Pokhara and Phewa Lake

Pokhara sits at around 800 metres beside Phewa Lake, and what makes the setting unusual is the vertical distance: Machhapuchhre stands about 30 kilometres away and nearly 7,000 metres higher, so on a clear morning the peaks rise almost straight out of the hills behind the lake. The city is the base for the Annapurna treks and has grown around that, with a lakeside strip of guesthouses, gear shops and restaurants that is entirely geared to visitors. Beyond the strip are the Seti river gorge cutting through the middle of town, the Gupteshwor cave and Devi's Fall, the World Peace Pagoda on the southern ridge, and Sarangkot above for sunrise and for the paragliding launches that have made Pokhara one of Asia's main tandem flying sites.

What you actually see

• Phewa Lake - the boats and the Tal Barahi temple on its island.
• The Annapurna wall - the peaks and Machhapuchhre on clear mornings.
• Sarangkot - the ridge for sunrise and paragliding launches.
• The Seti gorge - the narrow slot the river cuts through the city.

When to go

October to April for the clearest mountain views, with October and November the most reliable. Winter is clear but hazier in the afternoons. The monsoon hides the peaks for weeks at a time; Pokhara gets the highest rainfall in Nepal.

Honest expectations

The mountains are frequently invisible behind cloud or haze, and many visitors never see them. The lakeside is a tourist strip with little local character. Lake water quality is variable. Paragliding operators differ considerably in standards.

Nearby

Sarangkot rises above; Begnas lake lies east.