"Nepal- An enchanting place" a Nepal Travel Page by mad4travel

Entering Nepal after a week in Northern India, you are struck by a number of contrasts. Firstly, Northern India is pretty flat hot and dusty whereas Nepal is green fresh and fertile. You find yourself winding up roads past gorges and over mountains and into the jungle.

The people are different too, they look different, have a gentler demenour than the indians and generaly speak better english.

Nepal is a much poorer country than India and have had some recent troubled times but the people have a quite dignity and friendliness that I really liked.

I was so taken by Nepal I returned within 6 months of my first visit and I'm sure I'll go there again.

My travels took me tiger hunting in the jungles of Chitwan national park (I didn't get to see any of course but I did ride on the back of an elephant which was good fun!)

On to Pokhara to see magnificent views of the Annapurna range (which I didn't see as it was foggy!)

Then an amazing drive up and up and up through steep valleys with terraced farming and raging rivers to the mad city of Kathmandu

The second time I came to Nepal I entered the country from Tibet. The scenery was amazing, deep rainforested valleys, lush foliage and a rather hairy road (don't look down and pray you don't meet a truck coming the other way!)

On the surface Kathmandu is a sprawling ,dirty, traffic ridden typical kind of city. However, visit the old parts -Durbar Square and you are transported back 500 years to a labyrinth of narrow balconied streets, temples and shrines. Get yourself lost and explore the area. All human life is there. Its a great place for people watching and you don't nearly as much hassle as you do in india.

Then visit the religious sites of Boudhanath and Pashupatinath, centres for Buddhism and Hinduism respectively.

Kathmandu was once locked into a bitter rivalry with nearby Royal cities of Patan and Bhaktapur and both places make interesting places to visit.

Stroll down the old hippie hangouts of Thamel and Freak Street and endulge in a bit of shopping (its oh so cheap!)