World Peace Pagoda

The World Peace Pagoda is a white domed stupa on a hilltop above Phewa Lake in Pokhara, at an elevation of around 1,100 metres. It was built in 1973 by Nichidatsu Fujii, the Japanese Buddhist monk whose organisation built dozens of similar peace pagodas around the world, and was formally inaugurated in 1999. The climb up is rewarded with a 360 degree view over Phewa Lake, the Pokhara valley and the Annapurna range.

Four Buddha images are set around the dome, gifted by Japan, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Nepal, each in that country's own style. The usual approach is to row across Phewa Lake and climb for about forty five minutes through forest on the far side, which is far pleasanter than the road round. The ridge is also where Pokhara's paragliders pass overhead after launching from Sarangkot. It closes in the evening, so the sunset view is taken from the trail rather than the terrace.