic symbol of Lord Shiva is preserved here in the condition it was discovered. There is an entrance fee, and taking pictures inside the cave is prohibited.

Mahendra Gupha. Another of nature's wonders in Pokhara is the Mahendra Gupha. This large limestone cave is locally known as the House of Bats, an apt name for it. A two-hour walk to the north of Pokhara, it is best to bring your own torch to see the stalactites and stalagmites, as well as the local winged residents.

The Old Bazaar. Pokhara's traditional bazaar is colorful and so are its ethnically diverse traders. In its temples and monuments can be seen ties to the Newar architecture of the Kathmandu Valley. Located about 4 km from Lakeside, the market's original charm is alive and well.

Bindhyabasini Temple is the center of religious activity in the old bazaar. It is dedicated to Goddess Bhagawati, yet another manifestation of Shakti. The park-like grounds offer a fine picnic area, and on Saturdays and Tuesdays when devotees flock there to offer sacrifices, take on a festive local flavor.

The Tibetan refugee settlement, Tashi Palkhiel, also known locally as Hemja Camp, is 7 km north of Pokhara on the west bank of the Seti River. Of interest here are the monastery, handicraft center and herbal medicine clinic.

MUSEUMS

Pokhara Museum, located between the airport and Mahendra Pul, reflects the ethnic mosaic of western Nepal. The lifestyles and history of ethnic groups such as the Gurung, Thakali and the Tharu are displayed. Open daily, except Tuesdays and holidays, from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. Entrance Rs. 10, and an extra Rs. 20 for cameras (Rs. 100 for movie cameras). (Tel: 520413).

Annapurna Museum, also known as the Natural History Museum, is located at Prithvi Narayan Campus east of the old bazaar. Managed by the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP), the museum has an exceptional collection of butterflies, insects, birds and models of wildlife as well as samples of various precious and semi-precious stones and volcanic rocks. Open daily, except Saturdays and holidays, from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. Entrance is free. (Tel: 521102).

The Gurkha Memorial Museum is housed within the premises of Hotel Nature Land at Pardi, Pokhara. The museum has on display uniforms and badges of Gurkha infantry regiments, Gurkha engineers, signals and transport regiments and the Gurkha Contingent of the Singapore Police Force. There are also historical photographs and medals (including the Victoria Cross) of Gurkha veterans - some dating back to the First World War. Open daily, except Mondays, from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. Entrance Rs. 50 (Tel: 061-522577).

International Mountain Museum, located at Rato Pairo, boasts historical documents, records and chronicles on mountaineering. Spread over a total floor area of 4,242 sq. m on a total land area of 12.5 acres, the museum houses three main exhibition halls: Hall of the Great Himalaya, Hall of Fame and the Hall of World Mountains. It also houses a library, a prayer room called Lakhang and an audio-visural room. Other attractions include models of glorious peaks, mannequins of famous mountaineers and the culture and lifestyle of the mountain people. A dream project of Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA), it is a place where you witness a confluence of "man, mountain and mountaineering".
THINGS TO DO

Boating : Pokhara's diverse natural wonders make it an excellent setting for adventure sports. Sailing or paddle boating on Phewa Lake's emerald expanse is something no visitor to Pokhara would like to miss. Boats and boatmen can be hired or you can row yourself.

Pony trekking : With a landscape varying from the even lakeside to small hills with the most famous view in the country, Pokhara provides a magnificent opportunity for sight-seeing on horseback. Some hotels keep ponies while others help you hire them.

Hiking destinations around Pokhara include Sarangkot (1,592 m), a former Kaski fort lying atop a hill 5 km west of the old bazaar; Kahundanda (1,520 m), to the north-east of Pokhara, which has a ruined fort on the summit as well as a view tower; and Ghachowk, a typical Gurung village and the site of one of the region's oldest settlements, is a five-hour walk to the north of Pokhara. The ancient fort of Nuwakot, 15 km south of Devi's Fall, is also ideal for savoring the splendors of nature. Naudanda is a five-hour walk and a favorite with those wishing to get away from it all.