If you are planning your first visit to Nepal and wondering where to spend your time outside of Kathmandu, the answer is almost always Pokhara
This city sits at 822 meters above sea level on the shore of Phewa Lake with a direct view of Machhapuchhre, the sacred fishtail peak, rising to 6,993 meters directly above its pristine crystal-clear water. More than 200,000 international tourists visit Pokhara every year, making it Nepal’s second most visited city after Kathmandu. The reason so many of them stay longer than planned is simple, Pokhara is the kind of place that solves a travel problem you did not know you had.
You land in Nepal with ambitions for the mountains, but you also need time to settle, gather permits, test your gear, and simply breathe a little before several days of uphill walking on trek routes. Pokhara delivers all the relaxation and mental preparation required before the trek in one location. It is the departure point for the Annapurna trek and the most logical place to return to when you come back down after trekking in the mountains. This combination of function and pure enjoyment is why the Annapurna trek and Pokhara package is the most popular Nepal trip package for first-time trekkers.
Why Pokhara is the Natural Base for Your Annapurna Trek
The Annapurna Conservation Area entry point at Nayapul is 42 kilometers from Pokhara by road, roughly 1.5 hours by local bus or 45 minutes by private vehicle. This means you start your trek the same morning you leave your hotel in Lakeside Pokhara. You do not need an extra internal flight or an overnight journey to reach the trailhead from Pokhara unlike the EBC trek which requires flights from either Kathmandu or Manthali airport. The geographic location alone makes Pokhara a better choice against other trekking regions where you require travel in vehicle or flight. Whether you are doing the Annapurna Base Camp trek, the Ghorepani Poon Hill trek, or the full Annapurna Circuit, Pokhara offers a easy travel to trekking head like no other region inn Nepal.
Pokhara also holds the permit offices where you collect your Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP) and TIMS card before the trek. These are mandatory documents that every trekker must carry from day one. Getting them in Pokhara takes less than two hours and costs around USD 35 to USD 40 total for most foreign nationals.
What to Do in Pokhara Before and After Your Trek
Pokhara gives you a full range of activities for both your pre-trek preparation days and your post-trek recovery days. The city’s most important attraction is the Lakeside Pokhara, a long strip of restaurants, gear shops, travel agents, and cafes running along the eastern shore of Phewa Lake. This is where you eat, sleep, buy last-minute trekking supplies, and enjoy the view. Here is how most trekkers spend their time in Pokhara.
Activity
Best Timing
Duration
Cost (approx.)
Boating on Phewa Lake
Sunrise or late afternoon
1 to 2 hours
NPR 500 to NPR 800 (self rowing) NPR 800 – 1200 with boatman.
Paragliding Pokhara
Morning, 7 am to 11 am
20 to 30 minutes
USD 75 to USD 100
Sarangkot sunrise viewpoint
Pre-dawn, 5 am departure
3 to 4 hours return
NPR 1500 to NPR 2500 by taxi (depends on your bargaining skills)
Gear shopping on Lakeside
Any time of day
2 to 3 hours
Budget USD 30 to USD 80
ACAP and TIMS permit collection
Office hours, 9 am to 5 pm
1.5 to 2 hours
USD 50 total.
International Mountain Museum
Any day
2 to 3 hours
NPR 1000 for foreign nationals
Devi Falls and Gupteshwor Cave
Morning
2 hours
NPR 100 to NPR 200 for each site, SAARC foreign nationals get a discounted rate while other nationals don’t get the discounted rate.
Lakeside restaurant dining
Evenings
As long as you want
USD 5 to USD 20 per meal, depends on the cuisine you choose to order.
Annapurna Trek region Popular route at a Glance
Trek Detail
Annapurna Base Camp
Ghorepani Poon Hill
Annapurna Circuit
Duration
10 to 13 days
4 to 5 days
14 to 21 days
Max altitude
4,130 meters
3,210 meters
5,416 meters (Thorong La)
Difficulty
Moderate
Easy to Moderate
Moderate to Challenging
Start and end point
Nayapul to Nayapul
Nayapul to Nayapul
Besisahar to Nayapul
Best season
March to May, Oct to Nov.
Year round, peaks better visible in spring/autumn
March to May, Oct to Nov
Permit required
ACAP and TIMS
ACAP and TIMS
ACAP and TIMS.
Suitable for beginners
Yes, with good fitness.
Yes, highly suitable.
Experienced trekkers recommended.
Best Season to Travel to Annapurna and Pokhara Region
The chart above shows you exactly when the Annapurna region gets busy. The best season to travel are April and October, the two peak months with the highest number of trekkers on the trail. If you want clear mountain views, stable weather, and a lively trail atmosphere, these two months are the best seasons for travelling in this region and the whole Nepal. If you prefer fewer crowds and lower teahouse prices, late September or early November give you good conditions with noticeably quieter trails.
Here is a practical 14-day itinerary that combines the best of Pokhara with the full Annapurna Base Camp trek. This is the structure which works best for first-time visitors who want to arrive, settle in, trek well, and leave feeling they experienced Mountains along with peaks in Nepal fully.
Day
Location
Activity
Day 1
Kathmandu
Arrive in Kathmandu, rest and overnight
Day 2
Pokhara
Fly or drive to Pokhara (200 km, 6 hrs by tourist bus or 25 min flight)
Day 3
Pokhara
Collect ACAP and TIMS permits, gear check, Phewa Lake boating, Sarangkot sunrise
Day 4
Pokhara to Nayapul to Tikhedhunga
Drive to Nayapul (42 km), begin trek, reach Tikhedhunga (1,480m)
Day 5
Ghorepani
Trek to Ghorepani (2,860m) through rhododendron forest
Day 6
Poon Hill and Tadapani
Predawn hike to Poon Hill (3,210m) for sunrise, continue to Tadapani (2,630m)
Day 7
Chhomrong
Trek to Chhomrong (2,170m), gateway to the Annapurna Sanctuary
Day 8
Dovan
Trek through bamboo and rhododendron forest to Dovan (2,600m)
Day 9
Machapuchhre Base Camp
Continue to Machapuchhre Base Camp (3,700m)
Day 10
Annapurna Base Camp and descent
Trek to Annapurna Base Camp (4,130m), enjoy panorama, descend to Bamboo
Day 11
Jhinu Danda hot springs
Descend to Jhinu Danda, soak in natural hot springs
Day 12
Nayapul to Pokhara
Final trek out to Nayapul, drive back to Pokhara
Day 13
Pokhara
Rest and recovery day, paragliding, lakeside dining, shopping
Day 14
Kathmandu or departure
Return to Kathmandu or direct international flight from Pokhara
After Your Trek: Why the Pokhara Recovery Day Matters So Much
Coming down from Annapurna Base Camp after ten days on the trail and returning to Lakeside Pokhara is one of the most satisfying moments in all of Nepal travel. Your body has worked hard, and your mind has absorbed enormous amounts of mountain scenery, altitude, and simplicity in the teahouse. Pokhara gives you exactly the right landing space to experience the contrast that you need to get back to city life and lose the feeling of remoteness.
A hot shower with consistent pressure feels extraordinary after teahouse bucket washing experience above 3,000 meters.
Lakeside Pokhara restaurants serve everything from wood-fired pizza to proper espresso coffee, which most trekkers enjoy happily on their first evening back.
Paragliding Pokhara on your recovery day gives you a completely different aerial perspective of the same Annapurna massif you just trekked through, which many trekkers describe as the best possible ending to their travel experience.
The International Mountain Museum in Pokhara houses original expedition gear, maps, and photographs from the earliest Annapurna expeditions, giving context to everything you just experienced on the trail.
Why Annapurna Trek and Pokhara Is the Perfect First Nepal Experience
Nepal receives over 1 million tourists annually. For first-time visitors, the combination of the Annapurna trek and Pokhara consistently ranks as the most complete and manageable introduction that Nepal offers. Additionally, you do not need prior mountaineering experience to do the Annapurna Base Camp trek or the Ghorepani Poon Hill trek. The only thing you need to travel to this region is reasonable fitness, the right gear, a licensed guide, and two to three weeks of time.
Pokhara absorbs your arrival anxiety providing you with time to prepare practically and mentally and then receives you warmly after you return from the mountains. The emotional arc of the experience, from a comfortable lakeside city to the raw amphitheatre of Annapurna Base Camp and back to Phewa Lake is an amazing experience. If you are asking where to go first in Nepal, this is your answer, Pokhara and Annapurna trekking region is the one to be.
Ready to combine the Annapurna trek with a perfect Pokhara experience? Contact Himalayan Holidays Nepal today at himalayanholidaysnepal.com and let our team help you build your ideal itinerary from arrival to departure
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