Pokhara, Peace Pagoda for Best Mountain and Lake View

View from the Ridge near the Peace Pagoda, Pokhara ©Solange Hando

Most visitors to Pokhara have heard about the fabulous views from Sarangkot ( the top of the hill you see on this picture, below the high peaks) but on the southern side of the lake, the panorama is even better, mountains and lake framed in golden marigolds or flaming poinsettia.

It's also quieter than Sarangkot and if you walk a little further along the ridge, you'll have the view almost all to yourself, nothing to disturb the peace but crickets and bird song.

Pokhara Peace Pagoda ©Solange Hando

Above Phewa lake, at 1100 metres, the pagoda is a modern shrine erected to promote world peace, gleaming white above the wooded slopes. You are sure to spot it from the town or lakeside and it isn't as inaccessible as it seems.

Hire a boat to take you across the lake to the start of the path then walk up the steep trail through a cool but often deserted forest.  However, if you're on your own, it's best to find a reliable companion or take a taxi from town. Ask the driver to wait, a couple of hours or more, but be sure to agree the price before you start and pay on the return journey.

Looking East from the Raniban Retreat, Pokhara ©Solange Hando

The view from the pagoda is pretty good, with a panoramic café nearby serving cool drinks and snacks but the further you walk along the trail, the better it gets.

Clinging to its own hilltop, along a meandering path then up 500 steps, the Raniban Retreat (above) claims, quite rightly, the most stunning panorama in the Pokhara district. Relax, enjoy a coke or a pancake, and there's even basic accommodation if you wish to spend the night. You couldn't dream of a better place to set eyes on so many Himalayan peaks, several of them reaching over 8000 metres..

Looking West along the Ridge above Pokhara ©Solange Hando

By clear weather, the five peaks of the Annapurna glisten in front of you, with the sacred pyramid of Fishtail in the centre, while to the west you look out to Daulaghiri and the Hidden Valley beyond, and to the east Manaslu, Ganesh Himal and other snow-clad giants.

Sunset on Fishtail, Annapurna Range ©Solange Hando

But even you go no further than the pagoda, it's worth waiting to see the sun set on the Annapurna, a magical moment reflected in the lake as the town settles down for the night.

The pagoda gate is usually locked at dusk but there is a way out along the trail to the rough road where your taxi should be waiting to take you back to Pokhara.

Pokhara in Nepal, Enjoy the View from Sarangkot

 Mystical Sarangkot above Pokhara ©Solange Hando

Rising to 1700 metres above Pokhara, the hill of Sarangkot is an inspiring place offering spectacular views of the Annapurna range and beyond in the high Himalaya.

Centre stage is the iconic pyramid of Machapuchre, also known as Fishtail, a sacred mountain where no one has ever set foot on the summit. Yet, at nearly 7000 metres, it seems almost within arm's reach.

Sarangkot Hill, Pokhara ©Solange Hando

From Pokhara, you can take a taxi (25 minutes, agree the price before you start) or walk up along the road, a long winding way with superb views of the valley and the hamlets clinging to the slopes where you can meet a farmer or two, watch the weavers at work or enjoy a cool drink in a rustic inn.

Alternatively, take a short cut through the forest along a rough path strewn with steps. It's a hot challenging climb, eerie and often deserted. Take care, especially if you're on your own.

Sunset on the Annapurna Range from Sarangkot ©Solange Hando

For me, the highlight in Sarangkot is to watch the sun set on the Annapurna when the peaks turn all shades of pink and gold and far below in Pokhara, myriad lights start to twinkle around the lake. 

It is more spectacular than the sunrise when drifting mist often dampens the colours and paragliders and day trippers arrive in their droves.

There are some wonderfully scenic lodges just below the ridge where you can expect a traditional welcome and peaceful night. Book beforehand to be sure of a bed and secure the best price.

Sarangkot near Pokhara ©Solange Hando

For those who come to Pokhara to relax rather than trek, Sarangkot is the nearest you can get to the Annapurna, so don't miss it. The best time to visit is autumn, when skies are likely to be clear.

Nepal, Altitude Can Kill

Sunset on Everest (middle) and Lothse (right) ©Solange Hando

In just a couple of months, the new trekking season will begin in Nepal and it's a good time to remember the dangers of altitude sickness. Above 3000 metres, this can hit any of us, regardless of age, fitness or experience, due to lower air pressure and oxygen levels.
Ignoring symptoms may lead to pulmonary or cerebral edema, both potentially fatal, the latter in a matter of hours, so if you'd like to see the sunset on the Everest range, make sure you look after yourself...

Namche Bazaar, Rest Day on Everest Trek ©Solange Hando

What can you do to prevent mountain sickness?
Climb slowly and take frequent breaks, even just a few minutes, to allow your body to acclimatise.
Drink plenty of water and avoid alcohol.
Whenever possible, sleep at a lower altitude than the highest reached in the day (it's all up and down).
Take a day's rest (2 nights) every time you gain 1000 metres.
Sleep in a lodge rather than a tent where you keep breathing the same depleted air.
Have a high calorie diet to boost energy levels, include garlic soup to thin out the blood.
 Diamox tablets might help but don't expect a miracle if you ignore everything else.

Looking across to the High Annapurna ©Solange Hando

What are the symptoms?
Mild:
 Anything from headache and nausea to racing pulse, breathlessness, fluid retention (can't pass water) or sleep problems.
Serious:
Worsening of the above, plus possibly dizziness, loss of balance, blurred speech, fever, cough, nose bleed, exhaustion.

Langtang Trek ©Solange Hando

What's the remedy?
In the early stages, rest for 2 or 3 nights,  follow all prevention measures and if there's no improvement, descend 1000 metres.
When things get serious, there's a Gamow pressure bag at the Pheriche clinic (Everest trek) if you're nearby.
Otherwise, your guide will probably save your life by carrying you down or call the rescue helicopter from Kathmandu.
Be aware that the helicopter will fly only in daylight hours and clear weather, providing your insurance covers such a service or you deposited the necessary cash with your agency in town.

Sunset on Everest ©Solange Hando

So keep well, keep safe and enjoy...

My favourite spot is up Kalapatar above Base Camp, where this view was taken.