Davis Falls (Patale Chhango)

Davis Falls — locally known as Patale Chhango ("underworld waterfall") — is a powerful cascade on the Pardi Khola that drops roughly 30 metres into a narrow gorge and then vanishes underground into a long subterranean tunnel. The falls are named after a Swiss tourist, Mrs. Davis (variously Devi/Devin), who is said to have drowned here in 1961; a small memorial plaque stands on the viewing path.

The falls are at their most dramatic in the monsoon (July–September), when the Pardi Khola — fed by the overflow from Phewa Lake — thunders into the hidden tunnel. In the dry season the flow is gentler but the geology is easier to appreciate: a paved walkway with guard rails loops around the edge of the sinkhole, and the descending water can be seen vanishing into the rocky chasm below.

The site is paired on most Pokhara sightseeing tours with Gupteshwor Mahadev Cave, which sits directly across the main road — the same underground stream that disappears at Davis Falls re-emerges as the waterfall inside the cave, making the two sites geologically continuous. Entry includes a small garden, a couple of Hindu shrines, and souvenir stalls. Best visited in the morning to avoid crowds.