6 Days of exploring Nepal - Lots of emotions, memories, and adventures.
Cities/Airports:
New Delhi -> Kathmandu -> Pokhra -> Bharatpur -> Kathmandu -> Himalayas -> Kathmandu ->New Delhi
Day 01 - Reaching Kathmandu
Cloud formations are fascinating to watch while flying. I came across so many beautiful clouds. I am glad I chose to fly with Vistara. They have a fantastic fleet of planes, the food they serve is from Taj, the best in every class, the hospitality is lovely, and they have exceptional pilots (never made me feel uncomfortable).
The journey to Nepal is gorgeous, even in flight. Kathmandu is a vast city, almost 50km^2. I was amazed by the expanse of buildings looking through the plane before landing. There is no tuk-tuk (auto rickshaws) in Kathmandu. All you will find are taxis. (Which don't have standard pricing, and if you don't have negotiating skills, then you will end up spending crazy amounts on transportation).
I went for a stroll in the Thamel area and was amazed by the number of temples they have on the streets. The temples I know are fenced and have to remove footwear far, but it felt bizarre to see so many temples directly on roads, where people are driving their vehicles just next to them. Watching and seeing how busy Kathmandu was a completely new thing. I started walking back after exploring Kathmandu Durbar Square. For dinner, I had authentic Thakali Thali. It was delicious 😋
Day 02 - Exploring Kathmandu!
I approached the property manager at the backpackers and asked if he could arrange a taxi for me to visit a few tourist spots in Kathmandu. And within 10 minutes, I was in a cab.
My first stop was Chandragiri Hills through cable car. The cable car takes you to 2520 meters altitude in 15 min and is 2.4 km long. You feel like the cable car is taking you into the clouds. Once you reach the top end of the cable car, there is a small climb to the temple and viewpoint. There is the statue of Prithvi Narayan Shah, which he attributed to uniting small kingdoms into a united Nepal. We can also view the Himalayas from the viewpoint. Unfortunately, the view was clouded as I went in monsoon season. On the way down by cable car, you can view the expanse of Kathmandu city. We can see buildings for many kilometers.
The next stop for the taxi was Swayambunath. "Swayam" means "oneself or within" in Hindi and many other Indo-Nepali Languages. It is named Swayambunath as the shrine was self-sprung. It is also known as monkey temple as we can encounter lots of Rhesus Macaque monkeys 🐒
The next stop is Pashupatinath Temple, a famous Hindu Temple in Kathmandu. The lord Shiva idol has a face in each of four directions and goes with a widespread belief that you are blessed if you get sight of all four faces. I did Pooja for the first time in my life (solo 😅). Unfortunately, the sun was scorching that day, and I burnt my feet by walking in the stone temple barefoot. But, there was no alternative, as you weren't allowed to take your footwear inside the temple. Also, we can't carry any cameras inside the temple premises.
The final stop for the day was Boudhanath Stupa. It's a massive structure and can be seen better from the plane. It is a famous stupa among people who follow Buddhism. One thing no one ever really talks about Kathmandu is its Cafés. There are many beautiful cafés in Kathmandu, and they make fantastic coffee using Himalayan Java Coffee Beans. So don't forget to try Java Coffee if you ever visit Kathmandu.
Day 03 - Adventure Capital of Nepal - Pokhara
I flew from Kathmandu to Pokhara. Yes, you heard it right. Kathmandu is one of the busiest airports I have seen. I mean, the runway is constantly used for taking off and landing. Many domestic flights are operating in Nepal, and there is competition. I have chosen to fly with BuddhaAir.
As soon as I sorted out the stay in Pokhara, I headed to the lake. It's a gorgeous lake, and you can hire a boat or jump on a tourist boat to visit a temple located on the other side of the lake.
As I said, it's the adventure capital, so I went for paragliding. The pilot was really skilled, and if the weather is ideal, they can take you up to 2500 m high and do acrobatics for an extra cost. While paragliding, you can see the town of Pokhara, Sarangkot tower, the Annapurna range, and the Phewa lake. I used to fear heights, and the feeling I experienced was pure joy and peace while paragliding. It's an unforgettable experience.
Once I was back in the city, I booked a taxi to show me around the town. The first stop was the Davis Waterfalls. The view might not be unique, but the mist from the waterfalls and the sound are very refreshing. After that, we went to the Gupteshwor caves. The cave entrance is a spiral staircase where I encountered a snake that blocked the way for visitors. I was thrilled to see the snake and cautious to stay as far as possible. There is a small temple at the end of the cave, and photography is prohibited. After that, we saw a narrow hanging bridge connecting the neighboring town.
The next stop was Sarangkot; it was a good steep climb from parking. The view from Sarangkot tower is beautiful. I stayed on the lookout for more than an hour, hoping some clouds would clear, but it didn't happen. While we were getting back to the city, I got a glimpse of the Himalayas.
Day 04 - Into the Wilderness of Nepal - Chitwan National Park
After waiting hours in the morning, I captured a clear photo of Machapuchare Peak (Fish-tail Peak).
When I reached Airport in Pokhara for my next flight, I was amazed to see the next flight. It was a 19-seater passenger airplane with an open cockpit. You could see what pilots could see, and this was the scariest ride so far. I was more frightened flying in this machine than the paragliding.
I reached Bharatpur Airport, and the arrival terminal was just a room with a false roof. Baggage claim is literally a large window to the open space. I had to use my outstanding negotiating skills to reduce the cost of transportation to the resort. I have never been to any kind of resort, and this will be new for me. Once I got to the room, I quickly took a cold water shower as the temperatures in this area were over the roof. Then after decent lunch, I visited the Wildlife Museum. It was good to understand the location and biodiversity before heading on Safari.
I jumped on the open jeep to the jungle safari, where I made a new friend. He was traveling solo, just like me. He was so excited to encounter tigers 🐅. We came across many animals that day and heard stories about the man-eating tiger in the region. The forest department was looking into capturing the tiger by sedation. When we came to a point where we could have encountered the tiger, our guide took a different road and exited the Safari zone quickly. We were all pretty disappointed, but it was probably for the best as we were in an open jeep with no protection from wild animals. Later in the evening, we heard that the forest department had captured the tiger. They cage a man-eating tiger for a few months to eliminate man-eating instincts. Else, the tiger will keep hunting just humans and not any other wild animals.
We went for a short jungle walk through mud and many trees in the forest. Then, we went to a cultural show in the local community hall late evening. It was a really fantastic experience to see cultural events, and they are organized well.
The following day I went to see baby elephants in the sanctuary, and one of them came near me to be petted.
Day 05 - Royal Story of Nepal
After seeing elephants and their calves, I headed to Bharatpur Airport. I flew to Kathmandu and decided to explore some low-key attractions. Narayanahiti Palace came up as my choice, and I decided to give it a visit. It is a highly protected and guarded place in Kathmandu. No electronics are allowed to carry inside the premises. There are fingerprint-enabled lockers to leave your belongings and phones.
I entered the Palace eagerly to learn more about this kingdom country. As soon as I entered the Palace, it was like one of the Royal Palaces of India. It was very informative to know that Nepal always maintained relationships with many countries through photographs of kings and diplomats. Each room had a purpose in the Palace. When Nepal got a democracy, all the major political decisions were taken in the Palace. It used to be a house of royals but then became the place to discuss the future of Nepal. The royal family built another building within the protected fence and made it their home. The new house was the symbol of simplicity. I felt that The royal family was like any other ordinary family. At least I could relate to their customs and view of the world as an Indian. When I learned what happened to the Royal family, I was in shock, despair, and sorrow. I left with that tainted feeling and questioned why and how.
I couldn't cheer myself up for a few hours, so I went to Durbar Mall, just opposite the Palace. I walked into the fantastic cafe and ordered Java Special Mocha. It was delicious. I sat near the window, looked at the Palace, and mourned for the royal family. I was already so connected with this place, and the Royal Family Massacre left me in pieces.
I spent the rest of the day trying to live in Kathmandu as a local person. Like using shared bike rides by using the Pathao app. I even tried to go to movies in the theaters, but the show times didn't work for me. So I went back to my room for a break, and later in the evening, I went to have dinner, and I found a restaurant that served my Nepali Thali.
Day 06 - Flying over the top of the World
On my last day in Kathmandu, a beautiful early morning. I booked a mountain flight that departs from Kathmandu, loops near Mt. Everest, and drops you back to Kathmandu. This is a commercial flight with a round trip in the air with live commentary of the Himalayas that you will see from airplane windows.
The sun was very harsh, and my photos don't justify what I have seen. Human eyes can easily see more dynamic colors than phone cameras. Seeing Mt. Everest (top of the World) through the window was terrific.
In the short span I spent in Nepal, this was the best way to see Everest. All other or better ways to see Everest demand more time. There are more than ten different Peaks that can be viewed through this flight journey, such as Gaurishankar Parbhat (7134m), Melungtse (7181m), Nuptse (7855m), and Lhotse (8516m)
Day 06 - Admiring Bhaktapur Durbar Square
After my mountain flight, I headed out of the airport and took a local bus toward Bhaktapur. I can speak a decent amount of Hindi, but my reading and writing skills are questionable. The Nepali language is easier to understand if you know Hindi, and most people in Nepal can speak Hindi. In that context, people on the bus helped to get a ticket for the destination.
I got down at the correct bus stop, relying on Google maps walked into Bhaktapur Darbur Square. The streets, the temples, and everything around were filled with fine woodwork and impressive designs. I got a single ticket to access three different museums to understand them better. Before that, I needed to try this JuJu dhau (king yogurt), a famous sweet dish in Bhaktapur. One of the reasons why I was there. 😅
I brisk walked into all three museums before catching up with Mohamed (the friend I made in Chitwan National Park) at the eatery. This time I wanted to try some Bhaktapur unique dishes like yomari. I selected a Newari-style cuisine restaurant, where traditionally, people sit on the ground and eat food. I met a new friend of Mohamed there. We enjoyed our lunch in Newari style. Then Aman dropped me back in Kathmandu on his bike. He was such a kind person and now a friend of mine.
I reached the airport in time and decided to return to Nepali again, but the next time I will be there for hiking. I hope everyone enjoyed reading my blog on the Nepal trip. Follow me on Instagram (@ajaycarnet) for more travel updates.
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