The day after the trek, with sore legs and two days spare
What to do in Pokhara once you're down off the hill, everything hurts and another trail is out of the question.
By the Lakeshore team · 5 min read · Updated 5 October 2026
People walk into the office in the same state the day after a trek. Their quads won't manage stairs, their nose is sunburnt and they have no wish to walk anywhere at all.
Usually it's also the last day or two of the trip, and people tend to waste it, either doing nothing at all or trying something ambitious and regretting it. These are our suggestions, roughly in order of how little they ask of your legs.
Fly after the trek, not before
Paragliding, the ultralight and the zipline ask you to walk next to nowhere. They suit the days after a trek better than anything else, and most people book them for the wrong end of the trip.
Flying over ground you have just walked is also a different thing. You look down and pick out the ridge you came over yesterday, which means far more than seeing it before you've set foot on it. The zipline runs on gravity alone and asks nothing of your legs.
Get out on the water
Take a boat out on Phewa. You sit, the boatman rows, and you look at the mountains you were standing under two days ago. Most of our clients end up doing this and none of them regret it.
Or drive twenty-five minutes east to Begnas, where you can swim, eat fish and see very few people.
A swim does more for tired legs than lying still, and both lakes are clean enough once you're away from the boat channels.
Picking a massage place
Lakeside has a huge number of massage places, and the quality varies enormously. You'll find Ayurvedic and Thai-style on almost every street.
A deep massage on legs that have spent a fortnight going downhill is either just right or fairly unpleasant, depending on the therapist and how much damage there is. Ask for medium pressure the first time. Ask your guide or your hotel where they'd send their own family. Locals know the good places, and they're not the ones with the biggest signs.
Gentle outings with a point to them
The International Mountain Museum is better than it sounds and needs only gentle indoor walking. Go after the trek, when the names on the exhibits mean something. Our day tour covers it with a car and driver all day.
Spend an afternoon in the Old Bazaar, looking at a working town and not a tourist strip. It's flat, and you can stop for tea every ten minutes.
A cooking class is almost sitting down, and you take something home.
What not to do
Don't book a hard day hike for the morning after you come down. Sarangkot at 4:45 am after fourteen days of walking is a choice people start regretting at about 5:15.
Try not to fly home the next day. A spare day in Pokhara is worth more than an extra day at home, and it covers you if the trek runs late.
And don't spend the whole day in your room. Gentle movement helps recovery far more than complete rest, and that's the most useful piece of physiology on this page.
Walk it with us
Private departures on your dates, guided by the people who wrote this page.
Questions we get asked
How long do the legs take to recover?
Two to four days for the worst of the descent soreness. Gentle walking, swimming and plenty of water help, but lying completely still doesn't.
Is it worth booking a massage?
Most people find it helps. Ask for medium pressure the first time, and ask someone local where to go. Don't just pick the biggest sign on the strip.
Can I paraglide the day after a trek?
Yes, that's the ideal time. There's no walking, and the view means more by then.
How many spare days should I leave after a trek?
Two. One to recover, and one as a buffer in case the trek runs late or a flight is cancelled.
Still deciding?
Tell us your dates, and we'll tell you whether World Peace Pagoda Loop 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