Kahun Danda: the hill on the wrong side of town

There 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.

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

Visitors orient themselves around the lake and the mountains, which are west and north. East of Pokhara city there is a ridge with a view tower on it, a monastery on the way up, and a walk you can start from the middle of town.

Not as spectacular as Sarangkot, admittedly. But it sits an hour from wherever you are staying, requires no transport, and you will very likely have it to yourself. This is the walk for a spare morning when you do not want to organise anything.

The route

From the eastern side of the city the path climbs through the outskirts and then up the ridge to Kahun Danda at around 1,440 m, where there is a view tower.

Reckon on an hour to an hour and a half up, on a mix of track and path, with the city dropping away below and the Annapurnas appearing over your shoulder as you gain height.

The tower gives you Pokhara laid out with Phewa on one side and Begnas on the other, and the mountains along the horizon on a clear morning. As an orientation view it is the best in Pokhara — you can see how the whole valley fits together.

Matepani Gumba on the way

On the eastern side of the city there is a Buddhist monastery on a small hill, and it is a natural stop on the way to or from Kahun Danda.

This is a working gompa with a resident community rather than a visitor attraction, and generally quiet. Shoes off, quiet voices, and ask before photographing inside. The combination — city walk, monastery, ridge, view tower — makes a satisfying half day that costs nothing but time.

Why nobody goes

Because Lakeside is west and the mountains are north, and the entire visitor infrastructure points that way. Nobody puts east Pokhara on an itinerary.

It also does not photograph as well as the lake, so it does not circulate.

For anyone staying more than a few days, that is an argument for going rather than against it. This is the closest thing Pokhara has to a walk that is your own.

Walk it with us

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

Pokhara Highlights Day TourFull day · private carRs 9,200 · See dates →Royal Trek4 days · 1,730 mRs 37,400 · See dates →World Peace Pagoda LoopHalf day · 1,113 mRs 3,900 · See dates →

Questions we get asked

Can I walk there from Lakeside?

A long way across town — take a taxi to the eastern side and start the climb from there. From the city centre it is walkable.

Is the path obvious?

Mostly, with some junctions in the outskirts. Ask locally as you go; people will point. A guide is not necessary but makes it simpler.

How does the view compare to Sarangkot?

Lower and less dramatic for the mountains, better for understanding the valley, and far quieter. Different rather than worse.

Is it safe alone?

Yes, in daylight, and there are people about on the lower sections. As anywhere, tell someone where you are going.

A day at Begnas and Rupa: the lakes nobody photographsTwenty-five minutes east of Lakeside there are two more lakes, a wooded ridge between them, and almost no visitors at all.5 min read →The World Peace Pagoda — a boat, a forest and the postcard viewRow across Phewa Lake, walk up for forty minutes, and get the shot of Pokhara that everybody recognises. The easiest real viewpoint in the valley.4 min read →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 →

Still deciding?

Tell us your dates and how much walking you have actually done, and we will tell you honestly whether this trek is the right one for you.

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