Pokhara is a quaint little tourist town which is not really in a rush to get up and get going any given morning. Tourism was a late entrant in Pokhara and till the 60s, the town was accessible only by foot. Most of the valley was meandering fertile fields which gave way for haphazard development. The Fewa Lake is the hub of all tourism in Pokhara. Commercial fishing is allowed in the lake which is a source of livelihood for many locals. Water from the lake is used for irrigation

The city lights and the sights had taken its toll. I was by now ready to give my right hand for some peace and quiet. You need peace? Then go to Pokhara! Nobody actually said it. But nevertheless, it seemed a good idea. Pokhara Valley lies close to 200 kilometres to the west of Kathmandu. By road it takes the better part of a day as the roads in Nepal are nothing much to write home about. Flight takes just half an hour and you arrive even before you get

The city of Patan renowned as the city of fine arts is five kilometres from capital Kathmandu. This city, also called ‘Lalitpur’ which means ‘the beautiful city’, is also the oldest one in Kathmandu Valley. With approximately 1,200 Buddhist and Hindu monuments spread across the city, including the durbar square, Patan is a World Heritage Site listed by UNESCO. The great emperor Asoka is believed to have visited the city in 250 B.C. and the majority of the inhabitants are Buddhists. A city renowned for the unparalleled skills of its

It is easy to be carried away by all the richness and diversity of the art and architecture of Nepal which has earned her the title ‘heritage country’. Honestly, I was getting a bit weary of it by now. But in a country with a landscape as varied as arid snow mountains to tropical jungles, with a multitude of ethnicities, limitless culinary spreads and a thriving tourist economy, the traveller is never at a loss for options. Backpacking was more a lifestyle than a mode of travel during its early

In Nepal, heritage is a way of life. The grandeur is spellbinding and legends come alive. A country of contrasts, where god and mortals live together, a treasure trove of architectural marvels. When it is an act of faith that made the whole country, it is no surprise that there are more religious monuments than houses. Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal and the largest city in the country, is believed to have been founded around 300 AD. However, real development in Kathmandu and surrounding Patan and Bhaktapur began only from