Ice Cap Adventure on February 9, 2020
Pokhara is known for its magnificent beauty. Nepal is regarded as a paradise for travelers, with numerous majestic places to visit and get soaked in spontaneous joy. Among numerous places to visit in Nepal, Pokhara is one of the beautiful and amazing places that possess a great gift of extreme natural beauty along with adventure cuddled in the Annapurna Range. Pokhara is a Himalayan paradise that is embellished with marvelous scenes of the mountain in the backdrop. It is also one of the most famous tourist destinations in Nepal. Pokhara is a favorite city for many visitors, as you can find different fantastic tourist attractions and things to do. It is also one of the major tourism centers in Nepal, after the capital city, Kathmandu. Also known as the “city of seven lakes,” Pokhara is enriched with natural and cultural heritage and loaded with different places to visit. The main attractions of this place are the lakes, pristine mountain views, boating, and different adventurous sports. Pokhara is a popular valley encircled by hills and famous landmarks like Begnas Lake and Phewa Lake. With magnificent mountain panoramas of snow-covered mountains like Annapurna, Machhapuchhre (Fishtail), and Dhaulagiri as a backdrop of Phewa Lake, Pokhara will melt your heart right away.
Pokhara presents you with the best opportunity to be lost in the lap of nature, nurturing you with its amazing beauty and scenes. It is also a gateway to the Annapurna Region, where you can perform different treks such as the Annapurna Base Camp Trek, Mardi Himal Trek, Ghorepani Poonhill Trek, Dhaulagiri Circuit Trek, and many other treks as well. Besides magnificent mountain panoramas, Pokhara is continuously achieving popularity as an attractive and thrilling adventure sports destination as well. Different adventurous sports such as Paragliding, Rafting, ultra-light flight, Bungee jumping, and Cycling are popular in Pokhara. It is not only trekking and adventurous sports that lure visitors to Pokhara. Mysterious caves, temples, and snow-capped mountains, amazing waterfalls, magnificent architecture, and a paradise of Lake City stunning lakes give tourists a memorable experience of visiting Pokhara. With these different amazing activities and natural beauty, it’s troublesome to choose what to see and do in Pokhara. So to assist you in making this complicated choice, we have listed some of the best places to visit in Pokhara.
The second-largest lake in Nepal, Phewa Lake, is a semi-natural freshwater lake surrounded by Rani Ban (the queen’s forest), and a remarkable reflection of the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri mountain ranges is visible in the clear lake waters. Phewa Lake is also an ideal place to relax and experience the magnificent Himalayan sunrises. Here, visitors can hire a colorful doonga (boat) and sail through the lake for a relaxing ride. Some even sail across the lake and hike to the World Peace Stupa, where one can have an amazing view of the city itself. Phewa Lake is also known for the sacred Tal Barahi Temple, located beautifully on an island in the lake. It is one of the best places to visit in Pokhara and also a landmark of Pokhara. In the eastern part of Pokhara Lakeside, one can find some amazing lodges, restaurants, cafes, and bookshops from which you can relax and enjoy the view of the lake along with food.
Sarangkot is a village located on a scenic mountain that is famous for its sunrise and sunset views of Annapurna and as the take-off site for paragliding. It lies at an altitude of 1600 meters above sea level, making it an ideal place to capture a mesmerizing panorama of the Annapurna, Dhaulagiri, the Manaslu Mountain Ranges, and the valley of Pokhara. Sarangkot is also famous not only for paragliding but also for having one of the world’s fastest ziplines. The place of an ancient fort, joined by a few tracks from the main village, is a popular viewpoint. You can also trek along the hill road that leads west of Sarangkot to witness more stunning panoramas. The route to Sarangkot is filled with dense forestation, which is home to a variety of flora and fauna. And with the dense forest, it is also famous for bird watching and rejuvenating nature walks.
The World Peace Pagoda is a stunning masterpiece dwelled on Anadu Hill, overlooking the mesmerizing Phewa Lake with the stunning Annapurna Mountain range in the landscape. Also known as Shanti Stupa, it is a popular tourist attraction and one of the best places to visit in Pokhara. The sparkling white World Peace Pagoda was built by Buddhist monks as a symbol of peace. The surroundings have several trekking tracks to cross to Phewa Lake and traverse the majestic Himalayas. You can reach World Peace Pagoda either by cycling through one of the tracks that lead to the summit of the hill, taking the road to the summit, or enjoying a drive through the scenic location. You can also reach the top by boating across Phewa Lake and trekking to the stupa. The charming beauty is pretty captivating, and the serene vibe of the masterpiece is worth a visit for those exploring it.
In the city of Pokhara, the four official Tibetan refugee camps are a small world in themselves. The Tibetan Refugee Camp was established in 1959 for the thousands of Tibetan refugees that came to settle in Nepal after the Chinese takeover. They trade exquisite handcrafted jewelry, trinkets, carvings, and rugs for the visitors to showcase the beauties of Tibet. Tibetan Refugee Camp is a popular place where tourists come to buy souvenirs and feel amazed by the surroundings, which are remarkably colorful and full of art. You can listen to the preaching by the monks as well.
The International Mountain Museum is one of the best places to visit in Pokhara and has a remarkable collection of artifacts, original gear, geographic flora and fauna, stories, and photographs of the mountains, their inhabitants’, and the explorers who ascended some of the highest peaks of Nepal in the world. The museum presents you with a description of the people residing in the Himalayas, the 14 highest peaks, and their most popular expeditions. The International Mountain Museum also holds some exhibits from other mountain areas. Established by the Nepal Mountaineering Association in 1995, the International Mountain Museum maintains and documents the history, evolution, development, and legendary achievements of mountaineering. Every sector of the museum is outlined to highlight the praiseworthy accomplishments of famous mountaineers in the majestic Himalayas and around the world.
Tal Barahi Temple is a two-story pagoda temple established on a small island on Phewa Lake in Pokhara. Also known as Lake or Varahi Temple, Tal Barahi is dedicated to Goddess Varahi, who is an incarnation of Goddess Durga. Both Hindu and Buddhist followers visit Tal Barahi Temple to worship Goddess Varahi, who is believed to be the symbol of strength (Shakti). It is believed that Tal Barahi Temple was built by King Kulmandhan Shah because of a dream that he saw. Mostly made of wood, bricks, and stone, the principal shrine set has traditional pagoda-type architecture. The temple has a large premise enough to contain several devotees.
Devi’s Fall is an extraordinary waterfall that sets up a 500-foot-long underground tunnel as it touches its bottom. This tunnel has earned the name Patale Chango in the Nepalese language, which means “underground waterfall.” Surrounded by abundant flora, Devi’s Fall is fed by Phewa Lake Dam. As a landmark of Pokhara, Devi’s Fall is a place you must visit when in Nepal. You can witness the magnificence of nature as you see Devi’s fall struggling with rocks to set itself free. Devi’s fall marks the point where the Pardi Khola stream vanishes underground and leaves no clue of its presence. You can witness the full power of Devi’s fall during the monsoon as the splashes of water against the boulders create a terrific site.
Begnas Lake is the second-largest lake and one of the most famous lakes in Pokhara. The freshwater lake with its beautiful natural surroundings lures many visitors too. On a clear day, you can observe the lake waters reflecting the encompassing mountain ranges and the clouds creating a stunning view. You must visit the Begnas Tal if you seek to get closer to nature and absorb the enchanting vibe among thick forests in the Pokhara.
Gupteshwar Mahadev Temple is devoted to Lord Shiva near the place where the Seti River arises from the underground. During the 16th century, a self-emerging Shiva Lingam was found in the 3-kilometer-long cave. Aside from the holy Gupteshwar Mahadev temple, the long, deep, and dark cave offers an exceptional opportunity to explore the natural wonders in their purest form.
Since the origin of tourism, Pokhara has developed remarkably. Some changes were advantageous, but the real beauty of Pokhara is sort of lost. But one can find beauty in a place known as Old Pokhara, where locals have managed to maintain the old town appeal of Pokhara. Here, one can get a glimpse of what it was like before it was uncovered by modernization. Old Pokhara is the best place to visit in Pokhara on foot, as they can take their time witnessing the architectural designs and the cityscape and assimilate the ancient charm of Pokhara. While exploring Old Pokhara, visitors can take a tour of the old marketplace trading local products, visit different temples, and explore old alleyways.
Gorkha Memorial Museum is a grand structure dedicated to commemorating the service of Gurkha soldiers that is located near Mahendra Pul in Pokhara. Gurkha soldiers joined the British Army in 1815, and the Gorkha Museum is a beautiful picture gallery to discover more about the lives of Gurkhas.
The ancient Bindhyabasini Temple is on top of a small hill in Pokhara. Bindhyabasini Temple is devoted to Goddess Durga, who is said to be an incarnation of Devi Parvati. Diverse devotees worship the goddess, who is in the form of a Shaligram. According to a historical legend, it is said that King Siddhi Narayan Shah acquired the idol from Bindhyachal, India.
Located in the city of Pokhara, Rupa Tal (Lake) is the only freshwater lake in Nepal, at an altitude of 600 m. The beautiful Rupa Lake is famous for the diversity of flora and fauna that it carries. Like Phewa Lake, one can also find boating facilities available for visitors, from which people can enjoy the charming scenery. Along with boating, one can even engage in fishing activities in Rupa Lake.
The Bat Cave (Chamero Gufa) in Pokhara is just the perfect place for those seeking a distinct level of adventure. One can observe thousands of bats thriving in the dark, gloomy, and moist chambers of the cave, just as the name implies. Horseshoe bats are mostly found clinging upside down on the ceilings of the chilly and gloomy caves. You can even explore the cave until the end and wriggle your way through a narrow shaft to reach outside.
Mahendra Cave is a magnificent cave located in Batulechaur that tourists can explore. Mahendra Cave, named after Late King Mahendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev, is a large natural formation of limestone. Hindus acknowledge the cave as sacred and have established a statue of Lord Shiva. It was discovered in the mid-1900s by shepherds and has been thoroughly analyzed by researchers from the United Kingdom since 1976.
Established in 1965, the Annapurna Butterfly Museum houses almost all of Nepal’s 660 common, rare, and endemic species of butterflies. The collection of butterflies is stored in such a way as to represent their imitation and camouflage. Various diagrams comparing certain species with others found in parts of the Palearctic region are also exhibited in the museum. Annapurna Butterfly Museum is one of the best places to visit in Pokhara if you are very interested in animals and plants.
