Overview
This Bandipur and Pokhara lakeside tour follows the same road as our three-day getaway but gives Phewa Lake the time it deserves. You drive from Kathmandu to Bandipur for a night in the old Newar bazaar, then continue to Pokhara, where the afternoon is spent on the water: a boat to the island temple of Tal Barahi, a paddle by kayak, and the evening aarti at Barahi Ghat, when priests lead prayers, devotional songs and hand-bells facing the lake. Day three starts with sunrise at Sarangkot and carries on with a full day of Pokhara sightseeing. Day four is the drive home. It suits travellers who want Pokhara at an unhurried pace, including families and pilgrims keen on the temple and the aarti.
The itinerary
- Private vehicle west from Kathmandu on the Prithvi Highway, about five to six hours
- Turn off at Dumre and climb 8 km of side road to the ridge-top town at 1,030 m
- Afternoon on the traffic-free bazaar among old Newar brick houses
- Sunset at Tundikhel over the Marsyangdi valley, cloud permitting
- Two to three hours' drive down to Pokhara after breakfast
- Rowing boat out to Tal Barahi, the two-storey pagoda temple on its island in Phewa Lake
- Time on the lake by kayak, close to the Lakeside shore
- Evening aarti at Barahi Ghat, held each evening around six
- Pre-dawn drive to Sarangkot, about 1,600 m, for sunrise over the Annapurna range
- Davis Falls and Gupteshwor Cave, where the lake's outflow runs underground
- World Peace Pagoda on Anadu Hill and the limestone caves at Batulechaur
- Evening free at Lakeside
- Breakfast by the lake, then check-out
- Six to nine hours by private vehicle on the Prithvi Highway
- Lunch stop at a highway town on the way
- Drop-off at your Kathmandu hotel in the evening
Things to carry
- Quick-dry clothes and sandals for the lake
- Warm layer for the Sarangkot sunrise
- Clothes that cover shoulders and knees for the temple and aarti
- Sun hat and sunscreen
- Light rain jacket
Good to know
Complete guide
This four-day trip takes you from Kathmandu to Bandipur and Pokhara by road, with a full afternoon on Phewa Lake that the shorter version leaves out. It is built for people who want to be on the water, not just look at it. We arrange the private vehicle, a local guide, your hotels and the boat and kayak time.
What the Bandipur and Pokhara lakeside tour covers
Day one is the drive to Bandipur, a Newar hill town at 1,030 m (3,380 ft), with an evening on its car-free bazaar and at Tundikhel. Day two brings you down to Pokhara and straight onto Phewa Lake, which sits at 742 m (2,434 ft) and is the third largest lake in Nepal: a boat to Tal Barahi, time in a kayak and the evening aarti at Barahi Ghat. Day three starts at Sarangkot, about 1,600 m (5,249 ft), for sunrise, followed by Davis Falls, Gupteshwor Cave, the World Peace Pagoda and the limestone caves at Batulechaur. Day four is the drive back to Kathmandu.
What the extra day adds
Our three-day Bandipur and Pokhara getaway is the same road with less time in Pokhara: one afternoon of sights and an early sunrise before you leave. The extra day here changes the feel of the trip. You get an afternoon on the lake and a separate, full sightseeing day, so the Sarangkot start is not followed straight away by a long drive.
If you want Kathmandu's heritage sites in the same trip, the five-day Bandipur, Pokhara and Kathmandu tour adds a day in the valley. It includes a boat to Tal Barahi but not the kayaking or the aarti, so choose this one if the lake is the point.
A day on Phewa Lake: boat, kayak, temple and aarti
Tal Barahi is a two-storey pagoda temple on a small island a short row from the shore. It is a working temple, busiest on Saturdays, so we aim for another day when we can. Kayaking is done from the Lakeside shore in hired kayaks; beginners stay near the bank, and on a still afternoon you can paddle out far enough to see the ridge of Sarangkot above the water.
The evening aarti at Barahi Ghat is held each evening around six. Three priests lead the ritual with devotional songs, clapping and hand-bells, and the crowd is a mix of pilgrims, office workers, students and visitors. It has been organised by a local committee since 2018. Arrive a little early for a seat on the benches, and dress as you would for a temple.
Bandipur, Sarangkot and the road between
Bandipur is 143 km west of Kathmandu, about five to six hours by road, and 8 km up a side road from Dumre. Newar traders from Bhaktapur built it up as a trading stop after 1768, and the brick houses with carved windows are still lived in. From there Pokhara is two to three hours on. The drive home is the longest day, six to nine hours on the Prithvi Highway depending on traffic and roadworks.
At Sarangkot, a clear morning shows Dhaulagiri, Annapurna I, Machhapuchhre and Manaslu. Cloud can hide them, and we will not pretend otherwise.
When to go and who it suits
October to February is the clearest and driest time, with cool evenings by the lake. Spring is warm and good for paddling but often hazy. June to September is the monsoon, when rain can keep kayaks off the water. The trip suits families, couples, pilgrims and short breaks from India who want no trekking. If you would like a first taste of walking in the hills afterwards, the two-day Ghorepani Poon Hill trek starts from Pokhara and fits neatly on the end.
