Nepal

Dear friends,

Nepal – known for Everest and earthquakes. At least that’s all I knew anyway.

Yes Nepal has earthquakes but it also has mountains, lakes, rhinos, crocodiles, elephants, tigers, temples and a living goddess.

It wasn’t until I started to research Nepal and talked to friends who had been, that I started to appreciate how rich in culture and scenery it was. Nepal has eight of the world’s ten tallest mountains, it’s home to the birthplace of the Buddha and is famous for its Gurkha history.

Nepal has two main religions, Hinduism and Buddhism – both have incredible temples and places of worship worth visiting.

In Kathmandu the most notable being Pashupatinath a scared Hindu temple complex dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is the oldest Hindu temple in Nepal and a place of pilgrimage, where hundreds of rituals are performed every day. In the early evening ‘Aarti’ takes place where loved ones gather to cremate those they have lost, on elevated platforms on the banks of the Bagmati River. From here the ashes will make their way to the holy Ganges in India. Hindus believe that being cremated at Pashupatinath will enable them to join the eternal path and be reborn as human in their next birth.

Swayambhunath ‘the Monkey temple’ soars above the city of Kathmandu accessed by a steep stone staircase. The entire structure of the stupa is symbolic: the white dome represents the earth, and the tiered structure at the top symbolises the 13 steps to nirvana. There are four iconic faces of the Buddha on each cardinal point staring out across the Kathmandu valley – a reminder he is watching everyone. Below the piercing eyes is the Nepali number ek (one) positioned as the nose to signify unity, and above this is a third eye representing the all-seeing insight of the Buddha. The base of the stupa is lined with prayer wheels all embossed with the sacred mantra om mani padme hum which translates ‘hail to the jewel in the lotus’. This symbolises the purity of body, speech and mind while rooted in the mud – a core ideal in Buddhist teachings. Pilgrims circuit the stupa spinning each prayer wheel, and making offerings of money and food to statues, much to the excitement of the macaques, which mob the temples.

One of the highlights from my time in Kathmandu was visiting the Boudhanath stupa one of the largest stupas in the world, 36 meters high it dominates the skyline of the city. The large white washed dome is the first thing you see as your plane lands into Kathmandu and indeed the last thing you see as you leave the chaotic and polluted streets of the city behind. Here you will join hundreds of worshippers, visitors and monks making their way clockwise around the stupa beneath prayer flags fluttering in the wind and the watchful eyes of the Buddha, which gaze out from the central gilded tower.

Kathmandu is fascinating but infuriating – there is beauty beneath the chaos of the traffic-jammed alleyways and heavy pollution, and you will discover many different hidden temples overflowing with marigolds. Make sure you head to Thamel for an amazing selection of restaurants, hotels, and shopping. When you’re exhausted from the crowded streets there is no better place to relax and reflect than in the serene Garden of Dreams. Field Marshal Kaiser Sumsher Rana created this quiet oasis in 1920; it was one of the most sophisticated private gardens of that time. Famous as the garden of the Six Seasons it contains pavilions, ponds filled with water lilies, pergolas, urns and statues.

The aftermath of the 2005 earthquake is still evident throughout the city, with many temples still yet to be rebuilt, and lots of buildings remain structurally unstable being held up by large pieces of wood or bamboo. Durbar Square in the centre of Kathmandu was hit particularly hard, many of the buildings collapsed and it is still in the process of being rebuilt. However it is still worth a visit to see the remaining temples, palace buildings and remarkable architecture. Here in the courtyard of Kumari Bahal, you can catch a glimpse of the living goddess herself! The Kumari is a girl selected to be the town’s living goddess and a symbol of devi – the Hindu concept of female spiritual energy.

Kathmandu is an experience that shouldn’t be missed – from its vibrant colours, sounds and smells. However after a few days here head out to explore the real Nepal. Kathmandu is a base for many travellers, it’s filled with trekkers waiting in anticipation for their mountain flight to Lukla as they brave Everest Base Camp or as they head West towards Annapurna, and exhausted travellers returning from their Himalayan adventures.

Having heard the rumours of Kathmandu’s ever changing weather and the almost daily delay in domestic flights due to low cloud and poor visibility, we ensured an early morning flight as we continued our journey. We made our way to Pokhara a city in central Nepal on Phewa lake. Pokhara is known as the gateway to the Annapurna Circuit and is the perfect place to relax before or after a mountain trek. It is famous for its mountain views, boats, adventure sports and food. Enjoy a leisurely few days exploring Lakeside Pokhara, hiring a boat to explore the lake or climbing the World Peace Pagoda for views out over the city.

Trekking the Annapurna Circuit takes at least two weeks, however due to our time frame we completed a small section of this – the Ghorepani Poon Hill trek (3,200m). It took 4 days but delivered breathtaking panoramic views of the Himalayan mountains including: Dhaulagiri, Nilgiri, Machhapuchhare and Annapurna itself. Because it was our first trek in Nepal we hired a guide who arranged transport from Pokhara to the start of our trek, our visas and pre-arranged accommodation in local ‘tea houses’. It is however easy to arrange this independently and would provide more flexibility. The routes are easy to follow and each village along the way has a selection of places to stay and eat.

You will follow rivers, pass waterfalls, walk through thick rhododendron forests, and climb hundreds of steps. Prepare to be overtaken by porters carrying huge loads, and watching them you will begin to truly appreciate the meaning of the saying ‘Dal Bhat power, 24 hour!’ – a basic lentil curry which fuels the nation. You will see the sunrise and the first rays of the morning sun start to melt the ice on the snowcapped peaks. Walking with my head above the clouds amongst the highest mountains in the world was one of the hardest yet most rewarding experiences I have ever had.

From temples, to boating lakes, to mountain tops. Our next stop…the jungle.

Chitwan National Park is home to rhino, deer, monkeys, crocodiles, and more than 500 species of birds. If you’re lucky you might see a leopard, a sloth bear, wild elephants or even a majestic Bengal tiger.

Before travelling to Nepal I conducted a lot of research into the ethical treatment of elephants and safaris in the national parks, this is where I stumbled across Tiger Tops Tharu Lodge. A family run lodge like no other, so welcoming that when your stay comes to an end you’ll feel like you’re leaving home for the first time all over again. It was one of the first lodges in the park, before the park was even established. Later when lodges were banned inside the park, it helped to create a buffer zone to protect the wildlife and locals and moved right outside.

At Tiger Tops Tharu lodge you can choose from a selection of authentic rooms or stay in luxury safari tents and fall asleep listening to the sounds of the jungle! They offer a wide range of activities and will discuss a personalized itinerary on your arrival. You can bathe, feed, cut grass and walk through the jungle with rescued elephants ridden by their mahouts. Or head out on safari with one of the incredibly knowledgeable naturists in search of tigers!

Tiger Tops have also worked with Swiss Air to fund a pre-school for local children from a multitude of different ethnic communities to prepare them for primary education in Government schools. It is well worth a visit to see firsthand the amazing work they are doing and meet the children; I wished we had come more prepared with pens or calculators to donate.

Tiger tops also own another lodge in Bardia National Park, which I would love to visit on my next trip to Nepal. Rumour has it that there is more chance of spotting a tiger here as the park only has one main water source.

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