Rock climbing and canyoning near Pokhara, a small scene that's worth a day
Nepal is famous for mountaineering and almost unknown for cragging. Both climbing and canyoning exist near Pokhara, and both are worth a day if you already climb.
By the Lakeshore team · 5 min read · Updated 5 October 2026
Nepal is known for expeditions and teahouse treks, so visitors are often surprised there's any rock climbing here at all, let alone canyoning.
The scene is small. There are a handful of developed crags, a modest local climbing community and a few operators running canyons after the monsoon. It isn't Kalymnos and doesn't pretend to be. If you climb at home and have a spare day, this is what you'll find.
Climbing
Within reach of Pokhara there are bolted crags on limestone and on harder rock. The routes are mostly short single-pitch lines across a moderate range of grades, developed over the last couple of decades by a mix of Nepali and visiting climbers.
Access, condition and bolting quality vary a lot, and route information gets passed around locally instead of being published in a comprehensive guidebook. That's the main limitation. You find your way into this scene by meeting the people who climb here.
In practice, find the climbing community in Pokhara. The gear shops in Lakeside know who is active, and you want to go out with people who know the current state of the fixed gear. We can put you in touch, but we don't run climbing ourselves.
Canyoning
Canyoning means abseiling down waterfalls in a wetsuit, with jumps and slides in between. Operators run canyons within a few hours of Pokhara and along the Trishuli corridor toward Kathmandu.
It's easier to get into than climbing because you don't need any prior skill. The guides rig everything and lower you, so you aren't climbing under your own power. Reasonable fitness and being comfortable in water are enough. Season matters more here than for anything else on this page. Straight after the monsoon the water is high, and the canyons are at their most dramatic and their most serious. In the dry months the flow drops and the trip gets gentler.
Checking an operator
Canyoning puts ropes together with moving water, and that combination doesn't forgive mistakes. Ask what qualifications the guides hold, how many people each guide looks after, and whether they carry a throw bag and a first-aid kit.
Ask when the ropes and harnesses were last replaced. A company that answers straight away is telling you something useful.
Look at the wetsuits and helmets when you arrive. Worn-out kit is the most reliable warning sign a non-specialist can spot, and you're allowed to walk away.
Who this is for
Climbing suits people who already climb and want a day on rock somewhere unfamiliar. Nepal isn't the country to learn in, and there's not much of an instruction industry.
Canyoning suits anyone reasonably fit who's happy getting wet and being lowered on a rope. No experience needed, and it's exciting. If you want the drop with no skill and no water, the zipline and the bungee are simpler, and both are twenty minutes from Lakeside. We book the zipline, tandem paragliding and Upper Seti rafting with hotel pickup.
Walk it with us
Private departures on your dates, guided by the people who wrote this page.
Questions we get asked
Do you run climbing or canyoning trips?
No. We'll connect you with the people who do, and we take nothing for it. Pretending otherwise would mean selling you something we don't do.
Can I hire climbing gear in Pokhara?
Only a little, and it varies. Bring shoes and a harness if you're serious. Ropes and quickdraws can sometimes be borrowed through the local community.
Is canyoning safe?
With a competent operator and the right water conditions, it's a well-established commercial activity. In high post-monsoon flow it's serious, and that's when it gets sold the most.
Best season for canyoning?
September to November for high water and drama, or spring for a gentler version. Peak monsoon brings too much water.
Still deciding?
Tell us your dates, and we'll tell you whether Upper Seti White-water Rafting is right for you. If it isn't, we'll say so.
Nothing to pay online. We confirm your dates first.
Or call the office +977 61-457830