Explore The Beautiful Newari Town Of Bandipur

 This little town is slightly off the beaten track but well worth the effort to visit. Why? Because visiting is like stepping back in time in this living, breathing open museum of Newari culture.

The town was formerly a stopping point on the India-Tibet trade route, leading to glorious wealth. The subsequent construction of the Prithvi Hwy reduced the amount of visitors and ultimately its visitors. Since then, it has been partially restored to its former glory.

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Experience An Epic Wildlife Safari In Nepal 3

 If that’s not enough, have a true once in a lifetime safari experience staying at the 5* Meghali Serai Safari Lodge within the park.

NOTE | One thing you should avoid is the numerous elephant safari tours. As you know, Elephant riding is incredibly cruel and harmful to the animals, and just not cool in this day and age. If you’re unsure as to why riding elephants is wrong, read this post.

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Experience An Epic Wildlife Safari In Nepal 2

 The starting point for all Chitwan safari is Sauraha, a lovely small town on the banks of the Rapti river. There are heaps of safari options available from one of the many tour outlets in town, but we’d suggest either a jeep safari or dugout canoe trip down the Rapti.

On safari, you’ll have the chance to spot Rhino (we saw 15!), sloth bears, crocodile, including the endangered Gharial, monkeys and if you’re really lucky, the Bengal Tiger or Leopard. Unfortunately, each time we’ve visited we’ve missed seeing the reclusive Tiger, but it’s just reason to visit again, right?

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Experience An Epic Wildlife Safari In Nepal

 Not many people associate safari and epic wildlife encounters with Nepal, yet the country is home to one of the most beautiful national parks in the world - Chitwan National Park (and most successful - there were zero rhino poaching deaths in 2015!).

This former royal hunting ground in Nepal’s steamy southern lowlands is home to unique and incredible landscapes, and a safari here, in search of Tigers, Elephants or one-horned Rhino is one of the best things to do in Nepal.

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Backpacker Paradise, Pokhara

If you’re not a morning person, not all is lost! The lake is still a great walk at any time of day. Stop by one of the lakeside juice makers for a healthy pickmeup, or pop into a lakeside bar for a beer or two. 

There are also a number of Tibetan crafts vendors selling their wares by the lake if you’re keen to grab a bargain.

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Chill In Pokhara

 At this time of day, there’s a calmness around Pokhara that you won’t find anywhere else in Nepal, so embrace the chill.

We recommend stopping at the various lookout points overlooking the colourful paddle boats and forested slopes and watching as the locals fish, hoping to reel in one of the resident catfish.

Finish your walk in the north, where arguably the best breakfast and iced coffee in Pokhara (and all of Nepal!) awaits you at The Juicery.

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Chill In Backpacker Paradise, Pokhara

 
Pokhara’s iconic lake, Phewa, wouldn’t look out of place in Switzerland such is its natural beauty. And an early morning lakeside walk is one of our favourite things to do in Pokhara.

Starting in the south, slowly walk towards the northern shores, enjoying the epic mountainscapes of the Annapurna range as the early morning light illuminates their peaks.

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White Water Rafting In Nepal

 Although we would have loved to spend a day or more rafting along Nepal’s rivers, time only allowed a half-day excursion. But for those wanting to do longer rafting expeditions, there are plenty of full day and multi-day options from Pokhara - enquire with the guys from Paddle Nepal.

Bring adequate footwear for the rafting - either reef shoes or any closed toe shoe you don’t mind getting wet

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Zen Out And Practice Yoga In Nepal 2

 In our opinion, Pokhara is the best place to practice yoga in Nepal due to its picturesque lakeside setting and chilled vibes — and with a good array of studios offering everything from vinyasa to meditation, you’ll get the type of practice you’re after at affordable rates.

If you’re after classes in Kathmandu, Thamel is teeming with studios offering drop-in classes and long-term deals.

Dorothea Mackellar (to be continued)

Zen Out And Practice Yoga In Nepal

 We don’t get to practice yoga anywhere near as much as we’d like to these days, so any opportunity we get to practice on the road, we take.

Thankfully, Nepal is blessed with yoga studios, especially in Kathmandu or Pokhara - perfect to heal aching muscles post hike, or to participate in a longer term yoga retreat. Not only that, they’re super affordable, with classes starting around NPR 300 (USD $2.50)!

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Longest Canyon Swing In The World 3

 For four seconds we were in free fall.

It felt so outrageously exhilarating we didn’t know how to react when it all came to an end. There were tears, laughter, shock and a loooooot of swearing. But it was awesome.

While the tandem rope swing might not be for everyone, there are a range of awesome adventure activities offered at The Last Resort, including bungie, canyoning and rafting, making it the ideal place to tick off one of those adrenalin inducing items on your bucket list.

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Experience The Longest Canyon Swing In The World At The Last Resort 2

 Wanting to test our recently engaged relationship credentials (and of course try one of the best things to do in Nepal), we decided on the tandem rope swing. Before long, we were harnessed up and making idle chit chat amongst ourselves, trying to divert our minds to the impending end of our life.

As the moment drew closer, we both trembled with fear, while Mim searched for any which way to escape her harness and run off the bridge. She couldn’t, and we were summonsed to the ledge to begin our countdown. Fuck...

3, 2, 1…. JUMP.

We jumped.

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Experience The Longest Canyon Swing In The World At The Last Resort

 No one in their right mind would willingly jump off a 161m high suspension bridge into the canyon below, would they? At least, that’s what we thought until we did it for ourselves.

Located around four hours from Kathmandu on the Friendship highway that connects Nepal with Tibet is The Last Resort, an adventure lovers paradise located amongst incredible natural surrounds and is home to one of the tallest bungie jumps in the world (161m high), and the longest canyon swing in the world.

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Relaxing lakeside in Pokhara, Nepal 2

 We recommend stopping at the various lookout points overlooking the colourful paddle boats and forested slopes and watching as the locals fish, hoping to reel in one of the resident catfish.

Finish your walk in the north, where arguably the best breakfast and iced coffee in Pokhara (and all of Nepal!) awaits you at The Juicery.

If you’re not a morning person, not all is lost! The lake is still a great walk at any time of day. Stop by one of the lakeside juice makers for a healthy pickmeup, or pop into a lakeside bar for a beer or two. There are also a number of Tibetan crafts vendors selling their wares by the lake if you’re keen to grab a bargain.

Cruising Phewa lake is one of the best things to do in Nepal

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CHILL IN BACKPACKER PARADISE, POKHARA

 Pokhara’s iconic lake, Phewa, wouldn’t look out of place in Switzerland such is its natural beauty. And an early morning lakeside walk is one of our favourite things to do in Pokhara.

Starting in the south, slowly walk towards the northern shores, enjoying the epic mountainscapes of the Annapurna range as the early morning light illuminates their peaks.

At this time of day, there’s a calmness around Pokhara that you won’t find anywhere else in Nepal, so embrace the chill.

(to be continued)

White Water Rafting In Nepal 3

 Although we would have loved to spend a day or more rafting along Nepal’s rivers, time only allowed a half-day excursion. But for those wanting to do longer rafting expeditions, there are plenty of full day and multi-day options from Pokhara - enquire with the guys from Paddle Nepal.

THE DETAILS Where | Paddle Nepal, Pokhara

Cost | USD $51 pp, half day trip

Further information | Bring adequate footwear for the rafting - either reef shoes or any closed toe shoe you don’t mind getting wet

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White Water Rafting In Nepal 2

 For 1.5 hours we paddle our way down the class III+IV rapids, admiring the Annapurna mountain range in the distance and the peaceful, lush surrounds. Although the rapids are less ferocious than post-monsoon, they’re enough to really kick the heart rate into gear.

Our rafting trip ends by passing under a suspension bridge covered in colourful prayer flags, before a quick lunch, celebratory Coke, and a 20 minute drive back to Pokhara.

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#15 Go White Water Rafting In Nepal

Unsurprisingly, given the vast mountain ranges and glaciers, Nepal is blessed with raging rivers ready to be rafted, making it one of the most exhilarating things to do in Nepal.

The epicentre for most rafting adventures is Pokhara, where we joined Paddle Nepal on their half-day Upper Seti river white water rafting trip. Just a short drive from Lakeside, the Upper Seti provides a short but sweet adrenaline-filled rafting experience, and before we knew it, we were floating down the glacial river and approaching our first rapid.

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The Details For Paragliding

 THE DETAILS

Where | Sarangkot, Pokhara

Cost | Standard flight (30mins): NPR 7,500

Cross country flight (40-60mins): NPR 11,000

GoPro footage: NPR 1,700

BOOK| Book your Pokhara 30-min paraglide 

10.000 Nepalese Rupee equals 72,80

Additional Information | For safety reasons, you can’t take your own camera/GoPro on your flight so if you want footage, you’ll need to purchase it

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Paragliding In Pokhara

 Paragliding flights launch from Sarangkot, about 30 minutes drive from Pokhara. There are three flight times a day, depending on season and weather - 10:30am, 12pm and 2pm. The best flying time is around midday, when the thermals have become active and the flight the most enjoyable.

The 30-minute flight provides an initial adrenaline rush before a surprisingly calm glide back to earth. Floating above Phewa Lake and the surrounding mountains (with views to the Annapurna Range in the distance!) is wonderfully picturesque.

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FLOAT THROUGH THE SKY, PARAGLIDING IN POKHARA

 
If you’re going to paraglide anywhere in the world, then the lakeside adventure paradise of Pokhara is your place.

Rated as one of the top five commercial tandem paragliding locations in the world, Pokhara is blessed with the perfect combination of stable thermal currents, a safe take-off location and landing zone, and epic views.

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Everest Base Camp 9

 Soaking up the incredible views of the majestic mountains from above, this flight kicks off (weather permitting) from Tibhuvan airport before soaring over the impressive snowcapped peaks of Nepal.

The pilot will provide narration during your flight, pointing out the main peaks, and teaching you all about the spiritual significance of the revered Himalayan peaks.

The holy grail though, is the Everest fly pass, which will no doubt end in tears, 100+ photos, and major bragging rights amongst your friends and family.

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Everest Base Camp 8

 Bordering Tibet, Mustang’s desert-like terrain reminds of Mars, with high-altitude dessert’s and eroded badlands forming the area. It’s a mystical and culturally rich region less frequented by tourists, but hiking here is well worth the effort.

Hiking in Nepal is one of the best things to do in the country

Let’s face it, most of us are never going to summit Mt. Everest (even Everest Base Camp is tough enough!), but there is an alternative… the Mount Everest flight tour experience over the iconic peaks of the Himalaya, and of course Mt.Everest.

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Everest Base Camp 7

 Hiking through the unexplored parts of the Langtang National Park and deep into the Tamang hinterland. This trek is all about immersing yourself in local culture, learning about one of the oldest tribes in Nepal, the Tamang people, as well as witnessing some incredible Himalayan mountain scenery.

MUSTANG AND UPPER MUSTANG

If you speak to any local Nepali, they say Mustang is there favourite hiking area.

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