Pokhara

Phewa Lake (formerly called Baidam Tal) is a freshwater lake in Nepal located in the south of the Pokhara Valley. The lake is stream-fed but a dam regulates the water reserves, therefore, the lake is classified as semi-natural freshwater lake. It is the second largest lake in Nepal and is the most popular and most visited lake of Nepal. It is the only lake in Nepal to have a temple (Tal Barahi Temple) at the central part of lake. Phewa Lake is located at an altitude of 742 m (2,434 ft) and covers an area of about 4.43 km2 (1.7 sq mi). It has an average depth of about 8.6 m (28 ft) and a maximum depth of 24 m (79 ft). The Annapurna range on the north is only about 28 km (linear distance) away from the lake.

Info sourced from Wikipedia

The title refers to the two weeks I spent going around the Annapurna range, which is visible in its entirety in this photograph.

The views from the Pokhara World Peace Pagoda are amazing, you can see Lake Phewa right below and the mountains behind, including several Annapurna summits and the iconic Machhapuchhare (Fish tail).

Photo Tips: The Pagoda itself can be closed for sunrise and sunset and also tripods are not allowed there. However there are several nice viewpoints nearby, like this one at a nearby restaurant (or around it, if closed).

Bring either an ultra wide lens, or expect to stitch a panorama, as I did in this case.

Sunrise generally offers a better chance to photograph the mountains, as they are often in clouds since the afternoon. However, if visible, both mornings and evenings are great here.

Getting there: You can either walk up the hill (about 250 vertical meters), or take a taxi from Pokhara. From Lakeside it costs about 1000 rupees and takes roughly 20 minutes.

A beautiful spot to watch first light touching the majestic Himalayas towering above Pokhara and reflected in Lake Phewa.

Photo Tips: Normal to Wideangle lens will be most useful here to capture both the mountains and reflections. Panorama might be an option too. I prefer Sunrise, as it offers a better chance for views, there are often clouds in the evening.

Getting there: It's a short walk (at most 2 km) from anywhere in the Lakeside district of Pokhara, so it's easy to get there for sunrise (or any other time of day, if you prefer).

Phewa Lake (formerly called Baidam Tal) is a freshwater lake in Nepal located in the south of the Pokhara Valley. The lake is stream-fed but a dam regulates the water reserves, therefore, the lake is classified as semi-natural freshwater lake. It is the second largest lake in Nepal and is the most popular and most visited lake of Nepal. It is the only lake in Nepal to have a temple (Tal Barahi Temple) at the central part of lake. Phewa Lake is located at an altitude of 742 m (2,434 ft) and covers an area of about 4.43 km2 (1.7 sq mi). It has an average depth of about 8.6 m (28 ft) and a maximum depth of 24 m (79 ft). The Annapurna range on the north is only about 28 km (linear distance) away from the lake.

Info sourced from Wikipedia

The Buddhist temple Pokhara Shanti Stupa can be seen on the hilltop above the lake.

Phewa Lake (formerly called Baidam Tal) is a freshwater lake in Nepal located in the south of the Pokhara Valley. The lake is stream-fed but a dam regulates the water reserves, therefore, the lake is classified as semi-natural freshwater lake. It is the second largest lake in Nepal and is the most popular and most visited lake of Nepal. It is the only lake in Nepal to have a temple (Tal Barahi Temple) at the central part of lake. Phewa Lake is located at an altitude of 742 m (2,434 ft) and covers an area of about 4.43 km2 (1.7 sq mi). It has an average depth of about 8.6 m (28 ft) and a maximum depth of 24 m (79 ft). The Annapurna range on the north is only about 28 km (linear distance) away from the lake.

Info sourced from Wikipedia

There's an interesting foreground element at this part of Lake Phewa shore, fishing nets enclosing a fishery station (not sure exactly whether what it's for). It's about a different perspective as you don't get the typical colorful boats here close to the camera.