Top 5 Must-Do’s in Pokhara!

In Pokhara, Nepal’s second largest city and home of some of the most beautiful natural scenery in the country there is so much to see and do – here are our top five from the group! 

1. Paragliding  

Pokhara is home to the glorious Annapurna mountain range as well as the beautiful Phewa Tal Lake and the most exciting way to see the scenery is Paragliding. So on a sunny Saturday morning Tahlee, Emma and I were all set to go! 

We all hopped in a four-wheel drive with our instructors and endured the very bumpy and sometimes scary ride up to Sarangot. With Nepali rock music blaring and the mountains coming into view – we were all very excited! We all got strapped into our harnesses and said goodbye to each other one by one as we each ran off the mountain into mid air. The rush of adrenaline that you feel once your feet suddenly aren’t touching the ground and you are floating in the sky is like nothing else. Seeing Pokhara from a bird’s eye view is an incredible experience. Author's note: Prepare for the unexpected motion sickness. 

2. Exploring Lakeside 

Lakeside is Pokhara’s central tourist hub situated right in the middle of Phewa Tal Lake. It’s buzzing with restaurants, bars and shops and is a favorite spot for weekends and afternoons. Most weekends we like to wind down with a drink at Busy Bee Café the local tourist bar and enjoy some delicious middle-eastern food at our favorite spot OR2K. The days are spent exploring the many shops trying to grab a bargain on some clothing, jewelry or handicrafts. And if we’re lucky one of us might indulge in a spa afternoon for a mere $30AUD!  

3. Enjoying local food 

The local Nepali and Tibetan food is something everyone must try! It’s on offer all over Pokhara but we’re lucky enough to enjoy traditional home made Tibetan meals every day at our homestays. We’ve tried many local delicacies such as Dhal Bhat, Chow Mien and our favourite, MoMos Tibetan Style dumplings. We even tried making these much to our host mum’s amusment… she hasn’t asked for our help since! 

4. World Peace Pagoda 

The World Peace Pagoda is another great experience that we’ve enjoyed whilst in Pokhara. The World Heritage Listed Buddhist temple sits atop of a mountain and looks over all of Pokhara city and the Annapurna mountain range. Tahlee and I made the journey over to the mountain by boat over the Phewa Tal Lake. We then enjoyed the one-hour hike through the forest, passing local wildlife and traditional houses. Waiting for us at the spectacular white temple amongst the beautiful flower garden overlooking all of Pokhara. We enjoyed the serenity of this sacred place. 

5. Sarangot  

Sarangot is one of the biggest Must-Do’s whilst in Pokhara. It offers the best view in Pokhara to see the Annapurna mountain range and, if seen at sunrise or sunset, is said to turn the White Mountains caps into a celestial gold. We’ve all had the chance to see Sarangot in different ways. With some of us Paragliding from the top, and others undertaking the 4-5 hour trek. Any way that you see Sarangot is an amazing experience and one that can’t be missed.