Pokhara: Nepal's Lakeside Retreat

Situated on the banks of the Phewa Lake, Pokhara is Nepal's third largest city. However, one would never realize that from staying on its lakefront. While parts are now a tourist zone, others area remain green and sleepy. As the only major city in the area of the Annapurna massif, the town serves as the starting and finishing base for trekkers and climbers making their way into the high Himals of western Nepal. However, the town has virtues all its own, and is worthy of a visit in its own right.

Getting There
The main means of reaching Pokhara is on a 1st class tourist bus from Kathmandu. These leave every day, and stop along the way for a good dahl baht tarkari (rice with curried lentils and vegetables) meal. The alternative is to get on one of the semi-public mini-buses that leave from Kathmandu every 15 minutes throughout the day, but these are liable to be crammed with people and a lot less comfortable, although they are cheaper. It is also possible to make an overnight bus journey from Pokhara directly from southern India, but this will be a long and draining trip.

The Waters
Nepal is a country blessed with plenty of water, with its rivers and lakes being constantly replenished by monsoons and glacial melts. Pokhara is home to two beautiful lakes. Right next to town is Phewa Lake, and a little further away and much more secluded is Begnas, Rupa, and Dipang Lakes. There is also the Devis waterfalls, which plunge into a cave and hit bottom almost 330 feet below. There are also 1 to 10 day white water rafting expeditions on Nepal's many violent rivers that operate out of Pokhara, and hiring a boat to go out for the day on most of the areas lakes is a simple matter.

Trekking
Of course, most visitors to Pokhara come for the mountains and the trekking, not for the peaceful lakefront views. There are a variety of treks options that do not involve making the minimum 18 day circuit around the Annapurna massif. An example is the Poon Hill trek. Anywhere else in the world, Poon Hill would be a mountain. In Nepal, it would be unspectacular except for the views of the Himalaya from the top, including two of the world's highest mountains: Annapurna and Dhalagiri. Most people spend five days making the trek, and a fit hiker could make it in four. Nepalese trekking usually takes the form of "tea house" trekking, which is the case for a trip out to Poon Hill. The route is based on old porter and donkey paths, and there are villages with inns lining the route. That means there is no need to be encumbered with heavy camping gear or supplies, making a trek much more enjoyable.

Sources: Personal experience