Sightseeing of Mountains of Pokhara, Nepal:
Pokhara is blessed with eye-catching panoramic views of the Annapurna range which forms its background. The Machhapuchhre also called Mt. Fishtail is a full attention-grabbing mountain as it rules the scenery because of its closeness to the valley and can be seen from anywhere in Pokhara. The Annapurna massif which is stretching from east to west includes Annapurna 1 to IV and Annapurna South. On going further one can see the giants, Dhaulagiri (8,167m) and Manaslu (8,163m).
Phewa Lake of Pokhara, Nepal:
Phewa Lake one of the enthralling lakes has made Pokhara more and more popular. Towards the eastern shore of the lake has developed the Lakeside or Baidam, a prosperous resort town of restaurants, hotels, bars and souvenir shops that allow travelers to relax and enjoy. Of the three lakes, Phewa Lake is the largest and most beautiful lake which attracts a large number of visitors who visit the lake to enjoy boating on its easygoing and serene waters. For boating one can hire the boat. In the middle of the lake is the island temple of Barahi which is a must visit temple for the guests.
Barahi Temple of Pokhara, Nepal:
In the middle of the Phewa Lake is situated the Barahi Temple, which is one the most important shrines in Pokhara. Barahi Temple is a two-storied pagoda and is devoted to the boar appearance of Ajima who represents the female force, Shakti. The temple is crowded on Saturdays. Sacrifices also take place in this temple.
River Seti of Pokhara, Nepal:
An astonishing characteristic of Pokhara is the disappearing river, Seti, which goes underground and vanishes in many places along its route through the city. The condition of Seti now is such that at various points it is hardly 2 m wide but as far as its depth is considered then the depth reaches an amazing 20 m! Mahendra Pul at Bhimsen Chowk which is a bridge near the old Mission Hospital is a good spot for watching the river Seti. Here the river can be seen in all its fierceness gushing down the deep gorge that it has carved over millennia.
Devi’s fall of Pokhara, Nepal:
Devi’s fall an attractive waterfall which is locally popular as the Patale Chhango (Nether Fall) is located on the Siddhartha Highway about 2 km south-west of Pokhara Airport.
Mahendra Gupha of Pokhara, Nepal:
Mahendra Gupha is a large limestone cave, which can be reached by a two-hour walk to the north of Pokhara. It is famous among the locals as the House of Bats and is famous for its stalactites and stalagmites.
World Peace Pagoda of Pokhara, Nepal:
The World Peace Pagoda is dome shaped pagoda which can be seen on the top of the hill on the southern edge of Phewa Lake. The pagoda has four images of the Buddha and the images are facing the four directions. Because of its location on the hilltop the dome-shaped pagoda is a striking view and it also commands a great view. It is a great vantage point which offers spectacular views of the Annapurna.
The old Pokhara Bazaar which is 4 km away from Phewa Lake and also a stark contrast to Lakeside Pokhara is a traditional bazaar and a colorful gathering place for an ethnically varied group of traders. The architects of the temples and monuments bear a close similarity to the Newari architecture of the Kathmandu Valley. The old bazaar is also home to one of Pokhara’s most important holy places, the Bindhyabasini Mandir, a white dome-like structure atop a hill.
Sarangkot, Pokhara, Nepal:
5 km west of the old bazaar on the top of a hill is Sarangkot, which is 1,592 m high former Kaski Fort. People normally visit Sarangkot during the night as it offers a grandstand view of sunset and sunrise over the Annapurna’s.
Kaskikot/Naudanda, Pokhara, Nepal:
Kaskikot (1,500 m) is 15 km west from Pokhara and about three hours from Sarangkot. Kaskikot can be enjoyed by walking through the green hills and ancient ruins having good views of Phewa Lake, Pokhara Valley and the mountains.
Kahundanda (1,520 m), Pokhara, Nepal:
Kahundanda is a ruined fort on the top with a view tower and is to the northeast of Pokhara and offers fantastic scenery. People feel it a great chance to walk though deciduous forests and valuable rural life. Magnificent visions of the Seti River and also the sunrise and sunset make this a wonderful place to visit.
Ghalchowk, Pokhara, Nepal:
A five-hour walk to the north of Bokhara is a typical Gurung village and is one of the region’s oldest settlements.
Sirubari, Pokhara, Nepal:
Sirubari a small village is located at 1,700 m on the southern slopes of a ridge. To reach the village it almost takes a 5-hour walk from Pokhara, about 20 km to the northeast. The village populated with Gurungs is small and compact with neat and clean paths and the houses are mainly stone and slate-built. Because of the idea of the people to preserve heritage and culture Sirubari won the PATA Gold Award in 2001.
Museums of Pokhara, Nepal
Pokhara Museum, Nepal:
Pokhara museum is situated between the bus stop and Mahendra Pul. It is the museum which showcases the ethnic mixture of the varied cultures that flourish in western Nepal. By means of models, photographs and artifacts the lifestyles and history of the Gurungs, Thakalis and Tharus are appealingly presented in the museum. More recently discovered remains of an 8,000-year-old settlement in Mustang has gained much interest and is also a major attraction of Pokhara museum.
Annapurna Regional Museum, Pokhara, Nepal:
Annapurna regional museum famous as the Natural History Museum is located at the Prithvi Narayan Campus to the east of the old bazaar. The museum is operated and managed by the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) and in this museum exceptional collection of butterflies, birds, insects and models of wildlife founded in the area are kept.
International Mountain Museum (IMM), Pokhara, Nepal:
International Mountain museum which is located 1.5 km south of Pokhara Airport at RatoPairo, has on display historical records, documents and chronicles on mountaineering. There are three main exhibition halls in the museum and are: Hall of Fame, Hall of the Great Himalaya and the Hall of World Mountains. Together with this the museum also has a library, a prayer room and an audio-visual room. The museum, established with the theme “Man, Mountain and Mountain activities around the world” is operated and managed by the Nepal Mountaineering Association.
Gurkha Memorial Museum, Pokhara, Nepal:
Gurkha Memorial museum is located at Pardi, Pokhara. As is clear from the name itself the museum displays a collection of uniforms, pictures of the Gukha infantry regiments, medals (including the Victoria Cross), Gurkha engineers, signals and transport regiments and Gurkha Contingent of the Singapore Police Force.