8/7/2019 Visiting Nepal- A post from MakeMyTrip

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Visiting Nepal

Mountaineers Mecca and former hippie hangout. A fabulous architectural heritage and the worlds nices

people. Above all, the grace of the Buddha. Welcome to Nepal!

Like capitals of most developing countries, Kathmandu is in a hurry to catch up, so traffic gridlocks, touts

and pollution are par for the course. Explore its cobbled back alleys for the feel of a more gracious era.

Then hit the road out to discover another Nepal.

Pokhara Valley

Pokhara, about 6-8 hours by surface from Kathmandu, is admittedly touristy. That doesnt take awayfrom the jaw-dropping perfection of Mt, Machhapuchhare, rearing above Phewa Tal, Nepals second

largest lake. Pokhara is where mountaineers stock up on supplies before setting off into the Annapurna

Range. When youre done browsing through the cheerfully cluttered bazaar selling Buddhist bric-a-brac,

theres plenty to do.

Hop into a rowboat on Phewa Tal the limpid surface is a perfect mirror for the great Annapurna Range.

Visit the island temple sacred to Goddess Ajima at the centre of the lake. From the southern lake shore,

you can trek up to the Japanese-built World Peace Stupa for priceless views of the Himalayas.

Tiny Pokhara has a surprisingly large number of museums showcasing mountaineering and natural

history as well as local culture. Varahi Mandir, sacred to Lord Vishnu is an 18th century; pagoda-style

structure The Gupteshwar Mahadev Cave houses a stalagmite lingam. A little outside Pokhara is Patale

Chhahgo or Devis Falls.

If youre not up to long treks, take an easier one to Sarangkot, northwest of Pokhara the sweeping view

of Dhaulagiri to the west, Annapurna II in the east and the symmetrical perfection of Machhapuchhare

are an experience beyond words.

Lumbini

Your trip to Nepal would be incomplete without visiting Lumbini, the birthplace of Gautama Buddha. Atthe centre of Lumbini is the Maya Devi Temple, marking the precise place where the Buddha was born as

Prince Siddhartha in 563 B.C.. A pillar in the surrounding gardens is attributed to Emperor Ashoka who

commissioned it to mark his visit. All around are the excavated ruins of innumerable monasteries and

stupas.

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8/7/2019 Visiting Nepal- A post from MakeMyTrip

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Bhaktapur

Cobbled roads, dreaming courtyards, temples, wells and best of all no traffic! Bhaktapur, Nepals third

most important town is a heritage lovers joy. Walk through the streets to see age old traditions that live

on in vibrant artisan communities. Life moves at a gentle pace, as it has for centuries. Women go about

their daily chores, drying rice in the sun, water buffaloes wallow in the towns pond and children play inthe mellow sunlight. Modernity has had a benevolent impact on Bhaktapur a German-financed town

development project in the 1970s paved dirt roads, helped restore buildings and laid down a new

sewerage and wastewater treatment system.

In this delightfully unhurried town, youre never too far away from a temple. Many of these fine old

structures were destroyed in the massive earthquake of 1934.. The imposing Dattatreya Temple, built in

1427 is believed to have been constructed with wood from just one tree, a common Nepali tradition.

Besides the Hindu temples, look out a small Shiva-Parvati shrine close to Durbar Square with quaintly

erotic carvings of elephants and other animals!

Chitwan National Park

When youve exhausted temple-hopping, hit the highway to Chitwan National Park in south central

Nepal. Sprawled over 632 sq km in the Inner Terai lowlands, Chitwan encompasses a unique, diverse

ecosystem of deciduous and riverine forests and floodplains of three rivers the Narayani, Rapti and Reu

covered with tall, rippling, elephant grass.

Chitwan is best known as a sanctuary for the Asian one-horned rhino, an endangered species. It is also

home to a large population of Royal Bengal tigers, diverse deer species, wild boar, sloth bear and a host o

smaller creatures. With 450 bird species, Chitwan is equally a birdwatchers joy. Woodpeckers, red-

headed trogons and hornbills are local residents; migratory visitors like bareheaded geese, pintails,

Brahminy duck and waterfowl can be seen in winter. Summer visitors include the beautiful paradise

flycatcher and parakeets.

There are several upscale lodges inside the forest, while budget accommodation is available in Sauraha, a

town nearby. Among the wildlife spotting options are elephant-back safaris and canoe rides on the

ethereal rivers. Give yourself sufficient safari time, at least 2-3 days, to maximize your chances of seeing

enough wildlife. Oh, and do cover up well while in the foresttheres a large leech population waiting!

Short on wealth, rich in beauty, heritage and spirituality,Nepalis a destination that will have you coming

back for more.

Know more about us and to book your holidays visit:http://www.makemytrip.com/or call us at 1860-

500-5566

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