Buy Tibetan handicrafts and artefacts in the hugely impressive Bodnath Stupa, a centre of Tibetan exile culture, a few kilometres from Kathmandu. Alternatively, visit the lively bazaar in the hill town of Gorkha, the ancestral home of the Shah Dynasty and residence of the original Gurkha soldiers.
Go on an elephant ride in the Royal Chitwan National Park, Nepal’s first national park, which is a jungle overflowing with wildlife.
Take a scenic flight over Mount Everest. Most of the domestic airlines arrange flights in light aircraft. Flights are also available from Pokhara and other locations west of the capital, flying over the spectacular Annapurna range.
Go river rafting: Rafting permits are not required for the general areas; however, to raft the Himalayan rivers, a permit must be obtained from the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (tel: (1) 425 6228 or 6231 or 6232).
Go ballooning or hang-gliding in Kathmandu. Hang-gliding is popular in Pokhara and in the Langtang region. Paragliding and power paragliding are available in Pokhara.
Try to find the Nepal Yeti: the existence of the famous Nepal Yeti, a giant, gorilla-sized hairy snowman that eats yaks and sheep, remains strongly questionable. Only a few people, including the father of Tenzing Norgay (the first Sherpa to conquer Mount Everest), claim to have seen it. Popular myth recounts that those who did spot the creature got sick and died within a few days. For Yeti enthusiasts wishing to try their luck, the abominable snowman is said to make random appearances around the Khumbu region (in the foothills of Mount Everest).
One of the principal reasons for visiting Nepal must be either to see or to climb the mountains, especially Mount Everest, Sagarmatha ('Head of the Sky') in Nepalese. At an altitude of 8,848m (29,022ft), Everest is the world’s highest peak and has been opened for commercial mountaineering for decades. Note: To scale any of the mountain peaks in Nepal, climbing permits are required. They can be obtained from the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (see above) or the Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) (website: www.nma.com.np).
For walkers and trekkers, Nepal is a true paradise. The trekking season is generally from September to May, but the best periods are October to December and March to April. Some foreign travel agencies can book trekking packages in advance in collaboration with the Nepalese trekking agencies. In Kathmandu, there are many local officially registered trekking agencies that can provide a fully organised trek, complete with porters, guide, cook, food tents, sleeping bags, mattresses, transport to and from the starting and finishing points, flight arrangements, permits and insurance. Pony treks are also available and follow nearly the same routes as normal treks and are offered mostly in the western region around Pokhara, as well as in the hinterlands of Dolpo and Lo Manthang. Trekking permits are no longer required for the general trekking areas designated by the Department of Immigration (such as the Annapurna, the Everest, the Langtang and Rara). For all other areas, a permit is still required and can be obtained from the Department of Immigration located at New Baneshwar, Kathmandu (tel: 494 273 or 337) or via trekking agencies and tour operators. Trekking to Dolpa, Kanchanjunga, Makalu and Upper Mustang can only be undertaken through a registered trekking agency.
The Kathmandu valley grew up around four towns - each of which had their own Durbar (palace) so be careful when you ask for a taxi as they could take
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