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Major city · Nepal

Pokharaपोखरा

Use Pokhara as the lakeside base for Annapurna treks and short hikes: two nights for the lake and viewpoints, longer if you are trekking out from here.

Weather
see forecast
Best months
Oct–Nov and Mar–Apr (clear skies, mountain views, stable trekking weather)
avoid Jun–Sep (monsoon rain and cloud hide the mountains and can trigger landslides on trek routes)
Airport
PKR
Nights
2–4
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 6
  • South Asia ↗Trekking regions, border districts and several Indian states need separate permits on top of the visa; check the permit before you book transport into them.
  • South Asia ↗Remove shoes (and in many Jain and Hindu temples, leather) before entering; cover shoulders and legs; ask before photographing people or rituals.
  • Nepal ↗Get visa information only from the Department of Immigration; visa-service lookalike sites charge extra, and the rules differ by nationality.
  • Nepal ↗At stupas walk clockwise; at temples and homes remove shoes where there is a rack or a raised floor; cover shoulders and knees.
  • Nepal ↗Carry Nepalese rupees in small notes: many stalls, taxis and tea shops are cash-only, and shops rarely take foreign notes.
  • Nepal ↗Strikes (bandh) and protests can close roads without notice: check the news and your hotel the night before any airport or highway day.

Pokhara is Nepal's second most-visited city, spread along Phewa Lake with the Annapurna range rising directly behind it — on a clear day Machapuchare's fishtail peak appears to hang over the water. It is the standard start and end point for Annapurna-region treks (Poon Hill, Annapurna Base Camp, the full circuit), and its Lakeside strip is built almost entirely around trekking outfitters, gear shops and guesthouses. Compared with Kathmandu it is relaxed, low-rise and easy to navigate on foot.

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Phewa Lake boating and the island Tal Barahi templeAnnapurna and Machapuchare mountain viewsStart and end point for Annapurna treksParagliding from SarangkotWorld Peace Pagoda viewpointInternational Mountain Museum
Airports
PKR Pokhara International (New airport (opened 2023) a few kilometres from Lakeside; domestic flights from Kathmandu take about 25 minutes, with a growing number of regional international routes — confirm current services with the airline.)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Pokhara: next 7 days

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Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

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Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

Lakeside itself is compact and walkable. Taxis reach Sarangkot for sunrise and paragliding, the World Peace Pagoda and the airport; tourist buses and short domestic flights connect Pokhara to Kathmandu, and mountain flights are routinely delayed or cancelled for weather, so build in a spare day if you have an onward connection.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Lakeside (Baidam)

The main visitor strip: guesthouses, trekking agencies and restaurants right on Phewa Lake, but busy and noisy in high season.

Damside

Quieter southern end of the lake, still walkable to Lakeside, with fewer crowds and lower prices.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Watch out

  • Monsoon cloud (Jun–Sep) hides the mountain views most days: come outside this window if seeing Annapurna and Machapuchare is the point.
  • Trekking Information Management System (TIMS) cards and Annapurna Conservation Area permits are required for most treks and rules change: confirm current requirements with a registered agency or the Nepal Tourism Board before setting out.
  • Paragliding and other adventure operators vary widely in safety standards: check for licensed pilots, insurance and recent safety records rather than booking on price alone.
  • Roads and trails can be damaged by landslides after heavy rain, including outside the core monsoon months: check current trail conditions locally before a trek.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Pokhara. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Oct–Nov and Mar–Apr (clear skies, mountain views, stable trekking weather) · avoid Jun–Sep (monsoon rain and cloud hide the mountains and can trigger landslides on trek routes)
  2. 1 airport and 2 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast
  4. 4 things to watch out for

Coming as the guide grows

  1. An airport-to-bed path that says whether a late landing still works
  2. Walking clusters with bag rules
  3. Day plans checked against opening hours
  4. Field-verified times and fares

Meanwhile

Back to Nepal

Sources