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Place to see
Sightseeing tours are conducted to places
of interest in Nepal and the Kathmandu valley which consists
of three cities: Kathmandu-the city of Glory, Patan - the
city of fine art and architecture and Bhaktapur-the city
of devotees; primarily to ancient religious sites of the
two main religions: Buddhism and Hinduism. The four cities
of the valley were founded at various times between 3rd
Century B.C and the 9th Century AD. They were embellished
by the Malla Rulers at the peak of their ascendancy in the
17th century. UNESCO recognizes core of all three cities
as International Heritage sites.
These sightseeing trips are generally
conducted on Full and Half day basis for 8 and 4 hours.
Kathmandu |
Patan | Bhaktapur
| Pokhara | Lumbini
| Tansen | Nagarkot
| Swayambhunath | Bouddhanath
| Pashupatinath
Kathmandu
Kathmandu the small mountain sheltered valley; the arrival
and visit point for the visitors is the historical and architectural
center point of Nepal, which was crowned, with the title
of "Capital City" after the great unification
of Nepal in 1768 AD.
Nevertheless its small size it has got
a bountiful treasure of spots listed in the World Heritage
Sites. The three Durbar Squares of Kathmandu, Patan and
Bhaktapur (3 districts of the Valley) are renowned to the
arena of tourism for being a masterpiece in art and architecture.
The old carved houses, narrow lanes, and frequently encountering
ancient temples and moreover adorned by the rare and attracting
cultures and festivals enlists Kathmandu as "a focal
destination" for sightseeing.
The valley forwards itself to the panoramic
views of the captivating Himalayas, sequestered jungles
and also to the exotic hiking corners.
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Kathmandu Durbar
Square (World Heritage Site)
This
one of the most popular tourist destination is enlisted
in World Heritage Sites. Clustered around the central Durbar
Square are the old Royal Palace (Hanuman Dhoka), numerous
interesting temples, the Kumari Chowk or Kumari Bahal (House
of the Living Goddess) and the Kasthamandap (House of Wood)
from which Kathmandu derived its present name. An inquisitive
exploration in the Durbar Square reveals the ancient art
and architecture of Nepal, which has proved to be a masterpiece
to everyone accepting its genuineness.
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Thamel
The most popular tourist destination of Kathmandu
lies 15 minutes walk from the center of Kathmandu. Restaurants,
hotels, lodges, travel services in a narrow and clean street
is surround by entertaining environment. Nightlife is one
of the major attractions of Thamel.
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Pashupatinath
(World Heritage Site)
Not only is Pashupatinath the most important Hindu temple
in Nepal, it is one of the most important Shiva temples
on the subcontinent
and draws numerous devotees from all over India each year.
Pashupati is considered to have a special concern for the
kingdom of Nepal. Pashupatinath, an ancient plinth, by the
banks of the holy Bagmati River, stands the 16th century
of Pashupatinath - Shiva, as Lord of all Creatures. The
old buildings on the site were destroyed by Moslem invaders
in the 14th century, its stone Linga smashed to dust, but
it rose again behind their retreating backs. Succeeding
monarchs reinstated the temple and the images. The flowing
Bagmati is a holy river and the Ghats (crematorium) at its
bank are the earnest Hindus truest cremation center.
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Swayambhunath
(World Heritage Site)
The
Buddhist temple of Swayambhunath, situated on the top of
a hill west of the city, is one of the most popular and
instantly recognizable symbols of Nepal. Geologists believe
that the Kathmandu Valley was once a lake and legends relate
that the hill on which Swayambhunath stands was an island
in that lake. Under the Mallas various improvements were
made and King Pratap Malla constructed the great stairway
to the stupa in the 17th century. From the flattened top
of the hill, the soaring central stupa is topped by a gold-colored
square block from which the watchful eyes of the Buddha
gaze out across the valley in each direction. From the platform
of the spot the splendid changing view of the valley could
be seen with the monkeys running here and there.
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Boudhanath
(World Heritage Site)
This is the largest stupa in Nepal and one of the largest
in the world.
It is a religious center for Nepal considerable population
of Tibetans and there a number of thriving monasteries around
the stupa which have their own self-importance. Bodnath
has always been associated with Lhasa and Tibetan Buddhism.
The first stupa is believed to be constructed some time
after 600 CE after the Tibetan King Songtsen Gompo was converted
to Buddhism by two wives named Bhrikuti and Wen Cheng Konjo
but the current stupa was probably built after the depredations
of the Moghul invaders in the 14th. Century. Stupas were
originally built to house holy relics or to commemorate
an event or place with a structure that symbolizes Buddhist
Beliefs.
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Patan
Patan is 15 minutes drive from Kathmandu. Lalitpur, the
city of beauty is separated from Kathmandu only by the Bagmati
River and
is the second largest town in the valley. Lalitpur is fragmented
from other cities due to its substantive architectural ancient
masterpieces. Patan is central Durbar Square is absolutely
packed with temples: it is an architectural center point
with a far greater concentration of temples per sq. meter
than in Kathamandu or Bhaktapur.
Krishna Mandir, which is one of the grandeur
of the square, was built in 1637 by the king Siddhinarsingh
Malla. The entire temple is constructed from the stone.
Golden Temple which is the unique Buddhist Monastery was
founded in the12th century which is a large rectangular
building has three roofs and a copper gilded facade with
the images of Buddha and Avalokitesvara where there are
Buddha images and illustrations on the walls. The square
has been unrestrainedly adorned by the Bhimsen Temple, Manga
Hiti, Vishwanath Temple, Jagannarayan Temple, Golden Temple
and numerous. Take the pleasure of discovering this Patan
Durbar Square, which has been entitled in the World Heritage
Site.
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Bhaktapur
Bhaktapur, also known as Bhadgaon or the city of Devotees,
is the third
major town of the valley and in many ways the most mediaeval.
Bhaktapur Durbar Square is much larger and more spacious
than Kathmandu and much less crowded with temples than Patan.
Bhaktapu Royal Palace was founded by Yaksha Malla and added
to by successive Kings. Unfortunately the palace suffered
great damage in the 1934 earthquake and its subsequent reconstruction
did not match its original artistry.
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Nagarkot
The place popular for a breadth taking sunrise and sunset
view lies
32kms east of Kathmandu city. It is one of the best spot
to view Mount Everest as well as other Himalaya ranges of
eastern Nepal. One can view different beautifully coloured
flowers in spring season. It is also the best place for
short treks, which can take you close to natures wonders.
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Pokhara
Pokhara is one of the imaginary realistic part of Nepal.
This is the second
touristic destination of the country. Pokhara stands at
884 meters above sea level, about 700 meters lower than
Kathmandu. The valley has three large lakes: Rupa Tal, Begnas
Tal and Phewa Tal.
Viewed from Pokhara, the Himalaya is
indeed a mighty mountain range, looming over the horizon
much closer than it does in Kathmandu. Only foothills separate
the town from the full height of the mountains, and the
magnificent 8000-meter peaks of the Annapurna Range utterly
dominate the view to the north. In the Kathmandu Valley
the high temples are all around you, in the Pokhara Valley
it is the mountains.
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Tansen
Tansen is one of the oldest Newar hill settlements with
a rich history
and a glorious past. Short excursion of the surrounding
if time permits. Tansen is a beautiful town located amidst
the grander of the surrounding mountains and is considered
one of the most beautiful towns in Nepal. This place is
modeled as a sister town of Kathmandu. All the important
monuments and temples of Kathmandu have been replicated
here. It is like being in a Kathmandu perched on a mountaintop
minus the noise and the congestion. Sightseeing here includes:
Visiting the Srinagar hills which offers the best view of
the western Himalayas in Nepal.
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Lumbini
(World Heritage Site)
Lumbini
(306Km. -east); this World Heritage Site is not only a place
of pilgrimage but also an international tourist attraction
where Lord Buddha was born, who ultimately got enlightenment
and preached his message to the world. The main attraction
at the Lumbini remains the Sacred Garden that is spread
over 8 sq. km, the Mayadevi Temple, Ashoka Pillar, sacred
pond, China Temple etc. A tour to this destination should
bring emancipation in one life, which is so pure, peace,
and prosperous to those who seek salvation from the filthy
activities practiced in the world.
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