Central hills
Beyond the Kathmandu Valley, major roads head in three directions, and
many smaller roads branch off from them, making the central hills the
most accessible - though not necessarily the most travelled - section of
Nepal's jumbled, 700-kilometre band of foothills. To the northeast, the
Arniko Highway follows the old Kathmandu-Lhasa trade route through broad
valleys and misty gorges to the Tibet border; northwestwards, the
Trisuli Road snakes its way down into a subtropical valley nearly 1000m
lower than Kathmandu; and south, the Tribhuwan Rajpath , Nepal's first
highway, cuts a tortuous cross-section through the hills on its way to
the Tarai. If the scenery here is a shade less dramatic than what you'll
encounter further west, the land is nonetheless varied and rugged, only
partially tamed by defiant terraces. It's only when you leave the
Kathmandu Valley that you appreciate how atypical it is of this hilly
region.
The majority of places described can be treated as easy overnights from
anywhere in the Kathmandu Valley. The most popular are those that
involve mountain views and hill-walking or mountain-biking: Nagarkot and
Dhulikhel , with well-developed lodgings, are acknowledged classics.
Kakani is equally scenic, though short on accommodation, and Daman is
splendidly off the beaten track. These vantage points can't compare with
what you'll see on a trek, but they're worth visiting if you haven't got
time for a full-blown trek or you just want to get a quick dose of
mountain views, and they can also serve as springboards for longer
explorations. The Tibet border area, meanwhile, offers a whole range of
activities, thanks to the opening of a new outdoor adventure centre.
Although cultural attractions are relatively few outside the Kathmandu
Valley, Panauti and Nuwakot are among Nepal's most intriguing villages,
and all the more because they're so seldom visited.
Despite a relative abundance of roads, buses in the central hills are
slow and infrequent, and indeed few travellers brave them except to get
to the start of the Langtang/Helambu and Everest treks. All the more
reason to go by mountain bike or motorcycle, for the region contains
some of Nepal's most popular and rewarding biking routes .
Eastern Tarai and hills
As with the west, the eastern Tarai - the portion east of Chitwan - is
where Nepal dovetails with India. It's lusher and more tropical than the
west, but also less wild, more populous and more industrial. It's also,
if anything, more Indian. Although the foothills are usually within
sight, the main east-west highway sticks to the plains, where the way of
life is essentially identical to that of Bihar and West Bengal just
across the border; in many parts of this region, Nepali is the second or
even third language, after Maithili, Bhojpuri or other north Indian
dialects.
Most travellers only flit through here on their way to the border
crossings of Birganj (for Patna) and Kakarbhitta (for Darjeeling), and
outside these places you won't find a speck of tourist hype. The cities
are admittedly awful, but with one outstanding exception: Janakpur , a
pilgrimage centre that's immensely famous among Hindus but seldom
visited by Westerners, which provides all the exoticism of India without
the attendant hassles. Although large tracts of jungle are less common
east of Chitwan, bird-watchers can check out Koshi Tappu Wildlife
Reserve , straddling the alluvial plain of the mighty Sapt Koshi River.
What few visitors the eastern hills get tend to be trekkers bound for
the Everest or Kanchenjunga massifs, which rear up like goalposts on the
northern horizon, or rafters running the Sun Koshi. But while the
prospect of travelling twenty-plus hours by bus from Kathmandu puts most
people off, this isn't a problem if you're already in the eastern Tarai.
By turns riotously forested and fastidiously terraced, the hills are
great for day-hiking, even if you've vowed not to trek (but get a permit
anyway, just in case you change your mind). Two all-weather roads extend
into the hills, one serving the lovely Newar town of Dhankuta and
rowdier Hile , and the other Ilam , Nepal's tea-growing capital.
Buses make good time through the eastern Tarai on the Mahendra Highway,
and the completion of the Dhulikhel-Sindhuli Highway will soon make
getting to the east even easier. However, most of the places described
here are located on side roads, thus requiring various degrees of extra
toil to get to. Also, tourist facilities in this region are minimal to
nonexistent, adding to the difficulty (or adventure) of travelling here.
You won't find much Western cuisine, but the Indian and Nepali food is
wonderful. If you're cycling, many of the small bazaars en route can
provide basic food and, at a pinch, lodging. A phenomenon specific to
eastern Nepal is the haat bazaar , or weekly market, and it's worth
trying to coincide with one or two of these pan-cultural extravaganzas.
Kathmandu Valley
Once you've experienced Kathmandu, it should come as no surprise that
the Kathmandu Valley is not the natural paradise it once was. It's the
country's economic engine, after all, supporting numerous industries and
with a smoggy capital city right in the middle of it. Yet this broad,
undulating, fertile basin - so unlike the steep-sided hills that ring it
- still displays a unique combination of natural and man-made beauty.
Only a few miles outside the capital, traditional brick villages
maintain their rural ways, and the countryside shimmers in an undulating
patchwork of paddy fields - brown, golden or brilliant green, depending
on the season.
But above all, it's the valley's incredible wealth of art and
architecture that overwhelms visitors, just as it did the early
explorers: "The valley consists of as many temples as there are houses,
and as many idols as there are men," gushed William Kirkpatrick, the
first Englishman to reach Kathmandu, and generations of travellers since
have accurately (if patronizingly) described it as a "living museum".
Its geography is largely spiritual: most of its places are named after
gods, and many were literally put on the map by ancient myths. The
valley's one-time name, Nepal Mandala, recalls how for millennia its
pilgrimage sites have together formed a kind of gigantic meditation tool.
If most of these pages are devoted to temples and holy sites - there are
no forts, you'll notice- it's because religion is the best and most
fascinating window on Nepali culture.
Until two hundred years ago, this protected bowl was Nepal (and for many
hill people outside the valley, it still is). At that time, Kathmandu
was only one of three major city-states constantly battling for
dominance: Patan , just across the Bagmati River, controlled the
southern part of the valley, while Bhaktapur ruled the east. These
historical divisions are profoundly ingrained in valley society and live
on in distinct religious practices, festivals and even dress. The valley
can be divided into three sections, as much for practical reasons as
historical ones, since roads and transport developed out of the old
patterns of settlement.
The sheer density of sights in the valley is phenomenal. Hindu holy
places abound: the great pilgrimage complex of Pashupatinath , the
sleeping Vishnu of Budhanilkantha , the sacrificial pit of Dakshin Kali
and the hilltop temple of Changu Narayan are the most outstanding. If
Buddhism is your main interest, head for the great stupa of Boudha , the
centre of Tibetan Buddhist worship and study in Nepal, or the bahal of
Patan , the valley's most Buddhist city. For medieval scenes, try
Kirtipur , Bungmati or, best of all, Bhaktapur . For solitude and views,
hike up Shivapuri , Jamacho , Phulchoki or any high point on the valley
rim.
All of the places described are within day-tripping range of Kathmandu,
although in several cases you're urged to stay overnight. Some can be
treated as stops along the longer, multi-day routes.
Depending on where you're going, certain ways of getting around the
valley are definitely better than others - making the wrong choice can
kill an otherwise fun outing. A taxi is probably the way to go if you're
aiming for a specific destination, especially if the journey there is
along a main road. Negotiate for a return trip with ample waiting time
if your destination isn't one of the main tourist sites. Buses and fixed-route
tempos are obviously cheaper and bring you into (very) close contact
with real Nepal, but they're slow and uncomfortable. There are also bus
routes, and fares are usually just a few rupees. A bike or motorcycle is
best if you're touring around the rural parts of the valley and you want
maximum flexibility to stop and go. However, getting out of Kathmandu is
not part of the fun, so if you're cycling, consider loading the bike in
a taxi at least to get beyond the Ring Road.
The Kathmandu city/valley maps sold in tourist areas will probably
suffice for general sightseeing. For serious walking or biking, try to
get your hands on the HMG/FINNIDA 1:25,000 sheets for the valley - Maps
of Nepal, on Airport Road west of the Everest Hotel, is the main sales
agent, but some Thamel bookshops also have them. Failing that, there are
the excellent but dated Schneider map of the valley or other newer but
rather inaccurate versions, such as the one published by Himalayan Map
House.
Western Tarai
In a country best known for its mountains, the lowland Tarai often gets
short shrift. A narrow strip of flatland extending along the entire
length of Nepal's southern border - including several dun (inner Tarai)
valleys north of the first range of hills - the Tarai was originally
covered in thick, malarial jungle. In the 1950s, however, the government
identified the fertile southern plains as a major growth area to relieve
population pressure in the hills, and, with the help of liberal
quantities of DDT, brought malaria under control. Since then the jungle
has been methodically cleared and the Tarai has emerged as Nepal's most
productive agricultural and industrial region, representing 70 percent
of the country's arable land, accounting for more than half its GDP and
supporting about half its population. The barrier that had once
insulated Nepal from Indian influences as effectively as the Himalaya
had guarded the north, making possible the development of a uniquely
Nepali culture, has been replaced by the geographic and political
equivalent of a welcome mat. An unmistakable quality of Indianness now
pervades the Tarai, as evidenced by the avid mercantilism of the border
bazaars, the wearing of lungyi and chewing of betel, Muslim mosques and
orthodox Brahmanism, the heat and dust, the jute mills and sugar
refineries, and the many roads and irrigation projects built with Indian
aid.
Fortunately, the government has set aside sizeable chunks of the western
Tarai in the form of national parks and reserves, which remain as some
of the finest wildlife and bird havens on the subcontinent. Dense
riverine forest provides cover for predators like tigers and leopards;
swampy grasslands make the perfect habitat for rhinoceros; and vast,
tall stands of sal, the Tarai's most common tree, throng with what at
times seems to be the entire cast of Bambi. You'll probably only have
the time to visit one national park. Chitwan , the richest in game and
the most accessible, is deservedly popular, but if crowds bother you and
you're willing to invest some extra effort, check out Bardia or Sukla
Phanta .
The region's other claim to fame is historical: the Buddha was born 2500
years ago at Lumbini , and his birthplace - one of the four holiest
pilgrimage sites for Buddhists - is an appropriately serene place.
Important archeological discoveries have been made in Lumbini, at nearby
Tilaurakot and at several other outlying sites.
Four border crossings in the western Tarai are open to foreigners.
Sonauli is the most heavily used because it's on the most direct route
between Kathmandu and Varanasi, and fits in well with visits to Lumbini
and Chitwan, but it's horrible. Mahendra Nagar , at the far western
frontier, makes an adventurous backdoor route between Kathmandu and
Delhi, and takes you right past Bardia and Sukla Phanta. For a really
obscure international experience, you can cross at points south of
Nepalganj or Dhangadhi .
Bus connections to the Tarai from Kathmandu and Pokhara are well
developed via Narayanghat. The Tarai itself is traversed by a single
main road, the Mahendra Highway (the Mahendra Rajmarg in Nepali, also
known as the East-West Highway ), now paved all the way to the far
western border. Traffic drops off dramatically west of Butwal, which
makes for great cycling but potentially long waits for bus connections.
Internal flights , while expensive and not always reliable, can save a
lot of time; Nepalganj is the air hub for western Nepal, and there are
potentially useful airstrips in Meghauli and Bhairawa.
The weather in the Tarai is at its best from October to January - the
days are more pleasantly mild during the latter half of this period,
though the nights and mornings can be surprisingly chilly and damp.
However, the wildlife viewing gets much better after the thatch has been
cut, from late January on, by which time the temperatures are starting
to warm up again. It gets really hot (especially in the far west) in
April, May and June. The monsoon brings not only rain but mosquitoes,
malaria and leeches, and many roads become impassable at this time.
Western hills
The western hills are Nepal at its most outstandingly typical: roaring
gorges, precariously perched villages and terraced fields reaching to
unsupportable heights, with some of the most graceful and accessible
peaks of the Himalaya for a backdrop.
In this, Nepal's most populous hill region, people are the dominant
feature of the landscape. Magars and Gurungs, the most visible ethnic
minorities , live in their own villages or side by side with Tamangs,
Hindu castes and the usual smattering of Newar merchants. Life is
traditional and close to the earth, but relatively prosperous: the
houses are tidy and spacious, and hill women are festooned with the
family gold. The prosperity comes, indirectly, from an unlikely quarter,
as the western hills were historically the most important recruiting
area for Gurkha soldiers . It's an often-quoted statistic that Gurkha
salaries and pensions were, up until the mid-1970s, Nepal's biggest
foreign-exchange earner; in many villages here they still are, and
they're arguably the major source of development financing as well. Ex-Gurkhas
command the highest respect within their communities, and young men look
up to them as role models. They also speak English, happily, and
wherever you go there will probably be an ex-Gurkha to help you over the
language barrier.
History , too, figures prominently here, for the foundations of modern
Nepal were laid in the western hills. While the kings of the Kathmandu
Valley were building temples, the princes of the hills built forts -
many of which still stand - and it's the hillmen who rule Nepal today.
The chief destination here by far is Pokhara , a restful lakeside
retreat as well as Nepal's major trekking hub. On the way there, you can
detour to the magnificent hilltop fortress of Gorkha , the pilgrimage
site of Manakamana or the charmingly neglected backwater of Bandipur .
Beyond Pokhara, on the road to the Indian border, lies laid-back Tansen
and its picturesque countryside. All of these make excellent bases for
day hikes - which can be almost as rewarding as trekking, without the
commitment and red tape. Rafting on the Trisuli, Kali Gandaki,
Marsyangdi and Seti rivers also brings many travellers to the western
hills.
Two main roads cut a swathe through the hills: the Prithvi Highway (Prithvi
Rajmarg), running west from Kathmandu to Pokhara, and the Siddhartha
Highway (Siddhartha Rajmarg), which carries on from Pokhara to the
Indian border. These and three spur roads (to Gorkha, Narayanghat and
Baglung) are literally the only paved roads in this region, and they're
not always paved. Elsewhere, most journeys are made on foot - and you
don't have to go far in this area to appreciate how blurred the
distinction between "travelling" and "trekking" can be.
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