City guide · पोखरा · Pokhara
Pokhara
Phewa Lake mirrors Fishtail Peak, and trekkers of the Annapurnas set out from here
Nepal's second-largest city, lying in a valley about 200 kilometres west of Kathmandu, at about 820 metres above sea level. Phewa Lake is its living room: on clear mornings, the pyramid silhouette of Fishtail Peak is reflected straight in the lake's surface, while the Lakeside cafés, bookshops and outdoor-gear stores make trekkers from all over the world their final supply point. Pokhara is the gateway to the Annapurna Circuit and Base Camp treks, and also the starting point for paragliding down from Sarangkot over lake and mountain scenery — its pace is much slower than the capital's.
History
How the city came to be
Pokhara stands on the ancient salt-and-grain trade route from western Nepal to Mustang and Tibet; in the 17th century it belonged to the Kaski Kingdom, and Newar merchants built brick-and-timber mansions in the old bazaar. In the 18th century, after the Gorkha dynasty unified Nepal, it became a key town of the west. In 1950 a French team made the first ascent of Annapurna, and Pokhara entered world mountaineering history. In the 1960s the Annapurna region opened to foreign trekkers, and Pokhara quickly became a trekking hub; in the 1970s, young travellers arriving along the "Hippie Trail" brought the first guesthouses and restaurants to the Lakeside. In the 2015 Nepal earthquake, Pokhara's damage was comparatively limited. Pokhara International Airport opened in 2023, making this mountain-lake city further into Nepal's international gateway; tourism and remittances are its economic pillars.
- 17th centuryIn the Kaski Kingdom period, Pokhara became a staging post on the salt-and-grain trade route
- Second half of the 18th centuryThe Gorkha dynasty unified Nepal, and Pokhara entered Nepal's territory
- 1950A French mountaineering team made the first ascent of Annapurna
- 1960The Annapurna region opened to foreign trekking
- 1985The Annapurna Conservation Area Project was launched
- 2015The Nepal earthquake; Pokhara was lightly damaged
- 2023Pokhara International Airport officially opened
Must see
Places you shouldn’t miss
Local life
Food and local daily life
Phewa Lake, Pokhara
Must-try
- Thakali thali
- Lake fish
- Momo
Thakali thali (Thakali khana: buckwheat or rice + curry + sour soup), lake fish (grilled or curried), momos, thukpa, apple pie (a trekking-route classic around the Annapurnas)
| Where to eat | The restaurant street in Lakeside, Thakali canteens |
|---|---|
| Dining etiquette | Dress appropriately when taking the boat to the lake temple (Tal Barahi) |
| Typical price per person | NPR 600–1,100 ≈ CNY 32–58 |
| Tips | Lakeside view seats cost a notch more, and local canteens one lane back are better value; dal bhat fills you up before and after treks. |
Prices are typical rates as of October 2026, not exact quotes; CNY equivalents are approximate where exchange rates fluctuate.
Raunak Maskay · CC BY-SA 4.0
Before you go
Rules to know in Pokhara
Nepal: you must hire a guide to trek in national parks
Do
- Get a trekking permit and TIMS card
- Hire a local guide or porter
Don’t
- Trekking alone in national parks and conservation areas
Breaking the rules can mean a fine or expulsion from the protected area; above 3,000 m there are risks from weather, avalanches and altitude sickness all year.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: GOV.UK: Nepal travel advice
Nepal: temple etiquette
Do
- Wear clothes that cover your knees and shoulders in temples
- Take off your shoes when asked
Don’t
- Wearing shorts or a vest at holy sites
- Entering areas reserved for Hindus
It offends worshippers; some areas of Hindu temples are closed to non-Hindus.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: GOV.UK: Nepal travel advice