A stopover at the famed Manakamana Temple, 75 mi/125 km northwest of Kathmandu, is easy to include in a trip to either Pokhara or Royal Chitwan National Park. The temple, home to the goddess Bagwati and a major Hindu pilgrimage site, sits at an altitude of 4,200 ft/1,300 m. The temple itself may not seem especially impressive, but Bagwati's ability to fulfill the wishes of her visitors makes this a popular destination.
A cable car runs between Cheres, near the road to Pokhara, and Manakamana, making it possible to do the three-hour trek in 15 minutes, but don't count on it—it's often out of order. The view from the cable cars, however, is well worth the cost of the ticket and the time.
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