Me paragliding over Pokhara!
The days in Pokhara, the second biggest city of Nepal, were like being in a totally different place from Kathmandu. Like day and night, Pokhara is just calm and peace, without pollution, without traffic, without noise... and located in a perfect setting between a lake and the Annapurna Range. If to this you add some paragliding and the best chocolate creppes I've have ever had, the days in Pokhara were some of the best ones so far.
After the Holi festival in Kathmandu, we jumped into another long distance bus. This time our destination was Pokhara, the second biggest city in Nepal and meant to be a quiet place good to relax by a lake, have views of the Himalayas and practice some paragliding.
The bus ride was as always. The road linking the two major Nepali cities was just a curvy road where the average speed of the bus was about 27kmph. The journey took around 6 hours including a few stops and the view from the windows was as nice as always: rivers, mountains, rice paddies... but still, Nepali bus rides are really a pain in the ass.
View of Pokhara while paragliding.
As we were approaching Pokhara we hoped to have a glimpse of the Himalayas, as the Annapurnas and the Manaslu are visible from the road in clear days, but we had no luck and the sky was quite cloudy that day. Anyway, we arrived in Pokhara and as usual we headed to hour hostel, located in the main touristic area, the one by the lake.
The first impression of the town was good: no traffic, no pollution, no noise. So maybe it was true and Pokhara was an oasis of tanquility. What we suffered, though, was the high heat for the first time in our trip. We left the backpack in the hotel and went to explore a bit the town and to inform ourselves about the paragliding thing.
Pokhara is supposed to be one of the best places in the world to practise this sport, and as we had never tried it, we were really looking forward to it. We went to a few travel agencies and they all had the same prices and conditions, so what we did, like in Chitwan, was to book the activity through the hotel, finally.
The first impression of the town was good: no traffic, no pollution, no noise. So maybe it was true and Pokhara was an oasis of tanquility. What we suffered, though, was the high heat for the first time in our trip. We left the backpack in the hotel and went to explore a bit the town and to inform ourselves about the paragliding thing.
Pokhara is supposed to be one of the best places in the world to practise this sport, and as we had never tried it, we were really looking forward to it. We went to a few travel agencies and they all had the same prices and conditions, so what we did, like in Chitwan, was to book the activity through the hotel, finally.
The Annapurnas seen from Pokhara Lake
Besides booking the paragliding, we spent the rest of the day exploring a bit Pokhara, basically the lakeside part of it. The lakeside is the Thamel of Pokhara: plenty of bars, restaurants and outdoor sports shops selling all kind of fake trekking gear. The main difference is that, unlike Thamel, the lakeside is a really quiet and peaceful area. Here there is no pollution, no heavy traffic, no noise, the roads are paved... so it was true: Pokhara has nothing to do with Kathmandu, it is totally the opposite. And we quite appreciated it.
Besides, the setting is really privileged: there's a lake where you can rent a boat or a kayak to sail a bit, a promenade along the lake in which to have a walk and stop for a beer in one of the cosy bars right in front of the water and on the other side of town you have the Annapurnas, which we didn't see due to the clouds at that time of the day.
Pokhara is like this, don't go looking for monuments or big sights, it is a place to relax, to practice kayaking or paragliding, to have a beer by the lake, some good Western food and a good base to start your Annapurna trekking.
Besides, the setting is really privileged: there's a lake where you can rent a boat or a kayak to sail a bit, a promenade along the lake in which to have a walk and stop for a beer in one of the cosy bars right in front of the water and on the other side of town you have the Annapurnas, which we didn't see due to the clouds at that time of the day.
Pokhara is like this, don't go looking for monuments or big sights, it is a place to relax, to practice kayaking or paragliding, to have a beer by the lake, some good Western food and a good base to start your Annapurna trekking.
The rest of the day finished with a big discovery: Metro. This is the name of the place we visited every day in Pokhara. It is a tiny little space close to the lake with a rooftop terrace and where they make the best creppes you can have. I've tried creppes in a lot of places, but the ones in Metro are something else, especially the chocolate ones: big, good and cheap. Not to miss! After Metro, we went back to the hotel to have some rest having a really good feeling about Pokhara, the antithesis of Kathmandu.
The following morning was going to be devoted to visit the nearby Japanese World Peace Pagoda (set in a hill accross the lake) and to stroll around town. And the day began with something unexpected. When we looked through the window we could see the whole Annapurna Range in front of us! Amazing! The previous day it was so cloudy that nothing was visible, but now the sky was clear blue and we had in front of us the famous Fish Tail, and the four Annapurnas.
The following morning was going to be devoted to visit the nearby Japanese World Peace Pagoda (set in a hill accross the lake) and to stroll around town. And the day began with something unexpected. When we looked through the window we could see the whole Annapurna Range in front of us! Amazing! The previous day it was so cloudy that nothing was visible, but now the sky was clear blue and we had in front of us the famous Fish Tail, and the four Annapurnas.
Literally flying over Pokhara!
Pokhara was even better with that view, so we just went out, had some breakfast and prepare to go to the Pagoda. The main reason to get there was to enjoy the views of Pokhara and the Annapurnas, so we started walking and it took us less than two hours to reach the top, not without getting lost and needing the help of a local boy to find the correct path up. The walk, though, was through a quite nice forest and we were all the time accompanied by a dog.
Once up there, we noticed that the pagoda has actually nothing special and that the views were quite disappointing, or not as beautiful as we expected. It was around midday and the sky above the Annapurnas was fully covered by clouds. It was like this all the days in Pokhara: a clear sky early morning, and then clouds started appearing and hiding the mountain range.
Anyway, we had nice views of the lake and of the city, and it was just a small taste of what we were supposed to see the following day while paragliding. We just hoped for a clear sky!
Once up there, we noticed that the pagoda has actually nothing special and that the views were quite disappointing, or not as beautiful as we expected. It was around midday and the sky above the Annapurnas was fully covered by clouds. It was like this all the days in Pokhara: a clear sky early morning, and then clouds started appearing and hiding the mountain range.
Anyway, we had nice views of the lake and of the city, and it was just a small taste of what we were supposed to see the following day while paragliding. We just hoped for a clear sky!
The Annapurnas and a paraglider
We went down the pagoda, and as we didn't want to walk all the way to the lakeside we decided to take a bus. The poblem was that we had no small money so we went to a nearby caves, paid the cheap entrance fee and visited them to get some spare change. Well, those caves were probably the worst place I have ever been to. Dirty, stinky, humid and something they call a waterfall in the end, which was actually just a bit of water falling down from somewhere. So you know, if you need spare change, go wherever but not to these caves!
After the experience we finally got back to the lakeside, went to have a creppe, a pizza in a quite creepy place and to sleep hoping for a blue sky the following day and a great first paragliding experience.
We woke up early in the morning and waited for a driver who picked us up. Jumped in the car, went to pick up another guy (it turned out to be a nice Spanish guy) and we drove to the nearby hill from where the paragliders start.
After the experience we finally got back to the lakeside, went to have a creppe, a pizza in a quite creepy place and to sleep hoping for a blue sky the following day and a great first paragliding experience.
We woke up early in the morning and waited for a driver who picked us up. Jumped in the car, went to pick up another guy (it turned out to be a nice Spanish guy) and we drove to the nearby hill from where the paragliders start.
The Annapurnas are hidden in clouds after midday every day.
The ride to the hill took some half an hour. Once up there, the views of Pokhara were really impressive, and the feeling that in a few minutes we would be literally flying was exciting. But the best was the weather: we had a perfect clear blue sky and right in front of us the whole Annapurna Range. Let's fly!
If you have never tried paragliding, the first time you need, obviously, an instructor. In my case, it was a Nepali guy. He gave me a few instructions on what to do for the take off (basically just run and lift my legs up) and in a blink of eyes I was wearing a helmet and the paragliding harness, which is like a seat attached to the instructor and to the "wires" that control the moves of the whole thing.
As there were quite a few other people waiting to start and only one paraglider can take off at the same time, we had to wait for a few minutes before starting the fun. When my turn came, he just said "run" and in 5 seconds I was literally flying. The feeling is undescriptable. At the beginning it is a bit scary, you're literally floating in the air, but after a few seconds you just start enjoying everything.
If you have never tried paragliding, the first time you need, obviously, an instructor. In my case, it was a Nepali guy. He gave me a few instructions on what to do for the take off (basically just run and lift my legs up) and in a blink of eyes I was wearing a helmet and the paragliding harness, which is like a seat attached to the instructor and to the "wires" that control the moves of the whole thing.
As there were quite a few other people waiting to start and only one paraglider can take off at the same time, we had to wait for a few minutes before starting the fun. When my turn came, he just said "run" and in 5 seconds I was literally flying. The feeling is undescriptable. At the beginning it is a bit scary, you're literally floating in the air, but after a few seconds you just start enjoying everything.
You enjoy the flying, the feeling of moving by the air, the hearing of the air... and the views. The views are just impressive. You have Pokhara and the lake below you and right next to you the Fish Tail and the Annapurna Range, clearly visible and almost touchable. The flight lasts for about half an hour and most of the time you are turning around and playing with the wind currents, you go up, down, left, right... and everything is smooth. The instructor was talking a bit, explainigng what was this and that and then we started to descent slowly. We were landing in a grassy area next to the lake, and the landing was as easy as the take off, you just have to run a bit after touching ground.
There I met again the Spanish guy who, as me, was totally excited about the experience. Actually it was one of the best experiences ever, it is the closest you can get to flying and definitely a thing I want to try again!
There I met again the Spanish guy who, as me, was totally excited about the experience. Actually it was one of the best experiences ever, it is the closest you can get to flying and definitely a thing I want to try again!
End of Paragliding at the landing place
After the paragliding, we were driven back to the center of town, went to the hotel and then out again to have some food, a creppe and a beer right in front of the lake. Later, at the end of the day, we met the Spanish guy and went for a beer and some live music in a pub. Pokhara is like the craddle of all Nepali music bands, and you have free live music almost in every pub you go.
Our last day in Pokhara was devoted to explore a bit more in depth the lake, so we rented a kayak for one hour and went to the lake. It was nice, although hard to control the kayak, but somehow we made it to the other shore of the lake and we could enjoy nice views of the Annapurnas and even of the Daulaghiri, another of the eight-thousanders visible from Pokhara.
Our last day in Pokhara was devoted to explore a bit more in depth the lake, so we rented a kayak for one hour and went to the lake. It was nice, although hard to control the kayak, but somehow we made it to the other shore of the lake and we could enjoy nice views of the Annapurnas and even of the Daulaghiri, another of the eight-thousanders visible from Pokhara.
Kayaking in the lake with the Annapurnas in the background.
The kayaking was the last activity in Pokhara, a city in which we felt really well and fully recommendable to anyone visiting Nepal and especially to those with a few months on the road. You will find nice people, relax, calm, nice bars, good food and the opportunity of paragliding, a really must-do if you visit the town!
Now it was just time to spend the rest of the day relaxing and prepare to abandon Pokhara. The next activity was going to be the highight of the trip to Nepal: The trekking around the Annapurna Circuit!
If you're planning on visiting Pokhara, don't forget to check my Travel Guide and for more pictures, the complete Nepal Picture Gallery!
Now it was just time to spend the rest of the day relaxing and prepare to abandon Pokhara. The next activity was going to be the highight of the trip to Nepal: The trekking around the Annapurna Circuit!
If you're planning on visiting Pokhara, don't forget to check my Travel Guide and for more pictures, the complete Nepal Picture Gallery!
RSS Feed
