Full Day Pokhara & Begnas Lake Tour

About 8 hours | Drive approx. 55 km / 2.5 hr in total | Altitude: 650 m – 1,100 m

08:30 – Pick-up from your hotel. Your guide and driver meet you at your hotel in Lakeside or Damside, and the day begins with a short drive north into the old part of the city.

09:00 – Old Bazaar and Bhimsen Temple. Long before Lakeside existed, Pokhara was a trading post on the caravan route between India and Tibet, and Newar merchants from the Kathmandu Valley settled here in the 18th and 19th centuries. Stroll through the Old Bazaar, where brick shop-houses with carved wooden windows and tiled roofs still line the lanes, and local shops sell brass pots, spices, fabrics and everyday goods. At its heart stands the Bhimsen Temple, a two-tiered Newari pagoda dedicated to Bhimsen, the god of trade and commerce, its roof struts decorated with fine wood carvings. Your guide explains how the bazaar grew and how the town changed with the arrival of the road and the airport.

10:00 – Seti River Gorge at K.I. Singh Bridge. The Seti Gandaki flows down from the Annapurna range and is named "white river" for the milky colour of its glacial water, rich in limestone. Through Pokhara it has carved a gorge so narrow and deep that in places the river almost disappears beneath the city. From K.I. Singh Bridge you look straight down into the chasm and hear the water rushing far below – one of the most surprising natural sights in Pokhara.

10:30 – Gurkha Memorial Museum. This museum tells the story of the Gurkha soldiers, the famous fighters from the Gurung, Magar and other hill communities of Nepal who have served in the British and Indian armies for more than 200 years. Displays include uniforms, weapons, medals – among them the stories of Gurkha winners of the Victoria Cross – photographs and personal accounts from both World Wars and later campaigns. It is a moving visit that explains why the Gurkhas are so respected around the world and what their service means to families in the hills around Pokhara.

11:45 – Mahendra Cave and Bat Cave, Batulechaur. In the village of Batulechaur, north of the city, the limestone hills hide two caves a short walk apart. Mahendra Cave, named after King Mahendra, is a long, lit limestone cave with stalactites and stalagmites; a small shrine to Lord Shiva inside makes it a place of worship as well as a natural wonder. Nearby, the Bat Cave (Chamero Gufa) is darker and more adventurous: by torchlight you enter a large chamber where hundreds of bats hang from the ceiling, especially in the winter months. The back exit is a tight squeeze through a narrow opening – a fun challenge for the adventurous, while others can walk back out through the main entrance.

13:15 – Drive east to Begnas Lake. Leave the city behind and drive about 45 minutes east through the Lekhnath area, past rice terraces and small villages, to Begnas Lake.

14:00 – Lunch at Majhikuna. Majhikuna is a quiet village on the shore of Begnas Lake, known among Nepalis for its fresh lake fish. Enjoy lunch at a lakeside restaurant (own cost) – fried or grilled fish caught in Begnas Lake is the local speciality, and vegetarian dishes are also available.

15:00 – Begnas Lake viewpoint and boating. Begnas Lake is the second-largest of Pokhara's lakes and the third-largest in Nepal, yet it remains far calmer and more rural than Phewa, with forested hills, fish farms and paddy fields around its shores. From a viewpoint above the lake you can see the water stretching between the hills, with the Annapurna range and Machhapuchhre rising behind on a clear day. Then step into a traditional wooden boat and row out onto the lake – a peaceful end to the day, with birdlife along the shore and the mountains reflected in the water when the air is still.

16:30 – Drive back to Pokhara. Return drive of about 45 minutes, arriving back at your hotel around 17:15.

• Local meal: fresh fried or grilled fish from Begnas Lake at Majhikuna.