2 days in Pokhara

Day by day

1. Day 1: Phewa Lake and Tal Barahi Temple

   Phewa Lake, Tal Barahi Temple, Sarangkot sunrise and Tandem paragliding, then Central Lakeside in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Phewa Lake

      Brightly painted wooden boats can be hired with or without a rower from the Lakeside shore, and a walking path follows much of the eastern bank.

   2. Late morning

      Tal Barahi Temple

      Worshippers row out with offerings, especially on Saturdays, and the boat ride from Lakeside takes about 10 minutes.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Dal bhat

      Local restaurants in Old Pokhara and Lakeside; many tourist restaurants serve a set version.

   4. Afternoon

      Sarangkot sunrise

      The town and lake lie far below, often under a layer of morning mist.

   5. Late afternoon

      Tandem paragliding

      Several licensed operators run flights, and longer cross-country and thermal flights are available.

   6. Evening

      Central Lakeside

      Bars with live bands and open-air terraces along the main Lakeside road, busiest in October and November.

2. Day 2: World Peace Pagoda and Davis Falls

   World Peace Pagoda, Davis Falls, Gupteshwor Mahadev Cave and International Mountain Museum, then Lakefront terraces in the evening.

   1. Morning

      World Peace Pagoda

      Its terraces look across the lake to Lakeside and the Annapurnas. You can drive up, or take a boat across the lake and climb a forest path in about 45 minutes.

   2. Late morning

      Davis Falls

      A small park with railings surrounds the gorge. The falls are most powerful in and just after the monsoon.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Thakali khana set

      Thakali restaurants along Lakeside and in town.

   4. Afternoon

      Gupteshwor Mahadev Cave

      Further in, a damp passage leads to a chamber where you can see the Davis Falls water pouring into the cave.

   5. Late afternoon

      International Mountain Museum

      Outside, a model of Manaslu stands in the grounds and there is a climbing wall.

   6. Evening

      Lakefront terraces

      Restaurants and bars along the lakeshore path with fire pits and views of the water.

Before you go

• Tandem paragliding: Book a day or two ahead in October and November; flights depend on weather and may be rescheduled.

If it rains

• Swap in Mahendra Cave and Bat Cave (Batulechaur): Bring a torch for the Bat Cave and expect to scramble; the exit route is very narrow.
• Swap in Gurkha Memorial Museum (North Pokhara): A good rainy-day visit to understand why so many families in the hills around Pokhara have a soldier in their history.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 12–16 hours of visiting over 2 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 10.4 hours in December to 13.9 hours in June.

Getting between stops: Walking. Lakeside, North Lakeside and Damside are linked by the lakeshore road and paths; walking between them takes 15–30 minutes.

More or fewer days

• One day in Pokhara
• 3 days in Pokhara
• 5 days in Pokhara

Questions travellers ask