Bhaktapur sees tourist numbers rise 12.6pc

Bhaktapur sees tourist numbers rise 12.6pc

The tourist hub of Bhaktapur received 290,891 visitors last fiscal year, up 12.6 percent year-on-year. Officials said neighboring India and China accounted for the majority of the visitors. Tourist Information Center Bhaktapur statistics show 32,647 more tourists visited the city last year compared to the previous year.

Bhaktapur

Bhaktapur is listed as the World Heritage Site by UNESCO for its rich culture, temples, and wood, metal and stone artworks. It is also one of the most clean and beautiful cities in the country and is a popular destination among foreigners. Indian visitors toped the arrival charts. The stats show Indian visitors accounted for 23 percent (64,375) of the total tourists, followed by Chinese 21.51 percent (58,859).

Damodar Suwal, tourist information officer at the centre, said Bhaktapur is devising a plan to allure more tourists by offering world class hospitality, rich heritage and clean environment. “Unlike Kathmandu and Lalitpur, tourists do not have to face sound and noise pollution here and we are committed to keep this city the cleanest,” he said.bhaktapur-temple

Cultural experts and historians say the flow of tourists is increasing as the city has been able to keep the century old chain of culture preserved. They say most of the tourists go to Bhaktapur to see the open museum, deep-rooted Newari culture and to observe and study Bhaktapur as Nepal’s Kingdom during the second half of the 15th century, ruled by the Malla Kings, said Om Dhaubhadhel, a cultural expert.

“There are events throughout the year, most of them Newari cultural events,” he said. “Besides, youths are also involved in preserving the local culture.”

Although Indians top the arrivals, officials say Germans spend the longer time. “Our record shows Germans are interested in the Newari language. Most of them were also working in the health, education and other sectors as volunteers,” said Suwal. The centre, a subordinate body of the Bhaktapur Municipality, charges Rs 500 to Chinese and those from Saarc states as entry fee, while for non-Saarc visitors the fee is $15 per person.

The municipality collected Rs 206. 06 million in revenue last fiscal year, up from Rs 163.78 million in the previous fiscal.

Source: ekantipur

Beautiful places in Nepal for your vacation

Nepal and Himalayas have been the synonym words for Nepal enjoys the pride of having 8 out of 10 highest peaks of the world! We don’t have only mountains but our unique geography has given us green hills and valleys, rivers, subtropical forests and flat lands all adding beauty to our country. Apart from geographical diversity, we have incredible cultural diversity within the boundary of our small Himalayan Kingdom. We have a number of ethnic groups, each with their own languages, cultures, and costumes, all living in perfect harmony.

The best way to experience unbeatable combination of natural beauty and cultural riches of Nepal is to walk through terrain. One can walk along the beaten trails or virgin tracks. Either way you are in for an experience of a lifetime. Along with rhododendron forests, isolated hamlets, small mountain villages, birds, animals, temples, monasteries (Gomba) breathtaking landscape of unsurpassable mountain ranges, you will also encounter friendly people of different cultures and traditional rural life.

The great Mountains with unsurpassable splendor, crystal clear streams and brooks, the high current of rivers, colorful species of flowers, birds and animals, abundance of greenery and forests with much more hidden beauty and mystery with unavoidable adventure and fun will be waiting for you.

Here are the best tourist attractions in Nepal you can visit:

Kathmandu:

Nepal’s Kathmandu Valley

Kathmandu is Nepal’s largest city and capital of Nepal. Kathmandu is situated in a valley in the heart of Nepal. Kathmandu is famous for many Buddhist temples and in it, mostly from the 17th century. One example is the Kathmandu’s Durbar Square. Buildings that are open admiration in Nepal as a tourist attraction was built in the 16th century, contains a marvelous royal palace and many temples built in traditional pagoda style.

Durbar Square. This complex of palaces, courtyards and temples like Hanumandhoka Palace, Kumari Ghar (Abode of the Living Goddess), Taleju temple, built between the 12th and 18th centuries, used to be the seat of the ancient Malla Kings of Kathmandu. An intriguing piece here is the 17h -century stone inscription set into the wall of the palace with writings in 15 languages. The Durbar Square, protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the social, religious and urban focal point of the city. Even to date, all the major state and social ceremonies, including the solemnization of coronations are performed in one of the courtyards in this complex. There are also museums inside the palace building. There is an entrance fee of Rs. 250 for foreign visitors. Your ticket to the Square entitles you to visit all the museums.

Chitwan:

Chitwan National Park

Nepal’s first & most famous national park, The Chitwan National Park covering 932 sq. Km is situated in the southern terai lowlands of Nepal. Widely known for one of the richest varieties of wild life adventures.Only 160 km from Kathmandu, 155 km from Pokhara & 160 km from the Indian border (Sunauli), Chitwan National Park is the best known safari park in Nepal .It is home to many species of animals such as the world famous royal Bengal Tiger, the great one horned Rhinoceros, 4 different kinds of deer, sloth Bear, Leopards, crocodiles, monkeys as well as many different species of butterflies, insects & over 450 sorts of colorful & endangered birds.

Even if you don’t get the chance to see all of these animals, the rich vegetation with dense forest, grassland & riverside areas will be worth walking through.
From Kathmandu & Pokhara comfortable tourist buses have daily departures to Chitwan. If you have only limited time, you can also fly to Bharatpur Airport which is only 17 km away from Jugle Wildlife Camp.

Pokhara:

pokhara1

The Pokhara Valley, a land of spectacular beauty crowned by the majestic Himalayas, conjures visions of calm but vibrant green hills. Loaded with luxuriant vegetation and dotted with shimmering lakes, the valley offers awesome vistas. Magnificent image of Mount Machhapuchhare reflected in the clear waters of the Lake Phewa leaves everyone spellbound. One of the Nepal’s adventure hubs, it has reputation of being the second home for the tourists worldwide.

The geographical studies reveal that centuries ago a glacier was formed in the valley. As the time passed, the temperatures steadily increased and the solid ice melted and formed a river that began flowing, cutting into the soil of Pokhara. The regular flow of glacial waters created several underground tunnels. Currently, most of these tunnels are dry and are found in the form of caves.

Lumbini:

lumbini (1)

Lumbini is the birth of place of Lord Buddha and has been declared as a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO. It is small town in the southern Terai plains of Nepal, where the ruins of the old city can still be seen. At the age of 84, he left this world with thousands of followers to keep Buddhism alive. Lumbini has since been a holy ground for Buddhists all over the world. The restored garden and surroundings of Lumbini have the remains of many of the ancient stupas and monasteries. A large stone pillar erected by the Indian Emperor Ashoka in 250 BC bears an inscription about the birth of the Buddha. An important part of Lumbini is the temple of Maya Devi. It has stone image of Maya Devi giving birth to Lord Buddha as she holds onto a branch.

An important archeological site near Lumbini, Kapilvastu evokes the ancient palace where Lord Buddha spent his formative years. Scattered foundations of the palace are abundant and archeologists have by now discovered 13 successive layers of human habitation dating back to the eighth century BC.

International Buddhist Conference in Lumbini

An international Buddhist conference will be held on November 15-18, 2014 in Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha in Rupandehi district, with the objective of preserving Buddhist culture and heritage.

lumbini (1)

Lumbini is the birth of place of Lord Buddha and has been declared as a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO.

The four-day conference is being hosted by Nepal Therawada Buddhist Academy and Sitagu International Buddhist Academy of Myanmar.

More than 400 Buddhist monks and scholars from 30 countries around the globe will take part in the conference, according to Secretary of the main organizing committee Bhikshu Nigrodh.

The conference further aims to motivate individuals who are interested in extensive study of Buddhist heritage and religion, Bhikshu Nigrodh added.

Source: Nepalnews

Indian kid successfully climbs Kalapatthar

Indian kid successfully climbs Kalapatthar

A five year and 11 month old Indian boy claimed to have set a new world record by successfully climbing Kalapatthar peak, some 200 metre above the base camp of Mount Everest in Nepal.

Harshit Saumitra, the son a famous mountaineer from India, reached 5,554 m high Kalapatthar on October 17.Harshit’s climbing team included his father Rajeev Saumitra and two Sherpa guides.

Harshit had embarked towards the Everest base camp on October 7, when he landed at Lukla Airport by a helicopter.It took the boy 10 days to reach the base camp, for which ordinary people take 7 days.

“I had taken special precaution for his safety and his health condition is perfectly sound,” said his father.Harshit was moving towards the base camp located in North-East Nepal at a time when dozens of people, mostly foreigners, lost their lives in the Himalayas, due to snow blizzard in North-West Nepal.

Everest-KalaPatthar

“We took two days’ rest at a tent on way to the base camp to protect from the blizzard,” Rajeev said.He has not shown any symptoms of headache or high altitude sickness during the climbing, despite his young age, he added.

“Jay Hind, India is the great,” Harshit said waving the Indian tri-colour after reaching Kalapatthar.The peak is higher than the highest peaks of three continents, Europe’s Mount Blanc (4,810 m), Antartica’s Vinson Massif (4,892 m) and Australia’s Punack Jaya or Carstensz Pyramid (4,884 m).

Harshit has set a world record by breaking earlier records, claimed his father Rajeev at a press conference in Kathmandu.The boy had broken the record set by seven-year-old Aryan Balaji, another Indian boy, who had reached the Everest base camp and Kalapatthar in May 2012.

Harshit’s father said that he will start the process of registering the name of Harshit for Limca Book of Records from tomorrow.”We will provide all the evidences including his birth certificate and the video clippings of the climbing,” he said.

“We are also considering to apply for Guinness World Records for our claim of setting a world record shortly,” he added.

12 Reasons Nepal Should Go On Your Vacation Bucket List

12 Reasons Nepal Should Go On Your Vacation Bucket List

1. The Annapurna Region
Nepal is home to the Annapurna Region which is known for having some of the world’s best trekking routes. There’s also the Lake City of Pokhara and shorter treks. The Annapurna Region compiles the wettest, driest, and windiest places in Nepal.

The Annapurna Region
2. The High Peaks
Seven of the world’s highest peaks are situated within Nepal. All of the peaks reach over 20,000 ft. You may not actually be on top of the world, but it will sure feel like you are.

The High Peaks
3. The Bird Watching
With over 856 known species, Nepal is a bird watcher’s paradise. That’s almost 10% of the world’s total bird population. Chances are you’ll see several birds during your stay.

The Bird Watching
4. The Multitude of Adventures
Nepal is the perfect destination for adventure seekers. They have mountaineering, trekking, rafting, wildlife safaris, hot air balloons, paragliding, bungee jumping, ultra lights, and more. Good luck choosing.

The Multitude Of Adventures
5. World Heritage Sites
Nepal is home to several UNESCO World Heritage Sites which further adds to the cultural charm. Make sure to check out the various temples, monasteries, inns, and more to experience Old World culture.

World Heritage Sites
6. Value for Money
Nepal is surprisingly affordable. This is particularly true if you compare Nepal’s hiking trails to others such as Kilimanjaro or the Inca Trail. With the food pricing, you could live off of about $10 a day. And you can find a decent, clean hotel room for about $18.50.

Value For Money
7. The Lakes
The various lakes of Nepal are known not only for their outstanding beauty but also for their spiritual importance. There are over 200 lakes in Nepal with glacier origin. Who needs the sea when you have all these lakes?

The Lakes
8. The Elevation Change
Nepal is the only country in the world where the elevation will change from 60 meters to over 8,000 meters above sea level. It’s quite the experience.

The Elevation Change
9. Diverse Cultures
Over 35 different ethnic groups call Nepal home. This means there are multiple religions, languages, musical influence, and foods. Nepal is a wonderful place to immerse you into different cultures and leave your comfort zone. And Nepal is the only place in the world where people worship the living goddess, Kumari.

Diverse Cultures
10. Nepalese Food
Although Nepalese dishes do result from heavy South Asian influences like China and India, the food is usually healthier with more lean meats and veggies. Other common ingredients include lentils, tomatoes, cumin, potatoes, yogurt, and garlic. And you can eat overlooking views like this!

Nepalese Food
11. Nepal’s Kathmandu Valley
The Kathmandu Valley is located in the foothills of the Himalayas and is composed of seven different “Monument Zones.” These zones include urban centers with palaces, temples, and the oldest known Buddhist monument thought to be built in the third century B.C.

Nepal’s Kathmandu Valley
12. The Serenity
Nepal has been regarded as a sacred place for hundreds of years. The tranquility of the area will have a positive effect on anyone that is able to experience it. The people, the buildings, and the land are all symbols of serenity. In Nepal, you can truly escape.

The Serenity

Source: buzzfeed.com

S Asian countries keen to close in on wildlife crime

S Asian countries keen to close in on wildlife crime
  • ANNAPURNA BASE CAMP TREK - 15 DAYS
    ANNAPURNA BASE CAMP TREK - 15 DAYS
    This trek is the one of best views of annapurna range, nilgiri , Dhaulagiri , Tukuche peak , Dhampus peak , Hiunchuli ,Machhapuchhre , Gangapurna, Lamjung Himal other many more greatest views of mountains you never seen before.
  • KATHMANDU-POKHARA-CHITWAN TOUR (BY FLY/LAND)- 07 NIGHTS 08 DAYS
    KATHMANDU-POKHARA-CHITWAN TOUR (BY FLY/LAND)- 07 NIGHTS 08 DAYS
    Nepal, the land of splendid nature and rich culture is waiting for you exploration through its different facets.
  • DAMODAR KUND TOUR BY HELICOPTER - 05 NIGHTS 06 DAYS
    DAMODAR KUND TOUR BY HELICOPTER - 05 NIGHTS 06 DAYS
    Many Hindus from round the globe are dreaming to take a holy bath at least once in their life time in the sacred Damodar-Kund
  • 08 DAYS 07 NIGHTS NEPAL TRIP:  KATHMANDU 3N, CHITWAN 2N, POKHARA 2N
    08 DAYS 07 NIGHTS NEPAL TRIP: KATHMANDU 3N, CHITWAN 2N, POKHARA 2N
    Nepal, the land of splendid nature and rich culture is waiting for you exploration through its different facets.
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    EVEREST BASE CAMP TREK - 17 DAYS
    Sagamartha (Everest) Base Camp trek takes us into one of the most spectacular regions of Nepal where the Sherpa culture thrives amongst the highest peaks in the world.
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    KAILASH MANSAROVAR YATRA BY OVERLAND - 14 DAYS
    Mt. Kailash (6714m) is the most sacred mountain in Asia.
  • KAILASH YATRA BY HELICOPTER VIA NEPALGUNJ/SIMIKOT/HILSA/TAKLAKOT - 11 DAYS
    KAILASH YATRA BY HELICOPTER VIA NEPALGUNJ/SIMIKOT/HILSA/TAKLAKOT - 11 DAYS
    Mt. Kailash, the sacred mountain and the abode of the Hindu god Shiva is one of the world's greatest pilgrimage destinations especially for Hindus, Buddhist, Jains and others.
  • MUKTINATH TOUR BY LAND/FLIGHT
    MUKTINATH TOUR BY LAND/FLIGHT
    Muktinath is one of the most ancient Hindu temples of God Vishnu.

South Asian law enforcement agencies have sought strong collaboration among member countries working to combat wildlife crime and vowed to streamline and standardize the legal policies of their respective countries. Concluding a three-day second annual conference of the South Asia Wildlife Enforcement Network (SAWEN) on Friday, the participants from member countries also endorsed its statute, but could not finalize a proposed action plan to combat wildlife crime in the region. Megh Bahadur Pandey, director general of the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC), who is also chief enforcement coordinator of SAWEN, said the members will recommend policies to their respective governments and organizations to make SAWEN more effective.

Stop-Wildlife-Crime-SplashAnimals-WWF

“The conference strongly felt the need for intra-country law enforcement initiatives through intelligence sharing on wildlife crime,” he said.

The SAWEN meeting was a milestone in bringing South Asian law enforcement agencies under one roof to share skills and experience in the conservation of fauna and flora, according to DSP Sabin Pradhan, a participant from the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police.

The meeting dwelt at length on poaching trends and illegal wildlife trade, and related threats to biodiversity within and across the countries of the region. It discussed promotion of partnership with relevant institutions for research and information sharing, training, capacity building, technical support and sharing of DNA fingerprints of the most-poached wildlife in the region.

Stop-Wildlife-Crime WWF

Over 50 participants from the governments of South Asian countries and international experts attended the meeting. SAWEN is an inter-governmental body of South Asian countries including Nepal, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. SAWEN was formally launched in 2011 in Bhutan. Its next meeting has been planned for 2015 in Dhaka.

Source: myrepublica.com