In the first part, we focused mainly on practical advice, but now let's go through the Kathmandu Valley, from where, in good weather, we can also admire the highest peak in the world - Mount Everest. The Kathmandu Valley was my first experience in Nepal, as I flew to Bhutan the very next day. Before arriving in Nepal, I was not familiar with the inDrive app, so I agreed for a very reasonable price for transportation with a driver who was waiting for us at the airport, and the very first stop in Bhaktapur was inspiring. Located at an altitude of 1,400 metres above sea level in the eastern part of the Kathmandu Valley, the city is proud to have the entire palace area inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, including the central royal square, or Durbar Square. The word Durbar comes from the Persian term Darbar and describes the court where the nobility met with the king or other high-ranking leaders.
Despite the still visible consequences of the devastating earthquake in 2015, we can experience all the grandeur of the square and the area with the Royal Palace, the gallery, the National Art Museum, the Golden Gate to the city and, of course, the Badrinath Hindu Temple, which flourishes in the very centre of the Royal Square.
Before saying goodbye, it makes sense to go along the parallel streets, where you can learn about a variety of traditional crafts, especially the production of ceramics, the production of the famous Nepalese "Gurkha" knives and "Thangka" paintings, which originate from Tibet and are performed on a cotton-silk base and mostly depict Buddhist deities or mythological scenes.
After a short wander around Bhaktapur, we drove to Nagarkot, which is located as much as 800 metres higher, at 2,200 metres above sea level, and from the tower there is a view of the highest mountain in the world - Mount Everest. Excited to see the highest mountain in the world, I eagerly awaited my arrival at Nagarkot, which is only 12 kilometres from Bhaktapur, but in the monsoon season it was only wishful thinking and so I had to content myself with the view of the Kathmandu valley all the way to the capital Kathmandu. I had to wait another day to see Mount Everest, when I saw it from the plane on the way to Bhutan.
A little disappointed, I walked from Nagarkot observing the nature and people going about their daily chores, until arriving at the Changunarayan Shrine and Temple, also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Unlike Nagarkot, I got there at the most opportune time, because a ceremony was taking place in the courtyard in which only women dressed in vivid colours took part. Unlike the holy places of other religions, where "non-believers" are often not even allowed to observe their rituals, here they were even happy to pose for photographs!
With the many participants of this ceremony, in addition to the visitors, there were also a lot of animals in the sanctuary, from goats to dogs and cats, and of course pigeons, which are obviously permanent residents of this sanctuary, as they do not act in the least scared, but rather domineering.
On the eastern edge of the Kathmandu Valley and only about 80 kilometres south of Tibet, at about 1,550 metres above sea level, is the city of Dhulikhel, which embodies coexistence between Buddhists and Hindus, and thus on the way to the Hindu Kali temple we meet a huge gilded statue of a seated Buddha.
But if we go to the Kali temple mainly for the beautiful view, the Narayan, Bhagawati or Harisiddhi temples, which are located in the city, are much more interesting, as religious ceremonies take place regularly in them, and they are always nice to see. In addition to the temples, the small town itself is also interesting, as it seems significantly more authentic and "less touristy" than those that have attractions inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
While wandering around the Kathmandu Valley, you slowly get used to the UNESCO signs, but in the small town of Panauti, the medieval architecture still surprises you. Panauti is one of the oldest cities in Nepal, that has many temples and monuments. This ancient city is located at the confluence of the two rivers Rosi and Punyamati. In addition to these two rivers, a third river named Lilawati also joins together to form a triple river junction called Triveni.
Until the unification of Nepal, Panauti was a small country that King Bhupatindra Malla gave as a dowry to his sister. The city was once a bustling trading centre during the era of kings and queens. This historical city consists of many Buddhist and Hindu religious monuments, making it one of the most important medieval cities. Here, tourists will often find colourful stones, flower petals and other objects laid out on the pavement, welcoming everyone with great hospitality. Since 1996, the city has been included in the provisional UNESCO World Heritage List. Among all the attractions in the city, the King's Square or Durbar Square and the Indershwar Temple should not be missed, and if you are in the city during the Panauti Yatra or Jay Punhi festival, which takes place in May or June, the experience of Panauti will be complete.
With the next day in mind and a trip to one of the most remote countries in the world, to which I will dedicate a special travelogue, I say goodbye to the Kathmandu Valley until the final chapter, where we will focus on Kathmandu with Patan and Lalitpur, which are three separate cities, but dividing lines we don't even notice between them.
In the next, third part, we will go on a road trip from Kathmandu and along the Trishuli River valley to the Chitwan National Park, the historical city of Gorkha, and to Pokhara, which is the starting point for Annapurna, and through many small villages that are not found in the tourist guides, but that doesn't make them any less interesting.
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