11 Best Things to Do in Pokhara, Nepal

Looking for the best things to do in Pokhara? Here are the must-see attractions and best places to visit in Pokhara, Nepal’s most popular tourist destination!

I have been visiting and periodically living in Nepal since 2015, and Pokhara is the most popular place to visit in Nepal.

It is a proper tourist town in Nepal, with Lakeside being the main touristy area in Pokhara. In Lakeside, you will find many restaurants, cafes, hotels and shops.

Pokhara is also the starting point to many trekking routes into the Annapurna region. Some of the most popular trekking routes from Pokhara are to the Annapurna Base Camp, Mardi Himal and Poon Hill.

Apart from trekking, some of the best things you can do in Pokhara include boating on Fewa Lake, hiking to the World Peace Pagoda, exploring the caves in Pokhara, going on day hikes, relaxing and watching a movie the Movie Garden Pokhara.

Here are the 11 best things to do in Pokhara!

Pokhara Quick Facts

Best Time to Visit Pokhara

The Best time to visit Pokhara is in the Autumn (October-November) and Spring (mid-February to April). During this time, you get the best weather, no rains and clear views of the Himalayas.

The weather patterns can be unexpected but generally, these times are considered the best for travelling and trekking in Nepal.

Altitude of Pokhara

The altitude of Pokhara is 822 metres.

Pokhara Location

Pokhara is about 200 km west of Kathmandu and is connected by direct flights and buses.

How to Get to Pokhara

You can get to Pokhara either by taking a bus or a plane.

Kathmandu to Pokhara Bus

The day buses usually leave at 6-8 am in the morning and the night buses leave around 7-8 pm in the evening.

The highway that connects Kathmandu and Pokhara has been under construction, so due to the road conditions, the bus ride usually takes about 10-12 hours.

⚡ Get your power bank now so you don’t have to stress about charging your phone on long bus rides in Nepal!

Kathmandu to Pokhara Flight

The flight from Kathmandu to Pokhara takes 30 minutes and costs USD 100 (one-way) for foreigners.

🚗 For more information, check out how to get from Kathmandu to Pokhara + how to get from Chitwan to Pokhara here!

The Best Things to Do in Pokhara, Nepal

1. Go Trekking

Pokhara is a popular tourist town in Nepal and is the starting point to many trekking routes in the Annapurna region.

Whether you would like to go on a short trek for 2-3 days or to longer ones, there are many different options.

The following treks are popular to start from Pokhara: Annapurna Base Camp (7-8 days), Mardi Himal (5-7 days), Poon Hill (4-5 days), Australian Camp (2 days).

2. Relax and Chill by Fewa Lake

Fewa Lake and Lakeside are the tourist centre of Pokhara. It is the perfect place to find a restaurant by the lake and relax there before or after going on a trek.

Lakeside is full of restaurants and cafes along the lake and it is probably the most popular place to be in Pokhara. It really has some chill vibes and you feel relaxed as soon as you arrive.

3. Boating on Fewa Lake and Hike up to the World Peace Pagoda

• Fewa Lake Boat Hire Price: Rs. 900 one-way to the stupa, Rs. 1,500 (return)
• Hike to the stupa: once you boat across the lake, it takes about 45 minutes to hike up to the World Peace Pagoda. If you get a 2-way boat ticket, the guy who rows the boat will wait for you and pick you up once you get down from the stupa and take you back across the lake.

Boating on the Fewa Lake is pretty popular and you can even hire kayaks for a few hours.

On the other side of Fewa Lake is the World Peace Pagoda and many people choose to take a boat across the lake and then hike up to the stupa.

Don’t worry, you don’t have to row the boat, there are staff at the boat companies who will row the boat for you!

💡 After you get dropped on the other side of Fewa Lake, make sure to take the phone number of the guy who rows your boat so that they can come to pick you up after you finished your hike to the World Peace Pagoda. They will come back to where they dropped you and row the boat back to the starting point on Lakeside.

4. Visit the Caves in Pokhara

There are 3 caves in Pokhara that are fun to visit!

The most famous cave in Pokhara is the Chamere Gufa, most commonly referred to as the “Bat Cave” as there are hundreds of bats inside the cave. Other caves in Pokhara include the Mahendra Cave and Gupteshwar Mahadev Cave.

If you have only a little bit of time, the Bat Cave is the most fun to see out of all the caves in Pokhara.

Want to see the biggest cave in Nepal? Head to the Siddha Gufa while in Bandipur!

5. Visit the Davis Falls

The Davis Falls is a waterfall in Pokhara and it got its name from a Swiss lady who was washed away and died there while taking a bath in the waterfall in the 1960s.

The area is now closed off by a fence and if the water levels are low you will not be able to see much of the waterfall.

The water levels are the highest during the monsoon season (June-August), so it is the best time to visit the Davis Falls during monsoon.

6. See the Sunrise or Sunset in Sarangkot

• How to get to Sarangkot: By hiking or taking the Annapurna Cable Car.
• Sunrise vs Sunset in Sarangkot? You will see the best views during sunrise. The weather can get cloudy in the afternoon and you won’t be able to see the Himalayas.

Sarangkot is the closest village to Pokhara that offers great sunrise and sunset views of the Annapurna range.

There is a hiking route from Pokhara to Sarangkot or you can take the Annapurna Cable Car up to Sarangkot.

If you prefer, you can also spend the night in Sarangkot so you will be in the right spot to see the sunrise without having to make the way up to Sarangkot at 4 am in the morning.

7. Go Paragliding

Pokhara is one of the most popular spots to go paragliding in Nepal. The starting point for paragliding is from Sarangkot.

If you wake up early, you can make your way to Sarangkot for the sunrise, and then paraglide your way back to Lakeside, Pokhara.

Paragliding in Pokhara costs around Rs. 8,000 (USD 60) for a 30-minute flight.

8. Watch a Movie at the Movie Garden Pokhara

The Movie Garden in Pokhara shows a different movie every evening, usually starting around 7 pm. It is located a little bit off the main tourist street, nestled around private homes.

It is an outdoor cinema and has a great atmosphere. You can also order some food and drinks for dinner. They usually advertise the weekly movie schedule on social media.

9. Check out the Seti River Gorge

• Best time to visit the Seti River Gorge: monsoon season, when the water levels are higher

I did not know what to expect when I went to visit the Seti River Gorge but in the end it was better than I expected. For some reason, it was also full of other tourists which was a surprise to me.

There is a bridge over the gorge and you can see the river from high up.

It is the most impressive during the monsoon season when the water levels are higher but it is also an interesting place to check out if you have some extra time to spend in Pokhara. 

10. Check out the Museums in Pokhara

There are 4 museums in Pokhara that are great to visit if you have already covered the main tourist attractions in Pokhara. Visiting the museums in Pokhara can help you better understand the culture and natural history of the Annapurna region.

The best museum in Pokhara is the International Mountain Museum, so if you only have time for one museum, make it that one.

Other museums include the Gurkha Memorial Museum, Annapurna Museum and the Regional Museum.

11. Go on a Day Trip to Begnas Lake

The Begnas Lake is a bit outside of Pokhara but you can still catch buses to get there. There are great hotels and restaurants around the lake to relax. There are also options to go boating on the lake, fishing or discover hiking routes near Begnas Lake.

BONUS: Restaurants in Pokhara

Pokhara is full of great restaurants. You will be able to find all types of restaurants ranging from Italian, Japanese to Middle Eastern.

Here is our top 5 restaurants in Pokhara:

• Juicery Cafe
• Little Windows
• Vegan Way
• French Creperie
• OR2K

Looking for affordable restaurants Pokhara? Check out the best cheap restaurants in Pokhara here!

Looking for vegan food in Pokhara? Check out the best vegan restaurants in Pokhara here!

BONUS: Hotels in Pokhara

FAQs: Best Things to Do in Pokhara

What are the Top 10 Places to Visit in Pokhara?

The top 10 places to visit in Pokhara are: 1. Fewa Lake, 2. World Peace Pagoda, 3. Sarangkot, 4. Chamere Gufa (Bat Cave), 5. Gupteshwar Mahadev Cave, 6. Davis Falls, 7. International Mountain Museum, 8. Movie Garden Pokhara, 9. Paragliding, and 10. Begnas Lake.

What is Pokhara famous for?

Pokhara is the most famous for the views of Himalayas, trekking and hiking trails, Fewa Lake, and the World Peace Pagoda.

Is Pokhara worth visiting?

Yes, Pokhara is definitely worth visiting!

Are 2 days enough for Pokhara?

2 days are short to spend in Pokhara but nevertheless, you can cover some of the main tourist attractions.

If you had 2 days in Pokhara, you could consider to visit the following places:

• Day 1: Morning: Boating on Fewa Lake and hike up to the World Peace Pagoda. Afternoon: Bat Cave. Evening: Movie Garden Pokhara
• Day 2: early morning: trip to Sarangkot to see the sunrise + paraglide back to Pokhara, afternoon/evening: chill by Fewa Lake

Other activities in Pokhara: Gupteshwar Mahadev Cave, Mahendra Cave, Davis Falls, Nepali cooking classes, museums.

Is Pokhara better than Kathmandu?

Pokhara and Kathmandu are two very different places that provide different things so it cannot be said which one is better.

A lot of people like Pokhara more as it is not as busy or dusty as Kathmandu and it has a chill tourist town atmosphere. Pokhara is a great place for holidays in Nepal as it has many activities one can do.

On the other hand, Kathmandu can be crowded but it is the capital city of Nepal and you can find some great things to do there! Kathmandu has so much to offer from the world heritage sites, museums, markets to restaurants and cafes.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Pokhara is a proper tourist town in Nepal, with Lakeside being the main touristy area in Pokhara.

Pokhara is also the starting point to many trekking routes into the Annapurna region. Some of the most popular trekking routes from Pokhara are to Annapurna Base Camp, Mardi Himal and Poon Hill.

Apart from trekking, some of the best things you can do in Pokhara include boating on Fewa Lake, hiking to the World Peace Pagoda, exploring the caves in Pokhara, going on day hikes, relaxing and watching a movie the Movie Garden Pokhara.