Pokhara Warnings Or Dangers

The only really bad thing I can think of about Pokhara is what we experienced on first arriving. We arrived quite late in the evening, the sun was setting, and we needed to get a taxi from the bus station to Lakeside. Knowing that there would be lots of touts around we tried to get a little way away from the bus station, but when we found a taxi driver who agreed to take us to Lakeside North, his 'friend' got into the front seat, tried to get us to go to his choice of hotel, and when we refused, tried to jack the price up saying that we'd said Lakeside, not Lakeside North (which is a bit further). I don't mind paying a fair price, but I don't like being conned, so an argument ensued, and when we tried to get out of the taxi things only got worse. Only a lot of standing our ground and trying to get the backing of the crowd enabled us to get rid of them for 20NPR (even that being too much for the barely 300yrds we'd travelled). Not a great introduction to Nepal. That said, I know I made things worse by not staying calm.

If you do take a taxi, make the place you want to go very clear, arrange the price before you get in, and make sure it'll only be the driver with you, no 'friends'! If you do get hassled, stay calm! As ever, giving the name of a hotel is asking for trouble - best to just say Lakeside, and then walk to your hotel from wherever they drop you. 100-150NPR is a decent price for the ride to Lakeside. While Lakeside North is very quiet, it's quite a way from the main shops, and there's a toll for taxis of 10NPR to get that far.

I‘ve read a book about Nepal before going. Writer mentioned a trek under the rain. They cleaned the leeches from their bodies after this walk. I’ve read it as it was fiction and then…
The night we went Pokhara, we went to town for shopping. Time passed while we were wandering and it started to rain. We returned quickly to our rooms, changed our wet clothes and left the room for dinner. The hotel we stayed had a marvelous garden. Flowers were everywhere. We returned to room after dinner and I saw that one of my socks had a big spot of blood on it. There was a dot-sized hole on the outer side of my ankle, I tried to stop it but it kept bleeding. I tried compression, cleaning, etc. and then I got tired and slept. The next day it was only itching. I remembered to book and guessed that it was a leech and it had been removed before I noticed it. In the breakfast, we learned that there were some other victims in our group.

So, be careful while it rains. I had socks and long pants but they weren’t enough to protect me. Don’t forget, we are all delicious foods for some species.

The Pokhara region has the most abundant rain in Nepal, some 4000 mm per year. The same place has also some of the most violent hailstorms imaginable. Certain mountain ridges appear more vulnerable than others, but in general there is a chance of getting into a hailstorm in April-May afternoons everywhere in the Pokhara area.
The hail can be extremely damaging to crops (maize, especially at this time of year), including vulnerable fruits such as papaya and banana. These trees can be completely stripped of leaves and the fruit shredded.
Hail can also be damaging to people and animals as well as property. Cars and roofs can be indented by hail, and it hurts and it can be dangerous to be out in such weather. There are cases of people being killed by hailstones.

If you are out in these parts at that time of year far from shelter, do bring an umbrella. A cap with a shade may also protect your face somewhat.
Not joking; golfball-size hail will knock you out cold.

I was talking to a Russian who had his rucksack stolen. He was travelling on the bus from Pokhara to Kathmandu. Keep an eye on your stuff. The luxury buses keep the luggage in the boot as opposed to the roof.

I am going to make this short and simple. Please travel with a group or a reputable trekking agency to the Peace monument in Pokhara. I had no problems but I heard countless accounts of people being physically assaulted and robbed on the trek up to the monument. Please be careful.

There have been some robberies and violent attacks on individual tourists hiking the slope from Mardi (across from Lakeside) and up to the Peace pagoda. In the densely forested areas here there have been several incindents. Do not hike in this area alone or towards darkness. Due to the presence of maoists also in this forest, there is no police or other authority ready to assist you.

There has been a high incedence of muggings and robberies on the trail(s) from Sarangkot and down to Phewa Lake. The pattern is consistent with the prevalence of dissatisfied youth residing in this area, sympathetic to the maoists - an unholy alliance that gives them the moral authority to wrest money etc from people by violent means. I would nowadays advice against individual trekkers taking the route from Sarangkot back to Pokhara through the woods and villages. There are many armed maoists in this area, which is also the home village of "Prachanda" the military leader of the maoist uprising.

Once in a while the lights go out all over Pokhara.
Less often now, when more power plants are onstream and there is no need for the infamous "load shedding". Yet it remains something to be aware of.
Always bring a torch light when out and about and darkness nears...