Pokhara is a great place to come relax and recover after trekking in the Himalayas. Lake Phewa sits in the middle of the city, surrounded by Himalayan mountains in the distance. It is an ideal jump-off point for treks to the Annapurna Circuit, Manaslu Circuit, or Poon Hill. Plus it has everything that your tired body craves upon returning: great food, live music, and chill vibes in a much more mellow and picturesque location compared to Kathmandu. We spent a week here after completing the Annapurna Circuit and loved our time here. Very tourist-friendly with everything one needs after an adventure exploring the Himalayas.
To learn more general tips about traveling to Nepal, check out our Destination: Nepal Travel Guide. Interested in trekking the Annapurna Circuit, here’s our guide with everything you need to know!
HOW TO GET HERE
There are many ways to get from Kathmandu to Pokhara. The most painless route is to take a flight, which only takes 22 minutes. One-way flights range from $60-100 USD.
Another popular option is to take a tourist bus. By road, the trip can take 7-8 hours. Tourist buses come in luxury (recliner seats, AC) and non-luxury options. To get a bus ticket, visit any tour company in Kathmandu as buying online does not seem to be an option.
There are also public buses that cost less than $10 USD. These are often without AC and may stop often en route. You may also be sitting on the floor or next to a chicken.
You can also hire a private van for 15-20,000 NPR. Many hotels can arrange for these.Be aware that if you choose to go by road, your 7-8 hour trip may become a 10-11 hour trip depending on traffic, weather, and unexpected road conditions (rock slides!). Nepalese time is a real phenomenon and this is what happened to us. Bring reading material and entertainment!
WHAT TO DO
*Hang out @ Lakeside: Lakeside in Pokhara is where all the action is at. Chill and relaxing during the daytime, this place transforms at night. Lights, music, snacks, drinks, and even Pokhara’s little “Disneyland” with rides for the kids. Come paddle board or take a kayak out onto Lake Phewa in the morning, then live music, chaat, and hookah at night. Full of restaurants, bars, street food vendors, and handicrafts. Great atmosphere as everyone here has come for a good time.
Hike the Annapurna Circuit: The Annapurna Circuit is considered one of the great treks of the world. Hiking from little mountain town to town, this trek takes between 1-3 weeks (depending on where you start/end). The hike takes you through valleys, deep into the Himalayas, and up across a 5613m (17,000 ft) mountain pass. Go with a tour group or read our post on how to hike the Annapurna Circuit without a guide. A must-do for any adventurer.
Hike Poon Hill: A 3-day excursion that can be arranged in Pokhara, this is a nice mini alternative to the Annapurna Circuit. Sunrise views are supposed to be incredible.
Catch sunrise @ Sarangkot viewpoint: Hire a taxi (easy to find) or book a scooter to catch the sunrise at Sarangkot viewpoint. Plenty of chai vendors near the top so you can enjoy a warm cuppa with your fuzzy feelings.
Go Paragliding: The geography of Phewa Lake makes it an ideal location for paragliding. Lots of paragliding outfitters in town. We hear midday flights around noon give you access to the most warm-air thermals for extra lift.
Get your Yoga on: Great place to learn as a beginner or advance your practice. Both Vegan Way and The Juicery offer yoga studios in addition to food. Some people come to Pokhara just to study this ancient art.
Visit the World Peace Pagoda (Shanti Stupa): Gifted in 1973 by Japanese monks to Nepal as a symbol of peace, hiking up to this stupa is a popular activity for tourists and locals. You can take a boat across the lake or hire a taxi to the start point. Go early as the midday heat can be intense.
Grab a drink @ Krazy Gecko: The food is nothing special, but nice outdoor atmosphere right on top of the lake with swinging chairs and fun group seating areas. Enjoyable place to come for some drinks in the evening.
Lakeside hookah @ Devi’s Cafe & Bar: Located right on top of the lake, this is a great place for some drinks and hookah. They even run happy hour specials. Good service with friendly staff.
Try some lassi @ Popular Juice & Lassi Center: Located right next to Devi’s Cafe & Bar, this auntie makes delicious lassi, a sweet or salty yogurt-based drink. The coconut lassi comes with fresh chunks of coconut and the mango is delicious too.
Float away @ Old Star Restaurant: For a slightly different experience in Pokhara, ask for the bhang lassi at Old Star Restaurant. Made of crushed cannabis leaves mixed with spices, this is quite the tasty edible. Come early as effects can last hours.
WHERE TO EAT
Wendy Juice Shop: Cute petite cafe with decent internet to get work done. They have a small but delicious breakfast menu with smoothie bowls LOADED with toppings. My mango smoothie bowl was covered with chia, kiwi, watermelon, and apples. Charging stations are available. Nice, warm staff.
*Cafe Camellia: Another adorable coffee shop, but this one comes with a precious golden retriever and labrador. Coffee is delicious and their toasts are scrumptious too. They even have soy milk. Great service, charging stations, strong WiFi, plenty of seating, and nice ambiance. Our favorite coffee shop to spend a morning getting work done in Pokhara.
Himalayan Java Coffee: The Starbucks of Pokhara. A quality coffee chain with a huge menu and multilevel seating. Good WiFi, service, and central locations. Nice place to get work done or for a quick caffeine fix.
*Utopia Garden & Snacks Bar: Delicious food with great service. The owner is very attentive and accommodating. His staff is extremely friendly and the flavors were top-notch. We had the mushroom paneer, tandoori vegetables, and Manchurian vegetable dishes. Portions are not huge, but all entrees were delicious and their garlic naan is out of this world. Nice setting near the lakeside with outdoor and indoor seating.
Little Windows: Cute vegan restaurant with an enormous menu. We had a smoothie bowl, protein salad, and falafel bowls, all of which were great… but the pizzas and fajitas looked even better. Nice atmosphere with double-story seating, central location, and friendly service. Full of trekkers and hippy travelers.
*Spice Nepal Pure Vegetarian: This is one of those hole-in-a-wall places that is absolutely superb. We had phenomenal dhai puri and my favorite mattar paneer here. Came back a second time and had delicious fry dhal, paratha, and samosa chaat. Small place but the service was fast and the food was not only delicious but incredibly affordable as well. Stopped by a third and fourth time before we left because it is just that good.
*The Juicery: This place has a great location with a large vegetarian-friendly menu. The savory oatmeal was fantastic and they have alternative milk options as well. The open-air seating right on the lake makes this a place you can easily spend hours at. WiFi can be hit or miss. Lots of drink options and always full of people.
*Vegan Way: A delicious restaurant and yoga studio. This place has a dedicated following and is always full of hippie characters. The smoothies and food are of high quality with a similar menu to The Juicery. Come for the food and stay to chill out with the rasta vibes.
Fresh Elements Restaurant & Bar: The food is okay but the atmosphere is really nice. This restaurant has a more upscale design, decorated from top to bottom in greenery making it a lovely place to spend the evening. The service is great. Pretty standard menu with a larger Chinese selection. Nice place for a date night.
French Creperie: Tasty buckwheat crepes with friendly staff and double-story interior. Crepes were crispy and flaky.
Pokhara Thakali Kitchen: This is the best Thakali food we had in Pokhara. Similar to dishes being served higher up in the mountains. Cute outdoor courtyard with friendly service. Get the Nepali Thali set to try a little bit of everything.
WHERE TO STAY
Chautari Boutique Hotel: This was the perfect place to spend our week in Pokhara. Great location which is just a 5-10 walk from the Lakeside and central Pokhara, but far enough to be quiet and more peaceful. The staff was were friendly and accommodating. The rooms are small but modern, chic, exceptionally clean and some come with a balcony and lakeside views. Breakfast was pretty standard, nothing special. The room had okay Wifi and but did come with Netflix! We looked into many options in Pokhara and these are definitely the most modern rooms at a great value with superb location.
MAP
Here is a free Google Map with all of our recommendations from above.
