Phewa Lake: boating, Tal Barahi temple and the Peace Pagoda
The lake, the island temple and the white stupa on the hill.
Phewa Lake is the heart of Pokhara: about 4 km long and up to 2 km wide, with Lakeside’s hotels on its eastern shore and Machhapuchhre reflected in the water on a still morning. The classic things to do are a boat to Tal Barahi, the small two-storey temple on an island, and a boat across to the far shore to climb to the World Peace Pagoda. Our private boat to Tal Barahi with a guide and tea is NPR 3,500 per person; the Peace Pagoda hike with a Phewa boat is US$ 40 per person.
Phewa Lake in numbers
Phewa is the most visited lake in Nepal and the largest in Gandaki Province. Three streams, the Harpan, the Andheri and the Phirke, feed it from the hills to the west, and a dam at its southern end, by Damside, holds the water for a small power station. The lake’s best-known view, the Annapurna range above the water, is from the eastern shore at Lakeside and from the dam.
Boating on Phewa Lake
The painted wooden boats wait at the boat stations along Lakeside; the main one is by the Tal Barahi temple landing. You can hire a boat with a boatman who rows, or paddle one yourself, by the hour. Life jackets come with the boat: wear them.
- Early morning is the calmest time, with mirror reflections of Machhapuchhre from October to February.
- Late afternoon brings golden light and the sunset; boats come back before dark.
- Spring afternoons can turn windy with sudden storms: come back to shore if the wind rises.
- Kayak or paddle board with an instructor: our morning paddle with breakfast, NPR 4,500 per person.
Our tip: Agree the time and the price at the counter before you get in; rates are per boat, so a full boat is cheaper per person.
Tal Barahi temple
On a small island near the Lakeside shore stands the two-storey pagoda of Tal Barahi, the temple of the goddess Barahi and the most important temple in Pokhara. Local families row out with offerings, especially on Saturdays and during festivals, and pigeons crowd the little island. A visit takes 20 to 30 minutes on the island; take your shoes off at the shrine and ask before photographing people at prayer.
Our Phewa Lake & Island Temple Escape is a private boat with a local guide who explains the temple, then tea on the shore: NPR 3,500 per person, about 3 hours.
The World Peace Pagoda: boat and hike
On Anadu hill across the lake, about 1,100 m high, stands the white World Peace Pagoda (Shanti Stupa), built by the Japanese Buddhist order Nipponzan-Myōhōji and inaugurated in 1999. It is 115 feet tall, and four golden Buddha statues, gifts from Japan, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Nepal, face out from its upper terrace. From the top you see the whole lake, Pokhara and, on a clear day, Dhaulagiri, Annapurna South and Machhapuchhre.
By boat and on foot
Row across Phewa, then climb through forest for 45 minutes to an hour. Our Peace Pagoda hike with a Phewa boat (US$ 40 per person, with a guide) or the boat-to-Pagoda hiking adventure with lunch, NPR 6,000 per person.
By car
About 24 minutes by road from Lakeside, then a short walk. Our car to the Peace Pagoda is NPR 2,400; it fits well with Davis Falls and Gupteshwor Cave below the hill.
The Pagoda is a place of prayer: dress modestly, speak quietly and walk around the stupa clockwise.
Walking and cycling around the lake
- The lakeside path runs from the dam at Damside along Lakeside to the north shore: flat and lively, best in the evening.
- The Pame valley at the quiet western end has rice fields, buffaloes and lake views; cycle there on our Pame cycling and picnic day, NPR 5,500 per person.
- Khapaudi and Anadu, on the far shores, are where the paragliders come down to land in the afternoon.
- Damside has the best view up the lake to the mountains, from the dam itself.
When Phewa looks its best
From October to February the mountains stand clear above the lake almost every morning, and on a windless dawn they are reflected in the water. From March the peaks often hide in haze by mid-morning, so go early. In the monsoon the lake is green and moody, with clouds on the hills. For two, our Sunset on Phewa for Two times a private boat for the golden hour, then dinner by the water: NPR 10,000 per couple.
Questions people ask
How much is boating on Phewa Lake?
Public boats are hired per boat by the hour at the boat counters. Our private boat to Tal Barahi with a guide and tea is NPR 3,500 per person; the Peace Pagoda hike with a boat is US$ 40 per person.
What is the best time for boating on Phewa Lake?
Early morning for calm water and mountain reflections, from October to February at its best; late afternoon for the sunset. Spring afternoons can be windy.
How deep is Phewa Lake?
About 8.6 m on average and up to about 24 m at its deepest.
Can you swim in Phewa Lake?
It is not a good idea far from the shore: the lake is deep and there are no lifeguards. Enjoy it by boat, with a life jacket.
How long is the hike to the Peace Pagoda?
About 45 minutes to an hour uphill through forest from the far shore after a boat across the lake. By car it is about 25 minutes from Lakeside.
Who is the Tal Barahi temple for?
The goddess Barahi. It is Pokhara’s most important temple, on an island near Lakeside, busiest on Saturdays and festival days.