From the medieval period to this Facebook world, tattoo has always been linked into the human skin. Indigenous of New Zealand used shark teeth, whereas natives from other continents would use sharp bones to penetrate the ink inside the body. This indicates two things: Tattooing is as old as paintings and it is a painful process, yet many people do volunteer for it. Several motives might be the encouragement to the practice of tattoo, such as attraction, to enhance the beauty, sign of identification, hidden messages, or to scare off the evil spirits. Continue reading →
Janaki Temple in Janakpurdham of Dhanusa District in central Nepal was built in 1911 and it is one of Nepal’s unique monuments. This stems not only from the fact that it is the birthplace of Goddess Sita, wife of Lord Ram, one of the most heroic gods in the Hindu pantheon, but also because of its interesting architecture. Continue reading →
The Panch Pokhari (Five Ponds) Path is a new trekking area in Nepal. Panch Pokhari (4,100 m) is located northeast of Kathmandu at the base of the Jugal Himal. The period from March to May is the best time for trek to Panch Pokhari. This place has cultural, religious, and ecological importance. An important festival, the Janai Purnima festival, is held here every year in August, when Brahmin castes come here for the ritual changing of the sacred thread (janai) they wear around their bodies. Thus, the five ponds (Panch Pokhari) are regarded as sacred ponds. Situated as they are at the base of the Jugal Himal, the ecology is pretty diverse and of considerable interest. The trek takes you through Sherpa and Tamang villages, so it’s something of a Nepal cultural trek, as well.
Generally, it’s a 10-day trek, the starting point being Chautara (1,200 m) to the northeast of, and about a five-hour drive by bus from, Kathmandu. To make it clearer, you’ll be going towards the Tibetan border. The region you’ll be trekking through is rich in scenery, second to none other trekking routes of Nepal. You’ll start experiencing a different kind of lifestyle immediately, that of the Sherpas and Tamangs, thus the Panch Pokhari trek is often said to be a Nepal cultural trek. After a night halt at Chautara, the next morning, you trek to Phusre (2,045 m), where you spend another night, and imbibe more of the local culture. Continue reading →
Most visitors on a Nepal tour limit their stay to Kathmandu and Pokhara. However, there’s a lot of adventure in other parts of the country, too. East Nepal may be a bit far from the capital, but it has some amazing culture that sets it apart, and yes, it has Kangchenjunga, the world’s third highest peak at 8.586 meters. The Kangchenjunga trek would be the ideal way to experience all this.
It takes part, on the most part, within the environs of the Kangchenjunga Conservation Area (KCA, est.1997) in Tapeljung district, which spreads out over about 2,035 square kilometers. Plenty of space, but it’s pretty sparsely inhabited; with Sherpas, Limbus, and Rais being in the majority their distinct culture and lifestyle could add to the charms of your Nepal tour.. Compared to the popular Everest and Annapurna regions, which tens of thousands of tourists visit every year, even a thousand going to KCA is a big deal, which means that you get to be an explorer. Besides Kangchenjunga, you’ll also see 10 other mountains that are more than 7,000 m tall. Wildlife includes red panda, grey wolf, snow leopard, blue sheep, musk deer, and Himalayan black bear, along with a variety of birds. The flora is diverse and includes some 20 species of rhododendrons.
A priest ties the sacred thread on the wrist of a women. Image: Reuters.
As is well known, Nepal has an abundance of colourful festivals. It may also be clear by now that all such festivals revolve around the different phases of the moon. Which is natural, considering that the Bikram Sambat calendar used in Nepal is also a lunar calendar. Continue reading →
The Living Goddess Kumari sat on her small silver throne, a look of curiosity on her pretty face. Her eyes sparkled, and it was obvious that she couldn’t keep still for long. She was dressed in bright red and orange finery. Continue reading →
“Welcome to Nepal, Land of Adventure.” This is probably one of the slogans that attracted you to go on a Nepal travel. Undoubtedly, there are plenty of adventurous things you can do around the country and many adventure trips you can take. Continue reading →
Sherpa leader helping other climbers to cross crevasse in Everest region.
It is not for nothing that the name ‘Sherpa’ has become a brand name signifying anything and anyone that is brave, hardy, trustworthy, and enduring. It is a reputation that has been earned the hard way, mostly for unbelievable feats high up in the lofty Himalayas. Continue reading →
A helicopter tour is generally quite an adventure, no matter where in the world you fly, but you can take it for granted that you’ll not experience a heli tour more dramatic than the Everest helicopter tour. Continue reading →
Dance performance during the Mani Rimdu festival, Chiwang Gompa, Nepal. Image: Rejselyst
Mani Rimdu is celebrated from the first day of the tenth month of the Tibetan lunar calendar (mid-October‒mid-November) to the nineteenth day of the month. This grand Buddhist festival takes place in Tengboche, Chiwong, and Thame monasteries of the high Himalayan region, and the god of compassion, Phakpa Chenrezig, is worshipped during the event. Continue reading →
