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THE KATHMANDU VALLEY
The Tank of the Serpent as it was once a large lake
The Kathmandu Valley has been called 'One
Big Living Museum!' Inside of this 'Living Museum,' is a vast storehouse of Hindu and
Buddhist art and artifacts, preserved culture and heritage, religion and spiritualism and
many more.
The Kathmandu Valley has more Hindu shrines
or temples, and Buddhist stupas, per square kilometer than any other place in the world!
Each year numerous religious festivals are
celebrated in the Durbar (Palace) Squares of the three Royal cities: Kathmandu, Patan and
Bhaktapur.
Kathmandu, the cosmopolitan capital of
Nepal, with a population of one million people.
Tribhuvan International Airport is but a
thirty-minute drive to Thamel, a tourist neighborhood, where most trekkers and tourists
stay and shop.
One would require volumes to expound
Kathmandus hidden treasures. But, best is to tour in an air-conditioned, chauffeur driven
vehicle and explore all that Kathmandu has to offer. In fact, all that the Kathmandu
Valley has to offer will be in our tour.
If you want a view of the great Himalayan
Mountains, while in the Kathmandu Valley, go up to Kakani in the west of Nagarkot or
Dhulikhel in the east. And it's best to go late in the afternoon, see the sunset, spend
the night, rising early to see sunrise on the Himalayan peaks.
But, if you want to see these peaks
up-close and personal, let us book you on a Mountain flight, where you can, by helicopter
or airplane, get so close you can almost reach out and feel them!
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Pokhara
When you're in Kathmandu, everyone will
tell you to visit Pokhara, 200 kilometers to the west of Kathmandu. There the scenery is
even more dramatic!
The Annapurna range including Macchapuchare
or 'fish tail' gives Pokharaa stunning Switzerland-like backdrop. The Annapurna 'circuit,'
is a favorite among trekkers.
Pokhara takes its name from seven
freshwater lakes called pokhari. In the largest of these lakes, Phewa, on the edge of
Pokhara, you can swim, or row a boat.
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Chitwan National Park
A World Heritage site, this National Park
is on the southern border of Nepal with India.
Jungle country, the Chitwan National Park
is home to Bengal Tiger, and the one-horned rhinoceros, both on the endangered species
list. In addition, there are leopard, Gaur Bison, the Gharial Crocodile, the Gangetic
Dolphin, plus many other species of animals. There are also 450 species of birds.
In the immediate area of the Park, there
are several jungle safari lodges, where you can sip a gin and tonic on the veranda and
watch authentic Tharu dances.
The Tharu, the indigenous people, have
lived in the Terai the low plains of Nepal since the 12th century.
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Lumbini
For Buddhists, Lumbini holds a
special significance, as it is the birthplace of Lord Buddha, the founder of Buddhism some
2,500 years ago.
This tiny place of pilgrimage is 20
kilometers from Bhairawa on the Terai (south plains), roughly 220 kilometers southwest of
Kathmandu. A short flight and a day trip would be just enough to see where Buddha was born
in Nepal.
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Rafting
If you thought the raging 'class
four' rivers of the U.S., and New Zealand, were exciting, wait until you raft the Karnali!
Nepal has some of the best
white-water rafting in the world, and this fact is little known!
Nepal also has placid rivers to
canoe, or just drift down. One such is the 'rap-turous' Rapti River on the edge of the
Chitwan National Park, a riparian 'feast,' to behold. Shorea trees, limbas, bamboo, cane
and reeds line the shore! This is a bird watchers paradise!
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Trekking
Trekking is an endeavor synonymous
with Nepal. Trekking is just a Nepali way of saying 'hiking' or 'backpacking.'
However, Nepal has it's own version
of 'backpacking', with porters and 'tea/coffee inns.' You can trek miles in very remote
areas, yet not carry much on your back.
But, this is not something you want
to do without professional guide. Let us 'tailor,' your desires and arrange the trekking
tour that's perfect for you, with your specific needs and desires.
Trekking tours range from the very
easy with short distances and not much of elevation climb with porters, to the very
physically demanding, with a climb of over a 6,000-metre or 18,000-foot pass.
We can also book a 'heli-trekking',
flight where you're whisked via helicopter to and fro some incredibly difficult places to
get if you went on foot. The advantage here is that you get to experience remote mountain
meadows and incredible vistas in the Himalayan Mountains, and all in one day.
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Tibet
Tibet is very fashionable right now
because 'Hollywood,' via the Dalai Lama has put this ancient, out-of-the-way country
'front and center' on the worldwide map!
Known as 'The Roof of the World,'
because of its elevation you don't have to be a Buddhist to experience the spirituality of
this country.
Visit the Potala Palace and
Norbu-linkha in Lhasa, the Namtso Bird Sanctuary, ancient monasteries, and the holiest of
all mountains in the Himalaya, Mt. Kailash.
Nepal has become an easy gateway.
See for yourself about this land on the leeward side of the Himalayas from Nepal.
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Bhutan
Bhutan is a serene, Bhuddhist
Kingdom, sandwiched between India and the Tibetan region of China. Small, in geographic
size, and population (600,000), its mountains rival any of the Himalaya for grandeur!
The Druk Kingdom, has a policy of
'restricted' tourism and development preserving the Bhutanese way of life.
The air quality and the environment
are the purest of any Himalayan country.
Dzongs, temples, and houses with
architecture found nowhere in the world dot the landscape.
Bhutan is truly the last Shangri-La!
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Nepal Connection® Tours (P) Ltd.
GPO Box 1415, Kathmandu Nepal
Phone : +977 1 4435928, 2151239
Fax : +977 1 4423724
email: connect@mos.com.np
website: www.nepalpages.com/travels
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