LOCALES IN NEPAL

Kathmandu   An enchanted valley where three ancient kingdoms vie for attention with places, pagodas and a smile welcoming people.

Kathmandu Valley: Kathmandu is a capital city of Kingdom of Nepal. Other regal sister cities in the valley are Lalitpur and Bhaktapur. The Kathmandu valley (1450 M) is famous for scenic beauty, beautiful countryside, ethnic settlements, pilgrimages of holiest shrines for Hindus and Buddhists. There are seven World Heritage Sites declared by the UNESCO in the Kathmandu valley (400 sq. km.) itself. The three regal cities are called Kathmandu, Lalitpur (Patan), and Bhaktapur. These three cities used to be capital of three Principalities in Malla dynasty period.  

Places of visit in Kathmandu: Pashupatinath Temple, , Balaju Water garden, Kathmandu Durbar Square (Kasthmandup, Kumari Temple, Taleju Temple, etc.), Swoyambhunath, Casino, Bouddhanath Stupa, Budhanilkantha (Sleeping God Vishnu) Temple etc.

Patan: Patan Durbar Square (Krishna Temple, Kumari chowk, etc.), Hiranya Varna Mahabihar, Kumbheswore Temple, Ashok Stupa, Godavari Botanical Garden, Tibetan Refugee Camp, etc.

Bhaktapur: Bhaktapur Durbar Square, Golden Gate,  Dattatreya Temple ,Nyatpole Temple etc.

Countryside : Gokarna, Sankhu, Sundarijal, Changu Narayan Temple, Kirtipur, Thimi, Chobhar, Dakhshinkali Temple, Lele, etc. Hiking or one to two days trekking can be started from a countryside to a resort in nearby mountain of valley. It is a popular hide away from the crowd of Kathmandu.

Rim of Kathmandu valley: There are many resort area around rim of Kathmandu valley. Such resort spots are very panoramic and have best spots to see a large range of Himalaya and best point to witness Sunrise and Sunset. Nagarkot is the most visited resort town in the rim of Kathmandu valley. Dhulikhel, Hatiban, and Daman are other famous resort towns in the rim of valley. Nagarkot is famous for Sunrise and Sunset view. Dhulikhel and Hatiban are famous for countryside tour. Daman has widest mountain view. Such resort town are best accessed by car.  

Bird Watching : Nagarjuna , Phulchoki, Shivapuri, and other mountains of the Kathmandu valley are rich in Flora and Fauna. These mountains are popular among bird watchers.

Pokhara valley   A short flight away from Kathmandu is the lake valley of Pokhara where the trail into the western Himalayas begins. Breathing scenery, verdant views, placid waters. An another worldly timelessness reflects the towering mountains that envelop the valley.

Pokhara valley (827 M) is 200 Km west of Kathmandu valley. Pokhara is the most popular destination in Nepal after Kathmandu. Pokhara is not a historical or heritage site but it is a land of natural beauty with lakes and mountains.
The valley is famous for lakes, snow capped mountains, beauty, and splendid panoramic scenes. Fewa, Rupa, and Begnash are beautiful lakes in Pokhara. The mountain peaks Machhapuchhre (Fish Tail) and Annapurna are the land mark of Pokhara. These splendid mountain peaks are very gorgeous. The reflection of Mt. Machhapuchhre and Mt. Annapurna on lake Fewa is very panoramic. On a clear day you can almost reach out and touch them. You will have a very few words to describe the view of Mt. Machhapuchhre on a clear full moon day. Pokhara is also a starting point of various trekking routes around Annapurna and Dhoulagiri. It is also an end point of the great Annapurna Circuit (trekking). There are also plenty of sites around Pokhara valley where a short trekking or a day hiking is enjoyed.

Royal Chitwan National Park     The Royal Chitwan national park stands today as successful testimony of nature conservation is south Asia. The first      national park of Nepal established to preserve a unique eco-system significantly valuable to the whole world.

The southern belt of Nepal is known as the Terai, which is lowland covered with dense tropical jungles. It is one of the two Natural World Heritage sites in Nepal. Here one can find some of the most exciting safari destination in the world. Nepal's best known and most accessible national park is Royal Chitwan National Park. The Park is made of Sal forest (70%), Riverine forest (7%), Elephant grassland (20%), and Chirpine forest (3%). You will be going into deep jungle on elephant back or four-wheel drive vehicle to view wild animals in their natural habitat. Jungle Safari activity includes canoeing, nature walks bird watching excursions and visit to ethnic Tharu village in the Jungle Safari Park. The Royal Chitwan National Park (932 sq. km.) 200 Km south west of Kathmandu is most famous.

Wild Life In Royal Chitwan National Park : Royal Chitwan National Park is the largest habitat for one horned Rhinos, and is also second largest habitat for Royal Bengal Tigers in Nepal. Other wild animals are: wild elephants, four species of Deer, Sloth bear, Gaur (bovine), wild Boar, Striped Hyena, Jackals, Crocodiles (Gharials and Magars), Leopards, Langoor (monkey), and many more. Endangered Birds like giant Hornbill, Bengal florican, black Stork, white Stork, etc. are among 450 species of birds found in the park.

Nagarkot Experience the breathtaking sunrise, Nagarkot offers you a panoramic view of the valley, a place whose beauty endures year around.

Nagarkot, the picturesque destination in Nepal is famous world over for its spectacular sunrise. It offers mesmerizing views of the Himalayas including Everest and Indravati plain. Small Nepal treks, which are a thrilling experience, can be taken to Melamche village and on the Indravati banks. The popular hike along the Nagarkot region is sure to give you a time of your life. You can also traverse short distances on trekking trails of Nepal and come close to nature's wonders such as the outer fringe of dense forests, flower-covered Himalayan meadows and unusual rock formations.

Dhulikhel            The city offers a complete panoramic view of the snow-capped ranges from Karyolung in the east to Himalchuli in the west. A magnificent place to spend the night and awaken to the sun rising across the wide Himalayan range.

                        Dhulikhel is situated at an altitude of 5,500 ft above sea level, 30 Kms east of Kathmandu on the Kodari Highway. It is 90 minutes drive from Kathmandu. The city offers a complete panoramic view of the snow-capped ranges from Karyolung in the east to Himalchuli in the west. The view however is not as good as that from Nagarkot, one can see for 130 miles. It is a magnificent place to spend the night and awaken to the sun rising across the wide Himalayan range.

 Dhulikhel has a glorious past that can be witnessed in the lovely building and intricate woodcarving found among the shop-lined streets and in the temples. The city offers numerous interesting day hikes. These provide the tourists an opportunity to see the Nepali countryside away from the roads and also giving a taste of trekking. 

The major places of worship here are the Narayan and Harisiddhi temples, which are adorned with profuse wood carvings. The Gokhureswar Mahadev temple, a 30-minute walk to the eastern part of town, is a peaceful and scenic spot. The Bhagwati temple is situated at a height in the western part of Dhulikhel and dominates the skyline. From here, you can get a beautiful vista of the town and surrounding areas.

There are many vantage points in Dhulikhel, which offer a panorama of the Himalaya that will leave spellbound. More than 20 Himalayan peaks can be seen in all their glory. Sunset views are equally spectacular. One can get up early in the morning to watch the first rays of the sun hit the summits and their colours change.              

Lumbini : This is a birthplace of Lord Buddha. The site is UNESCO World Heritage site. It is in Rupandehi district of Nepal at south west of Kathmandu. Birth place of Lord Buddha is preserved in the Lumbini Garden as a sacred pilgrimage. It is one of the four main Buddhist pilgrimage sites. Lumbini garden is best accessed via Siddharth Nagar.

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