Underrated Places in Nepal
📍1. Nagarkot, Nepal
32 KM from Kathmandu. Formerly the place of Nagorkot. This is the most scenic place of Bhaktapur. From where the spectacular Himalayan sunrise can be seen. Tourists travel from Kathmandu and spend the night in Nagarkot to watch the sunrise. Tourists especially visit Nagarkot during the spring season. Different types of flowers are decorated at this time. Here the name of the highest peak of the Himalayas is Panorama. Some other Himalayan peaks like – Manaslu, Ganesh Himel, Lengan, Choba Bhamri Gauri Shankar are clearly visible from Nagarkot.
The specialty of Nagarkot village is that it is located at the highest point in the world. People living in other villages of the world where they see the sky from the fields. There the residents of Nagarkot looked down and saw the sky. Just like experiencing the immense beauty of heaven. Apart from Everest, many peaks can be seen from here. Among them Langtang, Manaslu, Gauri Shankar are prominent.
As you move ahead, you can see very narrow waterfalls coming down from the mountains at different places. Chickens and pigs are roaming around in the backyard. Dry Maize and Aloo Bokhara (Peach). Children with red apple cheeks and slit eyes. Elderly woman in traditional Tibetan dress reciting mantra with a rosary at the door of the house. The sunset in Nagarkot is memorable. If there are altostatus clouds in the sky at the time of sunset then no question arises. The golden color of the snow peak and the blue sky all together create a look that will never be forgotten.
When To Visit: The best time to visit Nagarkot is from April to September. During this time the temperature never goes below 10-15 degrees. Again it does not rise beyond 23 degrees. But the time of December-February is very bad. The temperature drops to 3 degrees. The temperature never goes above 14 degrees. The daughter of the Himalayas, covered with a sheet of fog, was yearning for a long winter sleep.
Entry fee: An entry fee of 200 Nepali rupees per person is required to enter Nagarkot. This is only for SAARC countries. 100 Nepali rupees for Nepalese. At the same time, citizens of all other countries will have to pay 1200 Nepali rupees per person.
How To Reach: It takes one and a half to two hours by car from Kathmandu to Nagarkot. Starting from Kathmandu, crossing the Ring Road and passing through Talkot, the narrow winding road begins along the hill. Mountains on one side, valleys on the other. The road is towards the sky and rises above 2000 metres.
Shopping: Pashmina, woodwork, stone bangles, necklaces, earrings, yak bone items, Gautam Buddha statues in various sizes and shapes, Nepalese cookery are all here.
Where to stay: Nagarkot has some good quality hotels. There is no mention of Club Himalayan. The Himalayas are visible from almost all their rooms. It also has its own observatory. The cost is slightly higher. There are also mid-range hotels and private guest houses.
📍2. Ilam, Nepal
Himal Kanya is a wonderful tea kingdom of Nepal – Eelam. India’s Darjeeling is not far from here. Ilam is a border district on the Indo-Nepal border. The whole district is like a Japanese mural! Every house is decorated. At one point there was nothing on the balcony except a heap of flowering plants. But not the tub. In plastic bucket. Easily removable. Traveling from Siliguri to Eastern Nepal is not a problem. The tourist centers of Jhapa, Ilam or Dharan are few hours drive from Indo-Nepal border. People visiting Darjeeling, Sikkim can easily visit these areas. Ilam district Ka Kanyam is the only tea industrial area of Nepal.
(Underrated Places in Nepal)
📍3. Lumbini, Nepal
Lumbini is one of the tourist centers of Nepal. Pilgrims visit Lumbini as it is the birthplace of Siddhartha Gautama or Buddha. It is a small town in the South-Western part of Nepal. Archaeologically it has traces of 550 BC. This legendary place attracts scholars, scientists and curious visitors. Buddha’s mother Maya Devi gave birth to Buddha near a tree in the garden. A temple has been built there in his name. It was designed by Japanese architect Kenju Tangji. It is located in the middle of a small park.
There are ponds where Buddhists first bathed, Ashoka Pillar, ancient statues of Mayadevi, Buddhist temples, Thai monasteries and deserts covered with green grass. A large presence of Buddhist followers can be seen here every day. Presently, Lumbini showcases the art and culture of various countries. Temples have been built here for the religious followers to live. Every year on Baisakhi Purnima, thousands of Hindu pilgrims make this pilgrimage to worship at the temple of Mayadevi, the ruler of Lumbini. In Hindu mythology, Mayadevi is referred to as Rupadevi. Buddhist pilgrims come to Lumbini from early morning every day except Baisakhi Purnima and visit the birthplace of Siddhartha Gautama Buddha.
How to reach: Siddharthanagar, also known as Bhairahawa, can be reached by air from Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. It is situated at a distance of 22 km from Lumbini. Buses leave for Lumbini every 15 minutes from Bhairahawa. The last return bus is at 5 pm. Also, Siddharthnagar can be reached by air from Gorakhpur and Faizabad in India. It can also be reached by bus from Gorakhpur. It will take around 5 hours to reach Lumbini by road from Kathmandu.
📍4. Jamsam, Nepal
Jamsum town is located in the Mustang district of Nepal at an altitude of 2760 meters above sea level and on the banks of the Kali Gandaki river. This city is very popular for trekking. Trek from the banks of river Kali Gandaki to Muktinath Temple which is known as Jamsam-Muktinath trek. This trek can be done as a part of Annapurna Circuit trek. It is said to be the most snowy city of Nepal. It is believed that it is very close to the Himalayas.
The people here are very hospitable. More or less everyone understands English and everyone can speak enough to get the job done.
Attractions: Among the attractions near Jamsam are –
- Muktinath Temple
- Dhamba Lake
- Yak kharka
- Kali Gandhaki river
- Mustang Apple Orchard
- Deer Hill, Mustang
How to go: Pokhara by tourist bus from Kathmandu, takes around 8 hours, fare is INR 750. You can go by air from Pokhara, it will take around 20 minutes and the fare will be 80-110$. Or you can go to Jamsum from Pokhara by jeep or bus. If you go by jeep then the fare will be around 1600 rupees and it will take 9-10 hours. On the other hand, if you go by bus from Pokhara, it will take 12-14 hours and the fare will be around 1200 rupees.
You can directly go to Jamsam from Kathmandu. In such a situation, the journey will be a bit difficult. It will take 17-19 hours and the fare will be around Rs 1600.
📍5. Dhulikhel, Nepal
Dhulikel, which is about fifteen hundred meters high and contains five hundred years of historical monuments on the way to Tibet, is known as the Cultural Theme Park of Nepal. Dhulikhel is a great place to spend a whole day enjoying nature and the Himalayas. The distance of Dhulikhel from Kathmandu is 30 km. The height of the Dhulikhel range is about 5,500 feet. If there is no cloud then many peaks of Nepal Himalaya can be seen from here. Many tourists come here from Kathmandu and go out on the last night to watch the sunrise. Both sunrise and sunset can be seen from here.
After all these arrangements, there is river rafting on Khasrota Trishul river for those who want a little more thrilling adventure. Not only the beauty of the Himalayas, the town of Dhulikhel has many attractions in and around it. The townspeople are very friendly and hospitable. The old part of Dhulikhel town has many ancient temples – such as the Vishnu temple and the Kali temple on the hill.
How to go: Buses run hourly from Ratna Park bus stand in Kathmandu to Dhulikhel. The bus fare will be Rs.60.
📍6. Bhaktapur, Nepal
Bhaktapur was the residence of ancient kings. Bhaktapur city is located 15 km from Kathmandu. It was the ancient capital of Nepal. Nepal’s traditional Bhaktapur is locally known as Badgaon. The second name was Khaupa. The city is known for its museums of medieval art and literature, woodwork, metalwork and furniture. The city has a wonderful combination of Buddhist temples and Hindu temples. There are many religious temples here. The touch of ancient agricultural lifestyle is also found here. Local people still grow crops on most of the arable land in the Kathmandu Valley. Signs of this include straw hanging from the windows of local houses, some pots, and abundant agricultural implements.
Places to visit in Bhaktapur: West Tamudhi Toll Gate, Kumhar Chowk, Sindhdwar of Kumhar Chowk, Tamudhi Toll, New Tapola Temple, Bhairavnath Temple, Til Mahadev Narayan Temple, Darbar Chowk, Sensual Elephant Temple, Ugrachandi and Bhairav Murti, Pillar of King Bhupatindra Malla , Bhatsala Durga Temple and Teleju Bell, Raj Bhavan, National Art Gallery, Golden Gate, Chayasilin Mandap, Siddhi Lakshmi Temple, Phasidega Temple, Tadhunchen Behl, Tchupal Toll, Dattanarayan Temple, Bhimsen Temple, Tchupal Museum etc.
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