In Photo: At the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Patan Durbar Square.
It was not really a part of my bucket list but a visit to Nepal was a welcome addition to our Bhutan trip. When I hear Nepal, the first thing that comes into mind is Mt Everest. As I have no dreams of scaling the world’s highest mountain, I was okay not to see Nepal in my lifetime. But boy, was I glad I did!
A little more than one-hour plane ride from Bhutan is Nepal, the birthplace of Buddha. Our point of entry is Kathmandu, the historic capital and largest city of Nepal. It’s the cultural and political seat of the country. It’s like the old Manila with its heavy traffic, bustling street markets, and heritage sites. Their most popular and visited tourist site is the UNESCO World Heritage Patan Durbar Square. For the Marvel fans, it’s a shooting site for the movie Doctor Strange. The square has a museum and several intricately designed temples. One can also see several stupas (Buddhist shrines used for meditation and pilgrimage) around the city’s capital. But the most famous are the ones in the Monkey Temple (Swayambhunath), believed to be the oldest and the Boudhanath Stupa, considered the world’s largest spherical stupa. For a panoramic view of the Himalayan range, we took a cable car to get to the Chandragiri Hills, nestled at 2520 meters above sea level. While the Sky Tower gives a 360-degree view of the whole city of Kathmandu.
About 4-hour drive from Kathmandu is the Bandipur Village. Known as the Queen of Hills, Bandipur is a hilltop settlement about 3,379 feet above sea level. This old Newari town exudes a different romantic and rustic vibe. Its 18th century architecture, stone-paved streets and panoramic Himalayan views add charm to this preserved and traffic-free town. We just enjoyed strolling around, sipping coffee in their local cafe, and shopping in their boutique stores in their Nepali costume even for just a day.
Considered Nepal’s “capital of tourism is Pokhara, a 3-hour drive away from Bandipur. Compared to Bandipur, Pokhara is more metropolitan and vibrant. It is the country’s premier adventure and leisure destination. The Phewa Lake was teeming with people queueing for a boat ride to the Barahi Temple, one of the most popular for both locals and tourists. The 108-foot Pundikot Shiva Statue, considered the 2nd tallest in Nepal and a prominent spiritual destination, is something not to be missed when you’re visiting Pokhara. The road can be steep and slippery, but the hike was worth it!
One of the finest moments I consider during my travels is witnessing sunrise/sunset from different parts of the world. In Pokhara, we were blessed to have witnessed sunrise at Sarangkot, with the Annapurna mountain range as background. Sarangkot is not only famous for the perfect views it offers but is also a historic fort where kings once ruled. It is home to a 700-year old temple and to Nepal’s first 51-foot tall Panchamukhi Ganesh’s statue. Waking up at 3 am and climbing 215 steps to bear witness to the sunrise, Himalayas range and Pokhara views was definitely a blessing!
But Pokhara will forever be special for me as it’s where I conquered my fear and dared to do what I thought I couldn’t do… Paragliding at more than 3,350 meters high! The take-off was challenging, as it required me to run several meters towards the edge of the cliff when the wing generates enough lift to pull me off the ground. But once air-borne, it was one amazing experience! The view from above was simply spectacular! That was one checked item in my bucket list and the highlight of my Pokhara adventure!
Completing my Nepal escapade was an overnight stay a Hotel Everest View, considered by the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s highest hotel (in altitude)! Nestled at 3,880 meters above sea level, the hotel gives a full view of the Himalayan range. Seeing the snow-covered Mt Everest and parts of the Himalayan range against the pitch-black night sky from the balcony of our room, at an eye-level distance with my own naked eyes was surreal and mystical. God must have intended me not to take a photo of that view so it will just be a memorable personal moment that will forever be etched in my mind and heart. I learned later that I was the only one in the group who saw that view at 12 midnight.
But our journey to this hotel did not come without the twists and turns. Landing at and taking off from the Lukla airport, the world’s most dangerous airport because of its elevation, short runway, and changing weather condition, can be exciting and disheartening at the same time. We had to be stranded for 6 hours before we were able to board our chopper up to the hotel, and again for another 8 hours before our flight back to Kathamandu. All because of the rapid changing weather condition at Lukla. Thankfully, I was with the company of seasoned travelers and tour organizers (Krist Destinations) who remained optimistic, positive, and pleasant even during those “trying moments”. We even managed to do a number of TikTok entries while waiting for our turn to fly. Afterall, all’s well that ends well!
In my records, our Bhutan-Nepal escapade is one of the most memorable, action-filled and self-discovery trips that I have ever done. Thank you and I hope that sharing my Bhutan-Nepal journey will inspire you to plan yours too, soon!
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