Gandaki Province
Pokhara
Our home base. A lakeside city facing the Annapurna range, and Nepal's most versatile hub for trekking, adventure sports, wellness and simply slowing down.
Shakurma is based here
Pokhara is where Shakurma's team lives and works, which means on-the-ground logistics here are something we handle personally rather than through a distant partner. Our Pokhara lead, Ganesh, has spent close to a decade in the city's hospitality and tourism scene, including as General Manager of a Pokhara property, so day-to-day details — transfers, room categories, timing a sunrise trip, matching a guide to your fitness level — are second nature.
Pokhara suits almost every kind of traveller: a lakeside stroll and boat ride for a relaxed couple of days, a short trek into the Annapurna foothills for the more active, or a base for paragliding, rafting and mountain biking.
What to see in Pokhara
Our signature trek
Annapurna Base Camp (ABC) Trek
Our signature Pokhara trek: teahouse-to-teahouse walking through Gurung villages and rhododendron forest into the Annapurna Sanctuary at roughly 4,130m, ringed by Annapurna I, Annapurna South, Hiunchuli and Machhapuchhre.
- A licensed guide is required by Nepal's current trekking regulations for this route — arranged as standard, not an upsell.
- See the full itinerary, permits, seasons and packing guidance before you enquire.
Ride Nepal: motorbike touring
Motorbike touring
See the hills and valleys around Pokhara from the seat of a motorcycle — day rides and longer guided tours, distinct from mountain biking, with gear, permits and route briefing handled as part of your quotation.
- Explore day-ride and multi-day route ideas, rider requirements and what's confirmed at quotation stage.
Lakes, temples & viewpoints
Phewa Lake
Pokhara's centrepiece — boating, lakeside cafés and reflections of the Annapurna range on a clear morning.
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Tal Barahi Temple
A small island temple in the middle of Phewa Lake, reached by a short boat ride.
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World Peace Pagoda
A hilltop stupa above the lake with one of the best panoramic views in the city, reachable by boat and a walking trail or by road.
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Sarangkot sunrise viewpoint
The classic early-morning viewpoint over Pokhara and the Annapurna and Machhapuchhre peaks.
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Pumdikot Shiva Statue
A large hilltop Shiva statue with valley and mountain views, popular for sunset visits.
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Begnas & Rupa Lakes
Quieter lakes east of the city centre — a good half-day for a slower, less touristed side of Pokhara.
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Devi's Fall & Gupteshwar Cave
A dramatic waterfall that disappears underground, with an accessible cave system on the opposite side of the road.
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Old Bazaar & Bindhyabasini Temple
Pokhara's original town centre, with a hilltop temple and a more local, lived-in atmosphere than the lakeside strip.
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International Mountain Museum
An indoor introduction to Nepal's mountains, mountaineering history and mountain cultures — useful context before or after a trek.
Explore this place →Short treks & foothill villages
Australian Camp
A gentle, short overnight trek with wide Annapurna views — a good introduction to walking in the foothills.
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Dhampus
An easy-access foothill village with mountain views, often paired with Australian Camp for a short trek.
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Ghandruk
A larger Gurung village with a strong cultural identity and some of the best close-up Annapurna and Machhapuchhre views from a village setting.
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Sikles
A quieter, less-visited Gurung village trek with a genuinely local, off-the-main-trail feel.
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Panchase
A forested ridge trek known for rhododendron forest, birdlife and a peaceful, less crowded route.
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Poon Hill
One of Nepal's most famous short treks, built around a sunrise viewpoint over the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri ranges.
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Mardi Himal
A moderate trek to a dramatic ridge viewpoint beneath Machhapuchhre — less crowded than the classic Annapurna routes.
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Upper Mustang access
A restricted-area, high-desert region beyond the Annapurna range, reached via Pokhara/Jomsom — a very different landscape and culture from the rest of Nepal.
- Requires a special permit and typically more planning lead time; ask us early if this interests you.
Adventure activities
Paragliding
Tandem paragliding from Sarangkot over Phewa Lake is one of Pokhara's signature activities.
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Zipline
One of the longest and steepest ziplines in the world operates near Sarangkot.
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Bungee jumping
A well-known high bungee/swing operation near Pokhara for those wanting an adrenaline addition to their trip.
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Boating & kayaking
Phewa Lake is calm enough for relaxed boating or, for the more active, kayaking.
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White-water rafting
Rivers within reach of Pokhara offer rafting for a range of experience levels, arranged through vetted local operators.
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Mountain biking
Foothill trails and quieter back-roads around Pokhara suit both casual and serious mountain biking.
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Ultralight & scenic mountain flights
Ultralight and fixed-wing scenic flights offer close-up mountain views without trekking, subject to current operator availability and weather.
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Helicopter journeys
Helicopter access to areas such as the Annapurna Base Camp region or Muktinath is available through licensed operators where operationally and legally permitted at the time of travel.
Explore this place →Wellness & local life
Wellness retreats
Lakeside Pokhara has a growing number of wellness-focused stays suited to a slower, restorative few days.
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Yoga & meditation
From a single drop-in class to a multi-day retreat, Pokhara's calmer pace and mountain backdrop suit yoga and meditation well.
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Local food, village & cultural experiences
Cooking experiences, village visits and everyday local life around the lake add texture beyond the well-known sights.
Explore this place →Experiences in Pokhara
Trekking
From gentle two-day village walks to our signature Annapurna Base Camp trek — matched to your fitness and time.
Yoga & Meditation
From a single Pokhara lakeside class to a multi-day retreat — grounded, unhurried, and led by qualified local teachers.
Adventure
Paragliding, rafting, ziplining, mountain biking and more, based mainly around Pokhara, through vetted operators.
Honeymoon
Private, unhurried journeys combining mountains, lakes and culture — with a touch of comfort where it matters.
Motorbike Touring
Guided motorcycle day rides and multi-day tours through Nepal's mountain roads — distinct from mountain biking, and matched to your riding experience.
Journeys that include this region
Annapurna Base Camp (ABC) Trek
A classic teahouse trek through subtropical forest, Gurung villages and rhododendron woodland to the Annapurna Sanctuary at roughly 4,130m, surrounded by Annapurna I, Annapurna South, Hiunchuli and Machhapuchhre.
Pokhara & the Annapurna Foothills
A Pokhara-focused week combining lakeside time, a short Annapurna foothill walk and a choice of adventure activities.
Mardi Himal Private Trek
A configurable private trek to the Mardi Himal viewpoint, a quieter alternative to the classic Annapurna routes.
Poon Hill & Pokhara
A configurable itinerary combining the classic Poon Hill sunrise trek with Pokhara's lakeside highlights.
Yoga & Stillness in the Himalayas
A seven-day Pokhara-based retreat-style journey combining daily yoga and meditation with gentle sightseeing.
Guides for your visit
The Complete Pokhara Travel Guide: What to See, Do and Experience
Shakurma's home-base guide to Pokhara — lakeside sights, viewpoints, short treks, adventure activities and wellness, written by our Pokhara-based team.
Read guideKathmandu to Pokhara: Flight, Private Vehicle and Tourist Bus Compared
A practical comparison of the three main ways to travel between Kathmandu and Pokhara, so you can choose based on time, budget and comfort.
Read guideReady to plan your Pokhara visit?
Tell us your dates and interests and we'll suggest how to combine it with the rest of Nepal.
Other destinations
Kathmandu
Nepal's capital is usually where a journey begins and ends — a dense, living valley of temples, courtyards and markets that rewards slowing down for at least two or three days.
Explore Kathmandu
Chitwan
A UNESCO World Heritage lowland national park — one of the best places in Asia to see one-horned rhinos, and, with patience, a wide range of birdlife and other wildlife.
Explore Chitwan
Lumbini
A UNESCO World Heritage pilgrimage site and the birthplace of Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha) — a place of quiet significance rather than a conventional sightseeing stop.
Explore Lumbini