|
| |
|
OUTDOOR PURSUITS |
| |
|
|
Long a magnet for outdoor enthusiasts, Nepal (and especially
Pokhara) is now developing into a kind of big Outward Bound centre.
Operators are set up to offer just about every kind of outdoor pursuit -
not only trekking and climbing but also rafting, kayaking, mountain-biking,
bird-watching and more.
Many travellers come to Nepal specifically to try these activities for
the first time. And why not: if you're going to learn to climb or kayak
or mountain bike, why not do it in the most spectacular place in the
world for it, the Himalaya? Many packages are built around instruction
for first-timers, with all equipment provided. On top of that, prices
are quite cheap by international standards
Wildlife-viewing
Viewing wildlife in Nepal's Tarai is safariing with a distinctly Asian
flavour: the animals most commonly seen include rhinos, monkeys, several
kinds of deer and the occasional bear - tigers are spotted only rarely -
and the most fun way to see them is atop an elephant. Bring lightweight
clothes (neutral colours are best), a sun hat, swimsuit, sunscreen,
insect repellent, shoes you don't mind getting wet, and binoculars if
you have them. From November to February you'll also need warm clothes
and a jacket for chilly evenings and early-morning walks.
Chitwan National Park is the easiest of Nepal's game reserves to get to,
and the one most geared for budget travellers, although it's heavily
used. Bardia National Park and Sukla Phanta Wildlife Reserve provide
less touristed alternatives. Mammals aren't as easy to see in the hills
and mountains, most of the interesting ones being nocturnal or extremely
reclusive, but while trekking you might see monkeys, various small
rodents or (if you're lucky) goat-like tahr or blue sheep. Nepal is also
famous for its birds , which are best viewed along the Narayani River in
Chitwan National Park and in Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve; see also the
Phulchoki and Ilam (Mai Valley) pages.
Other outdoor activities
Canyoning - rock climbing and abseiling (rapelling) in and around
waterfalls - is a European sport that's just starting to catch on in
Nepal. Nepal has lots of likely canyons, very few of which have been
reconnoitred. The Borderland resort, located along the Arniko Highway
near the Tibet border, offers canyoning as one of its activities; it has
trained guides and a developed course with fixed anchors, and wetsuits
are provided.
A company in Pokhara arranges paragliding for experienced pilots, and
may soon start offering accompanied flights for beginners. Another
Pokhara operator does short piloted trips around the valley in
ultralight aircraft. Yet another company in Kathmandu offers early-morning
balloon flights .
Nepal occasionally hosts triathlons and marathons. These events are
usually staged by international organizers, so the best way to find out
about them is to check with clubs in your home country, or do a Web
search.
Organized sports
It's often said that Nepalis are a martial race. Certainly military
parade grounds are more common than playing fields, and the martial arts
are big among urban youth. Nepali athletes have placed well in
international karate and taekwando competitions, and many young men are
taking up boxing and weight training as well.
Cricket is enjoying a huge rise in popularity in Nepal, thanks to the
recent arrival of satellite TV. Nepal has no historical connection with
the sport, since it was never part of the British empire, but cricket is
broadcast incessantly on South Asian sport channels, and Nepalis are
quick to follow the lead of their southern neighbours.
Other team sports aren't common, though district-level football ( soccer
) teams often square off at the National Stadium in Kathmandu - check
the English-language daily papers for news of upcoming matches.
Basketball is beginning to catch on in schools. Volleyball, badminton
and table tennis are all fairly popular, since they don't require large
playing areas, and equipment can be improvised. Elephant polo is a joke
sport invented by and for expats, but the "world championships" each
December at Chitwan certainly make for a fun spectator event.
The big tourist hotels in Kathmandu have swimming pools and tennis
courts, and some of them allow outsiders to use their facilities for a
fee (usually steep). There's also a health club in Kathmandu, as well as
golf courses in the Kathmandu Valley, Pokhara and Dharan.
Adventure travel operators and agents
We've listed some of the most established overseas companies running
trekking, rafting, mountain-biking and wildlife-viewing trips in Nepal,
along with a few big sales agents. Booking directly with operators in
Kathmandu will save money but may increase complexities
Trekking
A hundred divine epochs would not suffice to describe all the marvels of
the Himalaya.
- Hindu proverb
Rearing up over the subcontinent like an immense, whitecapped tidal wave,
the Himalaya (Hi- maal -aya) are, to many travellers' minds, the whole
reason for visiting Nepal. Containing eight of the world's ten highest
peaks - including, of course, Everest - Nepal's 800-kilometre link in
the Himalayan chain puts all other attractions in the shade. More than
just majestic scenery, though, the "Abode of Snow" is also the home of
Sherpas, yaks, yetis and snow leopards, and has always exerted a
powerful spiritual pull: in Hindu mythology the mountains are where gods
meditate and make sacrifices, while the Sherpas hold certain peaks to be
the very embodiment of deities; mountaineers are often hardly less
mystical.
Nepal's trekking regions , as defined by the government, take in all
parts of the country more than about a day's walk from a main road - a
huge area covering nearly the entire northern half of Nepal, and
including not only the Himalaya but also large sections of the hills.
These regions span an incredible diversity of terrain and cultures, but
one thing they all have in common is that you need a trekking permit to
travel there.
Trekking needn't be expensive nor agonizingly difficult. Most treks
follow established routes where you can eat and sleep in simple inns for
less money than you'd spend in Kathmandu. Trails are often steep, to be
sure, but you walk at your own pace, and no standard trek goes higher
than about 5500m (the starting elevation for most climbing expeditions).
That said, trekking is not for everybody - it's demanding, sometimes
uncomfortable, and it does involve an element of risk. These pages are
organized to help you decide if you want to trek, and if so, how and
where you might like to do it. They are not, however, intended to take
the place of a trekking guidebook.
Rafting and kayaking
In recent years rafting and kayaking have really boomed in Nepal, with
many visitors coming to the country specifically for river running. The
reason? Big mountains mean big, exciting, scenic rivers. Nepal has some
of the best whitewater in the world - a few of the longer trips are
world classics, offering the experience of a lifetime - and rafting in
Nepal is incredible value for money when compared to other countries. So
if you ever thought you might like to try rafting or kayaking, then this
might be the place to do it.
A river trip is a wonderful way to experience Nepal. You actually see
more of the traditional countryside while rafting than you do on one of
the apple-pie treks, and in fact some of the remoter trips entail mini-treks
through little-visited areas just to get to the put-in point. Then
there's the sheer escapism of life on the river: camping on white sand
beaches, campfires under the stars, warm water (most rivers in Nepal are
at lower, semi-tropical elevations), green jungle-clad slopes, wildlife
and birds (bring your binoculars), and the tranquillity of being away
from towns and roads. And of course there are the thrills, laughter and
companionship that come from shooting rapids. It's also worth mentioning
that almost all rivers in Nepal are clean, and there are almost no nasty
biting insects on the beaches (mosquitoes are very rare).
Peter Knowles and David Reed
Peter Knowles is the author of White Water Nepal, and has spent sixteen
years exploring the rivers of the Himalayas from Pakistan to Bhutan,
leading many expeditions and first descents.
Mountain-biking
It's long been conventional wisdom that the best way to get around
Nepal, with its huge trail network and terrible roads, is to walk.
Nowadays, thanks to the increasing availability of rental mountain bikes,
route information and organized tours, you'll do just as well to ride.
Mountain-biking provides a more intimate experience of the land and its
people than you'll get through the smudged windscreen of a speeding jeep
or bus. Like trekking, it enables you to get to places vehicles can't,
but at a much faster and more exciting pace.
The sense of what's possible on a mountain bike in Nepal is expanding
all the time. Much of the country has yet to be explored on wheels: tour
operators and bike-shop gurus are continually pioneering new off-road
rides. Meanwhile, rapid road construction is creating new routes and
giving access to many others, making loops possible and producing an
exponential increase in the biking possibilities. On the down side,
however, new and upgraded roads bring more traffic, which is becoming a
serious problem in certain parts of the country, especially in Kathmandu.
The rapid pace of change also makes it hard for any guidebook to keep
up: what's fun now might be unpleasant by the time you get there, but by
the same token what's unridable now might be fantastic. Seek the latest
information locally.
A few hardy people come to Nepal specifically to tour the country - or
the subcontinent - by bike. Others join organized tours in which cycling
is the main event, or is an important mode of travel between other
activities such as trekking, rafting and wildlife-watching. But most
people who mountain-bike in Nepal do it only casually, pedalling around
temples and villages on their own or perhaps taking a more challenging
guided off-road ride. Many try mountain-biking for the first time in
Nepal.
Despite Nepal's Himalayan mystique, it's not all steep: the Kathmandu
Valley's slopes are generally easy, and the Tarai is just plain flat.
There are rides to suit all abilities. The longer and more scenic rides
do tend to require a high level of fitness, and there are monster
ascents for those who relish that sort of thing, but there are also
plenty of relaxed village-to-village rambles and downhill rides. No
special paperwork is required unless you plan to cycle in one of the
designated trekking areas, in which case you'll need a trekking permit.
It should be stressed that biking in Nepal almost always means mountain
-biking. A road bike is not recommended, even for the lowlands, because
of the generally rough or at best unpredictable surfaces of the roads.
|
| |
| |
|
