Nepali tourism industry has finally started spreading its wings after almost a two-year-long pandemic rattled the sector severely. The Immigration Department of Nepal has resumed visa on arrival for all the foreign travelers from Thursday, 23rd September, given that they have gotten both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine 14 days prior to it. On this auspicious occasion of World Tourism Day, we present to you 10 things to do while you’re in Nepal for a vacation.
1. Trekking:
Nepal being a land of the mountains, there are several mountainous trekking circuits available for foreigners. Nothing makes one feel more alive than the thrill of the high altitude, witnessing the raw beauty of the snow-capped mountains and feeling the chilly air against your cheek bones. Some of the most famous trekking circuits are:
2. Rafting
Depending on the time period, there are several places available for white water rafting in Nepal. The rushing rivers give you a thrill of a lifetime while you ride through the strong current and crash into waves. The main rivers known for white river rafting in Nepal are:
3. Bungee Jumping
As an around the world adventure favorite, bungee jumping has gained a lot of popularity both among the locals as well as the foreigners in Nepal. The Bhote Koshi Gorge has a span of 160m whereas, Kushma has a span of 228m making it the second-highest Bungee Jumping spot in the whole world.
4. Jungle Safari
Various travelers visit Chitwan National Park for its diverse wildlife and environment. You can go on a jungle safari on Elephants and travel the dense jungle on the lookout for rhinos, Bengal Tigers, sloth bears, leopards, deers and many more. There are more than 500 species of birds to be found here. October to February is the best time to visit Chitwan National Park.
5. Mountaineering
Now this one is much more adventurous, dangerous and time-consuming than the rest of the things on the list. Although the amount of foreigners who come for mountaineering is pretty low, this is still one of the best things a traveler can do in Nepal just because of the sheer number of peaks that Nepal has. So far there are 403 peaks that are officially open to climb while the rest of the 1,378 peaks remain yet to be opened, all above the height of 5,800m.
6. Sky Cycling
A recent popular addition to one of Nepal’s tourist attractions has become the YOYO Zipline and Sky Cycling situated in Ghyampe Dada, Ranikot, Bhaktapur. Foreigners will literally be cycling over a rope from one end of the hill to another, with all the safety precautions of course. There is however a weight limit of 75kg (165 lbs) because of the necessary safety measures that need to be taken for this adventure.
7. Visiting UNESCO Heritage sites
There are seven sites alone within the Kathmandu Valley that are counted as one as a whole which contains Pashupatinath Temple, The Living Goddess, Kumari, Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple, Boudha and many more. Any of these sites are enough to mesmerize a foreigner with the unique culture and tradition that Nepal has to offer. These are considered to be a must-do while you’re in Nepal for the foreigners if they truly want to witness and experience the Nepali culture first hand. Outside of Kathmandu, there’s Lumbini - the birthplace of Lord Gautam Buddha, Chitwan, Sagarmatha, etc.
8. Pilgrimage Experience
Statistics have shown that foreigners have been coming to Nepal from 2015-2019 mostly for pleasure and then for pilgrimage. There are several pilgrimage sites one can go to where they’ll be able to soak up the spirituality and understand in detail the way things are in various Nepalese religions as well as why. Some popular pilgrimage sites Nepal has to offer are:
9. Osho Tapoban
If you’re on the lookout for a spiritual escapade from the dull humdrums of your life, then look no further than Osho Tapoban located in the outskirts of the Kathmandu Valley. Started by one of Osho’s disciples in 1990, “tapoban” translates from Sanskrit as “a place of meditation”. There are a variety of meditation camps and workshops available here all designed for personal growth and a spiritual experience.
10. Leisure
The highest number of tourists that have been visiting Nepal have been coming in for the pleasure aspect, and in terms of pleasure, Nepal has a lot to offer. From the calmness of Phewa Lake in Pokhara to a town that never sleeps in Thamel, you can have it all. There are various places one can go to seek out anything they want in Nepal. If you’re a party animal then there’s places like Thamel and Lakeside Pokhara. If you want a retreat from the loud music and be in a more relaxing environment, you can always visit Basantapur, Patan or Bhaktapur inside the Kathmandu valley. You can find various art works in these places as well that can act as amazing souvenirs for foreigners to remember this tiny piece of heaven by, located in between two giants, China and India.
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