This year for holiday leave we knew that going to the states was not going to be a possibility due to when it fell and the length. So instead where shall we go? Well there were a few criteria points. 1) beautiful landscapes 2)a true cultural experience and adventure 3) bang for our buck and 4) to NOT see loads of other Americans or military families on leave(just want to escape on a vacation). There are loads of wonderful options out there but in the end we chose : NEPAL!
Nepal is between India and China (just south of Tibet). It has never officially been ocupied though it has switched from a monoarchy to a state of democratic rule. Nepal not only hosts 8 of the 10 tallest mountains in the world but also hosts elephant polo. It has an incredibly diverse culture and extrodinarily welcoming people. They use the Nepali Rupee and the dominant language is Nepali (though there are various dialects depending on the region). The country is predominanty Hindu and Buddhist. Siddhartha's birthplace is actually in Nepal. Cows are considered holy not only becuase of Hinduism but it's the "country's animal". Tigers, bears, snow leopards, crocodiles and more.
They all roam free and there's a variety of landscapes from mountains to jungles to grasslands. They're a proud, friendly people with a colorful culture and beautiful landscape filled with adventure all of which we are so incredibly enthralled to be a part of !
Curious about all that we'll see? Here's our itinerary:
Day 1: Welcome to Kathmandu w/ a welcome dinner
Day 2: Kathmandu Valley Sightseeing . We'll visit Pashupatinath, Bouddhanath, Monkey Temple & Kathmandu Durbar Square.
Day 3: Go to Sundarijal and hike to Chisopani
Day 4: Hike to Nargakot
Day5: Morning sunrise at Nargakot and then off to Chitwan National Wildlife Reserve. We spend the night in the park.
Day 6: Explore Chitwan and the elephants there. Then off to Pokhara and boat in the lake.
Day 7: Go to Sarangkot for sunrise above the clouds. The afternoon in Pokhara Vallery and return to Kathmandu by evening for our last night and a farewell dinner.
We are VERY excited so stay tuned for photos in about 2 months :D
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