Tiger Nest - Humble Monastery That Put Bhutan On The World Map

The early morning mist, wet roads and an almost hidden narrow deviation from the highway crossing a few villages leads you to the parking lot of the most impressive trek of your lifetime. The Tiger's Nest trek. The view of the woods and horses grazing all around in the parking lot make you feel like the adventure has already begun. To reach the Takstang Monastery, you can trek all the way up or you can sit on the back of a horse for three fourth of the distance and then continue the rest of the climb on foot. We chose the more adventurous path - trekking all the way up to admire the beauty of the wilderness.

But before we could start the trek we joined a group of locals who lit a bonfire and were keeping themselves warm. The warmth from rubbing your palms and the bonfire gave us the much energy required to beat the cold and start the trek.

The trek path is well maintained and as you begin your trek you come across hydro powered prayer wheels spinning around at great speed. The path through the pine forests is steep but well worth it for the views of the Paro valley and of course the glimpses of the monastery captivating and recharging you to finish the trek. All through the trek path you find prayer flags fluttering and carrying the prayers to Almighty.

There are two cafes en-route the monastery. A stop at the main Cafeteria with a beautiful sit out and magnificent views of the monastery leaves you spellbound. This is the place where most of the trekkers end their trek and head back. The food offered is basic consisting of dal rice and noodles but considering the remoteness of the location it is a feast and the steep price is well worth it. Of course, the perfect place to enjoy the view with a hot cup of tea in your hand munching on some biscuits and witnessing this wonder of the world.

View From Cafe

After crossing the cafeterias, the path is much steep but with even better views of the Monastery. You finally reach the point where the horses end their journey and then begins the climb of rock cut steps leading you to the Monastery. The huge waterfall on the way, the sounds of which could be heard in the cafeteria takes your breath away.

It was thrilling to reach the monastery. Be it the dramatic location, the monstrous structure, the mythical stories, the adventurous trek, Tiger's Nest packs a powerful punch.  It is believed that Guru Ringponche flew up to the monastery on the back of a Tigress in order to subdue evil spirits in the vicinity and meditated in a cave here for three long months. It is one of the most sacred places for Buddhists in Bhutan as this is the birthplace of Buddhism in Bhutan. The monastery houses huge sculptures of various Buddhist gurus. Right next to the huge sculpture of Guru Ringponche is the cave in which he meditated. However, this is closed for public viewing and remains open only once in a year.

The most dramatic aspect of the monastery is the 'Tiger's Nest,' be sure to check out this cave located in between the Butter lamp room and Namsey Langhankha. This dramatic cave leads you to the edge of the mountain and throws open the view of Paro valley, this cave is where the mythical tigress rested long ago. However, please be cautioned that this place can only be reached by climbing down a couple of make shift wooden ladders. A slip here or there would result in broken bones and people hardly visit this place so getting help might be a distant dream.

A little before the entrance to the monastery is the Lion's Cave. This is where Yeshi Tsogyal, consort of Guru Ringponche meditated.

This monastery is nothing less of an engineering marvel. The master artisans and skillful carpenters of Bhutan have built such a wonderful monument centuries ago. And all of this was built without a blue print. It is believed that higher spiritual powers helped build this stunning monastery. A walk around the monastery witnessing this unbelievable wonder of the world that has survived a fire and still stands solid to tell the tales of history is mind blowing.

With a sense of calm, we started to climb down to the Valley.

Few things to keep in Mind:

• Mobile phones and cameras are prohibited inside the monastery premises and have to be deposited in the locker room. However, these lockers are not equipped with locks.
• It would be a great idea to leave a little early in the morning for the trek as the monastery visiting hours are from 8 am to 4 pm (during winter) and is closed for lunch from 1 pm to 2 pm. 
• One needs good amount of stamina for the trek. An average person would take anywhere between 2 to 3 hours to reach the monastery and it's quite a difficult trek.
• As it is a sacred site, please maintain decorum and respect the sanctity of the monastery .

The true Glory of Sikkim- Pelling

Amidst huge alpine forests and farmlands with the magnificent Kanchenjunga in the background lies the quiet and secluded town of Pelling, the true glory of Sikkim. Pelling is gateway to Yuksom and gets you closest to Kanchenjunga with all the creature comforts available by your side. This place is a trekkers paradise and is the starting point for all adventure trails serving as the base camp for treks to Kanchenjunga National Park. With hardly any tourists and functioning just as a pit stop , this place has a lot to offer. Waterfalls, lakes in the vicinity, rich history and the fantastic views of the snowy mountains. And it forms the perfect post card picture as it is covered in a thick blanket of snow in winters.

A walk around the lane, at the first glimpse of dawn and you breathe in the aroma of tea decoction, hot aloo parathas immersed in ghee and of course a lot of activity on the road outside every tour and travels office. There are numerous travel offices providing packages to Rabdentse Ruins, Pemayangtse Monastery, Singshore Bridge, Changey Waterfall, Kachepori Lake and a trip to Yuksom. This is where all tours start and end with every vehicle all set to warm up their engines for the long ride ahead. However, if you are an explorer and want some leisure time while travelling venture out to these places on your own.

Rabdentse Ruins, the ancient Second capital of Sikkim, is a good 20 min walk and the path is neatly paved, The rock cut stones and the tiny bit of sun rays piercing through the branches of these high standing trees can easily trick you in getting lost in the wilderness had it not been for the path. Also, since it is a pretty long walk, ASI has installed interesting, witty and motivating signboards every few hundred meters to boost your morale and keep the travelers tempo up and going. On reaching the ruins, we were greeted by a stone cut 17th Century Chorten. From here on, the ruins take you back in time to the 17th Century. The entire complex is divided into palace, place of worship and residential area. You can catch a glimpse of the Pemayangtse Monastery perched high up on the mountain from here.

Pemayangtse Monastery, this three storeyed monastery was built in 1705 AD. The first floor is the main Prayer hall where we saw a group of Monks of all ages offering their respects and prayers. The second floor is a hall dedicated exclusively to the Holy text and manuscripts. The artifacts are centuries old and the best of the lot are the wooden manuscripts. On the third floor, we found exquisite and intricate wooden structure depicting Guru Rimpoche's Heavenly Palace. Beautiful paintings adorned the monastery walls. We were quite surprised to see a few paintings covered by a cloth.

We were curious to unravel the mystery and saw erotic paintings of tantric sexual postures. It left us dumbfounded to see this piece of art not being appreciated in its true form and it was being portrayed in negative light by covering it. It is shocking to see that the mentality of the 18th Century people was liberal and people of 21st Century from the so called modern era are narrow minded. Indeed a shameful reality that expressing passion is being considered taboo.

Around 25 km from Pelling is Asia's Second Highest bridge 'Singshore Bridge.' This bridge connects Dentam village to Uttarey village. We had the joy and thrill of riding on this 198 meter long bridge that can accommodate only one vehicle at a time.

Enroute to Singshore Bridge is the Changey waterfall, this massive fall is a treat to the eyes. Not just the waterfall but the Dantem market nearby is also very popular and worth a visit.

Another reason to definitely take up this 25 km This ride is even more memorable as you are welcomed by the bright and beautiful flowers. No wonder this state is so beautiful. Every house has their own garden with colorful flowers adding more charm to their already beautiful homes. And of course the cherry blossom trees on the road make the journey pleasing to the eyes. A stop to admire this rainbow of flowers and you will see butterflies and birds hopping from one flower to another.

This town being a small place, it comes as no surprise that everyone knows everyone here but the kindhearted people in this secluded town is the reason why this place will forever remain special. They treat their guests as their family members worrying about them walking out in the dark and  even offer you a torchlight if  you need to step out. They stay up late in the night till you reach safely to your room and have the same concerned look that you would see on your parents face when you reach home late in the night. This place surely felt home.

We checked into hotel Pine Valley in upper Pelling, this budget hotel is secluded yet only 2 minutes walking distance from the main bazaar. The rooms are pretty spacious and clean and their service is good. They have parking facility which is difficult to find in Pelling. Also, there are plenty of tour operators in the vicinity to carter to your sightseeing needs.

PS: Word of caution, there are bad roads, then there are worse roads, and then there are the roads from Pelling to Siliguri. Words cannot describe how awful the roads can get. The roads are rugged, dusty and tarmac appears in brief patches. In our opinion, majority of Sikkim is totally not accessible but for Gangtok. However, the amazing landscapes, valleys and the pristine natural beauty around you makes these challenges worthwhile.

Next Stop Bhutan.

Darjeeling- Queen Of Hills

Darjeeling, the sensational hill station, is mere 75 km away from Siliguri. Initially, the ride was exceptionally good. We had great roads, lush green tea plantations, the mountains and to add more charm- the tiny tracks of the famous toy train never left our sight. It was amazing to see these tracks crisscross through the ghat section. However, half way through the ride the roads turned narrow, became congested and were filled with potholes. This continued till we reached Darjeeling and the rider was faced with more challenges as the roads were way too steep to ride. There were times when the pillion had to get off the bike and give it a little boost.

Like the saying goes 'No pain no gain,' the finale was fruitful. Our very first sight of the phenomenal steam power locomotive made our day. The train was all decked up for a cultural show. It was indeed quite a lovely sight to admire this age old beauty serving to this day chugging out smoke and blowing the iconic horn that echoes around the valley. It awakened the child within us wanting to hop on to it for a joy ride.

This Queen of hill stations is way colder than any of the other places that we have been to in Nepal. The mornings are beautiful with the first sun rays falling on the peaks of Kanchengunga giving it an orange tinge. This place with abundant natural beauty soothes your soul almost instantly. The people are warm and welcoming and very helpful. The sun sets at 5 pm and so does the hill station. Shop owners shut their business at sunset. A perfect time to mingle with your family and friends around a bonfire, sharing stories and enjoying dinner. Unlike, the unhealthy lifestyle of always being hooked to your gadgets with virtual friends.

This place could have been more beautiful had it not been for the poor infrastructure. The narrow roads make sure that vehicles pile up one behind another for kilometers. In spite of the jam, the people wait patiently following traffic rules but for the vehicles that run for the government. If you are on your own vehicle you might have a nightmare finding a parking spot. Apart from the abundant natural beauty, Darjeeling offers some spectacular monasteries such as Ghoom, Dali, Bhutia Busty.

The Ghoom monastery is very calm and peaceful. It is ideal to visit the monastery in the evening and watch monks showcase their soccer skills. They were at their innovative best, playing with a make shift ball rolled out of nothing but plastic bags that was taking a beating.

Dali Monastery, home to more than 200 monks, was built by Kyabje Thuksey Rimpoche in 1971. The walls of this monastery are adorned with beautiful paintings depicting the life of Buddha. It also has a library with a huge collection of books on Buddhism and Tibetan culture.

Bhutia Busty Monastery is a lesser known monastery hidden high up on a hill offering a very peaceful and serene atmosphere. The view of the entire town from here is pretty spectacular. Tucked away 12 km from Darjeeling, it is well worth a visit. An interesting fact about the monastery is that though it is located in the West Bengal district of Darjeeling, it belongs to the State of Sikkim. This place also attracts few tourists as it is believed to house the  'Tibetan Book of the Dead' in their library but contrary to this popular belief, the monastery has given a clarification that it does not exist.

The Batasia loop, an engineering marvel, is where the toy train makes a 360 degree turn. A War Memorial was constructed in 1995 at this site to pay homage to martyrs of this land who did the supreme sacrifice - Laid down their lives to protect their Motherland.

Padmaja Naidu Zoo - This zoo is internationally recognized for its conservation breeding programs of Snow Leopard, Red Panda and Tibetan Wolf. It is the first in South East Asia to have successfully bred Red Panda in captivity and later released them in the wild. It is funny how mankind functions, we as beings are so self centered that we do not care about the repercussions urbanization has on the environment. By the time we wake up, it is already too late.

Though we do not appreciate animals being kept in captive, it is commendable to see the conservation efforts taken up by this zoo. Padmaja Naidu Zoological Park is specialized in educating, creating awareness, captive breeding and releasing endangered animal species in their natural habitat- the Eastern Himalayan region. Some noteworthy wildlife here includes Black Leopard, Snow Leopard, Clouded Leopard, Common Leopard, Red Panda, Leopard Cat, Jungle Cat.

Within the park premises is the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute. The museum in the institute is worth a visit as it exhibits gears used by mountaineers for expeditions. Please keep in mind that the zoo and institute are closed for maintenance every Thursday. A kilometer away from the zoo is the Tenzing Rock where you can try your hand at rock climbing.

Last but not the least, your trip to Darjeeling is incomplete if you do not ride on the UNESCO World Heritage Himalayan Railway or the affectionately called Darjeeling Toy Train. The joy ride covers 14 km and lasts for about 2 hours. The toy train stops at the Batasia Loop War Memorial for about 10 minutes and for 30 minutes at Ghoom railway station giving one enough time to visit the Ghoom Railway museum. It is an incredible experience to travel on this piece of History, lovely to see the train chugging through the small hill town and providing mesmerizing views of Kanchenjunga. Everyday there are 4 joy rides with very limited seats. It would be a good idea to plan and accommodate this first in your itinerary. Each ticket costs 400 INR.

We checked into Merry Resort, this is easily one of the best properties in Darjeeling. Once a home for the Maharaja, this heritage property was converted to a hotel or more of a home-stay. The views of the Kanchenjunga from the room are priceless. It is tucked away in a corner with no clutter around and lots of breathing space which is really hard to find in Darjeeling. At the same time, it is only 2 km away from the main market and all other tourist attractions are dotted nearby. The place offers 24 hours running hot water, WiFi at the lobby and brilliant food. The staff are friendly and helpful. Above all, the pricing is a steal deal.

Next stop Gangtok. 

Lumbini- Land Of Buddha

"The mind is everything. What you think you become." - Gautama Buddha.

Leaving the mountains behind, we headed to Lumbini The Birth Place of Siddhartha Gautama, ideally the birth place of Buddhism. The Siddhartha highway that runs between Pokhara & Lumbini is a delight for any motorist. There are several ghat sections with views of deep gorges and the river Kali Gandaki for company. The road conditions are pretty good, however, do watch out for signage indicating landslide prone areas. Ideally, the journey can be covered in a day but it would be a good idea to stop over at the historic town of Tansen and check out the Amar Narayan Temple and Tansen bazaar. The roads from Tansen to Lumbini, apart from a few odd kilometers, are pretty good.

Lumbini, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is one of the most sacred places for Buddhists. The Lumbini Development Zone is home to the Maya Devi Temple, Ashoka Pillar, Pushkari Pond, and Bodhi Tree.

Maya Devi Temple- Legend has it that Maya Devi was on the way to her maternal home and it was in Lumbini that she felt labor pains and grasped a branch of a tree for support and gave birth to the Prince in 623 BC. Later, as a mark of respect, a temple was erected here which was renovated and a newer structure stands guard around the birth stone. In order to avoid waiting in long queues it would be a good idea to reach the temple early in the morning. The temple gates are open from 6 am.

Ashoka Pillar- It is believed that Emperor Ashoka visited this place in 249 BC and erected the Ashoka pillar in front of the temple. The inscription on the pillar provides evidence that this is the birthplace of Gautama Buddha.

Puskarni Pond- This is where Maya Devi had taken a bath before giving birth to Buddha. It was in this same pond that Buddha was given his first bath.

Bodhi Tree- This tree is considered sacred and is decorated with prayer flags. One can sit under this tree and meditate. The sacred gardens around the temple add more charm to the place. One can spot remains of virahas, stupas and layers of brick structures with some dating back to 3rd century BC which stand as a testimony that this place was considered a Buddhist pilgrim center from a very early time.

Every Buddhist nation across the globe has its presence in Lumbini by constructing extravagant temples/monasteries in the International Monastic Zone as a mark of respect to Buddhism and help promote Lumbini as a center for World peace. The most extravagant being the Myanmar & German Monastery. Also, do check out the extravagant paintings depicting the life of Buddha on the walls of these monasteries. 

Just a kilometer away from the main attractions is the World Peace Pagoda. It is an ideal place to watch the sunset.

It is a good idea to explore Lumbini by foot, on a cycle or a rickshaw. Take a walk around the village, meet the locals and feel reconnected with nature. The evening breeze not just refreshes your body but also your soul. A beautiful place to watch huge wet lands, kids playing in the fields, birds returning to their nest and the sun setting in the pink sky.

An abode of peace and tranquility, this is a perfect place for soul searching, meditating and spiritual awakening. This place is not just for the pilgrims but is truly a Nature lovers' delight. One can spot Nilgais walking around in the garden, it is a sanctuary for birds and do not be surprised if you see a lot of painted storks, egrets and many other birds welcoming you to the garden early in the morning.

We checked into Hotel Peaceland. This place is highly unprofessional and is a perfect example of how one "Terrible" experience can ruin the entire notion about the place. We stayed here for 3 nights and during the last night's stay we headed to the restaurant for dinner and were taken aback when the waiter asked us to come later as they were expecting guests. Though shocked, we wanted to be considerate and ordered food to be served in our room. Not surprisingly even after more than an hour there was no sign of food despite several calls. Finally, we cancelled our order. This left us questioning if they were expecting guests to arrive who were we then. This was a good enough reason for us to not recommend this hotel to fellow travelers. There are several other properties around such as Lumbini Bamboo Resort, Hotel Zambala.

With Lumbini as our last stop, we wrapped up our Nepal trip and headed to India. Hetauda would be an ideal stop over if you are leaving from Lumbini. It  has quite a few budget hotels and this would be a refreshing stop as there are good eat outs and markets around. We said goodbye to the Himalayan country and headed to our very own Incredible India. It looked like our 21 day road trip across Nepal just flew by at the blink of an eye. From here on, we continued to explore the Himalayan ranges of North East.

Next stop Darjeeling. 

Pokhara Magical City Of Lakes.

We back tracked to the beautiful and winding Prithivi Highway heading to Pokhara. As we descended down from Gorkha to the highway, little did we know that we would be riding through thick clouds with near zero visibility in super cold conditions. Thanks to our riding gear that kept us warm and cozy. It was only when we reached the highway that we realized our helmet visor had taken a beating and was covered in mist making us aware of how extreme the climate can get.

From here on, the snow clad high altitude Annapurna range joined hands with Trishuli to be our companion all along. Every click on the odometer got us closer to the mighty Himalayan ranges. We were so engrossed in admiring the beauty around us that we did not realize we had reached Pokhara.

Pokhara is where the mighty mountain peaks play hide and seek with you, one minute you view them and the next minute they are hidden behind the clouds. Though the city is one of the most important ones in the tourist radar, it is not as chaotic and crowded as Kathmandu. Phewa lake dominates Pokhara, around which the entire city is built. There are truck loads of options to stay at the lake side in Pokhara. However, we headed to the dam side which is more calm and peaceful.

Star attractions of Pokhara are World Peace Pagoda, Davis falls, Gupteshwor Mahadev Caves, Phewa Lake, Begnas and Rupa tal.

Like every off road of Nepal, a steep partly paved and unpaved road leads you to World Peace Pagoda. From the bike park, it is only a couple of minutes hike and you reach the Stupa. This is the first World Peace Pagoda in Nepal. One can catch stunning views of Phewa lake & the City from here. The complex houses a Japanese Buddhist Temple as well, which is worth a visit.

En-route Peace Pagoda is Davis falls and Gupteshwor Mahadev Caves. Davis falls has a tragic story behind it- in 1961 a Swiss tourist lost his life here and the falls were named after him. The stunning fact about this place is the water disappears into a tunnel after reaching the ground. It is even more flabbergasting to hear the water gushing but not being able to view the path that it takes to reach the tunnel. No wonder it is called as Patale Chango (underground falls) by the locals. The source of the water is Phewa lake and it channels down into a naturally formed cavern- Gupteshwor Mahadev Caves.

Crossover to the other side of the road and diagonally opposite to Davis falls, you will find the entrance of Gupteshwor Mahadev Caves. Head down a fleet of spiral staircase and you enter a cave that is believed to be 500 years old and the largest in South Asia. Mid way you can spot a naturally formed Swayambhu Shivling. As you approach the other end of the cave, you can hear water rumbling inside the caves. We were very excited and curious to see the Davis falls. When it seemed like one mystery was solved, an even more perplexing one popped up. Ideally there should be a huge water body at the end of the falls, but surprisingly we saw very little water at the end of the cave. We stood there admiring the mysteries of nature.

Phewa Lake: This massive water body attracts hordes of tourists and the charming little boats lined up were too inviting that we hopped onto one and headed to another attraction on the lake - The Varahi temple. This two storied Pagoda styled temple can be reached only by boat. From here, you have a beautiful view of the World Peace Pagoda. This serene lake is so soothing to the heart and soul that one invariably sits there and soaks in the beauty around. You can even rent a boat for the entire day and row around as far as you wish.

Begnas & Rupa Tal: Only 11 km from Pokhara in the town of Lekhnath are these two magnificent lakes. These lakes receive only a handful of tourist footfall when compared to Phewa. Hence, a calm and serene atmosphere is guaranteed. The reflection of the icy peaks on the still lake add more magic. One can sit here for hours together and travel into the oblivion. We preferred this place over Phewa lake for boating as there are way lesser boats in the lake at any given time. However, the restaurants around the place serve substandard food and should be avoided.

It surely is blissful to wake up early in the morning and walk around the lake covered with misty clouds and get a chance to see locals fishing in the lake. We saw a father teach his son the techniques of fishing and at the same time teaching him one valuable lesson of life- patience. The one who waits patiently gets rewarded in the end. You can also cycle around the lake if you wish to. Also, with many paddy fields around the lake you may treated to a lot of egrets flying around and pretty much settling around those fields.

If you are looking for adventure or an adrenaline rush, Pokhara will definitely not disappoint you. You can head to Sarangkot for Paragliding. This is the launching spot for para gliders and offers spectacular views of the Annapurna Range. You have lot of other activities as well such as hiking, trekking. The sunrise and the sunset views from Sarangkot are picturesque.

The best place to treat yourself will be the 'German Bakery.' This place is a food lovers paradise- the pastries are sinful, the Swiss apple pie and hash brown potatoes are to die for. The ginger black tea compliments their food really well. It would be a great idea to head to this place for breakfast and evening bites. The one place in Pokhara that you should definitely not miss.

We checked into Hotel New Nature Land at dam side, this budget hotel offers good rooms, satellite TV, 24 hr running hot water, WiFi, exclusive parking. Their service is good and location is excellent. The hotel is just a kilometer away from the lake but miles away from the chaos and hardly any distance from other attractions. The views from the corner rooms and the balcony are scintillating.

In Lekhnath town, we checked into Grand Hotel Begnas, a budget hotel that offers spacious rooms, WiFi, clean sheets and views of Begnas lake and mountain peaks. Their service is decent but the food is terrible. With the same amount of cleanliness and space but with lot a better views at an even lesser price check out the 'Day break Lodge and Restaurant.'

Next stop Lumbini.

Gorkha - Land of Fearsome Warriors

"Better to die than be a coward" - the motto of the world famous Gorkha soldiers.

The place from where the Kingdom of Nepal was expanded by Prithvi Narayan Shah, has a history of courage, bravery, unquestionable loyalty and impressive combat skills. It was Prithvi Narayan Shah who foresaw the Britishers plan to colonize Nepal. After unification of Nepal, with the might of Gorkha warriors, Nepal succeeded in fighting British forces and prevented colonization of Nepal. No wonder the Nepali army is also known as the Gorkha Army as they are the direct descendants of the mythological Kirant tribes who fought and defeated legendary warrior Arjuna in Mahabharata.

This historical place was our destination from Dhulikhel and the ride of 160 km on Prithvi Highway was absolute bliss. River Trishuli never lets the rider off her sight, as she flows parallel to the highway making it one of the most stunning and scenic highways. A fantasy road for every biker as the smooth winding mountain roads unfold dramatic landscapes. Once you reach Abu Khaireni, take a detour and 24 km of curvaceous and uphill roads lead you to the historic town of Gorkha.

We expected heavy traffic on Prithvi Highway as it connects Kathmandu to Pokhara but were pleasantly surprised to find the entire highway pretty much to ourselves. Passing through the villages on the way, we realized that it was the last day of Tihar festival and we saw everyone celebrating Bhai Tika, a festival where sisters apply tika on their brothers' forehead and pray for their long life, health and prosperity.

On reaching Gorkha, we were taken aback by the sight of thunder showers, lightning & wind speed of 80 to 100 km per hour, all this during the month of October. A stark contrast to spectacular view of the sun setting behind mountain peaks a few hours earlier during the day. The thunders faded away early in the morning and our eyes welcomed another surprise - the Gorkha valley being painted milky white by the clouds.

The prime attractions are the Gorkha Durbar Palace and the Kali temple within the same complex, the Gorkha museum & Manakamana Temple.

We rode to Gorkha Darbar & Kali temple perched high up on the mountain. This could be reached either by foot or by road. Be warned, if you choose foot you will have to climb 1700 stone cut steps. We choose the easier option and hit the road and boy! it was quite a treat. The view of the snow clad Himalayan peaks en-route are simply superb.  Gorkha, in terms of stellar views, easily surpasses Kathmandu or Dhulikhel. We highly recommend you visit this town. The Palace complex houses the Durbar and Kali temple. The palace has 35 rooms, 105 windows, 62 doors and 5 halls. The Nepali army is stationed here.

On the way to Durbar palace while on one side you are treated with views of the Himalayas , on the other side you are greeted with man's sarcastic answer to nature's beauty- pile of plastic bottles. It is really sad to see how we are slowly ensuring that our future generations do not enjoy even a little bit of Nature's beauty by polluting it to the maximum level possible.

On the way back from Durbar Palace, make sure you stop over at the Gorkha Museum. The museum exhibits the lifestyle, weapons, portraits, utensils of the Shah dynasty. Above all it has intricate and exquisite carved wooden doors, windows & pillars. The red stone structure and the whole complex stands as an unquestionable example of the other side of fearful warriors - their craftsmanship.

The museum attracts hardly any visitors but we were very happy to see 2 kids around 7-8 years old who were waiting patiently for the ticket counter to open. They just had the exact amount of money required for the entry ticket and with the enthusiasm of learning more about their culture, heritage these kids went about admiring everything that was there in the museum and were in awe with all the artifacts. We were very proud to have seen these kids.

If you are a lover of collectibles or looking for a souvenir it would be a good idea to pick up a "Khukuri,"- the traditional weapon used by Gorkha soldiers. In earlier times, it was believed that Khukuri had to taste blood every time it was drawn on the battlefield, if not the owner had to cut himself before placing it back in it's sheath. It is considered a taboo to drawn the weapon out of it's sheath for no reason.

Manakamana Temple- 35 km from Gorkha towards Kathmandu is the famous Manakamana temple. The term Manakamana is drevied from two words "mana" meaning heart and "kamana" meaning wish. Situated atop a hill, this temple can be reached  via trekking an unpaved road for four hours or by cable car. We choose cable car which offers a thrilling experience as it climbs the 1300 meter hill at a steep 80 degree angle and reaches the top in a couple of minutes though the wait in the queue for the ride takes a lot of time. In the end, it was completely worth it as the cable car offers breathtaking views of  the Trishuli river, Prithivi highway and the valleys around.

Once you reach the other side there is utter chaos and we were taken aback to see so many restaurants and hotels offering free wifi, satellite TV for quite an isolated destination.  The temple itself is in a sorry state as the foundation has decayed,  the structure has weakened due to earthquakes in the past and the wooden planks are infested with termites.

This temple is famous for wrong reasons though. We were shocked to hear that this temple attracts lots of devotees who pray for a male child. Also, animal sacrifice is a part of Goddess worship in Nepal and this temple sees most of the devotees offering animals for sacrifice.

We checked into Hotel Gorkha Bisauni. This budget hotel is the best in Gorkha with prime location, inexpensive tariff, basic rooms, fantastic views, 24 hr running hot water, exclusive parking, wifi, friendly staff and great service. The hotel offers rooms with attached and common bath.

The hotel balcony can definitely bring out the artist in you. With the various colors in the sky at dawn and dusk, it serves as the perfect place to bring out the paint brush and fill in your canvas with the most vibrant colors that nature has to offer.

If you wish to stay closer to the Palace, we stumbled upon Hotel Brindaban on the way to Kali temple, this hotel offers fantastic views of the Himalayan peaks and is secluded away from the town. However, we were unable to check it out as it was closed during Diwali.

A word of caution- If you are travelling to Nepal during the Tihar festival plan your trip well as the hotels are closed and they wont take in guests during that time. Also make sure you have some packaged food as the restaurants and even kirana stores tend to be closed leaving with no option to purchase food items as well.

Next Stop Pokhara.