There were places where you knew you would come again when you said goodbye, Pokhara is one of them for me.. Contrary to the hustle and bustle of Kathmandu, this magical city, where I feel the peace and bohemian spirit, is one of the most beautiful living spaces I have ever seen.. Pokhara, Nepal’s second largest city, is a frequent destination not only for those who want to trek in the foothills of Annapurna, but also for yoga and meditation enthusiasts.. When you go to Nepal, I leave you alone with the Pokhara Travel Guide, where they will strongly recommend you not to miss this place and make a plan.. (CLICK HERE to read the article “Everything You Need Before Your Nepal Trip”, which includes other details about going to Nepal.)
How to Get to Pokhara? / Pokhara Travel Guide
Unfortunately, one of the issues we worry about the most in Nepal is transportation between cities because the roads are bad beyond the standards we are used to.. In addition to traveling very short distances in extremely long periods, being constantly shaken during the journey can be seriously tiring after a while.. And when the stopped traffic is added to the work, it becomes a troublesome issue.. Fortunately, Pokhara is one of the cities where you can use the airline alternative.. Kathmandu city is the main transfer point where you can reach Pokhara by plane.. Of course, you can switch from other cities by bus.. We wanted to use the plane on the way and the bus on the way back and experience both, but I would definitely recommend the plane for those who have no budget problems and fear of flying.
* Transportation by bus
In intercity buses in Nepal, public transportation and if you don’t want to travel together with the animals they have, you need to use the slightly more comfortable buses called “Tourist Bus“. These buses are priced according to the features they offer and their prices range from $8 to $30. For the return from Pokhara to Kathmandu, we couldn’t resist the lure of its ultra-comfortable seats and used one of the deluxe class Tourist Busses.. The price is $25 per person, but it was definitely worth the money for a road we traveled 210 km in 9 hours.. Also included in the price is the breakfast package in the morning and the open buffet meal at the stop for lunch.. While selling the ticket, they said that there was wifi in the bus, but when we got on, we realized that that part was a lie.. The point you should not forget about the Tourist Bus is this; Regardless of the city of departure, they all leave at 07:00 in the morning and there is no other alternative during the day.
*Transportation by plane
From Kathmandu Another alternative to go to Pokhara is local airlines.. The most popular are Simrik, Yeti, and Buddha Air.. If you are not going during the high season or if you have the time, you can buy the tickets from a travel agency and get them cheaper because the flight ticket price is 20-30$ for the locals and 120$ for the tourists when you book online.. The points that those who are considering going by plane should know are as follows:
– The journey takes 20 minutes by plane in 9 hours by bus, so if you have time problems, it can definitely be preferred.. However, there is always a possibility that the plane will be delayed or canceled due to the Himalayas effect.
– We made a plan to pass to Pokhara as we landed in Kathmandu.. Since we went with hand luggage and therefore did not have to wait for luggage, we put 3 hours between our landing time in Kathmandu and the plane to Pokhara, and we caught up easily.
– All local planes are fast-paced planes with a maximum of 30 people.. During the flight, it stretches a bit because it shakes a lot, but you travel with a wonderful view especially when the weather is nice.
– If you bought your ticket online, do not forget to have the printout with you.. Tickets are checked at the entrance to the airport in Nepal, before even passing the security check.
Inner City Transportation in Pokhara / Pokhara Travel Guide
In the section of places to visit in Pokhara I will detail the transportation information one by one, but in general, I can say that the best alternative for transportation is a taxi.. Since the distances are very close to each other, we preferred to walk in the city all the time, we arranged a taxi for 100 rupees per kilometer at the points where we were very tired.. Taxis here are much more reasonable than those in Kathmandu.. In short distances, we proceeded with the number they gave us without having to negotiate.. On the day we got off the plane, we walked from the airport to the hotel in half an hour, and we had a little tour of the city.. On the way back, we took advantage of the free shuttle service of the hotel we stayed in.. If you do not have such an opportunity, if you want to take a bus or a taxi when you get off the plane, the highest amount you have to pay around Lakeside Road should be 300 rupees, you can bargain accordingly.
There are local buses going to the starting points of the routes for those who plan a trekking. The number of tourists using the buses is also quite high.. If you are looking for an economical option, you can take advantage of these buses.
Accommodation / Pokhara Travel Guide
Pokhara is divided into 3 regions as a city: Lakeside, Damside and Old Pokhara. Most of the hotels are in Lakeside and Damside area.. While the Damside side is close to the bus station and the airport, we can say that the Lakeside area is the heart of the city, all the bars, cafes, shops are located here.. That’s why we chose to arrange a hotel in the Lakeside area and stayed at Hotel Silver Oaks Inn, right in the heart of the city.. By Nepalese standards his conditions were extremely adequate; We paid $24 for a double room+breakfast for this hotel, which has spacious rooms, clean, breakfast to choose from the menu, and a garden adorned with wonderful flowers.. Pokhara is a small city, so don’t be fooled by the concept of “far from the city center”, if you like walking – the place where you are walking is a beautiful lakeside – you can stay in these parts as well.. Those who want to stay in a hotel with a lake view while they’re here can pay slightly higher prices and choose Big Pillow Inn, Butterfly Lodge or White Pearly hotels.
If you don’t have time for a long trek, but still want to stay in an area close to the mountains You can come to Dhampus by arranging a jeep from the city center and spend the night in one of the Guest Houses here or at the Australian Base Camp within 1-2 hours of walking.. If the clouds are on your side, I’m sure you will witness one of the most beautiful sunrises of your life.
Food and Drink in Pokhara / Pokhara Travel Guide
Before Nepal Trip from Nepal food details I mentioned it in the article Everything You’ll Need.. In this part, I will talk about the places we went to in Pokhara.
* Moondance
Moondance, which we prefer for a dinner, is one of the most famous restaurants in Pokhara.. You can go without reservation if you are willing to sit inside for dinner in the restaurant, which serves great cocktails as well as various meat dishes.. Lemon meringue pie, the favorite of the place, where you can stop by for a coffee break if you wish.. My favorite was the mojito we drank from a pitcher :)) My only warning; Our understanding of “medium cooked” meat is quite different from theirs, I understood when I saw the cold ground meat (I can’t say meatballs) that comes in a hot hamburger.
Types of food (hamburger, salad, pasta, meat varieties)= 300-500 rupees
Coffee varieties = 120-200 rupees
Cocktail varieties = 350-500 rupees
* OR2K (“Ortukiy”)
Although this place, which is located in both Kathmandu and Pokhara, is written on almost every blog, know that there is a reason. I don’t think I would get tired of going to this Israeli restaurant every day, where you take off your shoes and eat while sitting on the floor.. Whether you want a meal or a coffee break, the venue offers vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free dishes from both the Middle East and Nepal; or join the “chill out” atmosphere accompanied by sweet music in the evening.. We chose it for lunch on our first day in Pokhara and it was a great choice to get rid of the tiredness of the road and unwind.. By eating falafel and Nepal’s famous dish dal bhat and drinking cider for 75 rupees, maybe not in Nepal, but in our travels so far, we broke our record for cheapness.
Coffee and cold drinks = 120-200 rupees
Pizza varieties = 475-600 rupees
Local cuisine = 390-500 rupees
Middle Eastern dishes = 300-450 rupees
* Godfather’s Pizzeria
Godfather’s, which comes to the rescue of those who can’t eat hot like me and has two separate branches, is shown as one of the best pizzerias in the city.. Although this place has a shabby appearance after places with a lake view, its pizzas are quite delicious for Nepalese conditions.. We didn’t have any problems finding a place because we preferred it for lunch, the service was also extremely fast, but I don’t know the situation in the evening.
Types of pizza = 410-600 rupees
Types of pasta = 310 – 400 rupees
Soup, salad, snacks = 190 – 350 rupees
* Himalayan Java Coffee
Himalayan Java, which also has a branch in Kathmandu Coffee is a cute coffee chain that serves organic Nepali coffee and conquers our hearts with its sweet varieties and prices.. Its branch in Pokhara is located just below OR2K and offers an environment where you can sip your coffee against the magnificent lake view.
Click to see the entire menu on the website.
* Busy Bee Cafe
As it gets dark in Pokhara, the sounds of music start to rise from the places in the center.. You know! There is a very good nightlife here.. Some venues play live music. One of them, and perhaps the most popular, is the Busy Bee Cafe in the heart of the city.. Although it is not obvious from the outside, it is quite spacious inside, it does not overwhelm because it is open air, but it is a little difficult to chat due to the sound of music.. I can’t say that the kitchen is very successful either.. My mind was stuck at The Old Blues Bar because it looked pretty fun as I walked past it.. Still, we had a great time at Bust Bee.
Cocktails = 500-650 rupees
Beer types = 300-500 rupees
* Other Locations
I wanted to share with you the places that I researched and liked before I came, but couldn’t see them because there wasn’t enough time.. If you want pancakes to accompany your coffee, you can choose Metro Crepes, Cafe Concerto for a good breakfast and pizza, Freedom Cafe or Boomerang. AM/PM Organic Cafe was also recommended in many places, but unfortunately we did not have the opportunity to try it.
Pokhara Attractions and Activities
Pokhara It should not be seen only as a center for trekking and other nature sports.. In other words, it is not possible for someone who has no interest in these to come here and be bored, in my estimation.. Even breathing the calm air of Phewa Lake in the city center can be a reason to come in itself.. Let’s talk about the places to visit and the activities you can do here:
* World Peace Pagoda
When you come to the city center of Pokhara, when you gaze at the hills rising behind the lake, you will see a white stupa. A Japanese Buddhist monk, who witnessed the terrible consequences of the Second World War, initiated the construction of stupas representing “Peace”, one of the cornerstones of Buddhism, in order to spread it all over the world. This is the World Peace Pagoda, also known as Shanti Stupa, which is one of about 100 peace stupas in the world.
As soon as you approach, you hear the mantras rising from the small temple below.. You can come in and accompany me if you wish.. If you don’t want to, you can go towards the stupa and wander around the stupa with a 360-degree view.. “How do you get into the stupa?” Don’t look because it doesn’t exist.
There are two ways you can go to the pagoda: take a taxi or walk.. We chose the second way and first arranged a boat on the Lakeside side and crossed the lake.. (One-way crossing fee 700 rupees for 2 people). After crossing, we started climbing by following the signs.. This climb took about 40 minutes, but it was a bit difficult in hot weather as the road was very steep.. Despite this, I can recommend this path to you as it is very pleasant to walk on a lush path among bamboo trees and monkeys stretching to the sky.
* Gupteshwar Mahadev Cave
City Located about 4 km from the center, this cave is touted as Nepal’s longest cave, but I’m not sure of its accuracy.. After you move through the cave, which is quite humid, you come across an unusual sight: A waterfall pouring into the cave, that is, Davis Fall, whose entrance is made from another side. To be honest, neither the inside of the cave nor the waterfall part attracted me much.. (After Victoria Falls, my bar may have been very high on this.) In fact, we gave up going to Davis Fall for this reason.. But I have no words to say to the wood carving I encountered at the entrance to the cave.. You can go even just to see this building.. Entry fee is only 100 rupees. It closes at 17:30. If you want to go by taxi from the city center, you have to pay a maximum of 400 rupees.
* Lakeside and Damside
As I mentioned above, Lakeside is the most lively place in Pokhara.. If you haven’t arranged your hotel here, it is a region you should definitely visit.. Lakeside is the address where you will find dozens of trekking shops, tour companies, cafes, bars and restaurants.. “If we open a cafe over there…” can easily be among the places that make you dream.
Damside is quieter than the other part of Phewa Lake and Lakeside. There is a large green area around the lake where you can walk.. If you want to enjoy the lake without sitting anywhere, this is the right address.. If you have time, you can mingle with the people playing Frisbee in the park.
* Trekking
We can say that the most important activity you can do in Pokhara is trekking in the foothills of Annapurna.. If you have time and your condition is suitable, you can go on the Annapurna Base Camp trek, which takes about 15 days and is the most popular route in the country after Everest.. If you’re short on time, a 5-day Poon Hill Trek, 3-4 day Ghandruk Trek or 2-day Australian Base Camp Trek may be right for you.. If you need more detailed information on this subject, I tried to explain it in the video below.
* Rafting
Another important activity of Pokhara Rafting in the raging waters of rivers fed by the Himalayas. There are many tour companies in the city center where you can get help with this.. As a result of the research we did before we came, the company that appealed to us the most was Paddle Nepal.. We arranged a half-day tour of the Upper Seti River for $51 per person, including transportation, supplies and lunch. March was low season so it was a bit difficult for us to navigate the river, but I’m sure it will be great in September.. We took the 3-day Kali Gadaki recommendation for our next visit, maybe try it if you go before we do.
* Other Attractions
– Watching the sunrise from Sarangot hill, which sees the Himalayar from the widest angle, is Pokhara’s on the “don’t go” list. But lately everyone has complained of overcrowding.. We did not choose to go here as we have already witnessed enough satisfactory sunrises during trekking.. You need to arrange a vehicle to go. You can ask from the hotel you are staying at, or you can agree with one of the taxi drivers you use.
– You can try paragliding with a lake view on days when the weather is suitable.
– You can rent a boat for the day and go on a trip in Phewa Lake.. You can also see the Barahi Temple in the middle of the lake up close.
– You can visit the Tibetan Refugee Camp right next to the Gupteshwar Mahadev Cave.. Since we went around 17:00, everywhere was closed, so we couldn’t visit any place except 1-2 stands selling only handmade items.. Still, it was even fun to see the tiny Buddhist monks walking around with lollipops in their hands.
If you like “Pokhara Travel Guide and Places to Visit”, click here to read the articles about Nepal.
