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roster of the highest mountains on earth, a repertoire of enchanting
cultures and exquisite
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temples, thick tropical jungles holding a wealth of wildlife,
thundering rivers swollen by the snows of the
Himalaya and most of all, the friendliest people you have ever met….
this altogether is the land of charismatic wonders, The kingdom of
Nepal.
The political, commercial and cultural hub of the kingdom,
Kathmandu Valley has long been a magnet to people, with it's
highly fertile soil, pleasant climate, and ancient holy sites.
Originally known as Nepal Valley and a separate kingdom in
itself,
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contains three fabled cities, each an artistic exposition of graceful
temples, elegant palaces, brick
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paved
courtyards and quaint streets. The
Valley has often been described as open art gallery, with thousands of
sacred shrines in the brick, stone, metal and wood scattered throughout
it.
In centre of the city is Durbar Square, a beautiful complex of
palaces, courtyards & temples, built between the 12th and 18th centuries.
This World Heritage Site is the social, religious and urban focal point of
the city. An intriguing piece here is 17th
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century stone
inscription set into the wall of the palace with writings in 15 languages.
The huge Swayambhu Stupa watches over the Valley from the top of a
hillock on its western side. It
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is one
of the holiest Buddhist sites in Nepal. From here one can have a terrific
view of the city.
Swayambhunath, one of the world's oldest Buddhist chaityas is also
listed as World Heritage Site.
The largest stupa in the Valley, Baudhnath Stupa lies about six km
to the east of downtown Kathmandu. It looms 36 meters high and presents
one of the most fascinating specimens of stupa design. This World Heritage
Site is also known as Khasti, or dew
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drops,
after an account that builders had to use dew to mix the mortar as
Kathmandu was suffering from a severe drought during the construction.
In existence prior to 400 AD, Pashupatinath Temple is one of the
most sacred Hindu shrines in the world. The richly ornamented pagoda
houses the sacred linga, or phallic symbol of Lord Shiva. Here |
devotees can be seen
taking ritual dips in the holy Bagmati River flowing besides
the temple, also a World Heritage Site.
Another ancient Hindu temple is Changu Narayan Temple, situated on
a ridge overlooking the Valley. Dedicated to
Hindu god Vishnu, it is one of the finest & oldest specimens of pagoda
architecture that is embellished with exquisite wood and stone carvings.
This World Heritage Site houses the oldest inscription
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found
in the Kathmandu Valley, which dates back to the 5th century.
Lying to the south of Kathmandu is Dakshinkali temple, dedicated to
Kali, Shiva's consort in her reincarnation as the goddess of
Destruction. On every Tuesday & Saturday, sacrificial offerings of
chickens & goats to the goddess Kali, is a rare sight.
Patan, another exotic city of Kathmandu Valley, is also known as
Lalitpur- the city of the beauty. It is full of Buddhist
monuments & Hindu temples with fine bronze gateways, guardian deities and
wonderful carvings. Listed as World Heritage Site, Durbar Square
here is an enchanting mélange of palace buildings, artistic courtyards and
graceful pagoda temples.
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A walk in the Durbar
Square of Bhaktapur gives a feeling of inner harmony. Such is the
art and architecture and the spatial layout here. The 12th century palace
of 55 windows with a Golden Gate inspires admiration. In front of the
palace building is a medley of temples of various designs.
One who is eager to have a close-up look at Nepalese craftsmanship should
not miss to visit the ancient Newar township of winding streets, Thimi,
famous for its pottery. The sight of potters giving shape to various
earthenware on their old wooden wheels is common in this rural settlement.
In addition to pottery, it has made a name for itself |
in the
age-old art of making colourful masks of various deities, demons, and
animals.
Free time in Kathmandu will definitely tempt you to go for shopping in the
colourful bazaar of |
Thamel. It is
one of the best places in town for silver jewellery, gems, metal statues,
Paubha paintings, garments, carpets, as well as Nepalese, Tibetan and
Indian handicraft. Tourmaline, healing quartz, and other semi precious
stones are some of the specialities.
For those interested in Himalayas an hour-long Mountain flight is
an amazing experience, which takes one on a breath-taking view of the
entire Nepal Himalayan range including the Mount Everest. |
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USEFUL INFORMATION |
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Getting there &
away |
The Royal Nepal
Airlines (RA), the national flag carrier of Nepal, connects Kathmandu
with Bangkok, Kolkata, Delhi, Dubai, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, London,
Mumbai, Osaka, Paris, Shanghai and Singapore. All the major
International airlines also operate to/from Kathmandu. |
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Further Connections |
Chitwan, Pokhara,
Dhulikhel, Nagarkot |
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Foreign Nationals |
A visa is required
to enter Nepal for all except for Indian Passport holders. |
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Custom
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1. |
Only dutiable
goods are allowed to bring in the country. |
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2. |
Visitors can
export souvenirs to their countries. The export of antiques
requires special certificate from the Department of Archeology,
Kathmandu. |
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3. |
Gold, Silver,
precious stones, wild animals and their skins, horns, etc, all
drugs whether processed or in their natural state, are prohibited
to export. |
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Climate |
Warm summers & cool
winters. Average temperature in Kathmandu ranges from 2 to 28 degrees
Celsius. The rainy season lasts from June to August. |
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Outfits
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Except in formal
gatherings, informal clothes are acceptable everywhere. Warm clothes
are required from October till March. An umbrella or a raincoat is a
must for the rainy season. |
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Time Zone |
Nepal time is 5
hours 45 minutes ahead of GMT and 15 minutes ahead of Indian Standard
Time. |
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Language |
Nepali (official),
although over 20 distinct languages are also spoken with English also
widely understood. |
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Unit of Currency |
Rupee |
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TOURS TO KATHMANDU |
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