A day at Begnas and Rupa: the lakes nobody photographs

Twenty-five minutes east of Lakeside there are two more lakes, a wooded ridge between them, and almost no visitors at all.

By Dawa Gurung · 5 min read · Updated 1 August 2026

Phewa gets the photographs and the boats and the restaurants. Twenty-five minutes east there are two more lakes that see a fraction of the traffic, and on a free day this is where people from Pokhara actually go.

Begnas is the larger and busier of the pair, which still means quiet. Rupa, over the ridge, is smaller, shallower and greener, and you can spend an afternoon there without seeing another foreign visitor. It costs a taxi fare and it is the best low-effort day out from Lakeside.

The shape of the day

Taxi or local bus to Begnas Bazaar, then a boat out onto the lake first thing while the water is flat. Rowed boats are cheaper here than on Phewa and the boatmen are less rushed.

Mid-morning, walk up onto the ridge that separates the two lakes. It is wooded, gentle, and gives you Begnas on one side and Rupa on the other with the Annapurnas along the northern horizon on a clear day.

Drop down toward Rupa, walk some of the shoreline through farmland, and come back around. Five to six hours at an easy pace, with no serious climbing anywhere in it.

Then lunch. The fish is from the lake in front of you and it is the reason a lot of Nepali families make this trip.

Why it is quiet

There is no tourist infrastructure to speak of. A handful of guesthouses, some local restaurants, and that is it. Nobody has built a Lakeside here and the area is better for it.

It also does not photograph as dramatically as Phewa with the Peace Pagoda behind it, so it stays off the itineraries that are assembled from images.

For anyone who has done two days in Lakeside and found it a bit much, this is the antidote and it is very close.

Combining it with a walk

The ridge above Begnas continues up to Kalikasthan at around 1,370 m, which is a proper half-day climb with a real view. That is also day one of the Royal Trek, so it doubles as a taste of that route.

Sundari Danda and the smaller hills around the lakes give shorter options if you want an hour of climbing rather than four. Birders should come here specifically. The wetland margins at Rupa and the farmland between the lakes hold species you will not see around Phewa, and winter brings migratory waterfowl.

Practicalities

Taxi from Lakeside, agreed as a return fare with a wait, or one way and a local bus back. Buses run frequently and cost almost nothing.

Take cash in small notes — this is not a card economy and there is no ATM worth relying on.

You can swim, and the water is cleaner than at the Lakeside end of Phewa. Locals do.

There are simple guesthouses if you want to stay. A night at Begnas is a restful thing to do before or after a trek.

Walk it with us

Private departures on your dates, guided by the people who wrote this page.

Royal Trek4 days · 1,730 mRs 37,400 · See dates →Panchase Hill Overnight Hike2 days · 2,500 mRs 17,300 · See dates →Pokhara Highlights Day TourFull day · private carRs 9,200 · See dates →World Peace Pagoda LoopHalf day · 1,113 mRs 3,900 · See dates →

Questions we get asked

Is it worth it if I have already seen Phewa?

Especially then. It is the same landscape without the tourism, and the contrast is the point.

Do I need a guide?

No. The ridge path between the lakes is straightforward and there are people around. A guide adds the farming and fishing context, which is worth having if you are interested.

How much walking is involved?

As much or as little as you like — from a boat and lunch to a five-hour loop over the ridge. Nothing steep unless you continue up to Kalikasthan.

Best time of day?

Early for flat water and mountain views, late afternoon for light on the lakes. Midday is hot and hazy and better spent eating.

Walking around Pokhara when it is rainingMonsoon and the shoulder weeks are not a write-off. The mountains hide, the forest comes alive, and half the good walking here does not need a view.6 min read →Birding around Pokhara: lakes, forest and the spring migrationKaski district holds several hundred species between the wetlands and the forest above them, and the best sites are a taxi ride from Lakeside.6 min read →Kahun Danda: the hill on the wrong side of townThere is a viewpoint an hour's walk from the middle of Pokhara that sees almost no foreign visitors, because it is east of the lake and nobody looks that way.5 min read →Four Pokhara day hikes, ranked by how little effort they needYou do not need a week and a permit to stand in front of the Annapurnas. Here are the four walks we send people on when they have one free morning.6 min read →

Still deciding?

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