As Pokhara is a convenient—often essential—starting point for many treks in the Annapurna region, it makes sense to make time in your itinerary for the small, pretty city. But post-trek, you may be too tired to partake in any of the active pursuits that Pokhara is known for, such as kayaking on the lake or paragliding. Luckily, Pokhara is also ideally set up to help you relax and wind down after a multi-day trek.

A nice meal

Pokhara has a wide variety of international cuisine. So, if you’re a little tired of dal bhat and fried noodles after several days’ trekking, you can choose Indian, Italian, Chinese or many other types of cuisine in Pokhara.

Happy hour cocktails

Many of the bars with views of Phewa Lake offer good-value happy hour cocktails—and ‘happy hour’ often extends for a generous few hours. If you did the smart thing by easing off the alcohol while trekking at high altitude, Lakeside Pokhara is the ideal place to celebrate a successful trek with a drink or two.

Massages

Sore post-trek muscles deserve a massage, and it seems that every second shop in Pokhara is offering some type of treatment. From spas in upmarket hotels to cheap and cheerful treatments in small, side-street shops, there are massages and styles to suit various budgets and needs.

Temple Tree Resort & Spa, Photo: Temple Tree

Relax by a pool

Some of the more upmarket hotels in Pokhara have their own swimming pools. If you’re not staying in one of these hotels, several also offer day access for non-guests, for a fee.

Sunset over the lake

Just before sun-set hour, people gather on the grassy banks of the lake to watch the golden orb descend behind the hills at the far end of the lake. This is also a popular time to paddle on the lake.

Paddle on the lake

Before you assume you’ll be too tired to do this post-trek, know that it’s possible to hire a boat and someone to paddle it for you. So you can just sit back, relax and enjoy the serenity.

Yoga

A more active alternative to a massage for tired muscles is yoga. There’s a branch of popular studio Pranamaya Yoga (which has several locations around Kathmandu) at Lakeside.