Tourist
Destination :
Nepal
has altogether ten World Heritage
Sites, two are the natural sites
(Royal Chitwan and Everest National
Parks) and rest eight are the
cultural site (Kathmandu Durbar
Square, Swayambhu, Boudhha, Pasupatinath,
Patan Durbar Square, Bhaktapur
Durbar Square, Changunarayan and
Lumbini, birth place of Buddha)
recognized by UNESCO World Heritage
Site. In addition to these, Nepal
is pioneered to mountaineering,
trekking, white-water rafting,
jungle safari, bird watching,
mountain flights and nature and
culture tours.
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| The valley
is situated at an altitude
of 1,336 m above sea level
and covers an area of 218
sq. miles and is surrounded
by Shivapuri (North), Nagarjun
Danda (South-West) and Phulchoki
(South-East) hills. The
rich tapestry of the cultural
heritage of Nepal is synthesized
in the Kathmandu Valley,
the home of the ancient
and sophisticated Newari
culture. The Newars are
the indigenous inhabitants
of the valley and the creators
of the splendid civilization
of its three cities - Kathmandu,
Patan and Bhaktapur. The
skillfully-built temples
and places, delicately-engraved
stone and metal images,
carved wooden columns and
pillars, and the history
laden shrines and chaityas
of these three historical
cities stand testimony to
the Newar's artistic achievements.
Around the Kathmandu valley,
the popular tourist destination
such as Nagarkot, Dhulikhel,
Kakani, and Daman offers
the world-class panoramic
view and natural scenic
beauty. |
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The
major attractions of Kathmandu
valley are
Swayambhunath, Pashupatinath,
Budhanil Kantha, Kathmandu Durbar
Square, Hanumandhoka Museum,
National Museum, Natural History
Museum, Patan Durbar Square,
Bhaktapur Durbar Square, Kirtipur,
Panauti, Bungmati, Nagarkot,
Dhulikhel, Daman, Kakani
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| Chitwan is one
of the most popular tourists destination
in Nepal and finest national parks
in Asia, which provide the opportunity
to see animals in their natural
habitat. Chitwan, which means
the “heart of the jungle”
is among the last surviving examples
of the continuous band of forests
and grasslands which once extended
from the Indus river in Pakistan
to the Burmese border. Chitwan
situated in the foothills of Churia
ranges, 75 air-miles south west
of Kathmandu, houses the first
National Park of the Kingdom.
Royal Bengal tigers roam the region;
one-horned rhinos can be seen
charging through the underbrush,
feeding and even courting. The
Rapti River has been dammed to
form a man-made lake called Lamital
where water-birds and marsh mugger
peckers and many other birds are
found in plenty in these forests.
Elephant grass, five to six feet
tall, provides excellent camouflage
for animals. This grass serves
as food for the gaur (a local
bison), rhino and other herbivores. |
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The main
attractions of Chitwan is Jungle
Safari.
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Gorkha is a scenic hill-town
with great historical significance
where King Prithvi Narayan Shah,
who unified the Kingdom of Nepal
during eighteenth century, was
born in the township. Gorkha is
situated on a small hillock at
an attitude of about 1000 m. The
town of Gorkha located at a distance
of 144 km/90 miles, north-west
of Kathmandu was the ancient Kingdom
of the present Shah Kings. The
black coated road ends just below
the Gorkha town and all tour of
this place has to be done on foot.
Gorkha palace located on top of
a hill overlooking the town of
Gorkha, can be reached after a
steep uphill climb of an hour
and a half. Though the main palace
courtyard is closed to all foreigners,
one can however enter the outer
part, which offers a spectacular
birds eye view of the Gorkha town.
From the top of the hill above
Gorkha palace and from a saddle
east of the bazaar, the view of
Manaslu and Himalchuli is spectacular.
For the more energetic hiker,
a further climb of half an hour
is suggested. This particular
point known as Upalla-kot gives
the best aerial view of the palace.
Gorkha can be reached by road
in conjunction with Pokhara or
a same day trip can be undertaken
from Kathmandu.
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| Pokhara, lies at
the foot of the Annapurna Massif,
an enchanting city nestled in
a tranquil valley and is the center
of adventure, starting point for
many of Nepal's most popular trekking
and rafting destinations. The
rare combination of snow clad
peaks and snow fed lakes and rivers
has helped to make Pokhara valley
one of the most picturesque natural
attractions in the kingdom. A
must for all visitors to Pokhara
valley is the Phewa lake and the
magnificence of the Fish-tail
summit of Machhapuchhre (6,977
m) rising behind it create an
ambience of peace and magic. Indeed,
the valley surrounding Pokhara
is home to thick forests, gushing
rivers, emerald lakes, and of
course, the world famous views
of the Himalayas. This is the
land of Magars and Gurungs, hardworking
farmers and valorous warriors
who have earned worldwide fame
as Gurkha soldiers. The Thakalis,
another important ethnic group
here, are known for their entrepreneurship. |
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The
main attractions of Pokhara
valley
Mountain Views, Phewa Lake,
Devi's Fall, Mahendra Cave,
Begnash Lake, The Pokhara
Museum, The Annapurna Regional
Museum, International Mountain
Museum
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| Lumbini
is a small town in the southern
Terai plains of Nepal where Shakyamuni
Buddha was born to a royal family
as Prince Siddhartha Gautam in
623 B.C. who later became light
of Asia-the enlightened one. The
sacred area of Lumbini is one
of the holiest places of the world's
great religions and contains the
important evidence about the nature
of Buddhist pilgrimage. The restored
garden and surroundings of Lumbini
have the remains of many of the
ancient stupas and monasteries
from a very early period. An important
part of Lumbini is the temple
of Maya Devi; the images of Buddha's
mother Maya Devi are still preserved
here. To the south of temple is
a pool called 'Puskarni' where
Queen Maya Devi is said to have
bathed and given her son his first
purification bath. And the other
attraction is large stone pillar,
which is erected by Indian Emperor
Ashoka in 250 B.C., the pillar
is 6 m. high of which half lies
underground. The visitors can
take flight to Bhairahawa then
22 km. road to Lumbini or by road
from major cities like Kathmandu
(232 km/145 miles) and Pokhara
(… …km/… …
miles). The best season for visit
is the spring one.
At the time of
his birth, the city was the
part of the Kingdom of Kapilvastu
which is 30 km/18 miles north-west
of Lumbini. It evokes the ancient
palace where Lord Buddha spent
his formative years. Scattered
foundations of the palace are
abundant, and archeologists
have by now discovered 13 successive
layers of human habitation dating
back to the eighth century BC.
A must for archeological and
historical buffs! Besides its
religious and historical significance,
Lumbini offers cultural insights
into the village life of southern
Nepal. Kapilvastu Museum is
situated 27 km. west of Lumbini
in the village of Tilaurakot.
The Museum holds coins, pottery
and collection of jewelry and
other ornaments dating between
the 7th century B.C. and 4th
century A.D.
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