As the CoronaVirus(Covid-19) pandemic took the world by storm these past months every individual’s day to day life with various sectors such as business, finance, education, health, etc in the country all over the world is in a standstill. During this dire time, the Ministry Of Culture Tourism and Civil Aviation has planned to reopen all tourism-related activities including mountain climbing as the autumn season commences here in Nepal. Analyzing the current situation of the world’s economy, the Nepal government plans to minimize the losses to some extent by letting some business sectors run as usual by adopting all health safety measures. Since mid-June, the government had begun to ease the lockdown to lessen the economic fallout from the pandemic. The Nepal Government has also decided to lift the temporary ban on all international and domestic flights from August 17 in the country.
From the recent announcement as mentioned before, it has given a glimmer of hope for the stagnant businesses and everyday life to function. So, as the Autumn season commences and hopefully everything opens up you might be facing a dilemma where to trek to here in Nepal. We have put together the list of things you can do to get you started on your travel plans.
Go For A Short Trek
As it is evident that Nepal has some of the beautiful places to visit and is often referred to as the real “Shangri-La”. And after this pandemic, it is wiser to make the trek short for safety and precautions. So, this is the list of the best places where you can trek in a relatively shorter amount of time and still get the most of the trek and the environment one is in.
1. Poon Hill Trek
Poon Hill Trek is the most spectacular short trek in the Annapurna region. Poon Hill is a perfectly positioned, 3,200 m hill with a close-up view of Dhaulagiri and Annapurna ranges. The sweeping view of the Kali Gandaki valley wedged between two 8,000 m peaks of Annapurna and Dhaulagiri makes Poon hill the most surreal trek. The culturally rich trek with villages of ‘Pun Magar’ and Gurungs full of legends of famous Gorkha warriors. This is the most rewarding short trek in Nepal with easy access from Pokhara.
2. Sikles Trek
Sikles Trek- a perfect trip to explore the pristine lifestyle of Gurung villagers in the exotic landscape facing Mt. Machhapuchhre, Mt. Annapurna, and Mt. Lamjung.
Sikles Trek takes you to a beautiful village settled by the Gurung flourishes unique traditional lifestyle and culture. The trail is newly developed and takes you to the untouched mountain village lying in the shadow of Annapurna and Lamjung mountains. You will follow the narrow lanes flanked by the stones and enter a ribbon type traditionally built in the village of Gurung. You will encounter the well preserved Gurung culture and a traditional way of making handicrafts along with ancient water-driven flour mills.
3. Kalinchowk Trek
A Kalinchowk Trek is a short excursion trek in the hilltop viewing splendid Mt. Gaurishankar, Melungste, Langtang, Ganesh Himal, and many more.
If you have a short time and want some challenging hike, Kalinchowk trek would be the perfect one. Only a three days trek to Kalinchowk would be amazing that starts with a drive from Kathmandu to Eastern Nepal at Charikot. Enjoy the tremendous landscape, mountains, loving locals, and culture. An arduous ascent in clear weather will offer a breathtaking view of snow-capped peaks including Mt. Gaurishankar, Mt. Langtang, Melungste in the north with the pleasing sound from springs is really a great achievement.
4. Tilicho Lake Trek
Tilicho Lake is the highest lake in the world, situated in the Manang district of Nepal at an altitude of 4,919 meters (16,138 ft) in the Annapurna range of the Himalayas. Tilicho Lake Trekking starts from Besisahar, which goes along the Marshyangdi River, with great views of Manaslu and Himal Chuli to the east. This majestic Tilicho lake trek leads you to the fine village resided by a wide diversity of people from different ethnic groups, offering magnificent and majestic views of the white Himalayas.
Go For A Mountain Biking Ride
Nepal with the majestic Himalayas as a backdrop is the perfect destination for the more adventurous and thrill-seeking bike riders. It’s easy to see why mountain biking has become an attraction for travelers and locals alike. One doesn’t even need to go very far to enjoy the thrill of mountain bike riding. Kathmandu also provides a thrilling experience without having to go very far. As there are various cultural attractions as well as national parks that can be explored by bike.
Shivapuri National Park to the north of Kathmandu is a protected watershed and wildlife reserve that features a popular hiking trail you can explore by bike. The park contains several fascinating religious sites, including a Hindu temple with a giant statue of Sleeping Vishnu. However, the most interesting feature of the park is its diverse range of bird species.
A popular destination for mountain biking is the hill station of Nagarkot. At an elevation of 7,136 feet above sea level, the station boasts fantastic panoramic views of Shivapuri National Park and of 8 out of the 13 Himalayan ranges in Nepal and Mount Everest. Nagarkot is especially renowned for its sublime sunrise views. There are many hiking trails around the station where you can bike, including the Nagarkot Panoramic Hiking Trail and the Nagarkot Eco-Trail.
Take a tour of the Culturally Rich Cities And Valleys
Nepal, a popular destination for trekkers and mountain climbers alike, is vastly more than just a mountain climbing and trekking hub. It is also rich in scenery, wildlife, culture, and tradition. As it is inhabited by the people of two major religions i.e Buddhist and Hindu the streets of the city area are filled with Hindu temples and Buddhist monasteries. One can get to experience these sights by touring in various parts of the country. Apart from trekking and mountain climbing Nepal hides its beautiful tradition and culture in the cities which are old as time can tell.
1. Kathmandu Valley Tour
One can start off the tour with the capital city of Nepal as the city is filled with cultural and traditional diversities as every street greets you with historical monuments, temples, and monasteries mesmerizing the guests with its well preserved 7 UNESCO world heritage sites. Kathmandu tour is one of the most popular sightseeing tours in Nepal. As the living goddess of Nepal “The Kumari” also resides in the capital. A city where man and gods share the same road. The main attractions in the capital city are the Swayambhunath Stupa, Bouddhanath Stupa and Pashupatinath Temple which are holy monasteries and temples for the Buddhist and Hindu community alike. Apart from the crowded city areas leaving the beautiful temples and monasteries, one can also visit the fascinating surrounding countrysides. Located southwest of Kathmandu is Kirtipur, a small city on top of a hill towering the Kathmandu Valley. It will immerse you in traditional Newari culture and cuisine as well as mesmerize you with its famed Bagh Bhairab temple.
2. Bhaktapur and Patan Tour
Bhaktapur is one of the three major cities of Kathmandu Valley has retained some of its ancient way of life successfully. Bhaktapur gives a glimpse of the Newari culture and tradition that must have looked like during the medieval period. Bhaktapur has some of the exquisite architecture, remarkable wood carvings, and metal craft that can be seen around the city taking you back to the era of Malla Rule who gave importance to art like no other dynasty. As the pagoda style of Temples rises above the skyline, the pottery square and the Palace square where the devotees still celebrate their ancient traditional festivals and the vibrant temples are its major attractions. Speaking of attractions Bhaktapur has plenty of popular landmarks that need to be explored such as Talejubhawani Temple, Nyatapole, Bhaktapur Museum, Bhaktapur Durbar Square, Bhairabnath Temple, Potter’s Square, Dattatreya Temple, Golden Gate, etc.
Patan is also one of the three cities in the Kathmandu valley. It is only a 25-minute drive to the south and is much quieter and less hectic than Kathmandu. This city is made up of bahas (courtyards) which are connected to one another by narrow alleyways. The ancient monasteries, temples, and other monuments- some of which have existed for centuries- blend seamlessly into the resident’s everyday lives. Patan also houses some beautiful ancient art and wood carvings that predate time itself. Some of the major attractions of Patan are Patan Durbar Square, Patan Museum, Nagbahal, Krishna Temple, Golden Temple, etc.
3. Pokhara Valley Tour
Pokhara is situated at an elevation of 915m above sea level and 200m west of Kathmandu. The pure natural beauty of Pokhara is indeed one of the main attractions to visitors from all over the world. The joy of observing the majestic Himalayas, three peaks above 8000m from an elevation of below 1000m within a very close aerial distance is surreal. Pokhara valley is equally superb as they do elevated close-ups to the snowy peaks. The tranquility of Phewa Lake and the glorious Himalayas like Machhapuchhre (Fishtail) (6977m) and the five peaks of Annapurna range rising behind it create an ambiance of peace and magic.
4. Bandipur Tour
A newar settlement lying in the hilltop between Kathmandu and Pokhara is Bandipur with its age-old traditional flavor still intact. A town that has hardly changed through all the modernization and urbanization, Dumre Bazaar with its historical trail leads through pristine forests. Bandipur which is well preserved has its own unique offerings from rich hill culture, mountain views, and hiking. Bandipur is also great for hiking as it is surrounded by hills and hiking along the trails takes you through tribal villages, verdant forests, and hilltop shrines. Most of the inhabitants of this place are originally traders from Bhaktapur in the Kathmandu Valley who settled in Bandipur. Even if most of the inhabitants of Bandipur are Newars, predominant inhabitants, the Magar and Gurung ethnic groups also inhabit the hillsides growing rice, millet, corn, and mustard on terrace fields.
So Is it safe to travel to Nepal?
So, in conclusion, the question is, “Is it safe to travel to Nepal?”. It is right to be cautious about traveling to any country in the current situation. But regarding whether it is safe or not to visit Nepal it’s still hard to say. As nothing can be said until the vaccine is provided but until then safety measures are being taken to reduce the risk of contamination. Although tests are being conducted here on a daily basis to find the infected individuals still if not in large numbers there have been cases popping up now and then. But due to the quick actions were taken by the government when signs of the virus were seen inside the country due to which it hasn’t been able to spread like wildfire. Much of the cities have been operating as usual with some restrictions placed to prevent the spread of the virus.
To make the travel plans even safer we can all follow personal safety rules to avoid the spread of the virus .
- First and foremost before traveling to any country one should get thoroughly checked up via PCR testing and need to bring the certification proving one is not infected and has gone through the testing process.
- One needs to stay in quarantine for a minimum of 2 weeks before going on to explore any part of the country. And also needs to take tests here as well for precaution. It’s a safety measure that will be taken up by everyone due to the current pandemic.
- It would be wise to bring extra masks and sanitizers by the traveler themselves as it has become a necessary prerequisite.
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