This trek is one of 8 I cover in the full 2026 guide.
The gateway to the Annapurnas.
If Kathmandu is the cultural heart of Nepal, Pokhara is where you exhale. I’ve spent several weeks here across my trips, and it never gets old: Phewa Lake, the Annapurna range, and the fishtail peak of Machhapuchhre rising straight out of the skyline.
Pokhara isn’t a trek either; it’s the gateway city for the entire Annapurna region and a destination in its own right. At about 900 m it’s warm, relaxed, and built for travelers. Lakeside cafés, gear shops, and easy access to the trailheads. For most people it’s the launch point for the Annapurna Base Camp trek, the Annapurna Circuit, the short Poon Hill walk, or the quieter Mardi Himal route.
Anyone trekking the Annapurna region will base here, and it’s also the right call if you want a few low-key recovery days with mountain views before or after a trek. It’s the most relaxed spot in the country. A genuine change of gear from Kathmandu.
This is also where Nepal stops being only about walking. I’ve gone whitewater rafting near Pokhara more than once, the rivers off the Annapurnas are superb, and paragliding off Sarangkot, launching out over the lake with the Himalaya as a backdrop, is one of the most fun half-days you can have anywhere. On a calm morning, Machhapuchhre mirrored in Phewa Lake is one of those views that explains why people keep coming back to Nepal. Paddle out to the Tal Barahi temple, ride the cable car up to Sarangkot for sunrise, and then, when you’re ready to walk, the whole Annapurna region opens up from here.
Pokhara is inexpensive to spend time in; the cost that matters is the trek you launch from here. See what a Nepal trek really costs.
Whether you want a gentle three-day walk to Poon Hill, a paragliding morning, or the full Annapurna Base Camp trek, Pokhara is your starting line.
Tell me your goals and timeline, and I’ll point you in the right direction.
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