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Flights to Pokhara
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Pokhara is Nepal’s third largest city and one of the country’s most popular tourist destinations. It’s located roughly within the centre of Nepal and is popular with tourists for its scenery and culture, and also as the gateway to the ‘Round Annapurna’ trekking route.
The main city of Pokhara is far more modern than many visitors expect and the city centre itself doesn’t offer too much in the way of tourist attractions, but does have a good infrastructure and hence offers all the major services that tourists require. The older part of the city does have some interesting sights and attractions though, so don’t discount Pokhara altogether based on the modern centre.
The Purano Bazar area of the city is the older part and it is definitely worth visiting as there are plenty of old shops and warehouses here. You may be lucky enough to visit on a day that a mule caravan arrives from Mustang, though this is quite a rare event these days. There are also several temples that are worth a visit in the older town, including Bindhyabaini, and Bhimsen Temples.
Phewa Lake
Pokhara sits on Phewa Lake (or Phewa Tal in local dialect). With the mountains rapidly rising from the shores of the lake this is definitely one of the most scenic spots in Nepal. You can enjoy boat trips on the lake, going for example to an island in the middle of the lake that’s home to the Barahi Temple, or rent a boat and row yourself around.
World Peace Pagoda
The best place to see a view of the lake from above is from the World Peace Pagoda (Shanti Stupa). This is a large and impressive temple that’s visited mostly for its fantastic views even though it’s not the easiest thing to get to.
Sarangkot
Views over both Pokhara and the lake are best enjoyed from Sarangkot, a mountain that stands 1600 metres high. There are several paths and a rocky road to the top but if you’ve come to Pokhara for trekking then trekking up here is a good introduction.
Caves
In the area around Pokhara there are several important caves, mostly known for their religious importance though Chamare Gufa is known as the bat cave as you have the opportunity to see thousands of bats hanging out in the cave! Others include Mahendra Cave, and Gupteswar Mahadev Cave, the latter of which has a Hindu god Shiva.
Flights to Pokhara
There are no direct international flights to Pokhara, but the Pokhara Airport (airport code: PKR) does handle local flights. Most travellers arrive in Kathmandu instead, at the Tribhuvan International Airport (code: KTM). It is just a 1/2 hour flight to Pokhara from there on a local flight, and there is also bus service. Flights from the UK with Virgin Atlantic and British Midland will both stop once in Delhi before arriving in Kathmandu. Lufthansa has a 2-stop route, with transfers in Frankfurt and Delhi.Pokhara Tourist Attractions
In the Centre of PokharaThe main city of Pokhara is far more modern than many visitors expect and the city centre itself doesn’t offer too much in the way of tourist attractions, but does have a good infrastructure and hence offers all the major services that tourists require. The older part of the city does have some interesting sights and attractions though, so don’t discount Pokhara altogether based on the modern centre.
The Purano Bazar area of the city is the older part and it is definitely worth visiting as there are plenty of old shops and warehouses here. You may be lucky enough to visit on a day that a mule caravan arrives from Mustang, though this is quite a rare event these days. There are also several temples that are worth a visit in the older town, including Bindhyabaini, and Bhimsen Temples.
Phewa Lake
Pokhara sits on Phewa Lake (or Phewa Tal in local dialect). With the mountains rapidly rising from the shores of the lake this is definitely one of the most scenic spots in Nepal. You can enjoy boat trips on the lake, going for example to an island in the middle of the lake that’s home to the Barahi Temple, or rent a boat and row yourself around.
World Peace Pagoda
The best place to see a view of the lake from above is from the World Peace Pagoda (Shanti Stupa). This is a large and impressive temple that’s visited mostly for its fantastic views even though it’s not the easiest thing to get to.
Sarangkot
Views over both Pokhara and the lake are best enjoyed from Sarangkot, a mountain that stands 1600 metres high. There are several paths and a rocky road to the top but if you’ve come to Pokhara for trekking then trekking up here is a good introduction.
Caves
In the area around Pokhara there are several important caves, mostly known for their religious importance though Chamare Gufa is known as the bat cave as you have the opportunity to see thousands of bats hanging out in the cave! Others include Mahendra Cave, and Gupteswar Mahadev Cave, the latter of which has a Hindu god Shiva.