Area Code: 061 Pokhara is a big tourist spot because it has the beautiful Phewa Tal Lake, great mountain scenery, and is the gateway to the most popular treks in Nepal. It is one of the most beautiful places in Nepal. There are several excellent one day trips and short works in the area. Some of the best river rafting tours in Nepal begin nearby. It is a pleasant laid-back, relaxed place to stay for a while. Located at just 800m above sea level, it is close to the 8000m Annapurna and Dhaulagiri mountain ranges and there some outstanding views to the north. Machhapuchhare (Fishtail Peak), which is one of the most beautiful mountains in the world, is right next to the city. Pokhara is 200km west of Kathmandu. It is a great place to relax after a long trek.Pokhara has an excellent selection of good hotels and restaurants. Hotels are clean, well-maintained and often have a pleasant garden. Restaurants have a wide selection of Western, Chinese, and Italian and have a pleasant atmosphere. Hotel views sometimes get blocked by newly built ones, so thing can change often in Pokhara.There are three large lakes, Phewa Tal right next to the city, and Rupa Tal and Begnas Tal, which are a little east of town.The road between Kathmandu and Pokhara (Prithvi Highway) was built in the early 1970s with the help of the Chinese. The road from the Indian border town of Sanauli was built with the help of the India also in the 1970s. The first tourists to find Pokhara were hippies in the 1970s. Since then Pokhara has become a major tourist town.It is not as cold here in the winter as Kathmandu, because it is at 884m elevation, while Kathmandu is at 1500m. It can get pretty hot in May and June.The rainfall can be heavy during the monsoon and the humility can be really bad. It receives about twice as much rain as Kathmandu yearly/The Pokhara Valleys is mainly Chhetris and Bahuns, while the hills surrounding Pokhara are mainly inhabited by Gurungs. The Gurungs make up a good percentage of the Gurkhas regiments in India and other places.OrientationPokhara is a spread out city that runs north–south for about 5km. The oldest section of the city is the bazaar area in the north of town. Most of the shops for the locals and the post office are near Mahendra Pool in the area of the bazaar. Pokhara University is in the area of the bazaar.The bus station is south of the bazaar, and south of this is the airport. The tourist office and three of the more expensive hotels are near the airport. The immigration office and tourist bus park is between the airport and Phewa Tal, at the north end of Damside.West of the bus station and airport is the Phewa Tal lake and the Lakeside or Baidam area on the east side of the lake. The main tourist area is the Lakeside area where most of the foreign tourists stay. Along the road on the lake there are many hotels, restaurants and tourist shops. If you go from south to north it is uphill. The southeast end of Phewa Tal Lake is known as Damside or Pardi. There are many hotels in this area.Area Code: 061 Pokhara is a big tourist spot because it has the beautiful Phewa Tal Lake, great mountain scenery, and is the gateway to the most popular treks in Nepal. It is one of the most beautiful places in Nepal. There are several excellent one day trips and short works in the area. Some of the best river rafting tours in Nepal begin nearby. It is a pleasant laid-back, relaxed place to stay for a while. Located at just 800m above sea level, it is close to the 8000m Annapurna and Dhaulagiri mountain ranges and there some outstanding views to the north. Machhapuchhare (Fishtail Peak), which is one of the most beautiful mountains in the world, is right next to the city. Pokhara is 200km west of Kathmandu. It is a great place to relax after a long trek.Pokhara has an excellent selection of good hotels and restaurants. Hotels are clean, well-maintained and often have a pleasant garden. Restaurants have a wide selection of Western, Chinese, and Italian and have a pleasant atmosphere. Hotel views sometimes get blocked by newly built ones, so thing can change often in Pokhara.There are three large lakes, Phewa Tal right next to the city, and Rupa Tal and Begnas Tal, which are a little east of town.The road between Kathmandu and Pokhara (Prithvi Highway) was built in the early 1970s with the help of the Chinese. The road from the Indian border town of Sanauli was built with the help of the India also in the 1970s. The first tourists to find Pokhara were hippies in the 1970s. Since then Pokhara has become a major tourist town.It is not as cold here in the winter as Kathmandu, because it is at 884m elevation, while Kathmandu is at 1500m. It can get pretty hot in May and June.The rainfall can be heavy during the monsoon and the humility can be really bad. It receives about twice as much rain as Kathmandu yearly/The Pokhara Valleys is mainly Chhetris and Bahuns, while the hills surrounding Pokhara are mainly inhabited by Gurungs. The Gurungs make up a good percentage of the Gurkhas regiments in India and other places.OrientationPokhara is a spread out city that runs north–south for about 5km. The oldest section of the city is the bazaar area in the north of town. Most of the shops for the locals and the post office are near Mahendra Pool in the area of the bazaar. Pokhara University is in the area of the bazaar.The bus station is south of the bazaar, and south of this is the airport. The tourist office and three of the more expensive hotels are near the airport. The immigration office and tourist bus park is between the airport and Phewa Tal, at the north end of Damside.West of the bus station and airport is the Phewa Tal lake and the Lakeside or Baidam area on the east side of the lake. The main tourist area is the Lakeside area where most of the foreign tourists stay. Along the road on the lake there are many hotels, restaurants and tourist shops. If you go from south to north it is uphill. The southeast end of Phewa Tal Lake is known as Damside or Pardi. There are many hotels in this area.