Pokhara, besides of being the second largest city in the country, is one of the most popular destination in Nepal as it the entry point for several treks into the Annapurna region.
It can be reached from Kathmandu by bus (6 – 7 hours) or by plane (30 – 40 minutes). The idea was to spend here a couple of days to enjoy the spectacular views of the mountains reflected on the lake. Unfortunately we were not going to be really lucky with the weather….
In any case we decided to do a small walk (or that’s what we though) to warm up for the next day where we would start a more serious 4 days hike , the Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek. Our idea was to visit the Pokhara Shanti Stupa which is situated on a close hill so we started walking and , after getting lost (very promising situation for our guide free future serious trek the next day) we reached the Stupa.
Here you can find a couple of places where you can cheaply eat with a pretty nice view of the lake and , if the weather allows it, the mountains in the back. We already got accommodation in Pokhara but, for slow travelers with more time than us, I would recommend to stay in a small hostel just next to the Stupa. Is a really relaxing place to enjoy the nature while you can hear the sound of a Buddhist monk praying in the background. And, of course, seeing the sunrise/sunset from such privileged position has to be worth it.
Once our stomachs were satisfied, we went down to the lake and we cross it in one of the multiples barques available. As I said before, one of the must see of Pokhara is to get to the center of the lake and take pictures of the mountains reflected in the water. Probably it will be clearer at the very morning.
After our trekking (I will upload a post soon about it) we went back to Pokhara. We had to take a plane around 9:00 am but we decided to wake up pretty early in order to see the sunrise from Sarankot, don’t leave Pokhara without coming up here!
