OUTSIDE THE KATHMANDU VALLEY

Bandipur, a picturesque Newar town midway between the capital Kathmandu and Pokhara, is famous for its natural beauty captivating the visitor with its cultural appeal and one can enjoy a spectacular panorama of the entire Annapurna Range plus the peaks of Dhaulagiri, Manaslu and Langtang from here. A two-hour walk to the west of Bandipur takes you to Ramkot, a typical Magar village with traditional round houses.

Chitwan is one of the few remaining undisturbed vestiges of the Terai region, which formerly extended over the foothills of Nepal. The Chitwan National Park (932 sq km) harbours over 50 species of mammals, 525 birds, and 55 amphibians and reptiles, including the world`s endangered species: one-horned rhinoceros, gaur, Royal Bengal tiger, wild elephant, four horned antelope, pangolin, Gangetic dolphin, gharial crocodile, golden monitor lizard and python.

Janakpur is the centre of the ancient Mithila culture. It is the birthplace of Sita Devi, a Hindu goddess (also called Janaki). The centre of Janakpur is dominated by the unique Janaki Mandir, which was built in 1911 and is in many aspects reminiscent of islamic architecture. The human habitat here, in the nearby villages, will take you though their rich cultures and traditions.

Pokhara, a city in central Nepal, is one of the most popular tourist destinations. The breath-taking sights of Pokhara are the Dhaulagiri, Annapurna and Manaslu ranges, each with peaks over 8000 m with Machhapuchhare (Fishtail) being the prominent one; the serene lake – the Phewa Tal; Mahendra Gupha (cave); and the awesome falls (Patale Chhango or David`s Falls) where the water from the Phewa Lake thunders into a hole and disappears into nowhere.

Lumbini is the place where the Buddha as born. It is the place which should be visited and seen by a person of devotion and which should cause awareness and apprehension of the nature of impermanence. Lumbini remained neglected for centuries. Recently, several beautiful shrines have been built by devotees from Buddhist countries. A visit to Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha, is not only for spiritual enlightenment but also for solace and satisfaction that one gets in such a calm and peaceful place.

Tansen, quiet and pollution free, is a unique hill town with enterprising Newar traders and craftspeople and rich culture of the Magar people and other groups. The town is situated on the southern slope of Shreenagar Hill at an elevation of 1372 meters. With views of the Himalaya from Shreenagar and rich natural environment all around, Tansen is one of the most scenic places in Nepal.