According to Countries and Websites, Pokhara is the second largest city in Nepal, according to some sources, its population is about 200 thousand people. The city itself is located at an altitude of 820 m in a large valley on the shores of Lake Phewa, from which the river Seti flows. The valley in which Pokhara is located is surrounded by high mountains, and from the north it is protected by the Annapurna massif . To the west of Annapurna, on the other side of the Kali river valley, Gandaki rises to the sky Dhaulagiri, and to the east, on the other side of the Marsyangdi river lies the Manaslu mountain range.
You can get to Pokhara by plane from Kathmandu, the city has an airport, or by bus from Kathmandu or Bhairava. You can travel around the city and its surroundings by public buses or taxis, the second option is much more comfortable. The tourist area in Pokhara is called Lakeside, and it is located, as the name suggests, on the shores of Lake Phewa. Here you can find a hotel, restaurant or cafe, as well as arrange trekking, rafting or other types of active and extreme recreation.
The area surrounding Pokhara, especially the Annapurna massif , is considered one of the most popular trekking areas in Nepal.. This area is especially popular among beginner trekkers, as they allow you to get to know the Himalayas up close, but there are good trails along the main routes, and along the way you come across villages where you can eat and spend the night. The most popular routes are the Annapurna Great Ring, a route around the entire massif that takes about three weeks; Jomsom a trek lasting 7-9 days, during which you can visit Muktinath, a holy place for Nepalese; the route to the Annapurna base camp (5-7 days), as well as various one-three-day routes, such as a walk from Tatopani to Ghorepani. It must be admitted that the route around the Annapurna massif is not only the longest, but also the most difficult, during which it is necessary to overcome the Thorong La pass with a height of 5416 m. It is easy to pass it without special preparation only in one direction, from Manang to Muktinath. For this reason, the route most often passes in one direction from Besisagara to Pokhara. From Manang you can make an interesting radial exit to Lake Tilicho (5000 m).
Beyond trekking Pokhara It is also a transit point for rafting enthusiasts. The city is located near 3 large rivers suitable for rafting of varying difficulty and duration. A short and easy route (2-3 difficulty categories) runs along the Seti River. The Seti River originates in the glaciers of the Annapurna massif and the mountain lakes fed by them. The rafting starts at Damauli from the river’s junction with the highway connecting Kathmandu to Pokhara, about 25 km from Pokhara. You can finish the rafting in Narayan Ghat near Bharatpur and the Chitwan National Park, after Seti merges with Trisuli and Kali Gandaki. The two most popular of the difficult routes pass along the Kali-Gandaki and Marsyangdi rivers (4-5 category). It is more convenient to get to both rivers from Pokhara, rafting takes 3-4 days. You can raft along Kali Gandaki from Tatopani (a village in the foothills of Annapurna) to Narayan Ghat. On Marsyangdi, you can start from Besisagar or climb upstream on foot. Finish in Mugling or also in Narayan Ghat. Any rafting in the area is well combined with trekking routes. Paragliders have chosen the Pokhara
Valley due to the even and steady winds from November to February and the abundance of hills around the valley. The most popular starting point is a place near the village of Sarankot on the coast of Lake Phewa, located opposite Pokhara. The height difference with Pokhara is 700 m. It offers a beautiful view of the lake and the valley. Boating and fishing in the lake is a very popular pastime in Pokhara. A very beautiful place is located not far from Pokhara – the Davis waterfall, 100 m high, falling into a karst funnel. In the vicinity there are interesting stalactite caves of Mahendra Guf. In addition to Lake Phewa, there are two more lakes in the vicinity of Pokhara – Begnas and Rupa.
In Pokhara itself and in its immediate vicinity there are also several interesting places. There is a small island in Lake Phewa, which the locals call “Dragon Island”, and this is not surprising, since from time to time it seems that the island itself, resembling a sleeping dragon, is smoking. On the island is the Shaivist temple of Varaha. On the opposite shore of Lake Phewa from the city, on a high hill, is the White Stupa of Peace, built several years ago. The four Buddhas in the stupa, looking at the four cardinal directions, were specially brought from four Buddhist countries: Japan, China, Vietnam and Nepal. The stupa offers a beautiful view of the mountains, especially at dawn. To get acquainted with the flora and fauna of the Himalayas, you can visit the Natural History Museum in Pokhara.
