The lakeside town of Pokhara is the gateway to the Annapurna Region, stretching around Phewa Lake, where the Tal Barahi Temple sits proudly in the centre. The landscape here is breath-taking, with a panoramic view of the Himalayas lining the edge of the city.
There are tonnes to do around the lakeside, however, Pokhara is famous for being the base for trekkers into the Annapurna Mountain Range, so you can only imagine how spectacular the views are from both the city below and the peaks above! If you’re up for an adventure it’s time to stretch your legs and head to the mountains for a weekend trek, complete with stunning sunrise views and buckets of Dal Bhat to fuel you!
DAY ONE - EXPLORING POKHARA LAKESIDE
After freshening up it’s time for some sightseeing! We’ll have a walk around the lakeside to explore the shops, bars and yoga hideouts – you can haggle all your last-minute trekking gear here too! We may have the chance to hop on a boat to enjoy Phewa Lake from the water, for a relaxing ride to take in the beauty of the scenery and watching the paragliders circle above.
DAY TWO - TREKKING KANDE - DHAMPUS
Get your walking boots on as it’s time to hit the mountain! After breakfast, we’ll be catching the local bus to the small town of Kande, where our trek will start.
From Kande to Dhampus it takes around 5 hours, hiking uphill past mountain villages, farm terraces and forests. Be prepared as the ascent can get pretty steep! Most of the track is natural mountain terrain or uneven stone steps. We’ll stop for lunch on the way, with many rest breaks to catch your breath and take in the views!
DAY THREE - SUNRISE
There’s nothing more magical than watching the sunrise through the mountains, so we’ll be up early to marvel at the sight! You can admire the view with the Annapurna Himalaya silhouette against the pastel rainbow sky.
We’ll head back to the tea house for some breakfast, then begin the trek down to Phedi. This area is dotted with Gurung villages, a culture that traces back to Tibet after the communities migrated to the Himalayan foothills centuries ago.
The weekend offers another opportunity to learn and get immersed in the Nepali culture. As you walk around you can visit the villages and temples, practise the local language and experience a taste of mountain life.
When we reach Phedi we’ll take a bus back to Pokhara for a well-deserved lunch feast. And the fun doesn’t stop there! There’ll be some free time for sightseeing in the afternoon. We’ll head up to Davi’s Falls, a beautiful waterfall that descends into an underground tunnel to Gupteshwor Mahadev Cave.