Saturday, April 12, 2008

Visiting Places around Nepal

Museums in Kathmandu

One of Nepal's delights is the variety of Museums found in the Kathmandu Valley. As rich as Nepal's unique culture and landscape, these museums provide a fascinating look into Nepal's art, people, history and architecture. They also serve as an enjoyable serene alternative to the vigorous of walking and trekking in the countryside.

Changunarayan Temple

This temple is situated on a scenic hill top 20km from Kathmandi and 7 km from Bhaktapur. King Hari dutta verma built this temple. The temple is decorated with magnificent art works made of metal and woodcarvings. This is the finest example of Nepalese pagoda architecture.The inscription at Changunarayan is the oldest recorded in history, dating to the 4th century. Its history dates back to the Lichhavi period when the Lichhavi king Manadeva installed pillars in 464 AD. The temple is worth visiting to see the architectural and iconography combination.

Nagarkot

Nagarkot is a popular place to see the mountain ranges and sunrise. It lies at an altitude of 2175m and it is 32 km north east of Kathmandu. It is the nearest place to see the panoramic views from Kathmandu valley. Close up mountains are from Nagarkot Ganesh Himal, Langtang, Dorje lakpa, Sishapangma, Gauri shanker and more.When the sun begins to rise from behind the Himalayas. It looks spectacular as the mountains change color. Many tourists go to Nagarkot and stay over night to enjoy the scenic beauty of the country side and from Nagarkot one can hike to Changunarayan, Banepa and to Sankhu Vajrayogini too.

Dhulikhel

Dhulikhel is an ancient small town situated 30km away from Kathmandu. The drive from Kathmandu to Dhalikhel is very scenic and beautiful rice terraces on both sides of the road are spectacular. It is a popular panoramic Himalayan viewpoint, which is also a good starting place for short treks where visitors can stretch their legs before starting for a longer one.

Daman
The small village of Daman is an interesting place to see mountains. One can see whole mountain range of 400km from Dhaulagiri to Mt.Everest.Daman lies 2323m above the sea level. It is 85km away south West from Kathmandu and It also one of the most spectacular mountain-bike routes in the world.

Lumbini

Lumbini is situated about 250km South West of Kathmandu. This place famous for Buddhist pilgrimage because Lord Buddha was born here in 560 BC. The birth of Buddha at Lumbini has been recorded in the pillar inscription 'The Light of Asia' although there is not much to see but the peaceful environment provides you with inner sense of tranquility. In some ways, Tilaurakot, the site of Kapilavastu, the fortress-palace where Buddha was raised as a prince of the royal family is more evocative.

Tansen

Tansen lies 1310m above sea level, at the southern slope of Mahabharat range. It lies on the way from Pokhara to Sunauli and is known as the Siddhartha highway. Tansen city itself is very colorful with its old houses and slopes landscapes. There are different types of people-Magar, Brahmin,Chhetri, Newar, have been living in the city.It is popular for its metal crafts and Dhaka cloth,shawls and caps. Place to visit in Tansen- Shrinagar hill Amarnarayan temple and Tansen Durbar etc.

Pokhara

Pokhara is the second major tourist destination in Nepal. It is 200km west of Kathmandu. Standing at 884m above the sea level, Pokhara offers a mild climate. It is famous for the natural beauty of its lakeside location and its proximity to the mountains. Especially stunning views of Machapuchhare 6997m (also known as the Fishtail mountain). There are many places to visit in this beautiful city such as the panoramic mountain views, Phewa Lake and the Varahi Temple on its island, David's fall, Mahendra Cave, etc. Activities such as boating, fishing and canoeing can be organized on the Phewa Lake.

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