Mahendra Cave
One of the interesting places to visit is the Mahendra Gupha, a limestone cave reached after a two-hour walk or a short drive north of Pokhara. Known as the ‘House of Bats’ owing to a number of bats found inside, the cave is an interesting labyrinth of stalactites and stalagmites. Visitors are advised to bring their own torches if they want to closely inspect the formations.
World Peace Pagoda
High on a hill visible from Lakeside is the World Peace Pagoda on the southern shore of Phewa Lake. Once there, you are greeted by the four images of Buddha facing in four directions. The dome shaped pagoda is an impressive sight and commands a great view of the entire valley.
Museums
The Pokhara Museum is worth a visit. Located between the bus stop and Mahendra Pul, it showcases the ethnic mosaic of the diverse cultures that thrive in western Nepal. The lifestyles and history of the Gurungs, Thakalis and Tharus are attractively represented by models, photographs and artifacts. Of much interest and also a major attraction is the recently discovered remains of an 8000-year-old settlement in Mustang. The museum is open daily from 10 am to 5 pm, except on Tuesdays and public holidays.
Annapurna Regional Museum
This is the other interesting museum in Pokhara which is also known as the Natural History Museum. Run by the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP), the museum has an exceptional collection of butterflies, insects, birds and models of wildlife found in the area. Located at Prithvi Narayan Campus, east of the old bazaar, it is open daily from 9 am to 5 pm except on Saturdays and public holidays.
International Mountain Museum
The International Mountain Museum (IMM) is housed in a well-designed modern building. It was built with the objective of recording, documenting, exhibiting and chronicling the entire mountaineering past up to the present day, the development of mountain and mountaineering activities in the world. With widespread support from mountaineering clubs and associations as well as individual donors from around the world, the museum has much on display. Established by Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) with the theme ‘Man, Mountain and Mountain activities around the world’, the entire display area of the museum has been divided along this theme.
Hall of Mountain People: This hall exhibits the customs, traditions, heritage, culture and lifestyle of the mountain people.
Hall of World Mountains: This hall showcases all fourteen peaks over 8000 m. and displays geological facts related to the origin of world mountain systems. Also exhibited and explained is the flora and fauna of the Himalaya. The museum also honors great personalities like Kumar Khadga Bikrum Shah (Founder President of NMA), Dr. Toni Hagen (Renowned geologist and lover of Nepal, who published the first pictorial “Nepal”), Reverend Ekai Kawaguchi (The first Japanese to visit Nepal in 1899), and Dr. Harka Gurung (Renowned scholar, geographer, development planner and first Tourism Minister of Nepal).
Hall of Mountain Activities: This hall is dedicated to mountain activities such as mountaineering and trekking, highlighting historical ascents and explorations in and around the mountainous regions. It also showcases the development of climbing gears and other essential mountaineering equipment over the decades.
