(Originally posted 07 May 2016) Pokhara is the second-largest city in Nepal, with a population of approximately 260 000. Nestled between the foothills of the Himalayas and next to a lake, Pokhara is a ‘must visit’. It is an outdoors and adrenalin junkie’s heaven while at the same time being a tranquil place with a slower pace.
In this city, you can choose easier-paced activities like visiting yoga and meditation retreats or spas. If you prefer to take walks and do trekking, you can select various trails that suit your ability. Choose between bungee jumping, paragliding, river rafting, and flying in a microlight for the more adventurous.
If shopping is your thing, the pashmina, cashmere and large variety of handcrafted items are available at reasonable prices. Excellent coffee, cold beer and delicious local and international cuisine are available around every corner.
Needless to say, our stay was far too short, but we put our full day in Pokhara to good use. The day started with a 4:30 am taxi drive up to Sarangkot. From here you can watch the sunrise over the Himalayas as it lights up the majestic peaks, including Annapurna (the tenth highest mountain at 8091m). On the other side, you can see the lakeside city of Pokhara slowly being bathed in light. The clouds move quickly, and in a matter of minutes, the mountains right at the top are covered and seem as though they were never there.
We were invited to watch the sunrise from the roof of a Nepalese home. This hospitable man and his wife have lived in the area since they were children, and he points out his childhood home from our viewpoint. He tells me about his time working for the UN mission as an observer and brings me a cup of sweet coffee. He is selling posters of the mountain range, but when asked how much we must pay for the coffee, he shrugs and says, “only if you want to.”
After breakfast, we head out to Shanti Stupa, also known as the Peace Pagoda. This Buddhist pagoda-style monument is situated on a hilltop. Climbing the stairs takes some time, but it is worth seeing the beautiful view. The distant sound of a monk beating a drum in the temple below made this visit even more special.
Next, we travel across the city to Patale Chhango, commonly called Devi’s Waterfall. It is a lovely little waterfall situated in an urban area and cascades down moss-covered rocks. Unfortunately, there is a bit of litter strewn around, which taints the visit slightly, but there is a quaint market outside for the shopaholics.
Walking across the road, you can go to the entrance of Gupteshwor Mahadev cave. A large spiral stairway leads the way down to the cave, where various artists have recently placed gorgeous cement gargoyles and statues to view. There is a Hindu temple inside where a stalagmite has formed a natural statue of Shiva.
We passed the tiny temple inside and made our way into the dimly lit tunnel. You are entirely focused on the steps going down at one point and holding onto the railing to not slip on the damp floor, and you are completely surprised by the view as you look up. A long narrow opening lets the sunlight in, and you see the same green moss-covered rocks and bottom of the waterfall from the other end.
Our day ended perfectly with a delicious meal at one of the lakeside restaurants. Now a day like this makes it totally worthwhile to travel across the world.