Nagarkot
It is located 32 kilometers east of Kathmandu, is one of the most scenic spots in Bhaktapur district and is renowned for its spectacular sunrise view of the Himalaya when the weather is clear. Visitors often travel to Nagarkot from Kathmandu to spend the night so that they can be there for the breathtaking sunrise. Nagarkot has become famous as one of the best spots to view Mount Everest as well as other snow-topped peaks of the Himalayan range of eastern Nepal. It also offers an excellent view of the Indrawati river valley to the east. With an elevation of 2,195 meters, Nagarkot also offers a panoramic view of the Valley and is described by visitors as a place whose beauty endures year round. Many visitors prefer to visit Nagarkot in the spring when surrounding valleys break out in a rich kaleidoscope of different coloured flowers. The flowers are beautiful against the serene backdrop of the snow-covered mountains. Ever popular among the tourists are the short treks and picnics which Nagarkot offers. Treks from Nagarkot are unique and delightful. For anyone who wants to have an adventure without exerting much efforts, a hike to Nagarkot's surrounding areas would be a good option. One can traverse short distances on trekking trails and come close to nature's wonders such as the outer of verdant forests, flower-covered meadows and unusual rock formations.
Dhulikhel
Dhulikhel is a scenic and ancient town situated 30 kilometers east of Kathmandu on the Arniko Rajmarg (Kathmandu Kodari Highway). From here one has a panoramic view of the Himalayan range. From the main town, a short visit to Namobuddha, with the stupa and Buddhist Monastery, is highly recommended. Panauti, a village noted for its numerous temples with magnificent woodcarvings, is a short distance from Dhulikhel.
Namo Buddha
It is situated on a hill above Panauti. It requires an easy drive or good walk to get there. There is an amazing story concerned with the Buddha which is commemorated by an ancient stone slab and a Stupa with the all-seeing eyes of Lord Buddha. According to the legend, one of the earlier Buddha offered his own flesh to a hungry tiger unable to feed her hungry cubs. It is also a three hour trekking from Dhulikhel through a number of small villages.
Kirtipur
Kirtipur is a small town located eight kilometers south-west of Kathmandu on the top of a ridge. Tribhuvan University sits at the foot of the hill. This historic town has many things to offer including ancient shrines, temple, old-style houses, and villagers dressed in traditional costumes and weaving on hand looms.
Chobhar
Chobhar
Chobhar is famous for its gorge said to have been cut by the god Manjushri to drain the water from the Kathmandu Valley which was at that time a lake. On a hilltop, there is a small pagoda dedicated to Adinath. From this point one has a superb view of snow-clad mountain peaks. Chobhar is located eight kilometers south-west of Kathmandu.
Dakshinkali Temple
Dakshinkali Temple
Pharping has a shrine of Shesh Narayan which is richly endowed with art. The picturesque shrine stands beneath a rock cliff beside many fish ponds. The famous temple of Dakshinkali is situated about two kilometers from Pharping. Every Tuesday and Saturday, pilgrims congregate at the temple to sacrifice animals and worship goddess Kali.
Phulchoki
Phulchocki
Phulchocki, a 2,79 -meter hill, is a good hiking spot as it offers a spectacular view of the whole Kathmandu Valley. Rhododendrons of different colours are found here, including pure white and dark red varieties. A jeepable road leads to the top of the hill, where there is a Buddhist stupa. Godavari
This scenic village is situated ten kilometers south-east of Patan. The road from Patan passes through the towns of Harisiddhi, Thaibo and Bhadgaon. One of Nepal's holy places, Godavari is also a good picnic spot set amidst a dense forest. The Royal Botanical Garden, a fish hatchery.
Budhanilkantha
Budhanikantha
Eight kilometers north of Kathmandu is a remarkable, colossal statue of lord Vishnu reclining on a bed of snakes. The fifth-century statue lies in the middle of a small pond Budhanikantha is a place of pilgrimage for all Hindus and is the scene of great activity at such festivals as Haribodhini Ekadasi and Kartik Poornima. An interesting feature of this shrine is that the reigning King of Nepal may not visit the spot according to an old tradition. Daman
Located 80km southwest of the Kathmandu valley, Daman (2400m) offers the only inimpeded view of the entire Himalayan range. Daman is located on the Tribhuvan Highway between Kathmandu and the town of Hetauda. There is a view tower fitted with long range telescopes. It can be reached in four hours drive from Kathmandu.
Chitwan National Park
Royal Chitwan National Park
Royal Chitwan 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. Regular flights are scheduled by Royal Nepal Airlines and other airlines to Meghauli, Simara and Bharatpur. Many resorts provide coach service. Local buses offer a choice between a night ride and a day ride. Royal Chitwan National Park is the largest forest regions in Asia teeming with wildlife such as the 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 more than 350 species of birds are found in these forests. There are several species of deer, sloth bear, leopard, wild boar, fresh water dolphin, crocodile in this forests.. Elephant grass, five to six feet tall, provides excellent camouflage for animals. This grass serves as food for the gaur (a local bison), rhino and other herbivores. Once a year, local people are allowed into the park area to cut grass. The grass is dried, and used to thatch roofs or stored for food for the domestic animals during the dry season. Access : Chitwan is easily accessible from Kathmandu, being well connected by a national highway to Bharatpur and Sauraha. There are daily flights to Meghauli airstrip just outside the park boundry. Accommodation : Resorts and lodges are available to suit one's travel budget; with selections ranging from the most luxurious to those with simple food and shelter. The program most includes elephant safaris, jungle walks, canoeing and a variety of cultural activities in their programs. On a village tour, you can observe the culture of the Tharu people. Tharu dance and song performances are included in most resort and lodge entertainment. A visit to Chitwan is a visit filled to the brim with activities, whether you stay two days or a week. It is listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Pokhara
Pokhara
Pokhara, an enchanting city in the tranquil valley (827 m), is the starting points for many of Nepal's most popular trekking and rafting destinations. The serenity of Phewa Lake and the magnificence of the fish-tail summit of Macchapuchhre (6,977 m) rising behind it create an embience of peace and magic. The valley surrounding Pokhara is home to thick forests, gushing rivers, clear lakes and the world famous views of the Himalaya. Situated 200 km west of Kathmandu, Pokhara is connected by air as well as by road from Kathmandu and Bhairawa, r border town near India. Pokhara offers magnificent view of Dhaulagiri, Manaslu, Machchhapuchhre, Five peaks of Annapurna and others.
Gurkha
Gorkha
Gorkha is the birth place of King Prithvi Narayan Shah the Great, the founder of modern Nepal. Situated on a hill overlooking the snowy peaks of the Himalayas is a beautiful old palace known as Gorkha Durbar. There are two attractive temples of Gorakhnath and Kali inside the palace precinct. Gorkha can be reached in about six hours by road from Kathmandu and four hours from Pokhara. A side trip to Manakamana temple on the way to Gorkha is very enjoyable and interested.
Muktinath & Jomsom
Muktinath and Jomsom
The famous temple of Lord Muktinath, God of Nirvan, lies in the district of Mustang and is situated about 18km northeast of Jomsom at an altitude of about 3,749m. It is believed that all miserries/sorrows are relived once you visit this temple, Mukti means Nirvan and Nath means God. The main shrine is a pagoda shaped temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Set into the wall around it are 108 water spouts from which pour holy water. The temple is situated on a high mountain range and is visited during fair weather. There are two ways to go to Muktinath from Kathmandu. Either take a direct flight from Kathmandu via Pokhara to Jomsom and hike for a 7-8 hours via Kagbeni or to trek all the way from Pokhara which takes 7-8 days. This temple held sacred by Hindus as well as Buddhists. The Jwala Mai (Goddes of Flame) temple nearby contains a spring and an eternal flame fed by natural gas underground. Jomsom is a major centre in the Annapurna region. There is a world class accommodation facility as well as other comfortable tourist lodges in Jomsom from which one can enjoy remarkable natural beauty.
Sagarmatha national park
Sagarmatha National Park
The Sagarmatha National Park includes the highest point of the Earth's surface, Mount Everest (Sagarmatha). The park is also of major religious and cultural significance in Nepal as it abounds in holy places such as the Thyangboche and also is the homeland of the Sherpas whose way of life is unique, compared with other high-altitude dwellers.
The park encompasses the upper catchments of the Dudh Kosi River system, which is fan-shaped and forms a distinct geographical unit enclosed on all sides by high mountain ranges. The northern boundary is defined by the main divide of the Great Himalayan Range, which follows the international border with the Tibetan Autonomous Region of China. In the south, the boundary extends almost as far as Monjo.
This is a dramatic area of high, geologically young mountains and glaciers. The deeply-incised valleys cut through sedimentary rocks and underlying granites to drain southwards into the Dudh Kosi and its tributaries, which form part of the Ganges River system. The upper catchments of these rivers are fed by glaciers at the head of four main valleys, Chhukhung, Khumbu, Gokyo and Nangpa La. Lakes occur in the upper reaches, notably in the Gokyo Valley, where a number are impounded by the lateral moraine of the Ngozumpa Glacier (at 20 km the longest glacier in the park). There are seven peaks over 7,000 m. The mountains have a granite core flanked by metamorphosed sediments and owe their dominating height to two consecutive phases of upthrust. The main uplift occurred during human history, some 500,000-800,000 years ago. Evidence indicates that the uplift is still continuing at a slower rate, but natural erosion processes counteract this to an unknown degree.
