Nepal.......
Surrounded by the greatest heights of the Himalaya, the kingdom of Nepal is
a land of eternal attraction, a place where one visit is hardly ever enough.
It's a land of colorful cultures, ancient history and people, superb scenery
and some of the best walking on earth
Kathmandu
It was only in the early
1950s that Nepal came out of its centuries-old isolation and embarked on the
path of modern development. One of the most immediate effects of this was the
advent of tourism. The few foreign visitors who wandered in during the early
days were overwhelmed by the wealth of culture and natural wonders they saw
here. They went back to tell glowing tales of a hidden Shangri-La in the Himalaya.
The first ascent of Mount Everest in 1953 further enhanced the image of the
Kingdom and helped to make it known around the world as an adventure destination.
Call
it magic, call it enchantment, call it a trick of the light, sleight of hand,
a celestial conjuror's trick, call it what you will but there is a real Kathmandu
and a real Nepal hidden behind the well-trodden snapshot country that is gift
wrapped by an anonymous machine and handed out a half-day sightseeing at a time.The
hidden Nepal and the secret Kathmandu still await discovery.And they are ours.
Here is a country agog with palace squares, towering temples, and with memories
of wild dreams. There are cobbled stone streets that wind through ancient bazaars
and lead to a sanctified place where a hundred priests on flying white horses
once alighted. There are Buddhistst Stupas around which psychics and fourtune
tellers abound. There are dawn and dusk places where witch doctors exorcize
spirits and remedy all ills.
There are living Goddesses
whose smiles are a benediction. There are reincarnate Lamas who forsee the future
with a roll of dice and scriptural reference. There are walks that lead the
adventurous to legendary places where ogres once lived, where Goddesses danced,
and where Gods were held ransom by tantric yogis.
There are hidden gardens
behind palaces yet unseen and courtyards where miracles happen, and a city the
Buddha visited. There are hillocks where a patron saint of Sikhism lived, and
where a pagoda roof was invented. There are courtyards with intricate carvings
of stone and there are midnight masked dancers who are possessed by the Gods.
Mt.Everest

Within
that small area, however, is the greatest range of altitude to be seen on this
earth - starting with the Terai, only 100m or so above sea level, and finishing
at the top of Mt. Everest (8848m), the highest point on earth.
Often a visitor's overriding goal is to see the mountains, especially Everest
and Annapurna. However, to exclude the people, flowers, birds and wildlife from
the experience is to miss the essence of the country regions, or natural zones:
the plains in the south, four mountain ranges, and the valley lying between
them. The lowlands with their fertile soils, and the southern slopes of the
mountains with sunny exposures, allow for cultivation and are the main inhabited
regions.
Chitwan 
Royal Chitwan National Park is located 166 Kms Southwest of Kathmandu, 204 Kms
Southeast of Pokhra. The national park is large area of low, heavily forested
hills bordering India in the south, a heaven of wildlife including one horned
rhino, leopard, varieties of deer, wild boar and around 400 species of birds.
The park, formerly a royal hunting reserve covers nearly 400 square miles of
dense forest and is home to nearly 60 Bengal Tigers. The area has two distinct
seasons - the wet monsoon season ( June through September ) and the dry winter
monsoons.The best time to visit the park is March through May
The Elephant grass at this time of the year grows upto 20 feet, which is too
short to provide cover to rhinos, which prefer this riverine environment. The
nearest airport is Meghauly and Royal Nepal, Everest Air and Necon Air has regular
flights from Kathmandu. This is the natural habitat of endangered animals
like Bengal Tigers, one-horned rhinoceros and gharial crocodile. The park also
secures populations of other endangered species such as wild elephant, four
horned antelope, striped hyena, pangolin, Gangetic dolphin, monitor lizard,
and python.
Bhaktapur 
There are many other examples of the newar craftsmanship architecture and in
Bhaktapur : so I won't list all temples, shrines, statues, bahals (monastery
courtyards) or residences : any well done guide (such as the Lonely Planet)
will do that better than me.
I will just tell more about clay craftsmanship. Indeed, Bhaktapur has a Potter's
Square. Under the old Hindu caste system, someone born in a potter's family
is destined to be a potter. And so will his children. Here, pottery is made
using the same centuries-old methods : under shady verandahs or tin-roofed sheds,
potters spin wheels made of wood or automobile tires, and clay is kneaded by
hand or foot. In the square, literally thousands of finished pots sit drying
in the sun.
Dhulikhel
Dhulikhel is a much larger town than Nagarkot and
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. Once an important
link in the ancient trade route to Tibet, Dhulikhel has a glorious past that
can be witnessed in the lovely building and intricate woodcarving found among
the shop loned streets and in the temples.
Like Nagarkot, 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 easiest is the hike to Namobuddha and
back.
Pokhara
Pokhara is situated 200 Kms South West of Kathmandu
and is the starting and/or finishing point for some of the popular treks including
the Annapurna Circuit and the Jomsom Trek
It also offers a number of short treks for those who cannot opt for long and
challenging ones. The most popular among them is Sarangkot (1592 m), a former
Kaski fort lying atop a hill five km west of the old bazaar.
The scenic valley of Pokhara is an enormous sunlit playground covered by green
forested hills, waterfalls, and terraced fields. It s three lakes Phew,Begnas
and Rupa further enhance the beauty of the valley at 900 m. Pokhara also offers
excellent views of Dhaulagiri, Himalchuli, the five peaks of Annapurna and Machapuchare.
Lumbini

Lumbini
is the birth place of Lord Buddha, who in the age of 29 abandoned the material
world in search of universal truth and wisdom.Emperor Ashoka visited this site
in 229 B.C. and errected the Ashoka Pillar - which marks the exact spot of
Lord Buddha's birth There is also a temple dedicated to lord buddha's mother,
Maya Devi Temple. Lumbini is a sacred site rescued from oblivion and placed
under Lumbini Development Trust

Summer =28 degrees to 38 degrees
Winter = 23 degrees to 41 degrees