Pokhara, the 2nd city of Nepal

Besides Kathmandu Nepal has another “outdoor capital”. Pokhara is a lovely city, for many people the starting point of their hike in the Annapurna area. But this city has much more to offer than shops with hiking gear. Because we already did a hike to Everest Base Camp, we went to this place manly to relax and admire the white peaks from a distance.

The Himalaya backdrop

Pokhara has a very chill vibe, with many different kinds of restaurants and places you can enjoy a drink and the views around you. One of the best places to do so is near the Phewa lake. We loved to chill in this beachy area and watch the sunset lakeview. It is also possible to hire a boat and row around the lake, but we were lazy after our hike!

We did hire a motorbike to explore the area and went to some lakes further away from the city. It was very nice to leave the city noises and enjoy the quietness of the beautiful environment.

Outside of Pokhara!

We really love viewpoints, and luckily Pokhara has plenty to offer. We hiked up to the World Peace Pagoda. Besides the nice pagoda, this place also gives you an amazing view over the lake and Pokhara city. We went there in the middle of the day, but we heard it is also beautiful to visit with sunrise or sunset.

We visited another place to watch the mountains on the horizon change colors; at Sarangkot. There are some nice guesthouses to stay on this hill, but it is also possible to grab a taxi in the early morning. This spot is very populair and therefore very crowded, but we loved it anyway!

Fishtail Mountain

In addition to the above, Pokhara has many more reasons for a (short or long) visit; definitely do so!