Dhulikhel- Perfect getaway from Kathmandu.

Far from the chaos of Kathmandu and very close to the stunning panoramic views of high mountains lies Dhulikhel. Hardly 25 km from Kathmandu, one gets to experience and enjoy quiet, calm, peaceful & a serene town.

Apart from spectacular views, the tranquility is what makes you fall in love with this place almost immediately. A perfect place to relax and welcome the festival of lights- Deepavali or Tihar (in Nepal.) We pretty much felt at home celebrating Deepavali here in Dhulikhel. Everyone was in festive mood, decorating their homes with flowers, lights and preparing yummy delicacies. This experience taught us more about the Tihar festival and their culture- they not only worship Goddess Lakshmi but also worship crows, cows and dogs. Also, it is only during this time of the entire year that they play Bhailini songs. Group of girls sing Bhailo door to door giving blessings to the family in exchange for money or homemade treats.

It was such a wonderful sight to see the whole town gather together and celebrate Tihar/Diwali with live music and dance and surprisingly with not much of fire crackers. The atmosphere can be easily mistaken for a live concert band.

We recommend Dhulikhel over Nagarkot, Dhulikhel not only offers stunning views of Himalaya ranges but also many other spectacular attractions such as Nammo Buddha, Shanti Ban, Kali temple and Shiva temple.

Nammo Buddha: Legend has it that Buddha in his previous form as a Prince fed his own arm to a hungry Tigress. A Gompa stands here today dedicated to this selfless act. This is one of the holiest places for Buddhists in Nepal. Right behind the Gompa is the Thrangu Tashi Yangtse monastery.

Thrangu Tashi Yangtse monastery is breathtaking and the views from here are very dramatic. There are multiple options to reach the monastery and Gompa, the most challenging one is to trek up which takes 5 hours and its not an easy trek. The most comfortable way to reach is to hire a taxi. The most economical way is to board one of the many buses that ply between Dhulikhel and Nammo Buddha. It takes any where between one to one and half hour to reach Nammo Buddha.

Shanti Ban & Kali temple : One can club both these attractions as they are hardly 10 mins away from each other by foot. Shanti Ban has a huge golden statue of Buddha over looking Dhulihkel. It is a very peaceful location and the doors to this place are open between 7 am to 4 pm. However, the caretaker of this place, a generous man, was very kind to let us in even though we reached a few minutes past 4 pm. A small temple dedicated to goddess Kali sits at the top of the hill. The views from here are stellar and if you want better views, climb the watch tower. This place can be reached either by foot or road. We tried both and despite the roads being very poor, road is the better option as climbing the stairs all the way up can be very tiring and exhausting.

Shiva Temple: One cannot miss the massive Shiva statue over looking the valley. This massive statue towering 143 feet is the world's biggest Shiva statue and grabs your attention even before you could reach Dhulikhel. The construction of this statue took almost 7 years.

We checked into Mirabel Hotel & Resorts and though this place comes highly recommended, there are several other better properties to stay in Dhulikhel. The rooms were over priced & their best room that comes at a premium price for the views do not offer great views. There is no 24 hours running hot water & even during the specified hours we did not get hot water. Pro: The service and food at the restaurant is phenomenally good. The views from hotel terrace, restaurant and gardens were breathtaking.

We highly recommend Dhulikhel Village Resort for stay, their garden & rooms offer fantastic views and are very nominally priced. This resort is a little in the interior making it even more peaceful and calm and just a few mins away from the foothills of Shanti Ban. Please note that this hotel too does not offer 24 hours running hot water.

While you are in Dhulikhel, at any cost do not miss this tiny restaurant called 'Ganapathi Cafe.' This place is on the way to Shanti Ban just as you exit the main road and head towards the market. Their service is exceptionally good, very nominally priced food above all lip smacking. Their fried momos are to die for, the other items to check out are egg fried rice, chicken fry and their different varieties of chutney, It also serves alcohol. The people here make you feel at home.

Next Stop Gorkha. 

Janakpur - Birth Place Of Goddess Sita.

We kick started our very first International bike ride from India to Nepal. Excitement levels were sky rocketing as we entered Nepal via Kakarbitta which is 30 km from Siliguri. The roads leading to Nepal are simply stunning with tea plantations on either side showcasing a green canvas on Mother Nature's lap. Also, we had our first glimpse of snow clad mountain peaks en-route to Janakpur.

Having heard so much about Nepal's hospitality and beauty, we had our first hand experience almost immediately as we got the best of the roads to ride on. The country is strikingly beautiful with the mighty Himalayas on your right and green pastures on either side of the road. The bright colored beautiful looking compact homes are one of the few striking things that you cant even imagine in your dreams.

Janakpur is one of the most holiest places in Nepal. Legend has it that this was the birth place of Goddess Sita and also this is where Lord Ram and Sita were wedded. To mark the significance of these two events, stands tall two magnificent temples - 'Janaki Mandir' & 'Ram Sita vivah mandir.' The Janki mandir is stunningly built in Islamic style with large domes and Ram Sita mandir, adjacent  to Janki mandir, is built like a Pagoda.

Surprisingly, these temples are not very old and were built in 1910. The other significance of Janakpur is the Ram mandir built in 1882. The best way to see this place would be to go for an early morning/evening walk. It is great to see this mandir still in it’s former state and also spend time soul searching.

The most impressive event in Janakpur is the "Ganga Aarti." Elaborate rituals are performed daily in the evening around 6 pm. This ritual is performed by three pujaris, dressed in their best attire, they never miss a beat and are always in sync. The bhajjans are very catchy, so do not be surprised if you start tapping your feet and start humming along with the other devotees and slowly move to trance state.

The beauty of this place is that you can pretty much see the entire town gather on the banks of river Ganga for the daily Aarti. In an age, where time is money and people are just looking at more opportunities to expand their business, this town shuts down their business religiously before the Aarti. It feels like they have shut down their worries too and come together as one big family to sing along giving them a sense of peace and contentment.

We checked into Hotel Welcome. This is one of the best properties to stay in Janakpur. They have huge and spacious rooms and bath, comfortable bed and 24 power backup. They serve good food - the biryani & masala chai is highly recommended. Also, their service is exceptionally good. The owners are very kind and helpful and are always available to take care of their guests. Another best part about the hotel is their prime location. All must visit places are within 500 mt and can be covered by foot. However, the only con is the hotel is getting a face lift and there is no lift facility as of now.

Very close to Ram mandir is the Roof Top restaurant, which is a must try. One of the best places to dine in Janakpur. The service is very good and prompt.

Next Stop Koshi Tappu