Nepal is a beautiful small landlocked country . Nepal is the world’s 93rd largest country by land mass and the 41st most populous country. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered by China, India and Tibet. Kathmandu is the nation’s capital and largest metropolis. The mountains of Nepal has eight of the world’s 10 tallest mountain including the highest point on Earth, Mount Everest and more than 240 peaks over 20 thousand feet above sea level are located in Nepal. Hinduism is practiced by approx 81 % of Nepalese. Nepal a monarchial state was ruled by the Shah dynasty of Kings from 1768 until 2008 when it became a democratic country Nepal has been making steady progress and the Government of Nepal have made commitment to help the nation to graduate towards one of the more developed nations by 2022
It has not only been an important Pilgrimage Centre but also a very popular honeymoon destination for the Indians. Some of the important tourist places in Nepal are Kathumandu and surrounding, Pokhra, Chitwan and Lumbini.
KATHMANDU – is the largest city and capital of Nepal and has its name from the Kathmandu valley. It is now a hub for the independent travellers as well as a growing vacation spot catering to all budgets. The city stands at an elevation of approximately 1400 m (4600 ft) in the bowl shaped Kathmandu Valley of central Nepal . It is surrounded by four major mountains : Shivapuri, Phulchoki, Nagarjun and Chandragiri. It is the gateway to tourism in Nepal and has a rich histroy spanning nearly 2000 years. It is an important pilgrimage Centre not only for the Hindus but also for the Buddhists . Its sister cities Lalitpur, Patan and Bhaktapur are integral to Kathmandu’s cultural heritage, tourism industry and economy; therefore the UNESCO’s World Heritage site lists all three cities, monuments and attractions together under one heading, ‘KATHMANU VALLEY-UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE’.
Sightseeing and excursions
Swaymbhunath is one of the most sacred Buddhist sites on a hill overlooking the city with a large stupa and other Buddhist and Hindu iconography. It is also crowded with monkeys mingling with the visitors. It is one the seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the Valley. Boudha Stupa is another world Heritage site and one of the most sacred sites for Tibetan Buddhism. The huge stupa is one of the largest in the world. Narayanhiti Palace Museum is the former Royal palace which was turned partly into a museum and partly into the Foreign Ministry after the abolition of monarchy in 2009. Thamel Chowk , Freak street, Pashupatinath- an important Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva in the form of lord of Animals. See monekys, cremation and sadhus and meditation caves. Kaiser Mahal – garden of dreams s peaceful walled garden close to Thamel and the former Royal Palace, Budda Neelkanth Temple (Narangdham)-in the outskirts is a temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu in a sleeping position surrounded by water is an extraordinary cool and calm experience. Kathmadnu Durbar Square is crowded with palaces and temples including the current incarnation of the Kasthamandap (wooden house) that gives the city its name The site is the most popular UNESCO site in Nepal. Patan is situated in the centre of Lalitpur city, it is one of the three Durbar squares in the Kathmandu valley, which is UNESCO’s world heritage site. Its major attraction is the ancient Royal Palace where malla kings of Lalitpur resided. There are three main courtyards in the palace which are Mul chowk, Sundari Chowk and Keshav Narayan Chowk, besides these the complex has impressive temples, religious shrines and hstorical places , all noted for their exquisite carvings and beautiful display of ancient Newari architecture.
DHULIKHEL
It is the administrative Centre of Kavrepalanchowk District is situated 30 kms southeast of Kathmandu valley. It is an ideal view point to the Himalayas and highway to Tibet and horizons far to the Tibetan Borders clearly exhibits Dhulikhel as the gateway to Tibet. Snow fed mountains seen from Dhulikhel are one of the finest panoramic views in the world. When a blue haze covers the lower portion of the mountains, they seem to be floating in the air. With the snowy mountains on the backdrop is a stage of immense beauty and a paradise for nature lovers. Green inviting hills or which still virgin and some turned into beautifully carved agricultural terraces cater to the beholders pleasure. There are numerous temples in the town depicting an example of traditional and old Newari craftsmanship of Dhulikhel
NAGARKOT
It is a village at an elevation of 2195 m located 32 km East of Kathmandu is considered one of the most scenic spots in Bhaktapur District. It is renowned for its sunrise and sunset view of the Himalaya including Mt. Everest as well as other snow-capped peaks of the Himalayan. It also offers panoramic view of the Kathmandu valley. It was an ancient fort of the Kathmandu valley to monitor external activities of another kingdom.
POKHRA
Pokhra is situated 200 km west of Kathmandu and is the second most visited destination of Nepal. It is a place of remarkable beauty Pokhra offers splendid view of the fishtailed summit of Machhapuchhre which rises from behind the Phewa Lake. It is a home to thick forests, gushing rivers and lakes -Phewa, Begnas and Rupa which have their source in the Glacial Annapurna Range of the Himalayas. One can enjoy a sailing, row a hired boat across the water, fish or visit the island temple in the middle. Visit the Barhi Temple –multistoried pagoda is located in the centre of Phewa lake and is dedicated to Goddess Ajima-the protector deity representing the female force. Seti Gandaki is a sparkling river flows through the city and is completely underground at places amazingly enough, it seems no more than two metres wide at certain points though its depth is over 20 m.Davis Fall lies 2 km south-west of Pokhra. It was named Davis fall after a trekker who mysteriously disappeared down an underground passage beneath the fall. It also serves as trekking point for some popular treks including the Annapurna Circuit and Jomsom trek. It also offers some smaller treks.
CHITWAN NATIONAL PARK
Chitwan National Park is the first national park of Npal. It was established in 1973 and granted the status of a World Heritage site in 1984. It is spread in an area of 932 Sq. Km and is a rich natural area in the Terai, the subtropical southern part of Nepal. A total of 68 species of mammals, 544 species of birds, 56 species of herpetofauna and 126 species of fish have been recorded in the park. It is renowned for its protection of one Horned Rhinoceros, Royal Bengal Tiger and Gharial Crocodile.
LUMBINI
It is a Buddhist Pilgrimage site in the Rupandehi district of Nepal. It is the place where queen Mayadevi gave birth to Siddhartha Gautama who lived between 623 and 543 BCE and founded Buddhism. Lumbini is one of the four magnets for pilgrimage. The others are Bodhgaya, Sarnath, Kushinagar. A world heritage site has a temple dedicated to Mayadevi, Lotus Pond and an Ashokan Pillar.