Pokhara & the Annapurnas · Light, height and the right hour
Photography in Pokhara & the Annapurnas
Autumn's clear air, spring rhododendrons, festival chariots, the walled city of Lo Manthang and the mountain views at Poon Hill, Kala Patthar and Gokyo Ri, timed for the light.
Trips
Annapurna Base Camp Trek
Eleven nights from Kathmandu to the Annapurna Sanctuary and back: a flight to Pokhara, a road to the Gurung village of Ghandruk, …
Annapurna Circuit over Thorong La
Fifteen nights from Kathmandu around the north side of the Annapurnas: up the Marsyangdi valley on the quieter trails above the road, …
Annapurna Honeymoon in Pokhara
Six nights for two in the hills around Pokhara, split between Tiger Mountain Pokhara Lodge on a ridge facing the Annapurnas and …
Gorkha, Bandipur and Pokhara Heritage
Six nights on the old road west: the Manakamana cable car, a night at Gorkha below the palace where Prithvi Narayan Shah …
Dhampus and Australian Camp Easy Trek
Three nights from Pokhara on the gentlest trek in the Annapurnas: a short drive to Kande, an easy climb to the meadow …
Khopra Ridge Community Trek
Eight nights from Pokhara that start on the Poon Hill trail and then leave the crowds: through high rhododendron forest to Dobato, …
Mardi Himal Ridge Trek
Six nights from Pokhara up a single grass ridge that points straight at Machhapuchhre. We start at Australian Camp, climb through cloud …
Pokhara Lakes Slow Week
Five slow nights on the water: three at Fish Tail Lodge on its own peninsula in Phewa Lake, with boats to Tal …
Poon Hill and Ghandruk Trek
Five nights from Pokhara on the most walked short trek in Nepal: up the Ulleri staircase to Ghorepani, a dawn climb to …
Places
Annapurna Base Camp
A glacial bowl ringed by Annapurna, sacred to the Gurung
Bandipur
A car-free Newar trading bazaar on a ridge saddle
Dhampus
A Gurung ridge village and the gentle start of Annapurna treks
Ghandruk
Nepal's best-known Gurung village, facing Annapurna South
Ghorepani & Poon Hill
The old horse-water stop below Nepal's most loved sunrise hill
Gorkha
Hilltop palace where Prithvi Narayan Shah was born
Manang
A dry Tibetan Buddhist valley behind the Annapurnas
Mardi Himal
A knife-edge ridge walk straight at Machhapuchhre
Panchase
Orchid forest and village homestays west of Phewa Lake
Pokhara
A lake city under Machhapuchhre, gateway to the Annapurnas
Sarangkot
Pokhara's sunrise ridge and paragliding launch above Phewa
Experiences
Sunrise inside the Annapurna Sanctuary
Step out of your lodge at 4,130 m before dawn and watch the sun light the summit of Annapurna I, …
From Machhapuchhre Base Camp into the sanctuary
The last stage of the trek: from Machhapuchhre Base Camp at 3,700 m, walk up the open valley of the …
Soak in the hot springs at Jhinu Danda
On the way down from the sanctuary, walk 20 minutes below the village of Jhinu Danda to natural hot pools …
Chhomrong, the Gurung gateway to the sanctuary
Spend an afternoon in Chhomrong, the large Gurung village at about 2,170 m that controls the gateway to the Annapurna …
Heritage walk through Bandipur's bazaar
A slow walk along Bandipur's traffic-free main street and side lanes with a local guide: Newar merchant houses, carved windows, …
Sunrise over the Himalaya from Thani Mai
Climb 30–40 minutes from the bazaar to the hilltop shrine of Thani Mai for sunrise on a long line of …
AdventureExplore Siddha Cave below Bandipur
Walk down from Bandipur to Siddha Gufa, one of Nepal's largest caves, about 437 m deep and 50 m high, …
Ridge walk to Ramkot Magar village
Follow the ridge west from Bandipur through forest and terraces to Ramkot, a Magar village of traditional round and oval …
Stays
resort822 mFish Tail Lodge
A long-established lakeside hotel on the far shore of Phewa Lake near its southern end, reached by a short raft …
Temple Tree Resort & Spa
A garden resort of stone and timber buildings in Lakeside, Pokhara, a short walk from Phewa Lake, with a spa …
The Pavilions Himalayas
A villa resort in a forested valley outside Pokhara, also known as The Farm, built around sustainability: renewable energy, rainwater …
mountain lodge822 mTiger Mountain Pokhara Lodge
A small hilltop lodge on a ridge above the Pokhara valley, about 30 minutes from the city, with stone cottages, …
Hotel Barahi
A long-running hotel on Lakeside in Pokhara, named after the lake goddess of Tal Barahi, close to Phewa's main boat …
The Old Inn
A heritage inn in two carefully restored Newar townhouses on Bandipur's car-free main street, keeping original wooden doorways and red …