1.Wildlife odyssey
Best for: Elephant safaris, tiger spotting, varied birdlife
Route: Chitwan • Koshi Tappu • Bardia • Sagarmatha National Park
Why do it? Enjoy a rare view of the jungle, searching the grassland for rhinos and tigers while on elephant back
Royal Chitwan National Park is the big draw for wildlife spotters. Here you can take an elephant ride through the grasses and sal forest to spot one of the park’s 500 one-horned rhinos or 125 royal Bengal tigers, or take a canoe trip to search for skulking mugger crocodiles and long-snouted gharial. Adventurous souls can hike through the park, with a guide.
Rhino in Bardia, Nepal |
Elephant safaris, boat trips and jeep safaris are easily booked through local lodges. If Chitwan seems too developed then sleepy Royal Bardia National Park in the south-west is an equally good place to spot tigers, elephants and rhinos but it’s much quieter and you can visit the Buddhist pilgrimage site of Lumbini en route.
Crimson sunbird in Bardia, Nepal |
February-March is best for wildlife spotting, though temperatures are comfortable October-March. Bring insect repellent, budget at least two full days and time your safaris for dawn and dusk.
2.Cultural Nepal
Best for: Temples, Tibetan monasteries, sacred sites
Route: Kathmandu • Patan • Bhaktapur • Bandipur • Pokhara • Lumbini
Why do it? Nepal’s countless shrines, temples, pagodas and stupas boast a spiritual power and unmatched artistry
Famed over the centuries for its artistic heritage, the Kathmandu Valley is very much the cultural heartland of Nepal. The densely populated valley is home to a trio of medieval cities, each worth a visit for their own durbar (royal) squares and old towns, each dense with hidden shrines and exquisitely carved wooden temples.
Women in Bandipur, Nepal |
After exploring Kathmandu, take a taxi to sister city Patan. Walk its backstreet courtyards and craft workshops, and visit the Patan Museum, easily Nepal’s best, housed in a beautiful historic building. Nearby Bhaktapur has long boasted the valley’s most intact old town and is still a delight, though many ancient buildings were damaged in the recent earthquake. All three places offer charming boutique hotels converted from traditional brick buildings.
Whether you want peaks, wildlife, adrenaline or culture, you'll findOn the edge of Kathmandu, Pashupatinath – with its temple and riverside cremation ghats – is the country’s holiest Hindu site and worth a respectful visit. For a taste of Tibet, carry on to the 100m-diameter Buddhist stupa at Boudhanath, home to a fascinating community of Tibetan exiles and maroonrobed monks. To gain a deeper insight into Tibetan Buddhism sign up for one of the popular week-long courses or silent retreats at the nearby Kopan Monastery.
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Hindu altar in Bhaktapur, Nepal |
Finish off your spiritual tour with a visit to Lumbini, down on the sultry Terai plain near the Indian border, to ponder the nature of existence at Buddha’s birthplace.
3.Teahouse trekking
Best for: Himalaya hiking, mountain views, Sherpa culture
Route: Lukla • Namche Bazaar • Everest Base Camp
Why do it? Because it’s there
Nepal’s unique brand of teahouse trekking means you can hike from lodge to lodge through magnifi cent scenery for weeks at a time carrying little more than a daypack. For many people the Everest region is their ultimate goal. Kick things off with the exhilarating flight to Lukla, from where it’s a two-day walk to the Sherpa capital of Namche Bazaar.
Everest Base Camp, Nepal |
With the Langtang and Manaslu regions currently on hold after suffering significant damage during the 2015 earthquake, the other main option for a teahouse trek is the Annapurna region. Roads have been nibbling at the ends of the 21-day Annapurna Circuit for years now but the eight-day section to Manang and Jomsom still ranks as one of the world’s great walks, offering charming Tibetan-style villages and amazing mountain views.
Namche Bazaar |
For a shorter trek consider the ten-day Annapurna Sanctuary, a walk into an amphitheatre of 8,000m peaks, or hike in the foothills to the villages of Ghandruk and Ghorepani for a fine five-day loop.
The best and busiest months for trekking are October and November, with April to May a close second. Pack a down jacket and consider the last week of November into early December for clear weather and fewer crowds.
4.Offbeat Nepal
Best for: Tourist-free treks, wilder wildlife encounters
Route: Kangchenjunga • Bardia • Khaptad • Dolpo • Mera Peak • Makalu Base Camp
Why do it? You’ll feel like a pioneer by hiking, rafting and exploring in these largely undiscovered destinations
Nepal can be a popular place in the high-season months of October and November but it’s surprisingly easy to shake the crowds, especially if you head to the far east or west of the country.
Phoksundo Lake |
Alternatively head west, visiting Royal Bardia National Park for a couple of days before continuing to Dhangadhi to test out a series of new tourism development projects . Options here include rafting on the Karnali River (which has Grade V rapids), visits to tribal villages and various trek possibilities. Try the short hike to the meadows and forests of Khaptad National Park, with an exploratory option to continue to remote Rara National Park.
Making puja in Bardia, Nepal |
Other emerging teahouse treks include the ten-day walk in the Khumbu region from Lukla to Mera Peak (which offers a challenging ascent for beginner climbers) and the ten-day trek to Makalu Base Camp in mid-eastern Nepal. Lodges here are basic and you are literally off the beaten track so it’s wise to travel with a local guide or established agency on all these treks.
5.Adventurous escapades
Best for: Climbing, rafting, parahawking
Route: Kathmandu • Tibetan Border • Everest region • Pokhara
Why do it? Biking, rafting and climbing are some of the very best ways to experience Nepal’s incredible scenery
For Nepal’s widest selection of pulse-raising adventures, head a few hours from Kathmandu towards the Tibetan border. When you hear the screams echoing through the gorge, you know you’re in the right place: at Asia’s longest bungy jump (reopened in October 2015 after some post-earthquake renovations).
Rafting on the Bhote Kosi |
Nepal’s other big adventure draw is its mountains. Rock climbing courses are available on the outskirts of Kathmandu, but if you want to take that tricky first step from trekking to climbing your best bet is an organised ascent of a trekking peak, such as Island Peak in the Everest Region. After a few days’ training and acclimatisation you don your crampons for the full-day ascent. An eight-day trip will cost from £500.
Paragliding over Nepal |
Source:- Katuwalg
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