WORLD TRAVEL HIGHLIGHTS:   NEPAL

Bodnath Stupa

The Stupa of Bodhath has become one of the important Buddhist centres in Asia and is the centre of Tibetan life in Nepal.

The Stupa is shaped like a gigantic mandala (geometric diagram symbolising the universe) and is decorated with strings of prayer flags. The yellow markings symbolise lotus petals.

The all-seeing eyes on the Stupa observe all four directions and beneath them, Buddhist pilgrims from neighbouring Tibet circumambulate clockwise, spinning the embossed prayer wheels.

Kathmandu Souvenir Shop

Kathmandu is a tourist shoppers paradise. Embroidered t-shirts are a popular tourist item. Texts like: 

No Rickshaw
No Hashish
No Money Change
No one Rupee
No Problem

says everything about the hassles commonly encountered in the budget tourist and backpacker area, now in Thamel.

Kathmandu Taxi

A popular means of transport in Kathmandu are these Rickshaw's. They are used for the shorter distances and for touring the city.

Pashupatinath

Pashupatinath is Nepal's holiest Hindu pilgrimage site. It is a time warp of temples, cremation ghats, ritual bathers and bearded, half-naked sadhus. 

Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the shrines and temples of Pashupatinath straddle the now polluted Bagmati river which, like the Ganges in India, is considered sacred by the faithful. 

To die and to be cremated here is to be released from samsara, the cycle of rebirth in this world. Pashupati is another name for Shiva and means "Lord of the Animals" .

Pashupatinath

Sadhu or ascetic of Pashupatinath Temple. Not all the Sadhus are real, a lot of them only wants tourists making pictures from them for money. 

Bhaktapur: Golden Gate

Detail of the Golden gate of Bhaktapur. Called one of the most picturesque towns of the east, Bhaktapur, is the remotest of the valley's three cities.

Bhaktapur is a Newar settlement, the houses are all built of bricks and carved wood, and it feels more like a large medieval village than a modern city.  The streets are dusty and the narrow alleys are well suited for walking. Thus, Bhaktapur, the city of devotees, is a good venue for pedestrian.

Of the three Durbar Squares of the valley, Bhaktapur's is the best preserved and most medieval in feeling, it was here that scenes for Bertolucci's "Little Buddha" were shot.

Changu Narayan

The Temple of Changu Narayan, the oldest pagoda in the valley. This scenic and tranquil site is a must if you yearn for a bit of serenity and culture in the countryside.

Changu Narayan's history dates back to the fourth century A.D. Inside the main temple, rebuild around 1700, one finds the four emblems of Vishnu: the wheel (chakra), the conch (sankha), the lotus (padma) and the mace or club (gada). Their exaggerated size is a measure of the temple's importance.

Nagarkot

Nagarkot Valley, 15 kms northeast of Bhaktapur, 32 kms or 1 hour drive from Kathmandu. 

Nagarkot is a nice place for short walks in the valley. The sunset and sunrise at Nagarkot offers magnificent views on Mt. Annapurna, the Ganesh Himal and the Lhotse.

Club Himalaya Nagarkot Resort is a good starting point for a hike to Changu Narayan, a Nature walk in the Nagarkot Valley and is ideal situated to watch the sunset and sunrise on the mountain tops.

Nepalese Girl

Nepalese Girl in a small village along the Royal Trek. With a maximum elevation of 1730 metres and a duration of 4 days, the Royal Trek is a relative easy and short trek with good mountain views and less uphill walking than most treks. Many camping groups use this route, but not many individual trekkers.

The Royal Trek starts near Pokhara and gained its name because Prince Charles and an entourage of 90 guests, camp followers and straff trekked here. 

The route is not a popular one, so you will see few other trekkers, but this also means that the lodge facilities are moderate. 

Most of the children along the trail are particularly persistent about asking for pens, balloons and rupees. They always greet you politely with "Namaste", the Nepalese word for hello.
 

Royal Trek, Begnas Lake

The Royal Trek starts at the Bijayapur army camp. A broad trail starts in rice fields near the army camp, then ascends through Rakhigaun to a chautaara, a resting place under a large pipal tree. The trail climbs gently along a ridge top through Brahman and Chhetri villages towards Kalikastan at 1370 m.

From Kalikastan the trail follows along the forested ridge top through Thulokot to Mathi Thana. The second day ends in Lippyani. From the camping place you'll have a magnificent view on the Annapurna Range and Mt. Machhapuchre also known as the Fish-Tail Mountain (6993 m.).

Day 3 brings you to Chisapani after a strenuous climb of 2000 steps. On day 4 most of the trail goes downhill along Rupa Lake and Begnas Lake to the endpoint Begnas Bazaar.

Chitwan National Park

Little local shop in a small village near Chitwan National Park.

Chitwan National Park

The tiger still lives here among the lush flora of the Rapti's marshlands with the last remaining great one horned rhinoceros, the home of some of the world's most exotic birds and the slumbering crocodile.

An exciting ride on the back of an elephant or a boat ride on the Rapti river in the middle of the exotic Royal Chitwan National Park is simply an unforgettable experience.

Since 1984 Chitwan National Park is a 
World Heritage Site.

Khokna Butcher

The Valley Village Walk is a nice one day excursion just outside Kathmandu. The walk starts at the typical Newar city of Kirtipur.

The medieval villages of Khokna and Bungamati are not to be missed. The walk ends at the Rato Machhendranath Temple from where you'll have a good view on the Langtang mountain range.