Things to do · Pokhara · Nepal
16 best things to do in Pokhara
16 sights and experiences ranked for a first visit, with honest notes on time, cost and crowds.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
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Quick answer
The essential sights in Pokhara are Phewa Lake, Tal Barahi Temple and Sarangkot sunrise. Of the 16 picks below, 6 are free, 4 work on a rainy day and 6 suit children. Allow about 4 days to see the highlights without rushing.
Key facts
- Top sight
- Phewa Lake
- Free sights
- 6
- Good on a rainy day
- Gupteshwor Mahadev Cave
- Time to see the highlights
- 4 days
At a glance
| Sight | Area | Time needed | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phewa Lake | Lakeside | 1–2 hours | Low cost |
| Tal Barahi Temple | Phewa Lake | 1 hour with the boat | Low cost |
| Sarangkot sunrise | Sarangkot | 2–3 hours | Low cost |
| Tandem paragliding | Sarangkot | 2–3 hours including transfer | Expensive |
| World Peace Pagoda | Anadu hill | 2–3 hours | Free |
| Davis Falls | Damside | 45 minutes | Low cost |
| Gupteshwor Mahadev Cave | Damside | 45 minutes | Low cost |
| International Mountain Museum | Ratopahiro | 2 hours | Low cost |
| Mahendra Cave and Bat Cave | Batulechaur | 1–1.5 hours | Low cost |
| Bindhyabasini Temple | Old Pokhara | 45 minutes | Free |
| Old Pokhara bazaar walk | Old Pokhara | 2 hours | Free |
| Seti River gorge | Old Pokhara | 30 minutes | Free |
| Begnas Lake | Begnas Lake | Half a day | Low cost |
| Tibetan refugee settlements | Hyangja and Tashiling | 1.5–2 hours | Free |
| Matepani Gumba | Matepani | 1 hour | Free |
| Gurkha Memorial Museum | North Pokhara | 1 hour | Low cost |
The 16 best things to do
Nature · Lakeside
1.Phewa Lake
Nepal's second-largest lake stretches about 4 km along the edge of Pokhara, with forested hills on its southern shore and, on clear days, Machhapuchhre reflected in the water. 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.
Go out early in the morning when the water is calm and the mountains are most likely to be clear; wear the life jacket provided.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Views
- Couples
- Kids
- Photo spot
Religious site · Phewa Lake
2.Tal Barahi Temple
A small two-tiered pagoda temple on an island in Phewa Lake, dedicated to the goddess Barahi, a form of Durga. Worshippers row out with offerings, especially on Saturdays, and the boat ride from Lakeside takes about 10 minutes.
Combine it with a longer boat hire and continue to the far shore to walk up to the World Peace Pagoda.
- Time needed
- 1 hour with the boat
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- History
- Kids
- Photo spot
Viewpoint · Sarangkot
3.Sarangkot sunrise
At about 1,600 metres on a ridge above Phewa Lake, Sarangkot's viewing towers look across to Dhaulagiri, the Annapurna range and the sharp summit of Machhapuchhre, which turn pink and gold at dawn. The town and lake lie far below, often under a layer of morning mist.
Leave Lakeside by taxi about an hour before sunrise, or walk up the day before and stay overnight; October to December gives the clearest views.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Views
- Photo spot
- Couples
Experience · Sarangkot
4.Tandem paragliding
Tandem flights take off from the slopes of Sarangkot and glide over the valley for about 20–60 minutes, landing on the shore of Phewa Lake, with the Annapurnas behind on clear days. Several licensed operators run flights, and longer cross-country and thermal flights are available.
Fly in the morning for calmer air and clearer mountains, and choose an operator with a clear safety record and insured pilots.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours including transfer
- Cost
- Expensive
- Book ahead
- Book a day or two ahead in October and November; flights depend on weather and may be rescheduled.
- Iconic
- Active
- Views
- Outdoors
Religious site · Anadu hill
5.World Peace Pagoda
A white Buddhist stupa built by the Japanese Nipponzan Myohoji order on a ridge above the southern shore of Phewa Lake, at about 1,100 metres. 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.
Boat across and walk up for the best experience, then descend on the other side towards Damside; remove shoes on the stupa terrace.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Views
- Free
- Active
- Photo spot
Nature · Damside
6.Davis Falls
The outflow of Phewa Lake plunges into a deep, narrow sinkhole at Davis Falls (Patale Chhango) and disappears underground. A small park with railings surrounds the gorge. The falls are most powerful in and just after the monsoon.
Visit the Gupteshwor Mahadev Cave across the road on the same trip to see the water emerge underground.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Nature
- Kids
- Photo spot
Religious site · Damside
7.Gupteshwor Mahadev Cave
A cave across the road from Davis Falls, entered down a spiral staircase, with a shrine to Shiva housing a natural stone lingam. Further in, a damp passage leads to a chamber where you can see the Davis Falls water pouring into the cave.
Wear shoes with grip; the inner passage is slippery and low in places, and photography is not allowed in the shrine area.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Rainy day
- Kids
- Nature
- History
Museum · Ratopahiro
8.International Mountain Museum
A large museum south of the airport devoted to the Himalaya and mountaineering, with displays on the 14 peaks over 8,000 metres, early Everest and Annapurna expeditions, mountain peoples and geology. Outside, a model of Manaslu stands in the grounds and there is a climbing wall.
Visit before a trek to understand the mountains you will see, or on a cloudy day when the peaks are hidden.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Rainy day
- History
- Kids
Nature · Batulechaur
1.Mahendra Cave and Bat Cave
Two limestone caves in the north of the city. Mahendra Cave has lit passages with stalactites and a small Shiva shrine, while the nearby Bat Cave is darker, home to large colonies of bats, with a tight exit squeeze for the adventurous.
Bring a torch for the Bat Cave and expect to scramble; the exit route is very narrow.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Active
Religious site · Old Pokhara
2.Bindhyabasini Temple
One of Pokhara's oldest and most important temples, set on a raised platform in the old bazaar and dedicated to Bhagwati, a form of Durga. It is busy with worshippers on Saturdays and during Dashain, and the terrace has views over the old town.
Come in the early morning to watch daily worship, then walk to the Newar houses around Bhairab Tole.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- History
- Free
- Photo spot
Neighbourhood · Old Pokhara
3.Old Pokhara bazaar walk
The old trading town north of the airport has Newar brick houses with carved windows around Bhairab Tole and Bhimsen Tole, the small pagoda-style Bhimsen Temple and local shops selling copperware, textiles and spices, far from the tourist strip.
Take a taxi to Bindhyabasini Temple and walk south through the bazaar towards Mahendrapul.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Architecture
- Off the beaten path
Nature · Old Pokhara
4.Seti River gorge
The Seti Gandaki River has cut a gorge so deep and narrow through Pokhara's soft deposits that in places it is only a couple of metres wide and invisible until you look down. The milky water carries glacial silt from the Annapurnas; the bridge at Mahendrapul and the K.I. Singh Bridge are the easiest viewpoints.
Look over the edge from the bridges rather than approaching unfenced banks.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Nature
- Off the beaten path
Nature · Begnas Lake
5.Begnas Lake
Pokhara's second lake, about 15 km east of Lakeside, is calmer and more rural, ringed by terraced hills and fish farms. You can hire a boat, eat fried lake fish in small restaurants by the dam and walk along the ridge to Rupa Lake.
Combine a boat trip with the ridge walk between Begnas and Rupa lakes for views of both and of the mountains.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Low cost
- Nature
- Outdoors
- Couples
- Off the beaten path
Historic site · Hyangja and Tashiling
6.Tibetan refugee settlements
Tibetan refugees settled around Pokhara from the 1960s. At Tashi Palkhel in Hyangja, north-west of town, and Tashiling, near Damside, visitors can see carpet weaving, visit monasteries and buy handicrafts directly from the community.
Visit the monastery at Tashi Palkhel during morning or afternoon prayers, and buy carpets from the cooperative workshops.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- History
- Shopping
- Free
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Religious site · Matepani
7.Matepani Gumba
A Tibetan Buddhist monastery on a hill on Pokhara's eastern side, with colourful prayer halls, young monks and views over the city towards the mountains. It is reached by a long staircase.
Visit in the late afternoon when the monks gather for prayers and the light over the city softens.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Off the beaten path
Museum · North Pokhara
8.Gurkha Memorial Museum
A museum in the north of the city that tells the history of Nepal's Gurkha soldiers in the British and Indian armies over two centuries, with uniforms, medals, including Victoria Crosses, and personal stories.
A good rainy-day visit to understand why so many families in the hills around Pokhara have a soldier in their history.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
Pick by interest
| Interest | Best picks |
|---|---|
| Art and museums | International Mountain Museum and Gurkha Memorial Museum |
| History | Tal Barahi Temple, Gupteshwor Mahadev Cave, International Mountain Museum and Bindhyabasini Temple |
| Views | Phewa Lake, Sarangkot sunrise, Tandem paragliding and World Peace Pagoda |
| Outdoors and nature | Tandem paragliding, Davis Falls, Gupteshwor Mahadev Cave and Seti River gorge |
| With children | Phewa Lake, Tal Barahi Temple, Davis Falls and Gupteshwor Mahadev Cave |
| On a rainy day | Gupteshwor Mahadev Cave, International Mountain Museum, Mahendra Cave and Bat Cave and Gurkha Memorial Museum |
What to book ahead
- Tandem paragliding: Book a day or two ahead in October and November; flights depend on weather and may be rescheduled.
Plan the rest of your trip
Questions travellers ask
+What is the number one thing to do in Pokhara?
Phewa Lake. Nepal's second-largest lake stretches about 4 km along the edge of Pokhara, with forested hills on its southern shore and, on clear days, Machhapuchhre reflected in the water.
+What can you do for free in Pokhara?
World Peace Pagoda, Bindhyabasini Temple, Old Pokhara bazaar walk, Seti River gorge and Tibetan refugee settlements. More free things to do.
+What is there to do in Pokhara when it rains?
Head indoors to Gupteshwor Mahadev Cave, International Mountain Museum, Mahendra Cave and Bat Cave and Gurkha Memorial Museum.