Pokhara is a beautiful lake city in the western region of Nepal. It is one of the most visited tourist hubs in Nepal. Pokhara is famous for its serene lakes including majestic Phewa lake and Begnas lake. Thousands of tourists visit Pokhara to relax in its vibrant atmosphere. The various sightseeing spots in Pokhara will enchant any traveler.
Travelers can visit and seek blessings from various religious sites including Tal Barahi Temple, Bindhyabasini Temple, and others. There are exciting caves including Mahendra Gufa, Chamero Gufa, and stunning Davis fall as well. We can travel to Pokhara through various measures.
Car hire from Kathmandu to Pokhara is one of the best ways to travel to lake city. The journey starts on the Prithvi highway and passes through winding zig-zag roads of Nepal. The scenic vista along the trail is one of the best parts of the journey. The view of snow-capped mountains, lush green forests, serene waterfalls will spellbind you.
Besides that, you will also get to observe beautiful settlements along highways. Read on to know more about the car hire Kathmandu to Pokhara, and other related information in detail.
Pokhara: The Overview
Pokhara is a scenic lake city located approximately 203 kilometers west of Kathmandu. In fact, Pokhara valley is also one of the largest cities in Nepal and a prime destination for tourists arriving in Nepal for vacation. Moreover, it is quite popular as you can observe the entire Himalayan range alongside beautiful lakes.
Pokhara is also a hub for adventure sports like boating, paragliding, rafting, bungee jumping, and others. These adventure sports get conducted by thorough professionals using proper guidelines and safety measures. Some of the most popular sightseeing spots of Pokhara include Phewa lake, Davis falls, Tal Barahi Mandir, World Peace Stupa, and others.
There are other natural spots including Mahendra Gufa, Chamero Gufa, Begnas Lake, and others. You can also relax in the bustling atmosphere of the lakeside in Pokhara. It is a tourist spot with many nightclubs, bars, restaurants, cafes, and others. Also, travelers can also visit cultural museums like the International Mountain Museum that celebrates indigenous mountain people and lifestyles.
Why Visit Pokhara?
Pokhara has incredible natural landmarks. From boating adventures in serene lakes to paragliding, Pokhara is ideal for all adventurous or comfortable vacations. It is rich in both natural or cultural heritage. It has a lovely vibe with a perfect mix of modernity and tradition. Some of the major attractions in Pokhara are as follows:
Lakes
Phewa Lake located in Pokhara is the second largest lake in Nepal and it covers most parts of Pokhara valley. Macchapucchre’s reflection looks incredibly beautiful on this serene lake. Boating on this lake is quite an experience along with fishing. Phewa Lake premises also include Barahi Bhagwati Temple which is a sacred site for Hindu pilgrims.
Phewa lake and its lakeside will enchant you. Begnas lake is the second largest lake in Pokhara. Furthermore, it covers an area of 3 sq km and has an elevation of 650 m. Rupa lake is another ideal lake for fishing. You will also get a great view of the surrounding vegetation in hills around the region.
Extreme adventure sports
Extreme adventure sports is another incredible aspect of Pokhara. There are various adventure sports including paragliding, boating, rafting, bungee, zipline. These extreme activities pump your adrenaline. It also depends upon climatic conditions. White water rafting is another exciting adventure sport.
October to June is the best time to travel to Pokhara. The 1850m (6070 ft) long zipline recently built in Pokhara is also the fastest. It is located at top of the Sarangkot hill and stretches till the end of the Yamdi river. With a maximum speed of 40 km/h (100 mph), it is also the fastest and has a vertical drop of 2000 feet approximately.
Paragliding is a great adventure sport in Sarangkot, in Pokhara Valley. It allows you to observe various snow-capped mountains including Annapurna range, Machhapuchhre mountain, and Lake Phewa. Pokhara has the best short hikes destination as well. You can also observe sunrise and sunset views.
Caves
The numerous caves in Pokhara Valley are other major attractions of the city. This Mahendra Cave located in Balachaur is a natural tunnel filled with limestone that sparkles when struck with light strikes it.
Bat Cave or “Chamero Gupha” located a ten-minute from Mahendra Cave is quite exciting. Bat cave is 150 m long with a narrow entrance and wide insides. There are more than 15 thousand species of bats in the cave. Besides that, there are images of gods and goddesses in the cave.
International Mountain Museum
The International Mountain Museum (IMM) is a landmark of this city. The exhibition halls exhibit famous peaks, mountaineers, mountain culture, and lifestyle. It represents the traditional culture and values of the mountain people.
Temples and Monasteries
Temples like Bindhyabasini, Tal Barahi Temple, Bhadrakali, Sitladevi, are some of the major temples of Pokhara. There are also Guheshwari, Bhimsen temples, Gita mandir in the valley. Tal Barahi Temple is a two-story temple of Goddess Durga (Barahi) in the middle of Lake Phewa. It is a sacred site for Hindus and you can take a boat service to reach Tal Barahi temple.
World peace pagoda or Shanti Stupa, on Anadu Hill, is another important landmark of Pokhara. Standing on a hilltop, this Buddhist pagoda is quite beautiful. It also is a great sight to observe a great sunset view overlooking the entire Annapurna Himalayan range, Phewa Lake, and the city of Pokhara.
There are hiking trails and the motor road that leads you near to stupa. One option is to take a boat from Phewa Lake and then take a hiking trail that takes you around an hour to reach stupa. The motor road from Chhorepatan to the Stupa by taxi or private car takes around 25 minutes.
