Spring season open · Mar 15 – Jun 25 places left · Classic 7d · May 03Rhododendron bloom reported at Forest Camp
Trail status: Open
Pokhara and Phewa Lake below the Annapurna range
The Mardi Himal gateway city

Pokhara travel guide.

Pokhara is where every Mardi Himal trek begins and ends: a warm lakeside city at about 822 metres, with the Annapurna wall on the skyline. Here is what to see, where to base yourself, what gear to rent, and how to get from Lakeside to the trailhead.

§ 01 · Pokhara at a glance

The gateway city, in numbers.

Elevation
~822 m
From Kathmandu
~200 km west
Flight
~30 min
Tourist bus
~6-8 hrs
Private car
~5-6 hrs
Tourist hub
Lakeside (Baidam)
On
Phewa Lake
Role
Mardi gateway

Pokhara sits about 200 km west of Kathmandu on the shore of Phewa Lake. The city sprawls across a range of elevations, from the lake near 742 metres up into the surrounding hills, so the commonly cited ~822 metres is the valley floor. It is a low, warm base with no altitude to acclimatise to before you start walking.

§ 02 · Top things to see

Lake, ridges, and a sunrise.

Phewa Lake

~742 m, ~5.7 km²

Nepal's second-largest lake and Pokhara's centrepiece, lined by Lakeside on the north and east shores. Hire a wooden boat out to the island Tal Barahi temple, or just walk the promenade at dusk.

World Peace Pagoda

ridge ~1,000 m

The white Shanti Stupa sits on the ridge above the south shore of Phewa Lake, completed in 1996. Reach it by boat then a short uphill walk, or by road, for a wide view back over the lake and city.

Sarangkot

~1,592 m, ~5 km

The premier sunrise viewpoint, about 5 km northwest of Lakeside. On a clear morning you see Annapurna, Machhapuchhre (Fishtail), Dhaulagiri, and Manaslu light up. It is also a paragliding launch.

Davis Falls

Chhorepatan, Kaski

A waterfall fed by the Phewa Lake outflow, also called Devi's Falls or Patale Chhango. It is named after a Swiss visitor swept away here in 1961, and sits in Chhorepatan on the south side of town.

Gupteshwor Mahadev Cave

opposite Davis Falls

Directly across the road from Davis Falls, a long limestone cave with a Shiva shrine inside. Operators describe it as the longest cave in Nepal, though that is a tourism claim rather than a verified record.

International Mountain Museum

opened Feb 2004

Three halls covering the Great Himalayas, a Hall of Fame, and world mountains, documenting Himalayan mountaineering history. A good half-day if rain keeps you off the lake.

§ 03 · Lakeside as your base

Stay in Lakeside.

Lakeside, also called Baidam, runs along the north and east shore of Phewa Lake. It is the tourist hub: hotels at every budget, restaurants, gear shops, and trekking agencies packed into one walkable strip. For a Mardi Himal trek it is the obvious place to base yourself, because you can sort permits, rent gear, withdraw cash, and arrange transport to the trailhead all within a few minutes' walk.

Everything in one strip

Gear rental, ATMs, agencies, and food are all on or just off the main Lakeside road, so a day of pre-trek errands is easy on foot.

Cash before you climb

ATMs are reliable in Pokhara but sparse and unreliable on the trail, so draw the rupees you need for the trek here before you leave.

A rest day either side

Build in a night before and after the trek. The lake, the sunrise from Sarangkot, and the museum fill a rest day, and a buffer day protects against weather and transport hiccups.

§ 04 · Gear rental & buy-vs-rent

Rent the bulky cold-weather kit.

Lakeside's main street has many gear shops renting sleeping bags, down jackets, poles, and crampons. For Mardi the items worth renting are a warm sleeping bag and a down jacket for the High Camp and Upper Viewpoint cold. The trek is short enough that buying full kit is usually unnecessary. Pokhara stocks both genuine brands and cheaper local copies, so check zips and seams before you pay.

Sleeping bagRent~USD 1-2/day (≈ NPR 150-300)A warm bag matters at High Camp and the Upper Viewpoint. Renting in Lakeside is cheaper than buying for a short trek.
Down jacketRent~NPR 150-250/day (~USD 1-2)Needed for cold mornings and evenings high on the route. Easy to rent on the main street, premium bags cost more.
Boots & base layersBuybuy for fit and hygieneFit and hygiene make boots and base layers worth owning. Break boots in at home before you fly out.
Poles, crampons, miscRent~NPR 200-300 per item/dayTrekking poles and odd extras are cheap to rent by the day, and not worth carrying from home for one trek.

Rental rates are indicative and vary shop to shop and by season, so treat the figures above as a guide, not a fixed price. Most shops ask for a refundable deposit, often around USD 110 to 200 or a passport copy, which you get back when you return the gear.

§ 05 · Getting to the trailhead

From Lakeside to Kande.

The standard Mardi Himal trek starts at Kande, the road-accessible trailhead at about 1,770 metres northwest of Pokhara. Most trekkers drive there from Lakeside by private vehicle or shared jeep, then start walking the same morning. For the full transport breakdown, including drive times, jeep options, and the alternative approaches, see our dedicated guide.

Transport

How to reach Mardi Himal

Drive times, jeep and bus options, and the route from Pokhara to the Kande trailhead.

The trek

Mardi Himal trek

The full route from Kande to the Upper Viewpoint: itinerary, camps, season, and difficulty.

§ 06 · Questions

Pokhara questions.

How do I get from Kathmandu to Pokhara?

Three common ways. A flight takes about 30 minutes with several daily departures, a tourist bus is roughly 6 to 8 hours with morning and night services, and a private car or jeep is about 5 to 6 hours on the Prithvi Highway. Road times vary with traffic and conditions.

How high is Pokhara?

The valley floor sits at about 822 metres, with Phewa Lake near 742 metres and the surrounding hills higher. It is a low, warm base compared with the trek, so there is no altitude to acclimatise to in the city itself.

Where should I stay in Pokhara before the trek?

Lakeside, also called Baidam, on the north and east shore of Phewa Lake. It is the tourist hub with hotels, restaurants, gear shops, and trekking agencies in one walkable strip, which makes it the natural base for organising your Mardi Himal trek.

Should I rent or buy trekking gear in Pokhara?

Rent the bulky cold-weather items, a warm sleeping bag and a down jacket, from a Lakeside shop, since Mardi is short. Buy boots and base layers at home for fit and hygiene. Most rental shops ask for a refundable deposit or a passport copy, and prices vary by shop and season.

How do I reach the Mardi Himal trailhead from Pokhara?

Most trekkers drive from Pokhara to Kande, the road-accessible trailhead at about 1,770 metres, by private vehicle or shared jeep, then start walking. See our how to reach Mardi Himal guide for the full transport breakdown.

What can I see in Pokhara on a rest day?

Phewa Lake and the Tal Barahi temple by boat, the World Peace Pagoda above the south shore, sunrise from Sarangkot, Davis Falls with the Gupteshwor cave opposite, and the International Mountain Museum. Most sit within a short drive of Lakeside.

§ 07 · Plan your trek

Read the mountain, then come walk it.

We run small-group trips from Pokhara every Saturday from September to May. We also run private trips any day. A $50 deposit holds your place. Pay the rest on arrival in cash or by card.

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