Hiking to Pokhara’s World Peace Pagoda from Damside

How to get to Pokhara’s World Peace Stupa

Regardless if you are waiting to go on a month-long trek from Pokhara or are just in town to marvel at the beauty of Phewa Lake, hiking to the World Peace Pagoda is just too tempting to resist.

On a clear day, looking over the calm water of Phewa Lake (Fewa Lake), you will see the jagged mountain peaks of Annapurna to one side and the egg white shanti stupa (Peace Pagoda) overlooking Pokhara on the other.

While the World Peace Pagoda make look a straight forward hike, there are actually several ways to reach the summit of the temple. The easiest way to get to the shanti stupa without having to take a taxi is to hire a boat. The boat service will take you across Phewa Lake for 800 rupees (one way). From the landing point, it is a steep hour-long hike to the top of Ananda Hill (Anadu Hill).

There are several other ways to hike to the World Peace Pagoda, one being from Davi’s Falls and the other is the notorious trek from Damside.

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World Peace Pagoda Hike: Safety Concerns

Out of all of the different routes to Pokhara’s Peace Pagoda, Damside is noted as being one of the most dangerous. Surprising for long time travelers in Nepal, the southern tip of Fewa Lake is well known for being the stomping ground of muggers and thieves. Especially if you are looking to hike up the southern trail up to the stupa, being in a group is essential for your safety.

Since tourism is the lifeblood of Pokhara and Lakeside, police have cracked down on the teenage hoodlums that frequent the jungle trails. While attacks have gone down in recent years, there are still the occasional reports of tourists being robbed hiking to and from Damside.

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Taking The Wrong Path

After crossing the rickety yet photogenic bridge over Phusre River, you will be presented with a path leading into Raniban Forest and Ananda Hill. Right off the bat, you may find a few shady characters hovering by the signs which read “World Peace Biodiversity Garden”.

If you do decide to take this path you will be heading up some pretty slippery stone steps. While you may get some beautiful views of Fewa Lake and Pokhara, the path eventually fades into overgrowth and jungle. At this point, you will have to either head back to the gates in defeat or try and blaze your own trail through the perilous forest.

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Following the Walls of the Jungle

After passing the first gate leading into the jungle, you will discover that the entire forest is a nature preserve enclosed with a high iron fence. Acting as a dividing line between civilization and untamed wilderness,  the grey colored wall surrounding the park will take you to the entrance to the jungle in no time.

Despite what you may read online, you will find several small cafes and mini-markets posted along this trail. The outskirts of Raniban Forest is actually quite suburban. You are sure to pass families fetching water from the local temple and even local tourists making their way to the Peace Pagoda. Few of these people, however, can be found on the trails leading into the dense jungle.

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The Gates of Raniban Forest

After passing through the rice paddies and a few small Hindu shrines the path will finally take you up to the entrance to the jungle on Anadu Hill. The front gates to the trails which lead you to the World Peace Pagoda seem to be quite new. Pokhara also seems to be constructing a guardhouse and bathrooms at the entrance. This is probably being built to shake the reputation Damside has for being notorious for petty crime.

Regardless of the reasons that Pokhara is trying to give a face-lift to the Damside trek to the shanti stupa, for the time being, you are going to be up against the elements of the jungle on your own.

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Leeches or Thieves?

The jungle of Ananda Hill is beautiful. Your first thirty minutes treading along the well-marked path through the woods is sure to have you in awe of the natural beauty surrounding Pokhara. Especially if you are traveling during the rainy season, you want to be sure you have close-ended shoes to protect yourself from the mud and other unwanted hitchhikers.

Odds are you will not be running into any muggers along the trails leading up to the World Peace Pagoda (still travel in groups), but you will come across another bloodthirsty parasite. Leeches are rampant in the jungles around Pokhara. After seeing one take a bite out of your leg, you are sure to be so paranoid that you will constantly feel the bloodsuckers squirming on your feet.

The hike through the jungle leading to the stupa is enjoyable and relaxing. After encountering your first leech, however, you will quickly find yourself running down the hill.

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Escaping the Jungle

Regardless if you find yourself casually whistling as you emerge from the dense forests of Anadu Hill or screaming bloody murder, flinging leeches left and right, the view from the top of the hill is breathtaking. With a full shot of the city of Pokhara on one side and the idyllic rice paddies of the countryside on the other, you can truly take in all the different sides of Nepal.

Being the rainy season, you may not get that jaw-dropping postcard-perfect shot of the surrounding snowcovered mountain peaks, but the view will make battling parasites and thieves absolutely worth it.

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Pokhara’s Top Viewpoint

Haven’t taken enough of a beating yet? If the hike from Damside has you egging on the elements for more, carry on to the Top Viewpoint. If it wasn’t for the sign, one would not even know that this place even existed. The path of lazily placed stones eventually becomes so overgrown with weeds that it is impossible to see where it leads.

Eventually, you will find a clearing with prayer flags strung up every which way. From this angle, you will get some unique views of the World Peace Pagoda. With all the tall grass and bushes, however, the area is less of a viewpoint and more of a trap leading you back into the depths of the jungle.

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The Tourist Trap

After spending an hour or so briskly hiking up Ananda Hill, avoiding muggers and leeches on the way, a tourist cafe is sure to be a sight for sore eyes. After draining the blood from your boots and picking off any leftover leeches, an overpriced coffee and a hot meal are sure to hit the spot.

While catching your breath in view of the ivory-colored stupa, you are bound to run into tourists who simply rode in a taxi up to the peak or took the easy route across the river. Try not to scoff too much as you overhear them retelling their stories on how they journeyed to the peak of the World Peace Pagoda.

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The Entrance to the Shanti Stupa

Following World War II a Japanese Buddhist monk by the name of Nichidatsu Fujii made it his life’s goal to erect world peace pagodas around the world to promote global unity. Today, there are over 80 world peace pagodas spread out across the world. Nepal is home to two of these pearly stupas, with one in Lumbini and the other in Pokhara.

Although construction began in 1973, the pagoda was not completed until 23 years later in 1999. Each face of the stupa is adorned with a different scene from Buddha’s life. These four statues were each donated from Japan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Nepal.

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Standing at the Stupa

If there were blue skies, majestic mountains, and a clear view of Phewa Lake then hiking to the World Peace Pagoda would be hands down one of the best things to do while in Pokhara. After a grueling trek which is sure to leave even the most experienced hiker on edge, the shanti stupa may be a tad bit underwhelming.

The golden statues, bleached white brick, and surrounding gardens are all beautiful in their own right, but it is the view that makes the World Peace Pagoda the kind of place you will be talking about for years to come.

If you happen to visit on a full moon or another Buddhist holiday, the temple grounds are sure to come alive with chants and culture.  On any other day, however, the Pagoda promotes more selfies than world peace.