Phewa Lake
A lake that mirrors Machapuchare, with a temple on an islet in the middle.
Duration
1 hr 30 min – 3 hrs
Best time
At sunrise, in still weather
Open
Every day
Entry price
To confirm
Lake Phewa is Nepal's second largest and it gives Pokhara its setting: in still weather Machapuchare and Annapurna are reflected whole in it, which is the image of the town.
In the middle, an islet carries the Tal Barahi temple, a two-tiered Hindu shrine to the goddess Durga. You get there in a painted rowing boat, hired by the hour on the Lakeside shore. The lake is shallow and silting up: its level and surface area have shrunk noticeably since the 1950s.
Getting there
Along Lakeside in Pokhara. Boats are hired by the hour on the shore, with or without an oarsman.
What the price covers
the shores are free; rowing boats are hired by the hour
What to bring
- Dry bag
- Board
Rules on site
The reflection of the peaks only appears in dead calm, early in the morning: later the surface ripples and there is nothing. Life jackets are provided but not always offered — ask for them.
