Nepal

There are four UNESCO World Heritage Sites (WHS) in Nepal. Two are in cultural category and two are in natural category. World Cultural Heritage Sites of Nepal are: Lumbini, the birth place of Lord Buddha, and seven monuments of Kathmandu valley within a radius of 20km (together counted as one WHS), whereas the World Natural Heritage Sites are Chitwan and Sagarmatha National Parks. Kathmandu valley WHS comprises of three historical palaces-Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur Durbar Squares; Buddist stupas-Swayambhuath and Baudhanath; and two Hindu temples- Pashupatinath and Changu Narayan. Nepal offers an incomparable scope to connoisseurs of art and culture to see and study different aspects of fine arts in its paintings, sculpture, woodcarving and architecture.

Few destinations in the world can match Nepal in the variety of world class experience-be it mountaineering, trekking, mountain biking, nature tours, culture tours, pilgrim tours, white water rafting, cannoning ( cascading), kayaking, canoeing, mountain flights, pony trekking, jungle safaris, bird watching, angling, paragliding, ultra-light aircraft ride, bungee jumping; we have it all. Special interest tours like orchid tours, cultural treks, honey hunting, village tours, fossil hunting, meditation courses, Shamanism-Panimism tour, cave tour, snow leopard and blue sheep trek and other kinds of tours are carried out for the selected groups throughout the year.

Nepal is the ultimate destination for the trekking enthusiast- offering a myriad of possibilities from the short and easy to the demanding challenges of the snowy peaks. Easy, moderate or rigorous- there is something for everyone. Nepal has aptly been called” A Trekker’s Paradise” as her terrain- mountains, hills and the Tarai- offer some of the most spectacular mix of lifestyles, vegetation and wildlife. Trekking in Nepal is as much a cultural experience as a Himalayan adventure. In the shadows and foothills of the icy pinnacles of the Himalayas, one passes picturesque charming villages inhabited by diverse ethnic groups. Treks vary from expeditions, high altitude treks to simple easy paced walks.

With eight of the highest peaks in the world, including Mt. Everest, it is hardly surprising that Nepal has been the stage for some of the most outstanding achievements in the world of mountaineering. The dauntless icy peaks have since decades challenged the bodies and spirits of the daring ones.

Village tours allow visitors to experience stay in a typical Nepali village, observe the rich Nepali cultural tradition from close quarters and intermingle with the locals. Besides, any expenses made at that level directly contribute to the welfare of the local community, hence giving the visitors a sense of satisfaction. Village tours are conducted in Bandipurr, Sirubari, Briddim, Ghalegaun, Ilam and other places.

Few rafting rivers in the world can match the thundering course of the rivers of Nepal originating from the snow meltdown of the Himalayan terrain. The rivers gush through the twisted canyons, winding through calm valleys where settlements are perched on the banks, taming out only as they spill out into the Indian plains to merge with the Ganges. River trip, with our world class white water thrills, is one of the best ways to explore the typical cross section of the country’s natural as well as cultural heritage. Canyoing is another popular water sports among adventure lovers. This extreme sport involves jumping, sliding, climbing along waterfalls and steed cliffs to deep pools, giving the canyoneer the freedom to explore beautiful under water landscape.

For those who cannot withstand the rigorousness of mountain climbing there are mountain flights which fly around Mt. Everest and other summits providing a close-up view of the top of the World. For others, Pokhara, the lake city of Nepal provides endless opportunities for fishing, swimming, canoeing and boating along Phewa lake with majestic panoramic views in its background. 

These flights are operated in the morning in Kathmandu. You will have to wake up early at 5:30 am.  The flights start from 6:30 am until 8:30 am. The mountain flight, one of the world’s most exclusive tours on air, is about one hour and is a lifetime experience. This flight takes you deep into the Himalayas, flying into valleys close to the rock face, as close as five nautical miles from Everest itself. Now you can see the stunning beauty of nature--raw, undiluted and truly majestic. Besides Mt  Everest (8848m), you will see Lhotse (8516m); Nuptse (7855m); Shisha Pangma (8013m); Dorje Lakpa (6966m); Phurbi Ghyachu (6637m); 5970m Choba Bhamare; Gauri Shankar (7134m), named after Lord Shiva and his consort; Melungtse (7181m); and many other small peaks.

Tandem flying involves a pilot flying with a passenger. Both of them have separate harnesses That is attached to each other and the wing. Paragliding harnesses are built for comfort and safety; they feel more like an armchair. After take-off the passenger just sits back, relaxes and takes in the epic scenery. Even taking pictures is not a problem. Paragliders can foot launch and gently foot land again and are very portable. These flights are operated in Sarangkot Hill near Pokhara.

This is a 3-hour rafting trip on the way to Chitwan in Trisuli river. We drive to Charaudi, almost 3 hours from Kathmandu, the rafting put-in-point, and meet our raft crew. The leader of the raft will give a short briefing on safety procedure. The whole day we encounter several big and small rapids (2-3+ rapids). Lunch will be served on the bank of the river just before going through the Upset Rapids. After lunch, drive further to Chitwan.

Chitwan National Park, Bardiya National Park and Suklaphanta Wildlife Reserve offer exciting safari holidays. Jungle activities here include venturing into deep jungle on elephant back or four wheel drive to view wild animals in their natural habitat, canoe rides along the Jungle Rivers, nature walks, bird watching and village tour excursions.

Thanks to Nepal’s extensive and effective parks and reserves system, the country has managed to preserve more endangered species of flora and fauna than any other area in Asia. Nepal has a network of nine national parks including 11 buffer zone areas, three wildlife reserves, three conservation areas and a hunting reserve. Nepal’s protected land cover 28,998.67 sq.km, or 19.70 percent of the country’s total land.