A Majestic View of Annapurna Himalayan Range
The Pokhara Valley, a land of spectacular beauty crowned by the majestic
Himalayas, conjures visions of calm but vibrant green hills. Loaded with
luxuriant vegetation and dotted with shimmering lakes, the valley offers awesome
vistas. Magnificent image of Mount Machhapuchhare reflected in the clear waters
of the Lake Phewa leaves everyone spellbound. One of the Nepal’s adventure hubs,
it has reputation of being the second home for the tourists worldwide.
Pokhara is situated at an altitude of 730 meters to 1030 meters. Its rich
topographical conditions are responsible for the profusion of flora and fauna.
The geographical location has made Pokhara one of the biggest valleys in Nepal.
The valley is encircled by lush green hills ranging in height from 1077 meters
in the South East of 2738 meters in the North East. Snow clad mountains add a
special radiance to the valley. They also form snow-fed rivers that run through
the heart of the valley.
The geographical studies reveal that centuries ago a glacier was formed in
the valley. As the time passed, the temperatures steadily increased and the
solid ice melted and formed a river that began flowing, cutting into the soil of
Pokhara. The regular flow of glacial waters created several underground tunnels.
Currently, most of these tunnels are dry and are found in the form of caves.
However, Dr. Harka Gurung (Nepal Geographical Society, The Himalayan Review
Vol. 11-111, 1969) a renowned geologist of Nepal, holds a different opinion
altogether. He believes the uplifting of the southern hills formed the plains of
Pokhara, and subsequently diverted the Seti River from south to north-west
forming the Seti Gorge. Over the years, a dense jungle covered the valley and
several lakes and ponds were formed. The people from various places began to
migrate to the valley in search of a fertile land and lively environment. Those
early settlers found the valley an ideal place to live in as it was rich in
water, good soil, and vegetation.
Among other advantages, the valley is popular for many different ethnic
groups known for their rich art and cultural heritage. The combination of
stunning natural beauty and spectacular art and culture has attracted visitors
to the Pokhara Valley.
According to a popular legend, during the Mahabharata era, Bhim, one of the
five Pandava brothers, visited a place called Hamada, 15km. from Pokhara. Bhim
went looking for a Lotus called Rukh Kamal ( a species of lotus that blooms on
the tree) to please his wife, Dropadi. Those days Pokhara was a vast lake
circled by high mountains. Since the deep water blocked Bhim’s search, he made a
gash with his sword. As a result, the water drained out and he was able to pluck
Rukh Kamals for his beloved wife. The place was later named Bhimad after this
Herculean eic helo from The Mahabharata.
Several popular legends prevail in the valley. According to a legend, the
valley is a perfect place where people of diverse origins live in perfect
heaven. They freely participate in the religious and cultural activities of one
another without a cast or creed bias.
Pokhara is also recognized as one of the major destinations for adventure
tourism. Micro-light flying, paragliding, rafting, sightseeing, boating, pony
trekking and caving are extremely popular form of adventure tourism. The
visitors will certainly find such new places worth visiting. Such new places
will further whet up the tourists’ interest in more exotic places around
Pokhara.
Geographical facts
Pokhara is the district headquarters of the Western Region Development. The
valley lies between 83 degrees 58’ 30” E longitude and 28 degrees 16’ N
latitude. Situated at elevation ranges from 627m to 980m above sea level, it
covers an area of 123 sq. kms surrounded by high mountains. The total area of
Pokhara Sub-Metropolitan City is 55.66 sq. kms as compared to Lekhnath
municipality which is 77.75 sq.ms. The present population growth rate is about
7.41%.
Climate
Pokhara has a mild climate ranging from a maximum of 35 degrees centigrade in
summer down to 10 degrees centigrade in the coldest month of January. The green
hills and snow-capped mountains play an important role in keeping the
temperature relatively cool, even in the scorching heat of the summer. In
general, the humidity is higher in the morning than in the evening.
On average, the Monsoon season begins in Pokhara around April. The beginning
of April brings torrential downpours with sudden strong winds and storms. The
rainfall becomes more intense during the months of July, August and September.
Pokhara receives heavy rainfall when the warm and humid winds from the Bay o
Bengal and the Arabian Sea form heavy clouds over the valley. For this reason,
the valley is also known as Cherapunji of Nepal, Cherapunji being the Indian
town that receives the highest rainfall in the world. The heavy rainfalls
gradually die down and the weather is clear from October to February. The
lighter winter rains in the valley are from January to March.
When to Visit
The best time to visit Pokhara are Ocotber and November, in autumn; and
February, March and April in spring. During these months, the overall climate of
Pokhara is conducive for sightseeing, trekking, white water rafting and
paragliding. The trekkers will have excellent clear days for trekking in the
Annapurna region during December and January. Kathmandu is shrouded in mists
that envelop the city until mid-day.; Pokhara has very clear weather with the
sun shining and the sky bright blue. The tourists can feast on the lofty
snow-covered Annapurnas sprawling along the valley. Sarangkot is the heavenly
point to have exhilarating views of the valley. The tourists visiting during the
Monsoon season may not be as fortunate as the torrential rains cause landslides
and avalanches throughout Nepal.
Tourism Office Center/Annapurna Conservation Area (ACAP)
The Tourism Office Center is situated at Nagdhunga, next door to Hotel
Crystal, opposite Pokhara airport. It is within easy reach of the Lakeside and
the Damside. The tourists can get Pokhara maps, brochures and important
information at the centre.
The ACAP office is within a walking distance from the Rastra Bank Chowk. The
tourists can take an easy walk to reach this office. The visitors interested in
trekking around Annapurna Conservation area Project (ACAP) (Ph. 430820) should
contact at the ACAP office to receive entry permits. The trekkers can get useful
information important for trekking around Annapurna region. The foreign and
SAARC nations visitors have to pay Rs. 2000 and Rs. 200 for trekking permit
respectively. To apply for the trekking permit, the visitors require filling an
application form along with two photographs.
Transport
There are several convenient ways of getting to and from Pokhara and to other
places in Nepal or India. The quickest is going by air. Kathmandu to Pokhara
takes roughly 25 minutes. There are frequent flights throughout the day and the
cost is reasonable. The tourists can get an excellent view of the Himalayas and
the captivating landscape of countryside while traveling by bus.
The other alternative is by the road. Kathmandu to Pokhara is about a 6-hour
drive and that including a lunch break. You can take a deluxe tourist bus, a
mini tourist bus, a taxi or hire a vehicle that can be a car, mini-bus or
four-wheel drive. You can hire a vehicle that can be more convenient as you can
work out your own schedule economically. Any of these options are cheaper than
flying, especially if there is more than one person. The journey is very
enjoyable as you can enjoy the natural landscapes of the countryside.
Whichever way you choose to travel your hotel, guesthouse or lodge will be
very pleasant to arrange for you. This also applies to trekking, white-water
rafting, visiting local beauty spots, places of interest, or safari parks, micro
light flights, paragliding and going by cable car to the world famous beautiful
Manakamana Temple.
Hospital/Pharmacy
Many small pharmacies along the street of Phewa Lake and Damside provide
doctor’s service on request. For serious medical problems, the tourists can
visit Srijana Chowk, Mahendrapool, or Gairapatan where some of Pokhara’s best
private hospitals are located with emergency facilities. Charak Hospital and
Research Center lies at Damside near Rastrabank Chowk with twenty-four hours
emergency service. This is the nearest hospital from the Lakeside. The Western
Regional Hospital (Gandaki Hospital) is located at Ramghat. Since Government
runs this hospital, medicines and check up charges are much cheaper than private
clinics.
Supermarkets
Pokhara has some well-maintained shopping malls at Mahendrapool,
Chipledhunga,New Road and Lakeside. Being a tourist’s area, the prices are
little more expensive at the Lakeside than other places. Saleways Departmental
Store, Mahendrapool, Park & Shop Departmental Store, B.P Chowk, Munal
Stores, B.P Chowk, U.F.O., Siddhartha Chowk have some well-maintained
Departmental Stores. A newly opened Bhat Bhatani, super martket is in New Road,
where you can get all the goods you want, from everything small to big. There
are several General provisional Shops along the roadsides at the Lakeside and
Damside.
Fruits and Vegetable Market
Selling vegetables on carts is a common sight in Pokhara. However, if the
visitors wish to buy varieties of vegetables and fruits from one place, they
have to come up Chipledhunga, beside Siddhartha Club.
Tourist’s Police
The Police are always vigilant around the Lakeside and Damside area. They are
especially careful about the safety and security of the tourists. There is a
police station nearby Lakeside. Another station lies in Baidam, near Hotel
Kantipur. Te tourists can lodge any complain in case they need to do so, or you
can dial 521087.
Post Office
Pokhara’s main post office lies on the busy Mahendrapool road. It takes about
one hour to reach the post office from Lakeside/Damside. There is yet another
post office at Pardi, Pardi Post Office (PPo). It is quite closer from the
Lakeside and the Damside. These post offices remain open from Sunday 10am to
Thursday 5pm. On Fridays, they remain open from 10am to 3pm. The tourists can
take a leisurely walk for about thirt minutes from the Lakeside to reach the
Pardi Post Office.
Accommodation
Most of the visitors prefer to stay near Phewa Lake and Damside. Yet, the
Indian visitors and business class people prefer to stay near the city at
Prithvi Chowk and Mahendrapool.
The prices are reasonable in the majority of hotels and sometimes negotiable.
The room charges are higher in the peak seasons the October, November, and the
February to April. During the off seasons, prices go down dramatically. Some
hoteliers even declare and impressive discount even up to 50% off the room rate
during the off-seasons. There are many restaurants in Pokhara, serving cuisines
from all over the world. The prices are reasonable whereas some very cheap
depending on their class and location. Normally prices are expensive around
Lakeside and Damside but cheaper around Prithvi Chowk, Mahendrapool and
Chipledhunga, the downtown Pokhara.
Meditation and Yoga
Pokhara has a few Meditation and Yoga centers for the Western visitors.
Garden Yiga Chozin Buddhist Center is a popular meditation center lies on the
north of Lakeside. Regular courses with residential facilities are designed for
the Western and Asian visitors. A well-maintained library remains an added
facility of the center.
Sadhana Yoga Ashram (tel.464601) offers one-day yogic cleansing and hatha
yoga. Besides, Sadhana Yoga has also developed longer residential courses
meanwhile, in recent times, some unqualified and unscrupulous people including
some foreigners giving lessons in Yoga and meditation. Many of these centers are
not registered and therefore illegal. The visitors are advised not to visit such
unauthorized yoga and meditation centers and take precaution.
Pokhara Kitchen
The tourists can enjoy popular Nepali cuisines in Pokhara. Newari foods
especially meat and buff varieties are extremely popular among the locals.
However, they are bit oily and spicy. Besides, everyone seems fond of the
Thakali foods. The visitors can have a taste of Thakali foods available at the
restaurants around Mahendraool, Prithvi Chowk, Lakeside and Damside.
Entertainment
There are a few cinema halls at Mahendrapool, Chipledhunga, Tersapatti, and
Ram Basaar, Hindi and Nepali cinemas are screened on these cinema theaters.
However, on and off they do screen English cinema as well. Several videocassette
ships are found across the town that sell latest movie CDs. Lok Dohori (Folk
Duets) cassettes are on high demand.
Religions and Population
There are about sixty ethnic groups, over hundred languages and dialects and
more than eight religions in Nepal. Though Nepal was the only Hindu country,
varieties of other religions flourish here. Even if the majority of Nepalese
follow Hinduism and Buddhism, one can find a unique example of religious
tolerance and fraternity among the people.
Population
According to the first population census held in 1956 the population of
Pokhara was about 13,000. It rose to 20,611 in 1971 and to 36,010 in 1978.
Because of speedy urbanization, the population growth of pokhara rose rapidly
and, currently the population of Pokhara is approx. 300,000 (2012).
The population census held in 1988 reveals the fact that Brahmins 23.11%,
Gurungs 20.92%, Cheetri 18.70%, Newars 15.60%, Magars 4.46%, Kamis 3.41%, Sarkis
2.78%, Pariyars 2.47%, Thakalis 1.53%, Muslims 1.00%, and others 5.93% live in
Pokhara. The major ethnic groups living in Pokhara are Brahmins, Chhetris,
Gurungs, Thakalis, Newars, Gaines and Muslims.
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