Three Anciant Kingdoms and Nagarkot:

For over four decades plus, Nepal has been an extremely fascinating destination for travelers, scholars, and researchers the world over. For tourists' who are into culture, the Kathmandu valley is gifted with the seven World Heritage sites. Just over a century ago, this valley was divided into three kingdoms and now contains numerous architectural monuments and vestiges of mottled cultural and religious traditions that would be just wonderful to behold..and this is where your tour begins & history begins to speak for itself.

The luxuriant valley of Kathmandu was once a huge lake where legends herald a hundred bards of which one unique tale says that in the middle of the lake was a brilliant flame emanating from a Lotus flower. People would come from miles around to wonder and worship this flame. A Chinese disciple Bodhisattva Manjushree, wishing to worship the flame more closely, sliced a portion of the hills with his sword; draining its waters and thus was the fertile Kathmandu valley created. Chovar gorge where the valley waters drain today remains the focus of this legend. In the years since, the Kathmandu valley has seen many dynasties come and go, each leaving their own mark on the valley's charismatic landscapes. Ancient feasts and festivals are in abundance that go back a hundreds of years in time & are still practiced till this day.

The Capital and home to Nepal's only International Airport is a buzzing pulsating place, although much like so many capital cities in the developing world, it has begun to show signs of congestion over the past few years, however, this hardly disturbs visitors from its mystery and celebrations of life. So much of history interwoven but paradoxically stands in good harmony with the modern Kathmandu. Ancient temples set in medieval landscapes sit side by side with Internet cafes. The Old blends with the new .Welcome to Kathmandu.Patan..and Bhaktapur...the ancient abode of the gods. The tour ext ends to Patan {city of beauty} as we visit the well known Krishna temple, famous for its ancient architecture. The city is famed for its wealth of Buddhist and Hindu temples with an abundance of bronze gateways to some of the world's most famous carvings. Patan is known for its skilled craftsmen expert metal workers. We go on to visit the cremation Ghats of Pashupatinath & the huge Buddhist stupa at boudhnath, known to be the biggest in Asia.

We then drive to ancient Bhakatpur, 14 kms east of Kathmandu and the least developed among the 3 ancient kingdoms that make up the bowl of the valley. The translation of Bhaktapur means 'city of devotees'. The most laid back town among the three, its narrow paved brick streets harbor hidden shrines & statues almost every nook and corner you hike into, you tend to bump into some relic or shrine that tells you a story of old. Bhaktapur is real famous for its wood carvings, pottery and cloth weaving and its erotic statues on durbar square will tell you its ancient kings believed in the art of Kama sutra. Some of the old traditions of old have changed a little over the centuries, but some still go back to prehistoric times. The tour also covers the fascinating Buddhist temple of 'swayambhunath' {or monkey temple}. The monkeys are real here, so watch it!! They can be a real headache. Make sure you have some bananas with you to appease them..or face the wrath of the monkey gods. The view from this temple is dazzling at dusk where the sparkling of the city lights in Kathmandu can be seen twinkling from this quiet hillock 350 feet above ground level. The trip culminates at scenic Nagarkot which is a one hour drive from the valley. Nagarkot is known for its natural beauty and is a virtual haven for honeymooners from around the world.


Trip Facts
Trip length: 4 nights / 5 Days
Activity: Sightseeing tour
Starts in: Kathmandu
Ends in: Kathmandu


Trip Itinerary
Day 01 - Arrive Kathmandu
Day 02 - Sightseeing in Kathmandu and Drive to Nagarkot
Day 03 - Drive to Kathmandu and Sightseeing in Kathmandu
Day 04 - Sightseeing in Kathmandu
Day 05 - Depart Kathmandu

 

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