After spending a few days in India, I crossed the border and entered the quiet neighboring country known for its massive mountain peaks – Nepal. Sadly, I didn’t summit any mountains or do any real trekking this time around, but in ten days I was able to sample Nepal’s rural village life and also see the country’s two largest cities.
Some of the tour highlights included a visit to Lumbini – Buddha’s birthplace, the community homestay in Barauli, a jeep safari in Chitwan National Park, sunrise over Pokhara, and the Swayambhunath Temple in Kathmandu.
I took in a few extra days in Kathmandu after the tour ended and was fortunate to witness the city celebrate not only the Hindu festival Diwali, but also the Nepal Sambat New Year. The country is still recovering from the disastrous earthquake in 2015 and it was evident by the damaged buildings and rubble scattered throughout Kathmandu. Still, the Nepali people celebrated with intense energy that Nepal Sambat afternoon, and it was encouraging to see them proudly wave their national flags as they filled the streets with music, dancing and cheers.
Here are a few select photos from my time in Nepal:
