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Nepal
is a destination that combines the aesthetic and spiritual
excitement and adventure between the valleys rich
in 2500 years of culture where
Hinduism and Buddhism
met and created undreamed glories of
spiritualism through stone, brick and metal for the
eyes to behold and for the soul to experience.
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| The valley consist
of three main cities of great historic and
cultural interest in Kathmandu,
Patan and Bhaktapur.
Situated at an altitude of 1336 meter above
sea level. The Kathmandu valley covers an
area of 218 sq. miles. A bird's eye view of
the Capital features the city as an oval shape
structure with the sacred river Bagmati and
its tributary Bishnumati wadding towards the
south. |
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Kathmandu,
the capital of Nepal, is named after Kasthamandap,
an imposing pagoda near Hanuman Dhoka Palace. The
King Gunakama Dev built the city in 723 AD.
Contrary to common belief, there is a lot more to
Nepal than trekking and mountaineering in the high
Himalaya. It is a country rich in culture
and history. There is a great variety of things
to see and places to visit.
The Katmandu Valley itself has a huge number of extremely
interesting sites to visit. The temples of Patan,
Bhaktapur, Swayambhunath,
Pashupatinath and Boudhanath
are fascinating examples of living history.
The sister cities of Patan and Bhaktapur, offer an
experience akin to time travel. Then there is the
jungle of the Terai plains with it tigers, rhinos
and elephants; the roaring white water of the Himalayan
rivers and the religious towns of Lumbini
and Janakpur.
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KATHMANDU
The major tourist attractions in Kathmandu
are:
HANUMANDHOKA (KATHMANDU
DURBAR SQUARE): It represents the historic seat of the monarchy
where the kings of Nepal are crowned and their
coronations solemnized. The interesting attractions
here are (1) Taleju Temple built by King Mahendra
Malla in 1539 AD (2) Gigantic statue of Kal
Bhairav, the God of Destruction. |
(3) Basantapur Durbar or Nautalle Durbar,
built by the founder of the Shah dynasty,
King Prithvi Narayan Shah (4) Nasal Chowk
or the Coronation Platform (5) Gaddi Baithak
or the Hall of Public Audience (6) the statue
of King Pratap Malla, (7) the Big Bell, (8)
the Big Drums, and (9) the Jagannath Temple.
There is also a temple of Pancha Mukhi Hanuman
- the popular Hindu god. It is one of the
only two such structures in Nepal, the another
one is inside the renowned Pashupatinath Temple.
Opposite to the entrance of Hanuman Dhoka
stands the magnificent (10) Krishna Mandir.
It is one of the few octagonal temples in
Nepal. The other major attractions of Durbar
Square are (
11) Kumari Ghar (housing the residence of
Kumari, the Living Goddess of Nepal) and (12)
Kasthamandap Temple, (13) Narayan Temple,
(14) Shiva Temple, (15) Lohan Chowk, (16)
Lalitpur Tower, (17) Bhaktapur Tower, (18)
Kirtipur Tower, (19) Hanuman Dhokha, (20)
Shiva Parbati Temple, Pratap Malla Column,
(21) Mohan Chowk, (22) Sundari Chowk, (23)
Kageshvara Mahadev Temple, and (24) Indra
Temple. Top
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LALITPUR
(PATAN):
This ancient city of Patan
is situated on the southern bank of the river
Bagmati and is about five kilometers Southeast
of Kathmandu. Lalitpur, “The City of Beauty”
is another name for Patan. The city is full
of Hindu temples and Buddhist monuments exhibiting
skillful carvings. Noted for its craftsmen
and metal workers, Patan is also known as
the city of architecture and craftsmanship.
The major tourist attractions are:
PATAN DURBAR SQUARE: Patan
Durbar Square is situated in the heart of
the city. The square boasts of many famous
sites and unique architecture. It is full
of ancient as well as medieval palaces, temples
and shrines, noted for their exquisite carvings.
One can rummage for furniture, paintings,
precious gems and jewelry and other memorabilia
in the various shops around the square. Adorning
Patan are other architectural masterpieces
such as:
1. Sundar Chowk, 2. Krishna Temple, 3. Mul
Chowk, 4. Taleju Temple, 5. Taleju Bell, 6.
Hari Shankar Temple, 7. Degutaleju Temple,
8. King Malla Column, 9. Char Narayan Temple,
10. Keshab Narayan Chowk, 11. Krishna Temple,
12. Garuda Statute, 13. Mangal Hiti, 14. Bishwanath
Temple, 15. Bhimsen Temple, 16. Ganesh Temple.
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BHAKTAPUR
(BHADGAON):
Bhaktapur, known as “The city of devotees”,
is situated at an altitude of 1401 m, is a
home to medieval art and architecture. The
urban city covers an area of 4 square miles.
Its shape is like a conch-shell. Pottery and
weaving are its traditional industries. The
city lies about 14 kilometers east of Kathmandu.
The major sightseeing places in Bhaktapur
include:
BHAKTAPUR DURBAR SQUARE:
The main square of the city contains innumerable
temples and other architectural showpieces
like the Lion Gate, the Statue of King Bhupatindra
Malla, the Picture Gallery, the Golden Gate,
the Palace of 55 Windows, the Batsala Temple
and the Bell of Barking Dogs, the replica
of Pashupatinath Temple etc.
The other major attractions are:
Nag Pokhari, 2. Taleju Temple, 3. Bhagabati
Temple, 4. Beko Chowk, 5. Taleju Chowk, 6.
Palace with the flying windows, 7. Mul Chowk,
8. Taleju Bell, 9. Batsalya Durga Temple,
10. Soon Dhoka (Golden Gate), 11. King Malla
Column, 12. Pashupati Temple, 13. Kumari Chowk,
14. Durga Temple, 15. Bansi Narayan, 16. Nyatopola
Temple, 17. Bhairav Temple. Top
BUDHANILKANTHA: About eight kilometers north of Kathmandu, at
the base of Shivapuri hill, lies a colossal
statue of Lord Vishnu, resting on Shesh Nag,
in a holy pond. A masterpiece of stone sculpture
of the Lichchhavi period, this site is a famous
place of pilgrimage for Hindus. It is the
most beautiful among all the stone engravings
within the Kathmandu Valley. Top
SWAYAMBHUNATH: The history of the Valley, according to the
legends, begins with Swayambhu, or “the self
existent”. This is one of the world's most
glorious Buddhist Stupa. It is around 2000
years old. The Stupa, which forms the main
structure, is made of brick and clay supporting
the lofty conical spire capped by a pinnacle
of copper gilt. Painted on the four-sides
of the spire base are the eyes of Lord Buddha.
It is three kilometers west of Kathmandu City,
and is situated on a hillock about 77m above
the level of the Valley. This hill is a mosaic
of small chaityas and pagodas. Swayambhu is,
perhaps, the best place to observe the religious
harmony in Nepal. It is the major landmark
of the Valley and looks like a beacon below
the Nagarjun hill. It provides an excellent
view of the Kathmandu Valley.
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PASHUPATINATH
TEMPLE: Situated five kilometers
east of Kathmandu on the bank of the sacred
Bagmati river, the temple of Lord Shiva-Pashupatinath
with two-tiered golden roof and silver doors,
is famous for its superb architecture. It
is the center of annual pilgrimage on the
day of Maha-Shivaratri. Entrance is permitted
to the Hindus only. However, visitors can
clearly behold the holy shrine and the religious
activities being performed from the eastern
bank of the Bagmati River. Live cremation
(Human Bar-B-Cue) can be viewed on this bank
of river. Top
BOUDHANATH:
The Stupa of Boudhanath lies eight kilometers
east of Kathmandu. This colossal and ancient
Stupa, one of the biggest in the world, features
all the eyes of Lord Buddha. It has become
the focal point of Tibetan Buddhism. Lichchhavi
king Kana Dev built it in the fifth century
AD. It is built on an octagonal base, inset
in the design of Mandala with prayer wheels.
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NAGARKOT:
Nagarkot, which clings to the Valley’s eastern
rim at an altitude of 2,175m(7200ft), is the
most popular among the hill resorts. It used
to be the nature retreat of the royals in
days past. Nagarkot thrills visitors with
its unobstructed mountain panorama, which
extends from Annapurna in the west to Everest
in the east. It is situated 32 kilometers
east of Kathmandu. It takes an hour’s drive
to get there. The panorama of the major peaks
of eastern Nepal Himalayas including Mt. Everest
(8848m), can be seen from here. The breath
- taking view of Himalayan peaks like Manaslu
(8.463), Ganesh Himal (7,111 m), Langtang
(7,246 m), Choba Bhamre (6,016 m), Gaurishankar
(7,134 m) and Numbur (6,975 m) are also clearly
seen from Nagarkot. Top
CHANGU NARAYAN:
Narayan, or Vishnu, is the preserver of creation
to the Hindus. The temple of Changu Narayan
is said to be the most ancient temple in the
Kathmandu Valley. Although it was rebuilt
in 1702, its origin goes back to the 4th
Century. Located on the top of a spur rising
in the eastern part of the valley, it is 22
kilometers from Kathmandu and 4 kilometers
north of Bhaktapur. Top
DHULIKHEL:
This ancient town is situated 30 kilometers
east of Kathmandu on the side of the Arniko
Raj Marga (Kathmandu-Kodari Highway) on the
way to the Nepal - Tibet border. A lovely
place, famous for its scenic beauty and old
tradition, one can have a panoramic view of
the snow - capped Himalayas, from Karyolung
in the east to Himalchuli in the west.
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SANKHU:
The old Newari Town settlement of Sankhu lies
17 kilometers east of Boudhanath. Two kilometers
above this village on a hill is the Vajra
Jogini Temple, dedicated to another powerful
Tantric deity. Legends say that Vajra Jogini
resided in the site of this temple much earlier
than the period of Manjushree’s pilgrimage
to worship Swayambhu. It was she who persuaded
Manjushree to drain the lake of the Kathmandu
Valley. Once every year late winter, there
is a colorful ceremony in which Vajra Jogini
is paraded around Sankhu and her temple.
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DAKSHINKALI:
The temple of Dakshinkali is dedicated
to the ferocious mother goddess who has much
energy and power. It is said that she gives
strong will power and energy to those who
come to her and she loves sacrifices. The
temple is Tantric
in nature and is a favorite worship place
of the Hindus. Saturdays are good days to
visit, as there is always a massive crowd
of worshippers who come from all parts of
Nepal to offer prayers. Sacrifice of animals
are made on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
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LUMBINI
Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha, is
situated 306 kilometers southwest of Kathmandu.
A broken pillar erected in 249 BC by the first
major Buddhist ruler of India, Emperor Ashoka,
proclaims in a now-extinct script that the
emperor made three pilgrimages to the holy
spot. The status of Lumbini as a garden of
peace has been recognized all over the world
and its development is being undertaken by
Buddhists from everywhere. Around an hour’s
drive northwest from Lumbini lies the interesting
archaeological site of Tilaurakot. This has
been identified as the ancient Kapilvastu,
the capital of King Suddhodhana, Buddha’s
father, and where the Buddha himself as Prince
Siddhartha spent the first 29 years of his
life.
An important part of Lumbini is the temple
of Maya Devi. It has a stone image of Maya
Devi giving birth to Lord Buddha as she holds
onto a branch of Ashoka tree. It has been
well worn by the strokes of barren women hoping
for fertility. To the south of temple is a
pool where queen Maya Devi is said to have
bathed and given her son his first purification
bath. Top
CHITAWAN
Surrounding Royal Chitawan National Park in
southern Nepal is one of the best-planned
and most intelligently developed tourist areas
in Nepal. Not only does it offer a wide variety of resorts and lodges,
it is also easy to reach-by road or by air.
Royal Chitawan National Park is perhaps the
best park in Nepal for seeing animals in the
wild.
Royal Bengal tigers roam the region;
one –horned rhinos can be seen charging through
the underbrush, feeding and even courting.
The Rapti River has been dammed to form a
man-made lake called Lamital where water-
birds and marsh mugger peckers and many other
birds are found in plenty in these forests.
Elephant grass, five to six feet tall, provides
excellent camouflage for animals. These grasses
serve as food for the Gaur (a local bison),
rhino and other herbivores. Elephant Safari,
jungle walk, canoeing and a variety of cultural
activities are the programs offered inside.
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POKHARA
The sleepy town of Pokhara
is approximately 200km east of Kathmandu.
The highway cuts into the sides of the valleys
and winds around the emerald Himalayan rivers.
The countryside of lush forest, deep valleys,
precarious suspension bridges, idyllic villages,
terraced rice fields will keep you entertained
on your journey. Although the trip is long
and the road bad, traveling by road is well
worth it. |
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The flight to Pokhara is no less exciting.
Squeezed into a tiny aircraft you fly at low
level parallel to the highest mountains in
the world. The snow peaks will actually be
higher than you! The scenery is absolutely
breathtaking. Landing at the airstrip at Pokhara
is better than any roller coaster ride you’ve
experienced. The pilot has to negotiate the
aircraft through tiny valleys buffeted by
winds. It is a guaranteed white-knuckle experience
you will never forget!
The most amazing thing about Pokhara is the
view. Incredible snow-capped mountains are
reflected in a sheltered lake. Its fame rests
on its natural lakeside location and its closeness
to the mountains. It has a relaxed and peaceful
atmosphere far removed from the bustle of
Kathmandu and it is also the starting point
for some of the most famous treks in Nepal.
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many more... |
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Itineraries
Nepal
Tour 1
Nepal
Tour 2
Nepal
Tour 3
Nepal
Tour 4
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