Sarangkot Sunrise and Pokhara Lakeside Tour
- Duration
- 1 day
- Max altitude
- 1,600 m
- Difficulty
-
Easy
Difficulty scale
- Easy Short walking days on good trails below about 3,000 m. Suitable for anyone in ordinary health, including families.
- Moderate 5 to 6 hours a day with some steep sections, reaching up to about 4,000 m. A reasonable level of fitness and a few weeks of preparation walking recommended.
- Strenuous 6 to 8 hours a day, high passes or altitudes above 5,000 m, and remote stretches. Good fitness, prior trekking experience and proper acclimatisation days are essential.
- Very strenuous Long days, multiple high passes or technical sections, sustained time above 5,000 m. For experienced, well-conditioned trekkers only.
- Best season
- Autumn (Sep–Nov) · Spring (Mar–May) · Winter (Dec–Feb)
- Group
- Private
- From
- $75.00
Overview
Sarangkot is a ridge on the north western rim above Pokhara, and it is the closest viewpoint in Nepal to a wall of eight thousand metre peaks. Dhaulagiri, Annapurna South, Annapurna I, Hiunchuli and Machhapuchhre are all in one line, and the whole thing turns from grey to pink in about ten minutes.
The drive up takes about forty minutes, so this is a gentler early start than most sunrise tours. You are back down in Pokhara for breakfast by mid morning with the day still ahead of you.
Trip highlights
- Sunrise from Sarangkot at 1,600 m, above the cloud on a good morning
- Dhaulagiri, Annapurna and Machhapuchhre in a single panorama
- Phewa Lake laid out below with mist sitting on it
- Breakfast by the lake afterwards, included
- A short drive, so a 5am start rather than a 4am one
Day by day
The itinerary
-
Day 1: Sarangkot before dawn, then breakfast and Lakeside 1,600 m 6 hours hrs Breakfast
Pick up from your Pokhara hotel at about 5am, earlier in the summer months when the sun comes up sooner.
Sarangkot
Forty minutes of switchbacks up to the ridge, then a short walk to the viewing tower. At 1,600 m you are usually above any mist sitting in the valley, which is part of why this viewpoint works so well: the lake disappears under a white sheet while the mountains stand clear above it.
The peaks catch colour before the sun itself appears. Machhapuchhre is the sharp one, unclimbed and closed to climbing because it is sacred. Your guide will name the rest along the line.
Bring a jacket. It is cold on the ridge before dawn in any season, and properly cold in December and January.
Breakfast
Back down into Pokhara for a proper breakfast by the lake, included.
The rest of the morning
A walk along the Lakeside strip, and if you want it, a rowing boat out to the Tal Barahi temple on the island. Your guide will drop you back at your hotel by late morning, which leaves the afternoon free for a flight out, a bus, or nothing at all.
What's included
Included
- Included: Government licensed English speaking guide
- Included: Private air conditioned tourist vehicle with driver from about 5am
- Included: Sarangkot viewpoint entry fee
- Included: Breakfast in Pokhara after the viewpoint
- Included: Bottled drinking water in the vehicle
- Included: All government taxes and administrative charges
Not included
- Not included: Lunch and dinner
- Not included: Any beverages
- Not included: Boat hire on Phewa Lake if you want it, about USD 6 per person
- Not included: Warm clothing for the ridge before dawn
- Not included: Tips for your guide and driver
- Not included: Travel insurance
- Not included: Anything not listed under what is included
Know before you go
Suitability & requirements
Mountain views depend on the weather and cannot be guaranteed. October to February is the reliable window. In the monsoon, June to August, the ridge is often in cloud and we would rather you knew that in advance.
Your team
Led by a licensed guide
Every route is led by a government-licensed guide from our team. Licences are on record with us before departure, and you'll meet your guide once your trip is confirmed.
Guide language(s): English, Nepali
Group-size pricing
Walk together, pay less
Every trip is private, so the guide, permits and transfers cost the same however many walk. Sharing them is why the per-person price falls: arithmetic, not a sale.
| Group size | per person | You save each |
|---|---|---|
| 1 trekker | $90.00 | base rate |
| 2 to 3 trekkers | $75.00 | $15.00 |
| 4 to 6 trekkers | $70.00 | $20.00 |
| 7 or more | $66.00 | $24.00 |
Per person, including permits, park fees and taxes. Nothing is added at checkout.
Weather
What to expect, month by month
- Autumn (Sep–Nov)The most reliable trekking season: clear air, stable weather and cold nights, right after the monsoon clears.
- Spring (Mar–May)Warmer than autumn, with rhododendron forests in flower and slightly hazier mountain views as the season goes on.
- Winter (Dec–Feb)Cold and quiet, with the clearest skies of the year at lower altitude. High passes and very high routes are best avoided.
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