Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Top Ten Places to Visit in Nepal

By Jonathan Williams


Are you ready for some high altitude adventure with in a soul-warming environment? Then pack your bags and experience some of the most majestic peaks, most exhilarating torrents and wonderful people Nepal has to offer. Here are some places you may want to visit when go.

1.) Katmandu
Find your inner peace in the streets of Nepal's capital and cultural center. You can walk on the streets of this once inaccessible city and experience the culture, the people, the history, and the faith Nepal had embraced, imbibed, and relived for centuries. Katmandu is also one of the Nepal's starting points in activities like trekking, rafting and other sports.

2.) Royal Chitwan National Park
If you want to experience some jungle adventure with the elephants and ravaging rapids, you may want to stop by Nepal's Royal Chitwan Park. Covering some 932 sq kilometers, this national park serves as a home for 450 species of birds, 45 species of reptiles and amphibians, and 43 species of mammals. One can also enjoy guided jungle walks, terai culture, wild life breeding project, and safari drives inside 4WD cars.

3.) Nagarkot
Located 32 kilometers east of Katmandu, Nagarkot is a great place to visit if you want to see how beautiful and majestic the Himalayan Mountain range can be. A lookout tower in Nagarkot, for one, enables visitor to have a 360-degree scenic view of the Katmandu valley and Himalayan Mountain peaks. Drive up the city, book for a hotel, wake up early, and experience a different kind of sunrise with cool winds blowing every word away.

4.) Pokhara
Located some 200 kilometers west of Kathmandu, this enchanting city is the rally point for trekking and rafting destination. Pokhara offers perfect scenery and gripping natural beauty not only for those who looks for fun but also for those seeking solace. Be it the preview of the Himalayan Mountain range, a row in Phewa Lake, a trek beside Seti Gandaki River and Devi's Fall, or a peek to the Mahendra Cave, a trip to Pokhara is a experience worth the journey.

5.) Pashupatinath Temple
Four kilometers east of Katmandu lies a temple of immeasurable sacredness for Hindu people - the Pashupatinath. Hindu believes that dying and being cremated in Pashupatinath and having one's ashes scattered in Bagmati River will give a Hindu salvation and release from the cycles of birth and rebirth. Have a peek of Hindus life, death and tradition by visiting this holy ground.

6.) Patan
Art lovers and enthusiasts should always put a stop in Patan in their Nepalese trip itinerary. Patan is the oldest city in the Ksthmandu valley and is the home for Nepalese architecture, arts, traditions, and crafts drawing mainly from religious customs. Walk around the city and feel as if you're walking inside an open museum.

7.) Wildlife Reserve of Koshi Tappu
Sprawling some 175 km2 near the River of Sapta-Koshi in Eastern Nepal, Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve is the best place to watch native and migratory birds in action. Thousands of birds converge in this area, especially during the months of January, February and March. The trip which normally includes jungle walks, jeep drives, and boat rides, coupled with treks to Bhutan and Sikkim or rafting trip in Sunkosi will make any Nepalese trip an unforgettable experience.

8.) Lumbini
Lumbini is the perfect place to go to if you are into cultural, archaeological and religious treasures. With the number of stupa, meditation grounds temples, courtyards and more, a walk in Lumbini is a walk with Buddha. Enter the birthplace of one of the greatest man of world religions - Siddharta Gautama, founder of Buddhism - and be captivated by its serene environment and meditate and reflect with its outmost tranquility and peaceful atmosphere.

9.) Bhaktapur
Bhaktapur is an ancient town east of Katmandu in the Katmandu Valley. Experience Nepalese life as it happens in this city by enjoying the scenery in Bhaktapur Durbar Square and Potter's square. Make your trip complete with a taste of Khopa Dhau, Bhaktapur's home-made curd.

10.) Royal Bardia National Park
Located in Western Terai, Royal Bardia National Park is the largest park in the region with 968 km2. It serves as a sanctuary for tigers, small and large mammals, deer, reptiles, birds, and a herd of the last known elephants in captivity. Enjoy wildlife as it happens along with short rafting in Karnali and Bheri as well as trekking to Dolpo and Rara lake.

Jonathan Williams is the travel writer for Destination Guide TV - the place to share travel videos [http://www.destinationguide.tv]. Visit [http://www.destinationguide.tv/nepal] to view or share Nepal travel videos [http://www.destinationguide.tv/nepal].
                                              Source: eZineArticles

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