The inner circle of Pokhara is surrounded by beautiful small green rolling hills whereas the outer circle on the north side is well guarded by the high mountains and the panoramic range of the high Himalayas. The village settlements and hill stations in the periphery are beautiful and pristine. Pokhara boasts of superb hill stations and sightseeing centers.
Muktinath is a sacred place for both Hindus and Buddhists located on the Muktinath Valley at an altitude of 3710 meters at the foot of the Thorong La mountain pass (part of the Himalayas) in Mustang, Nepal.
Within Hinduism, this temple is also called ‘Mukti Kshetra’, which literally translates as ‘place of liberation’. Muktinath is considered to be 106th among the available 108 Divya Desam (premium temples) considered sacred by the Sri Vaishnava sect. The Buddhists call it Chumig Gyatsa, which in Tibetan means ‘Hundred Waters’. For Tibetan Buddhists, Muktinath is a very important place of Dakinis, goddesses known as Sky Dancers, and one of the 24 Tantric place.
Upper Mustang offers a spectacular exploration experience in the remote trans-Himalayan mountain region of Nepal. Upper Mustang is also known as the Last Forbidden Kingdom because it wasn’t until the 1990s that tourists were allowed to enter the region. While in the region, one can admire the uniqueness of the tree-less landscape, rocky trials and views of mountains like Nilgiri, Annapurna and Dhaulagiri.
Lumbini is the holy place located in Rupendehi district where Buddha was born. It is surely the biggest pilgrimage site for Buddhists. Lumbini is extended in a large area including the Maya Devi Temple (main stand where it is believed that Buddha was born), Ashoka Pillar (erected by Emperor Ashoka), ancient pond, ruins of ancient monuments and palace and eternal flame. It also host numerous stupas and monasteries built by other countries with Buddhist population such as Thailand, Vietnam, Japan, etc. Lumbini is listed in the UNESCO world heritage site. Thousands of people visit Lumbini every year as a religious and historical site and to find spiritual connection with Buddha.
Chitwan National Park is the most popular hub for wildlife exploration, bird watching, jungle safari and research. Established in 1973 A.D., it is enlisted under World Heritage Site by UNESCO. It is the perfect example of how a particular ecosystem can be conserved without hampering the development and needs of adjoining locality. Only a 7 hours journey from the capital, it is a dreamland for nature lovers. Although this park encircles the pristine nature and landscape, the peripheral area has equally advanced hotels and lodges. One can never get enough of jungle walks, elephant safari, rafting tours and birds watching here.
When it comes to the natural home of Bengal tiger in Nepal, Bardiya comes first. Located in the Terai belt of western Nepal, Bardiya offers the greatest and undisturbed natural habitat. Similar to Chitwan National Park, jungle safari, elephant ride and Tharu culture are the major attractions. Besides these, gharials, crocodiles and fresh water dolphins can also be found in Babai and Karnali river. It is easy to get to Bardiya National Park because the east-west highway passes through it. It carries a great significance in a sense that Prince Harry and Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio have visited this place time and again.
The old kingdom of King Prithivi Narayan Shah, Gorkha is located 104 km east of Pokhara. It is the birthplace of Nepal’s unification process, which gave shape to the modern Nepal as well as the origin of the legendary Gurkha nomenclature. Four major river run through Gorkha: Chepe, Daraudi, Marsyangdi and Budhi Gandaki. It offers a beautiful view of the Himalayan range and includes special attractions like Gorkha Palace, Gorkhakalika temple, and a Newari town.
Manakama Temple is also located in Gorkha, on a distinguished ridge 1,302 metres (4,272 ft) above sea level and overlooks the river valleys of Trisuli in the south and Marsyangdi in the west. The temple is accessible by cable car service. The bottom station of the cable car is placed at Kurintar (258 metres (846 ft)) and the top station is at Mankamana (1,302 metres (4,272 ft)).
Dolpa is the largest district of Nepal covering 5.3% of the total landmass of the country. Dolpa region is a distant region of Nepal and the central point of this area is Shey Phoksundo National Park. The east and south of Dolpa are surrounded by the Dhaulagiri and Churen Himal range and to the west is the Jumla district. Trekking to Lower Dolpa offers you the remarkable and breathtaking experience of a lifetime. The notable features seen here are snowy peaks, ancient and remote villages, rich wildlife, lovely Buddhist monasteries and wonderful lakes. The people of this area are simple and warm-hearted with an enthralling culture and traditions. The traditions of this area are closely linked with the Tibetan culture.
Bandipur is a living museum of Newari culture, a beautifully preserved village crowning a lofty ridge above the highway stop of Dumre. Its winding lanes are lined with up with traditional Newari houses. Time seems to have stood still here, although it has taken a lot of effort to preserve the magic while developing the town as a destination. Bandipur was originally part of the Magar kingdom of Tanahun, ruled from nearby Palpa (Tansen), but Newari traders flooded in after the conquest of the valley by Prithivi Narayan Shah. The town was an important stop on the India—Tibet trade route until it was bypassed by the Prithivi Highway in the 1960s.
Tensen is the administrative center of Palpa district in the hilly region of the western Nepal. It is located in the highway, some 122 km south of Pokhara at an elevation of 1350m. It is a typical Nepali town with numerous fairs, festivals, and religious and cultural events. Tansen is one of the most beautiful hill station of Nepal. Nearby, Srinagar Danda (1525m) offers a panoramic view of the Himalayas. From west to east, the Kanjiroba, Dhaulagiri, Annapurna, Mansiri, Ganesh and Langtang mountain ranges can be seen. Other nearby attraction includes Ranighat and Ridi Bazar.
Nepal Association of Tours and Travels Agents (NATTA) — Gandaki Province is an umbrella organization that has gained the stature of political, non-profit making and non-governmental organiztion, and is allied to the central NATTA.
