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. 

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. 

Kathmandu City Of Heritage

We left the terai region behind us and headed to the high altitude mountain passes, destination - capital city of Nepal- Kathmandu. With all awe and excitement we started riding on ghat roads, maneuvering around hair pin bends, curvy mountain roads and steep slopes. The sheer joy of riding through clouds with near zero visibility and finger numbing temperature plus our bullets thump tearing through the thin mountain air made us cherish the moment.

Our eyes were treated to snow clad peaks, colorful flowers and ears to the soothing sound of a flowing river. As we were admiring God's charm on planet Earth, we stumbled upon a huge man-made suspension bridge connecting two hills across a river. We walked over to the other side of the hill and man!- it was a breath taking experience. This is the best part about being on road - you can stop where ever you want and check out interesting places. On the other side of the river, we treated ourselves with a piping hot cup of chai. The friendly locals bearing a smile on their face and children waving at us made our day.

Kathmandu being a tourist hub and home for the International airport, attracts hordes of people from all over the globe making the city very chaotic and the most over crowded place in the whole of Nepal that we have seen. On reaching we realized that the hype around Kathmandu's traffic turned out to be true. Traffic jams, bad roads and pollution masks are a way of living here. Taxis are the best mode of transportation here, but be prepared to cough out exorbitant amount of money. Irrespective of the distance, the fare they seem to ask is unfair. Taxis do not ply by meter or any set tariff. Feel free to bargain heavily before boarding.

This historic town has quite a few interesting places that are a must visit, like Pashupatinath, Boudhanath, Swayambhunath, Durbar Square etc.

Pashupatinath Temple: This UNESCO world heritage site, right in the heart of the city, on the banks of Bagmati river is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Make sure you are there for the evening Aarti that is performed at 6 pm. This elaborate Aarti is performed by three priests of the temple. Again, like Janakpur, they are completely in sync. The rituals, the offerings and the bhajans are so soothing and bring peace to the mind and soul. While on one side of the river bank, people gather together and sing along with the priest to please the gods and play for a prosperous life, on the other side of the bank, the mood is very mournful as you see people performing the last rites for their near and dear ones.

Boudhanath Temple: This is one of the most popular shrines in Kathmandu dedicated to Lord Shiva. This Stupa of Enlightenment is known as the mind nature of Buddhas of the three times- past, present and future. Here, you see the eyes on the Stupa which are a symbol of Method and Wisdom watching over in all directions. This could be one of the many best places in Kathmandu to get your perfect picture. The Buddhist schools around add more charm to the place. It is believed that people residing around this Stupa will never suffer from hunger, famine or any other unfavorable conditions. It is also widely known as "The Stupa That Answers All Prayers." This would also serve as a great place for souvenir hunting from any of the numerous shops around.

Swayambhunath Temple: Be prepared to test your stamina as you are greeted by a fleet of steep 365 steps to reach the temple. It is tiring, exciting and at the same time fun to sweat out and reach the top. As a reward, there are plenty of photo ops on the way to the temple. However, there is an alternative and less tiring route where taxis will circle around and drop you only mere meters away from the temple. From this point, you climb only a few steps and reach the shrine.

Not just Swayambhunath, the huge temple complex has many a small temples dedicated to different Gods in the Hindu mythology. This temple is also known as the Monkey Temple as there are too many of them living in the vicinity. The highlight is the small monastery within the complex where one can see monks perform their daily rituals. It was heartening to see the monks play different dharma musical instruments to create a state of mind for inviting or summoning the deities.

Also, hidden in one corner of the complex is a huge 7th Century Monolithic statue of Dipanker Buddha.

Durbar Square is where you go to treat your taste buds with the street food of Kathmandu. Alongside catching a glimpse of another World Heritage Site, the fried chicken momos and masala chai are a must try.

Gambling is legal in Nepal and Kathmandu has a few famous casinos. We tried our luck at the Casino Royale. This casino has slot machines, blackjack, poker and roulette tables plus a dance bar to entertain the guests. The staff was very friendly and helpful. This being our first experience in a casino, the staff answered all our silly doubts with a smile on their face.

We checked into Hotel Encounter in Thamel, this property is in the heart of  Kathmandu and in a bustling shopping bazaar. All must visit places are not very far. They have decent parking, good service, complimentary breakfast and a good restaurant. The rooms are comfortable with 24 hours running hot water . The corner rooms offer brilliant views. Since the place is in the heart of the city, getting in and out can be a little time consuming. 

Keeping Kathmandu as your base you can do quite a few day trips and if you prefer stay a couple of nights at Dhulikhel, Gorkha, Pokhara, Chitwan, Bandipur & Bhaktapur. 

Into the Wild- Chitwan National Park.

With excitement levels sky high we left to the much hyped and anticipated Royal Chitwan National Park, a UNESCO world heritage site, one of the many in Nepal and the first in our bucket list. The morning welcomed us with thick fog, mist and dew settling on our numb fingers. The roads were amazing to ride on with thick jungle on either side, the climate was very pleasant making the ride even more charming.

For the entire stretch of 200 km we were in awe with Nature's beauty. There were green pastures, beautiful paddy fields, rivers cutting through mountains, snow clad mountain peaks & forests all along the way.

Chitwan is the place to be if you want to experience the life of Tarzan. The massive park is blessed with grasslands, a perfect habitat for the One horned Rhino & Royal Bengal Tiger, wetlands - that attracts plenty of local and migratory birds plus the lurking and silent killer - the crocodile. The park is also home for massive sal trees. This park guarantees a perfect jungle experience & the safaris are not just limited to jeep but also offer the popular elephant safari, canoe ride & the adventurous jungle trek. It was our very first experience to take an elephant safari in a national park and it was brilliant. The best part about an elephant safari is that it lets you venture deep into the forest and gives you a glimpse of the wildlife in their natural habitat.

Unlike the national parks in India, Chitwan UNESCO  World heritage site, lets you experience dense jungle. The scrubs are really thick & green virtually making it impossible to see any barren land. There are plenty of massive trees in the park towering several meters high making it difficult for sun rays to penetrate through. The pride of the park is the One Horned Rhino which is endangered.

Chitwan offers a very unique and thrilling experience - 'jungle trek.' We ventured into the jungle by foot in search of wildlife. As thrilling, exciting and adventurous as it may seem and sound, this is a very dangerous trek. The trek lasts for 2 to 3 hours and during this time we spotted wild boars, deer, birds and toward the fag end of the trek, our guide spotted a massive Rhino grazing. We tip toed and inched closer towards the rhino. What an experience that was, we had an adrenal rush and felt a chill in our spine as we were mere meters away from this massive creature. We stood there admiring this wonderful creature and our hearts felt heavy at the though that this animal species is being mercilessly hunted down for their horn which is falsely believed to cure terminal illness and boost fertility.

Be warned before signing up for this trek as it is very common for Rhinos and bears to charge at unsuspected tourists. You can neither outrun nor outfight these creatures. Also, Rhinos and bears killing humans inside the National park is not unheard of. If all of this is not scary enough, during our trek we saw fresh pug marks of a fully grown tigress. We were told by our guide that we were in her territory.

Canoeing in Narayani river - If you are an avid bird watcher this ride is something that you will absolutely love. The manual powered canoe floats effortlessly in the river and is ideal for bird watching. Commonly seen birds are kingfisher, egrets, ibis, stork, hornbill, pond heron, lapwing etc. No matter how tempted you might be, do not put your hand in water. Do so only if are willing to lose it to one of the many crocodiles in the river.

Elephant Breeding

Right after the canoe ride, we visited the Elephant Breeding center. This was initiated as the population of elephants in Nepal is decreasing rapidly. It is said to be one of the only 2 Breeding centers in the world. You get a chance to watch Elephant calves ranging from a few days to a couple of years.

We checked into Chitwan adventure resort, there are several nice thing to say about this place. Being foodies we enjoyed their food and they never compromised on the lavish spread and quality. The resort is beautifully done with great aesthetics. If you are hopelessly romantic, this resort is the one for you as it offers a chance to gaze at the stars from the sit out. The rooms are spacious and clean. There is plenty of greenery around the resort. They have expert guides and it was with their expertise that we were able to spot a rhino during jungle trek. The service is outstanding and they were kind enough to provide our friends free pick up from Sauraha chowk. They take extremely good care of their guests.

Next Stop Kathmandu. 

Koshi Tappu Lesser Known Reserve Of Nepal

Koshi Tappu is a bird watchers paradise and the reserve is named after the river Sun Koshi. The wetlands of the terai region of Nepal attracts hundreds of migratory birds from all over the globe. This silent & calm uncharted territory is hardly visited by tourists. This place would reap high rewards for an enthusiastic bird watcher. Do check out the wildlife orientation center in Koshi, it houses very exotic wildlife taxidermy such as Gangetic dolphins, wild buffalo, elephant fetus.  The mere fact that there are only 3 resorts around the reserve stands testimony for the low footfall this place sees.

Keep an eye out for the small signboards on Siddartha highway (10 km from Itahari.) that leads you on unpaved tracks in-between farmlands. Follow this stretch for 2.5 km and you reach the resort 'Koshi Tappu Bird Watching Camp.' We got to experience Nepali's love and hospitality. This is a very basic and budgeted property. Do not expect great amenities however, it is very clean and their service is excellent. They serve very good, fresh and organic food. The owner of the property is always around to take care of the guests.

There are two types of accommodation to choose from - Mud house and tents. We choose mud house it comes with a ceiling fan two very comfortable cots with mosquito nets and cozy quilts. The best part about the property is that there is a water body next to it that attracts birds.  An evening stroll around would be very fruitful.  Birds chirping around and water gushing down are like music to your ears and sets a perfect mood to enjoy a hot cup of tea. Please note as of now the resort does not provide attached bath.

Next stop Chitwan National Park.