Pokhara

Updated 1 Month 21 days ago ( number of views: 28)

Transportation
There are domestic flights to Pokhara offered by Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) as well as various domestic airlines. There are buses that leave for Pokhara from Kathmandu as well as various cities in the Terai region. It takes about 35 minutes to reach Pokhara via air and 5 to 6 hours by bus from Kathmandu. You could also reserve a taxi and go to Pokhara from Kathmandu but this will cost you nearly the same amount as an airline fare.

The airport is situated in the middle of the town and there are regular flights to Kathmandu, Jomsom, Bharatpur and Bhairahawa from here. You could also charter a helicopter to Manang and Jomsom from here.

Lakes
Pokhara is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Nepal. Pokhara has several beautiful lakes and offers stunning panoramic views of the Himalayas. There are eight lakes inside the Pokhara valley. These include Phewa (the second largest lake of Nepal), Begnas, Rupa, Maidi, Khaste, Gunde, Dipang and Kamal Pokhari. In an island, at the middle of the lake, is the Tal Barahi Temple. On the southern shore of the Phewa lake, atop a hill, is the huge stupa of the World Peace Pagoda.

Trekking
Pokhara is the starting point for many popular trekking and rafting destinations. Some of the treks for which Pokhara is the starting point include- Jomsom trek, Annapurna Sanctuary trek, Ghorepani Circuit trek, Naudanda trek, Ghachowk trek, Sarangkot trek and the Kahun danda trek.

Places to visit
Some of the must visit areas of Pokhara include Devi’s Fall, Bindyabashini Temple, Mahendra Gufa (cave), Chamero Gufa (Bat cave), Gupteshwar Gufa (cave), International Mountain Museum, Pokhara Regional Museum and the Natural History Museum.

Places to Stay
Lakeside and Damside areas, which are located along the north shore of the Phewa Lake, are the major tourist hubs in Pokhara. There are a number of hotels, lodges, restaurants, bars, pubs, book shops, souvenir shops, Intenet cafes and ice cream parlors situated here. You will also find shops which have scooters, motorbikes and bicycles for hire.

Culture
Pokhara is also very rich culturally. People belonging to different castes like Brahmins, Kshetris, Newars, Gurungs, Magars, Thakalis, Damais (tailors), Kamis (blacksmiths), Sunars (goldsmiths) and Podes (sweepers) live here. There is a small Muslim community as well.

Climate
The climate of Pokhara is very pleasant. The monsoon season lasts from June to September. The best time to visit Pokhara is from October to November. At this time of the year, the climate is mild, the air is fresh and the visibility is good.

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Tags: damside, lakes, lakeside, pokhara, transportation, trekking