MAVS WANDERLUSTT

48 hours in Nepal…
With window seat views like this from up and above, i surely got more excited to explore the city down below!

Typically, landing in Nepal, comes with the excitement of exploring the Mount Everest, but this trip was all about a quick 48 hours in the capital!

Starting early from Dubai, we made it to Nepal well into the afternoon, and with only half a day to begin with, as we expected it was quite packed with one place to explore after another and we began right away as we landed.

We headed directly to explore the Shri Pashupatinath Temple, which is a quick 8-10 minutes drive from the Tribhuvan International Airport.
It is a famous sacred Hindu temple complex, on the banks of the Bagmati River, which is about 5 km north-east of Kathmandu in the eastern part of Kathmandu Valley. The temple, dedicated to lord shiva is one of the seven UNESCO cultural heritage sites of Nepal and the complex is a mix of culture, religion and art.

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Moving on another 6 minutes drive away is the Boudhnath Monastery.
The Boudha stupa strikes out from far away with its golden shine, decorated with drawing eyes and the beautiful prayer flag draping all around. Its massive mandala makes it one of the biggest stupas in Nepal. As one must respect, in buddhism, you walk in clockwise direction around the stupa, absorbing the chants by tibetian monks and soak in the burning incense all around.
Located at the center of a bazaar type setting, the stupa is surrounded by shops, cafes and tibetian handicrafts. We walked into few stores and picked up some local souvenirs alongside indulging in some learning about the thanka paintings, which depict the teaching of buddhist deities, life and spiritual events. We particularly enjoyed the singing bowl therapy whose vibrations allow deep relaxation, stimulating stress relief and elimination of toxins form the body.

There are a couple of cafes and restaurants which give you a wonderful panoramic view of the stupa and the hustle bustle below.

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We ended the day with a chill night in the happening Thamel area. It is filled with bars and restaurants with amazing local food and live music nights. It is the best place to enjoy the nightlife in Kathmandu and definitely the right way to call it a day!
The food and drinks in Kathmandu are very economical and the must try dishes are – Momos, Thukpa, Butter Tea and Chatamari!
Winding up, we stayed at the beautiful – Babarmahal Villas. A very comfortable stay with a charming vibe.

Started the next day, bright and fresh as the Nepalese start the routine early.

Today’s agenda had in store for us the city of devotees – Bhaktapur.
Bhaktapur Durbar square, is almost an open museum of temples, roughly 13 kms from the capital.

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It is also home to the famous Nyatapola Temple, which is five storey high, standing proud as the tallest wooden temple in Nepal.
Bhakapur, suffered a great deal of damage during the devastating, 2015 earthquake and the restoration efforts are ongoing.

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There are also two pottery squares in Bhaktapur, with rows of clay pots drying up in the sun. Visitors can buy ready made pots or even get something custom made. The sellers are so passionate about sharing the creative process, it is easy to get convinced in trying to make your own too.

It was a rather hot day, so we decided to grab a juju dhau (yogurt prepared by Newars of Nepal) and head onwards to Nagarkot.

Nagarkot is situated about 32 kms east of Kathmandu at an altitude of 2175m above sea level. The panoramic views of the major peaks of eastern Himalayas including Mt. Everest, Manaslu, Ganesh Himal and other Himalayan giants can be seen. It is especially famous for sunrise and sunset viewing. Checked into the Hotel Country Villa and got some pampering massages to end the day.

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After waking up at 5AM the next morning, to experience the sunrise views, we packed up the adventurous 48 hours in Nepal and can’t wait to go back and see what more the country has to offer!