Travel within India would take
almost a lifetime but short side-trips to neighbouring countries like Nepal
and Bhutan are both possible and often prove an interesting extension of the
experience and sights of India.
Nepal Travel
The
kingdom of Nepal is bounded on the north by the Tibet Region of the People's
Republic of China, on the east by Sikkim and West Bengal and on the south
and west by by the Indian States of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Nepal
civilization stretches back thousands of years before the birth of Christ.
As the popular legend goes, the original settlers of the Kathmandu Valley
were the Kirantis, who were later succeeded by the Lichhavis who, in turn,
were succeeded by the Mallas. In 1769 the Shah Dynasty ascended the throne
of the unified Kingdom. The present King of Nepal, His Majesty King Birendra
Bir Bikram Shah Deva, is the tenth King in the Shah Dynasty. Nepal is a
country of amazing extremes. There is the world's highest mountain, Everest.
It extends over 2400 kms as a vast south-facing arc between the
Indus and Brahamaputra rivers with Nanga Parbat(8125 m) and Namcha Barwa
(7755 m) as its terminal high points. Fully a third or 800 kms of its
central section traverses through Nepal and is known as Nepal Himalaya. Of
the 31 prominent Himalayan peaks over, 7600 metres, 11 are in Nepal Himalaya
includng out of the world's highest giants. These are Saarmatha (8848 m),
Kanchenjunga (8586 m), Lho Tse (8516 m), Makalu (8463 m), Cho Oyu (8201 m),
Dhaulagiri (8167 m), Manaslu (8163 m) and Annapurna (8091 m). Kathmandu
valley covers an area of 218 sq miles. It is situated at 4423 ft above sea
level. Major tourist attractions in Nepal are:
» Kathmandu Valley : Machhendra Nath Temple, Hanuman Dhoka,
Durbar Square, statue of King Pratap Malla, Temple House of Kumari, The
National Museum Pashupatinath Temple, Patan, Bhadgaon (Bhaktapur),
Swayambhunath, Boudhnath, Changunarayan, Budhanilkantha, Gokarna,
Dakshinkali, Kirtipur.
» Outside Kathmandu Valley :
Daman, Dhulikhel, Gorkha, Kakani, Nagarkot, Pokhara, Rapti Valley (Chitwan),
Pokhara,
Bhutan Travel - the land of the Thunder Dragon
Bhutan mountain Kingdom is still perhaps the world's most exclusive tourist
destination. An unspoiled country with majestic mountains imbued with a
certain mystique; a unique cultural heritage preserved intact and with a
continuity of many centuries; an architectural style like no other; a land
of full of 'warm hearted and friendly people'.
Situated in the heart of the Great Himalayas, the world's mightiest range;
Bhutan is flanked on the north and north west by Tibet, the plains of
north-east India to the south and south-west and the hills of India's north
eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh to the east.
