
Nepal - when I first heard it from fellow travellers as a proposed destination, the first phrase that came to mind was "Roti Beti Ki Nata" - the relationship turned deeper with marital and job ties. Nepal is one of the only 2 nations where we don't need a visa or a passport for travelling in the neighbourhood.
Day 1
With great enthusiasm, we boarded the train to Raxaul, Bihar. It was 22nd October. We took a Tanga Ride from the station to reach the Nepal border at Birgunj. There is a big gate welcoming us to Nepal. We halted in the city for the night. There is a Big Ghanta Ghar in Birgunj worth visiting.
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Raxaul Jn. |
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Nepal Gate, Birgunj |
Day 2
On the next day, our journey towards the capital started at early morning at 8 am. The green hills in our way enhanced the scenic beauty. We reached Kathmandu by 4 pm. In the evening, we went for local sightseeing - Durbar Square and the Museum. The night in Kathmandu was charming with colourful lights of the shops and local handicrafts. Indian currency is accepted in Kathmandu. You can exchange to get Nepali Currency from Local sellers or via an SBI ATM. Kathmandu Market is a good option to buy woollen clothes, especially Cashmere Swal.
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Casmere Swal |
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Durbar Square |
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Local Shop |
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Local Street |
Day 3
It was 24th October, the local sightseeing day in Kathmandu. In the early morning, we 1st visited Pashupatinath Temple, the oldest Shiva Temple. It's a must-visit place for a divine spiritual experience. Then, we visited a couple of other places - Budhanilkantha Vishnu Temple, where Lord Vishnu is in a sleeping posture, Sita Mata Temple, Swayambhunath Temple and Buddha Stupa. The local architecture of Kathmandu, with the brick-wood combination, looks very beautiful. The night in Kathmandu we spent by roaming in local streets, hopping the shop and enjoying the local food.
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Pashupatinath Temple |
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Pashupatinath Temple Entry |
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Swayambhu Nath |
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Buddha Stupa |
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Local Shop |
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Local Nepali Architecture |
Day 4
25th October - Our destination for the day was Pokhara, the tourist capital of Nepal. We started our journey in the early morning by road. It took 7 hours to reach there. The condition of the road was terrible. So, I'll propose others to avail flight service from Kathmandu to Pokhara. It will save both of your energy and time. At night in Pokhara, we visited Phewa Lake and the park nearby. The lakeside environment was very pleasant. You can spend the whole night here, exploring various activities and foods. The place was filled with mountaineers of various nationalities. The vibe here is completely different from Kathmandu.
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Lake Side Restaurant
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Lake Side
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Phewa Lake |
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Lake Side Activities |
Day 5
26th October. The Morning in Pokhara was chilling. Having breakfast, we hit the road to Mukti Nath. On the road, the Annapurna Mountain Range was looking magnificent in golden sunshine. But the road condition was the worst. At times, it was getting more dangerous with deep mountain gorges and narrow lanes. I wonder how big buses ply on this road regularly. It took 6 hours to reach the destination. We reached there by early evening. As time permitted, we started riding long stair steps towards the Holy Temple. It's a century-old Vishnu Temple and probably the highest Hindu Temple (3800 m). It is one of the 108 Divya Desam - Vishnu Temples. You'll face breathing issues while riding the stairs. So, keep your pace slow and if needed, take small halts while riding the stairs. After half an hour of stairs riding, we finally reached the temple. It's a holy divine experience. It's more than just a religious place. The natural beauty, the curves of the mountains, small houses and overall, the climate will make you feel the other way. After evening prayer, we came back to our hotel in Mukti Nath. The night was chillingly cold. The temperature went into the minus.
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The Mountain Range view from Road |
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Roadside Falls |
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Dangerous Road |
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The Stairs |
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Temple Entry Gate |
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The Temple |
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The Temple |
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View of the hamlet from Temple |
Day 6
27th October. We woke up with hot coffee. Early morning, fresh Snowy weather in Mukti Nath with pleasant sunshine made the place very attractive. The Snowy peaks were looking magnificent. At around 8am, we started our journey. We came back to Pokhara by evening. Then, roamed in the local markets, cosy streets, and enjoyed Local Cuisine at night.
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Colourful Hills near Mukti Nath |
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Roadside Beauty near Mukti Nath
 | View from Mukti Nath
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Beautiful Hills |
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Cuisine: Kathi Roll |
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Cuisine: Thukpa |
Day 7
28th October. It was our return day. With a Heavy heart, we left the city in the early morning. We took a halt at Mugling. From here, we took a great ropeway ride to Mankamana Temple. After temple darshan, it was time to bid adieu to Nepal. Via Birgunj, we reached Patna in mid night and took the returning train on the next day
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Mankamana Rope Way |
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Mankamana Rope way |
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The Temple |
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Way to Temple |
Nepal was my first foreign visit. But I never felt it. 'Cause the people look like us, thier culture, cuisine, everything is like us. Many of them even understand Hindi better than I do. We must take this close relationship to a new level to even closer. For the paucity of time, the visit was incomplete. I wish to be there very soon.
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