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NEPAL, BEYOND THE GUIDEBOOKS.
FRESH ESCAPES - PRAKRITI PREMI
We asked the locals if it was okay to set up camp along the riverbank and they suggested we go a few kilometers off the highway to an ashram where there was an even more beautiful site, higher up and with less crowd and noise. We decided to take their advice and grabbed a few chilled beers at a local tavern before heading to the ashram.
Nestled in the hills surrounding Kathmandu Valley, this under-the-radar destination offers plenty of adventure and natural beauty. Despite being located in the Dhading district, Jhyampalkhola is just a stone’s throw from Kathmandu Valley, making it easy to visit.
It is the source or headwater of the Bishnumati river, which flows through the Kathmandu Valley and into the Bagmati River. Bishnudwar is a popular destination for hikers and nature lovers, as it offers beautiful views of the surrounding mountains and the Kathmandu Valley.
According to mythology, there are two legends that explain the temple’s origins. The first legend involves a local Tamang man whose milking cow went missing. After a search, the man discovered that the cow had wandered into a cliff and was giving milk on the statue of Dupcheshwor Mahadev. This miraculous event is said to have led to the establishment of the temple as a place of worship.
While asking where they climb Langtang Lirung from, he answered “Yo himal ta chadna didaina ni!”. The other guy who was smoking asked who didn’t allow people to climb the mountain, and his reply was “Himal le” in an enticing tone which left us speechless. ” Kasta kasta aayera ta chadna nasaki farkinchan, yo ta eakdum danger cha ni.”, his story of the mountaineer begins.
There is so much to see in Kathmandu and beyond, but one of the most beautiful places that you can visit is Chandragiri Hills. At an altitude of 2520 meters (8271 feet), it is located in Kathmandu and provides spectacular views of the city, the Himalayas, and the surrounding countryside. Chandragiri Hills is not only popular with international tourists but locals as well where fun, adventure and pilgrimage come all together.
Jamacho, also known as “The celebration of hills” as per the Buddhist scriptures, or Vindhya mountain to some, is a holy site located within the Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park at an elevation of 2130 meters ASL. Not only is this a popular pilgrimage destination, but it is also a much-favored destination for day hikers as well.
“Dai haru! Agadi khola bademaan ka chan. Bichha ma thula khalda pani chan. Hijo matra auta bike baga hun. Eak mahila pani bagaye. Khola taarna garai parnya cha” in his own dialect, a bhai
Sheltered by some of the tallest mountains of the world and the Tibetian plateau, Mustang District of Nepal is also famous for being the last Forbidden kingdom where its ancient cultural capital Lo Manthang is the only remaining walled city of Nepal. Up until 1992 visitors were not allowed in Mustang region and even today tourism in Upper Mustang area is strictly regulated requiring any foreigner to have 10 days permit for $500 USD and $50 extra per additional day which can be considered the …
Imagine, after an hour of a ride on the tarmacked road to Dakshinkali and another hour of a ride through a dirt off-road, you get to reach a pool known as Sisneri natural swimming pool barely touched by the hustle of city life.
They strapped you, hinged you and you were to fall. Don’t look down, keep your head straight and have a leap of faith, they said. Faith? Isn’t that the very thing that you’re struggling to grapple with, you had this in your head. Life on the edge, I’m dangling my feet, you thought to yourself. “Yeah, whatever” you reasoned and leaped like a frog that had no strength in its legs. You looked and sounded horrible, stupid plus hilarious, all at the same time.
The forest was beautiful. Chirping of birds could be heard from the road. After a slow ride of around 15 minutes inside the national park, there came the renown river of Sundarijal. The weather was foggy and cool. At one time we had to stop for about 15 minutes because road construction was going on and some trippers were stuck on the mud and their tires were still digging the ground while trying to get out. Seeing no sign of those trippers escaping the mud we asked them to let us through. We got ahead of them and headed to a place where we could stay and enjoy the serene scenic beauty of the national park.
The lovely music, the bright sunny sky, the wind, and the stroll on the snowy ground with a pristine view of several frozen lakes were all making me feel blissful. I had no clue where I was going or whether I was really headed in the right direction.
