Things to Do in Pokhara
Pokhara is Nepal's playground: a lake at the bottom, the Annapurnas at the top, and an improbable density of caves, waterfalls, viewpoints and adventure sports in between. You could fill a week here without repeating yourself. Here's the full menu.
The Classics
- Boat across Phewa Lake. Hire a colourful wooden doonga (rowed or row-it-yourself) from the Lakeside ghats. Most trips visit the Tal Barahi temple on its island; the brave continue to the far shore and hike up to the Peace Pagoda.
- Sunrise at Sarangkot. The ridge above town delivers the famous dawn panorama — Dhaulagiri to Manaslu, with Machhapuchhre centre stage. Taxi up in the dark or hike up the day before and stay over.
- World Peace Pagoda. The gleaming white stupa on the southern ridge has the best free view in the city. Combine boat + forest hike for the classic half-day loop.
Adventure Sports
Pokhara is one of the world's great paragliding venues — and that's just the start.
| Activity | Notes | | --- | --- | | Paragliding | Tandem flights from Sarangkot over the lake; ~30 min of pure grin | | Zip-lining | One of the world's steepest and longest lines, from Sarangkot | | Ultralight flights | Open-cockpit flying toward the Annapurnas | | Kayaking & SUP | Calm water, mountain backdrop, rentals on Lakeside | | Mountain biking | Lakeside circuits to serious ridge descents |
Caves and Waterfalls
The southern side of town clusters several natural oddities an easy half-day apart: Devi's Falls, where the Pardi Khola vanishes underground; Gupteshwor Cave directly across the road, where a shrine sits behind the falling water; and the bat-filled chambers of Bat Cave and Mahendra Cave to the north.
Museums Worth Your Time
The International Mountain Museum is genuinely excellent — mountaineering history, Sherpa culture, and the geology of the Himalaya, best visited on a rest day. The Gurkha Museum tells the story of Nepal's most famous soldiers.
Day Hikes and Beyond
Pokhara is the staging town for the Annapurnas, and you can sample the trails without committing to a full trek — Australian Camp, Panchase, and the Poon Hill loop all start within an hour of town. Our short hikes near Pokhara guide covers routes, times and difficulty.
Rest and Refuel
Between adventures, Pokhara's other great activity is doing very little, well: lakeside cafes, massage and yoga studios, and some of Nepal's best food — see our Pokhara restaurant guide. Staying a while? Pick the right neighbourhood with our Pokhara hotels guide.
Browse tours and activities on GatewayToNepal — explore Pokhara packages on our Things to Do page. Online booking is coming soon.