About Sarangkot
The view of the Annapurna Himalaya from Sarangkot (adult Rs 25) is almost a religious experience. From here, you can see a panoramic sweep of Himalayan
peaks, from Dhaulagiri (8167m) in the west to the perfect pyramid that
is Machhapuchhare (6997m) and the rounded peak of Annapurna II (7937m)
in the east. Most people come here at dawn or dusk, when the sun picks
out the peaks, transforming them from a purple-pink to a celestial gold.
If you feel noisy teenagers are ruining the peace at the viewing tower,
try walking further along to the secluded grassy helicopter pad (though
there are no seats here).
The main village
is just below the ridge, but a set of steps leads uphill to a dramatic
viewpoint in the ruins of an ancient kot (fort). The army currently
occupies it, but photography is fine, as long as you don’t take pictures
of the soldiers.
There’s a ruined fort at Kaskikot (1788m), a one-hour walk west of Sarangkot along the ridge road, with similarly jaw-dropping views.
How to get to Saragkot
You'll need to think about the time of year you are going first. If it's
peak season then you should have good clear views. But if it's monsson
season it might be hazing or cloudy. You'll also need to think about
brining appropriate clothing e.g. rain gear (read the weather guide to
Nepal for more).
You'll also need to think about whether you want to be there at dawn or
dusk. Most people say dawn and sunrise gives a better view.
By taxi: The most popular way to get to Saragkot is via a private taxi.
Arrange a taxi the evening before and they will pick you up - it takes
about 30-40 minutes to drive up depending on the road conditions. They
will drop you about 15-20 minutes walk from the top. A taxi will also
wait about an hour for you and then return you to your hotel.
Cost: taxis can charge anywhere from 600-1200 rupees - bargain hard!!
By Motorcycle: Either hire your own or hire one with a driver. There are
many enterprising young people in Pokhara who can be easily presuaded
to take you to Sarangkot. Do be aware that the road is quite broken and
you might be riding in the dark. Wearing a helmet would be sensible!
Cost: Hiring a motorcycle for the day USD$35-50+. Hiring a bike and
driver 300-600 rupees.
Walk: You can walk/hike/cycle to Sarangkot. It takes about 3-5 hours.
The trail leaves from the baglung bus park or you can try the remoter
trail from Lake Phewa Tal. For a dawn view it means a very early start
or rather a late night start which can be dangerous due to bad paths and
a lack of lighting. Likewise if coming back.
Cost: Free
By Tour: Finally there's a tour option. These are often run by hotels or
agents. It's practically the same as getting a taxi yourself as your
guide may not even accompany you to the viewing platform. If this is the
case you might just try to round up some people and share a taxi up.
Cost: Tour can cost over 800 rupees each. There are some hotels which
operate group discounts which can lower the cost significantly.
Read more at: http://www.thelongestwayhome.com/travel-guides/nepal/sarangkot-pokhara-nepal.html
Copyright © www.thelongestwayhome.com
Instead of copying please consider buying one of my travel guides to Nepal. They are great value. Have much more content. Are easy to read and most importantly they help support my website and the original content that I write. Thank you!
Read more at: http://www.thelongestwayhome.com/travel-guides/nepal/sarangkot-pokhara-nepal.html
Copyright © www.thelongestwayhome.com
Instead of copying please consider buying one of my travel guides to Nepal. They are great value. Have much more content. Are easy to read and most importantly they help support my website and the original content that I write. Thank you!
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