Nepal A Unique Destination

For it sheer scenic beauty, Nepal is matchless and in the lap of the majestic Himalayas there are numerous temples and shrines that beckon the tourist. Add to it the challenges of mountaineering and adventure sports like river rafting and you have an ideal place for the brave hearts. It is a destination where the tourist returns again and again.

by REPORTER@DAYAFTERINDIA.COM

Scattered around the valley are hundreds of temples and shrines, traditional villages and agriculture scenes of timeless beauty. Nepal is considered as a big part of the ultimate Himalayan adventure and is a trekker’s paradise. Mt. Everest, the highest point of the Himalayas is in Nepal.

The capital city, Kathmandu is enriched with temples more than homes and festivals exceeding the number of days in a year. The place, which blends cultural vigor with modern facilities possible on earth is place liked by tourists been here.

Swoyambhu Stupa: Swoyambhu, the Buddhist temple is one of the popular and instantly recognizable symbols of Nepal. The temple is also known as the monkey temple after the large tribe of monkeys which guards the hill. This huge stupa is surrounded by other famous temples and gompas.

Pashupati Nath: This Shiva temple on the subcontinent draws numerous devotees, sadhus and holy men from all around the world. In-front of the temple there is a bull known as Nandi facing towards the temple. Only Hindus are allowed to enter the temple Bagmati River Bank on the side of Pashupati, is also a popular place for cremation.

Boudha: The huge stupa of Boudha is one of the largest stupa in the world. This place is mostly surrounded by Tibetan Buddhists. Prayer services are held in the surrounding gompas and as the sun goes down the community turns out to walk around the stupa. The wheel of life is represented in the porch of every gompa.

Patan is the second largest town in the valley. It is also known as Lalitpur, which means city of beauty. Patan has a long Buddhist history and have stupas at four corners. Like Kathmandu Durbar Square, Patan Durbar Square is also packed with temples.

Bhaktapur is also known as Bhadgaon or the city of Devotees, was the capital of the whole valley during the 14th to 16th century. All foreigners visiting Bhaktapur Durbar Square are charged a fee. This is the pottery center of the valley and a visit to Potters’ square is a must.

Pokhara: Known as the jumping ground for the best trekking in Nepal, the Pokhara Valley lies 200 kms. Pokhara has some interesting sites with religious significance like Varahi temple and Binde Basini Temple in the city, atop a small hill. Another one of Pokhara’s attraction is the David’s fall.

Trekking: The greatest single attraction of Nepal is her beautiful mountains, and walking among them is a wonderful way to experience their majesty. Nepal offers excellent trekking options to visitors.You can trek up to the foot of the great Himalayan ranges, such as Mt. Everest, Langtang and Annapurna or make a circuit of the highest mountains.

Rafting: Nepal is the most vertical country in the world, with great rivers rushing down from the high Himalayas. In flood these rivers are monsters, and even during low flow they remain exciting adventures.

HOW TO REACH

By Air: Royal Nepal Airlines, the national flag carrier of Nepal, and other International airlines Indian Airlines, Lufthansa, Pakistan International Airlines, operate scheduled flights to Kathmandu from Bangkok, Bombay, Calcutta, Delhi and several other cities.

By Road: Public buses are the main form of transportation and are cheap, although uncomfortable and tedious.There are several services between Kathmandu and Pokhara aimed specifically at tourists. There are no trains and no drive-yourself rental cars in Nepal. Cars with drivers can be hired.