With just 18 rooms in 13 traditional cottages set in 7 acres of natural gardens and woodland, the lodge offers simple comfort and attention to personal service. See ‘Options to book’.

• King size or twin beds
• Desk, seating area and balcony
• Adjoining bathroom with shower, chappals and bathrobes.
• Hand-made soap contains only olive, palm and coconut oils scented with citronella, a natural insect repellent ( stocked in the shop to take home and evoke memories!).
• Rooms are sprayed with natural citronella as a mosquito repellent: Anti-mosquito coils are provided in hot weather but are harmful to the environment, so it is preferable to keep your room door closed in the late afternoon.

Maximal mountain peace

• Large windows and glass double doors maximise the glorious views of the amazing mountains, with no TVs to preserve the tranquillity of retreat.
• The lodge asks that telephones are not used and are in silent mode outside the bedrooms.
• There is free wi-fi available throughout the main lodge and rooms.

Around the lodge

• Terraced natural gardens planted with indigenous shrubs, bamboo and fruit trees, and are a haven for wildlife.
• Terraces offer spectacular meals al fresco, the typical Nepali-style courtyard around the cosy fireplace and bar of the main central lodge.
• The bar is open throughout the day until the last guest retires and stocks a range of soft drinks, beer, wines, local and imported spirits with interesting cocktails.
• In the library are novels to swap, newspapers, magazines, periodicals, wildlife field guides and a selection of scientific papers on Nepalese conservation issues.

Celebrating local culture

• Quality Tibetan hand-knotted wool carpets in traditional designs (with the Chinese invasion of Tibet, many refugees settled in Pokhara, on the trading route)
• Original water colours of the region by British artist, Luke Piper.
• Cool slate, parquet floors and handmade wood furniture top off the understated elegance.

Award-winning meals in the airy dining room offer good home-style food, local, organically grown to the highest standard. Fresh herbs, salads and vegetables come from the lodge’s own gardens, other fruits and vegetables from the village. All food is prepared daily on site. All meals and non-bar hot drinks are included in room rates.

As the sunrises over the Himalaya you’ll start the day with room service of morning tea.

Breakfast

• Home baked breads complemented by Nepalese honey and homemade marmalade or jams. Fresh fruits and juice vary with the seasons; cereal, muesli, yoghurt, porridge (in winter months), eggs and a selection of cooked options are available.

Lunch

• Nepali buffet with a range of authentic dishes and homemade Aachar (chutneys) using organically grown and local spices with fresh rotis (flat bread cooked over an open flame) or puris (a fried bread) and papad (poppadum). Fresh salad, soups, sandwiches and other light snacks available on request.
• Picnics are available for eating away: For breakfast, masala omelette roti wrap and bacon sandwiches are well acclaimed! For lunch, freshly made sandwiches with tempting nibbles such as vegetable quiche, samosas, devilled eggs, pies, roti-wraps, cake, seasonal fresh fruits and fruit drink are available.

Afternoon Tea

• including best Nepal Ilam tea (similar to Darjeeling), fresh organic Nepalese coffee, organic green tea from east Nepal and home-grown herbal infusions, and a range of snacks, sandwiches, homemade cakes and biscuits are always available at the main lodge or the privacy of your veranda.

Table d’hôte dinner

• The menu changes daily and features a range of European dishes or traditional Nepali Thali, organically home-grown. The kitchen welcomes requests for personal favourites, special dietary needs, children and vegetarians.

Drinking water

• The lodge supplies purified water during meals, in flasks by beds and in bathrooms, and for ice at the bar. A supply of flasks is available for you to fill and take out: By refraining from purchasing mineral water you help to reduce the approximately 100,000kg of water bottles per year, plastic which cannot be effectively recycled in Nepal.

The lodge is an excellent base for diverse activities in the mountains and valley.

• Local walks and village visits: Led by expert local guides to explain the flora, fauna and local area environment as they take you through local villages, forest and farmland.
• Birding walks: All the guides are keen ornithologists – over 360 different species have been sighted by the guides from the lodge and around the Pokhara Valley! Wearing muted “earth” colours (green, beige, brown) is best to maximise sightings.
• Butterfly watching (with a guide to help identification): there are over 280 species of butterflies in the lodge grounds alone!
• Longer walks of 3 to 8 hours: Possible directly from the lodge, and of course multi-day treks are well integrated with pre- and post- stays at the lodge so you can prepare in comfort or rest your weary muscles.
• Relaxation: by the pool; with a range of massage treatments available in the privacy of your own room; personal yoga sessions, or meditation training in view of the majestic white peaks?
• Colonel Jimmy’s Library A unique and eclectic collection of Himalayan mountaineering literature and photographs belonging to the late Col. J.O.M. Roberts.
• Artists’ retreats are popular, such is the rich cultural experience of rural Nepal village life, and the setting’s tranquil inspiration for creative art and writing. Please bring your own materials, as artists’ supplies are not readily available in Nepal.
• Gift Shop: Organic coffee, speciality Nepalese teas, handmade natural soaps, essential oils and spa treatments, paper, chutney and preserves, pashmina and traditional print items, traditional Newari artefacts and bronzeware, Tiger Mountain T-shirts and branded items are for sale and all contribute to the local economy and causes.

You might also like to play golf, go fishing, mountain biking, shopping in Pokhara or sightseeing:

• The World Peace Pagoda (Shanti Stupa) on the ridge to the southwest of Phewa can be a good half day excursion. You can ride across the lake, then take a steady but steep hike through the Raniban (Royal Forest, a good place for birdwatchers) for an hour or more to the stupa. You can walk back down or be picked up by a lodge vehicle.
• Paragliding is an exciting adventure and novel way to see the Pokhara Valley and mountains, at times even joined in flight on the thermals by eagles! Professionally run and monitored by the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, tandem introductory flights and courses for those who wish to go solo. (A greener option as paragliders use no fuel).
• Micro-light flights of 30 minutes and 1 hour are available to see the famous “Fish Tail”, Machhapuchhare or other peaks in the Annapurna Range are also professionally run and supervised by the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal. The company provides flying suits, briefing and all requirements; just remember a camera!
• Boating on Lake Phewa: By the former king’s residence, take a ferry to the Bhindubhasini temple on an island in the lake or hire a paddle boat, with or without a ferryman, for one hour to a whole day.
• White Water Rafting: Seasonal rafting trips are available on the rapids of the upper reaches of the Seti River from the confluence with the Mordi River: A 45-minute drive north of Pokhara followed by a 2-3 hour descent of a series of rapids.
• Museums: Visit the International Mountaineering Museum, the Annapurna Natural History Museum for those interested in Nepal’s butterflies or the Annapurna Conservation Area Project, or the Gurkhas Museum with its interesting collection of Gurkha militaria.

As part of its commitment to the community and Nepal, staff have recorded basic weather data since 2004. Daily readings at 0845 and 1745 Nepal standard time log the maximum, minimum and actual temperature, barometric pressure and relative humidity in the format required by the government Department of Meteorology.

Nepal’s climate is dominated by the annual monsoon cycle in six seasons of 2 months. The Lodge’s hilltop location ensures a cool breeze even in the warmest weather compared to the valley floor.

• Spring: Mid-Feb to mid-April, 17-27°C Warm & clear
• Summer: Mid-April to mid-June, 20-28°C Hot
• Monsoon: Mid-June to mid-Aug, 21-28°C Heavy rains
• Post-Monsoon Summer: Mid-Aug to mid-Oct, 20-28°C Rains clear
• Autumn: Mid-Oct to mid-Dec, 15-24°C Cooler
• Winter: Mid-Dec to mid-Feb, 13-22°C Cold nights, warm days.