Mount Everest

Mt.Everest is the highest peak in the world. Nepal is also known as Mt.Everest country. It lies in the eastern region of Nepal. Its height is 8848m from the sea level. Its Nepali name is Sagarmatha. Most of the foreigners would like to visit the Sagarmatha located area.

Everybody has heard of Mount Everest and few dared to even climb it because it is the highest mountain. It has a height of 8,848 meters. In the 19th century, the Great Trigonometric Survey of India was the first that tried to measure the height of the Mount Everest. The Royal Geographical Society was the one that give this name to the peak, after one of its predecessor ruler.

If you want to climb the Mount Everest there are several trails available, some of them are easy or some are more difficult. Many climbers come every year and try to succeed. But this is not easy, because many of them get ill because of the altitude. The cold weather makes many victims, and the wind is not easy to bear. K2 I, the most difficult trail and normal climbers need to be accompanied by a professional mountain guide. This professional mountain guide costs pretty much. The people from Nepal many most of their many from tourism, for example any climber need to obtain a permit that may cost even $20 000.

Most of the untrained climbers have problems in the “death zone”. This area is situated where the mountain has more than 8000 meters height. If they are not careful how they are equipped, the climbers may suffer frostbite on the extremities of their body, because the temperatures can get very low. On this part of the trails snow and ice is available, so the tourists may slip and fall. The winds also make many problems to the climbers. Because of the atmospheric pressure the oxygen level in the air is low and cause also problems to the tourists that managed to get thru this zone. This is why it is better that climbers use supplementary oxygen, with some special masks and bottled oxygen. In 1922 was the first time that some climbers succeeded to climb the Mount Everest with the help of bottled oxygen.

The flora and fauna is poor on this mount, because of its high altitude. Some species of birds have been seen here, as for example the Bar-headed Goose and Chough.

It is interesting to know that the tibetansdon’t name this peak Mount Everest (named by the British after George Everest), but instead they have their own name, they call it Chomolangma. They consider this mount as being holy and maybe this is why for so many years they didn’t want any strangers to climb it.

First successful ascent by Tenzing and Hillary

In 1953, a ninth British expedition, led by John Hunt, returned to Nepal. Hunt selected two climbing pairs to attempt to reach the summit. The first pair (Tom Bourdillon and Charles Evans) came within 100 m (300 feet) of the summit on 26 May 1953, but turned back after running into oxygen problems. As planned, their work in route finding and breaking trail and their caches of extra oxygen were of great aid to the following pair. Two days later, the expedition made its second and final assault on the summit with its second climbing pair, the New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, a Nepali sherpa climber. They reached the summit at 11:30 a.m. local time on 29 May 1953 via the South Col Route. At the time, both acknowledged it as a team effort by the whole expedition, but Tenzing revealed a few years later that Hillary had put his foot on the summit first. They paused at the summit to take photographs and buried a few sweets and a small cross in the snow before descending.

News of the expedition's success reached London on the morning of Queen Elizabeth II's coronation, 2 June. Returning to Kathmandu a few days later, Hunt (a Briton) and Hillary (a New Zealander) discovered that they had been promptly knighted in the Order of the British Empire, a KBE, for the ascent. Tenzing (a subject of the King of Nepal) was granted the George Medal by the UK. Hunt was ultimately made a life peer in Britain, while Hillary became a founding member of the Order of New Zealand. Hillary and Tenzing are also nationally recognized in Nepal, where annual ceremonies in schools and offices celebrate their accomplishment.

Pokhara Travel

Pokhara is the most beautiful of city of Nepal. It is located in western region of Nepal. It is about 200km far from the capital city, Kathmandu, of Nepal. All most all the visitors who come to Nepal want to visit Pokhara city and would like to sink in the pond of nature in Pokhara. Whatever I write about Pokhara, the value of the Pokhara will always less than its fame all over the world. Pokhara is rich in the context of nature. If you are in tension, you will be happy and your tension goes away. Nepal is a mountainous country. It is surrounded by mountains and hilly areas. It is a small and peaceful country in south Asia. It lies between China and India.

Means to go Pokhara City:                        

Pokhara City

Means to go Pokhara are:                      

   1.  By Bus

   2. By Plane

By Bus: If you are international tourist/visitors, you will arrive first in international airport that lies in the capital city of Nepal, Kathmandu. In your schedule, there might be moving/visiting Kathmandu. If you like to reach Pokhara by bus, this is the cheap way. Travelling by bus will experience you the geographical scenes with its beauties. While you visit by bus, you can see all the scenes until you arrive at Prithivi Chowk, Pokhara. It takes about 5 hours to travel by bus from Kathmandu to Pokhara. The cost visiting by bus is about Rs500 ($5.56).

By Plane: If you are going to travel by plane for Pokhara from international airport, Kathmandu, it will be quite expensive than travelling by bus. Travelling by plane will take few minutes to arrive at the airport of Pokhara. It takes about 25 minutes to arrive in Pokhara by plane. When you travel by Plane, it will cost about Rs4000 ($44.5). In busy hour, travelling cost by Plane might be slightly greater than that (about $50). When you arrive, you are now ready to enjoy with the nature of Pokhara. 

Places to visit Pokhara

Beautiful places to be visited in Pokhara are listed below:

1.  Lake Fewa / Fewa Lake 
2. International Mountain Museum 
3. Davis Fall 
4. Chinese Gumba ( World Peace Stupa) 
5. Sarankot 
6.  Lake Begnas  
7. Lake Rupa 
8. Mahendra Cave 
9. Bat Cave 
10. Gupteshwor Cave 
11. Bindavaashini Temple 
12. Pokhara Museum 
13. Annapurna Museum 
14. Hotels/Restaurant/Guest House

 Lake Fewa

Lake Fewa

The Fewa (or Phewa Tal in Nepali) Lake is the most beautiful scene of Pokhara city. The picture of Fewa Lake is shown above. It is about 1.5 kilometer long, second largest lake in Nepal, offers an excellent view of the mountains and their reflections on the lake. Many tours and trekking operators and hotels are located on the lakeside. One can easily find a place to sit back, relax and enjoy great meal while enjoying scenery here. You will also enjoy boating on the lake. Most hotels and guest houses have traditional designs and layouts which match with the surrounding views. The photo on the right is of Fewa Lake, another picture of Fewa Lake.

International Mountain Museum

IMM

International Mountain Museum (IMM) is located in the Western Development Region, that is, in the south-west of Pokhara City. When you come to visit in Pokhara, don’t miss to visit International Mountain Museum once. It introduces about the mountainous people that lives in the foreign and local mountains. It tells everything about the ecosystem in the mountain. IMM is established with a purpose to record, document, and chronicle the various developments and changes that has taken place in the past mainly in three areas they are, people living around the world mountain system the historic and scientific information of the origination of the world mountain system and various mountain system and various system activities. The museum exhibits include mountain, people and their culture, world mountain system, their geological formation, flora and fauna and the exhibits related with the mountain activities such as mountaineering, skiing etc. IMM aims to develop it as an International Mountain Studies Centre by enhancing its archive for the researcher on above subject.

Location of IMM:    

               

Since the Pokhara City is located about 200km west of Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal and is situated at an altitude of 827m above the main sea level. It is the only one Museum of its kind in the world. Pokhara is a starting point of trekking and rafting destinations. A visit to Nepal without a journey to Pokhara is often considered incomplete and while in Pokhara, a visit to the IMM is a must. 

MUSEUM LAYOUT:-

The International Mountain Museum has four exhibit halls open to the public at present, they are:

          1.      Hall of Mountain People (Basement floor): There are two sections in this hall, they are:

Mountain People of Nepal: This section introduces the customs, traditions and culture of the mountain people of Nepal, the dresses, ornaments, musical instruments, household utensils and cultural activites of the Gurungs, Thakalis, Chhantyals, Tamangs, Sherpas, Magars and Kirats are displayed. 

Mountain People of the world: This section includes all about the International mountain people such as Taiwan, Slovenia, Japan etc and Comparative photographer Alpine Mountain people of Europe before 50 years and present Nepal are displayed.

       2.      Hall of World Mountains (Basement floor): This hall introduces the names and heights of national and international mountains, historical background, highest summits, geological formation, origin of the Himalayas, flora and fauna of the Himalayan region, researches on mountains and changes in the earth over a period of time. There are four sections in this hall:

Mountain Section: This mountain section introduces you about the fourteen peaks over 8,000m and their photographs are presented in this section. 

Geological Section: This section exhibits the geological formation of the mountains.

Flora and Fauna Section: This section displays the natural vegetation, animals and birds of the mountain region.

Corner of Dedications: In memorium of their invaluable contribution, this section displays the clothes, equipment, Photographs, etc. of Kumar Khadga, Bikram Shah, Dr. Toni Hagen, Reverend Kawa Guchi-Ekai and Dr. Harka Gurung in each Separate corner.

             3.      Hall of Mountain Activities ( Basement floor): There are four sections in this hall:

Mountaineering Section: This section displays the equipment, clothes and photographs of the successful French Expedition team member Mr. Maurice Herzog who scaled an over 8000m. Peak (Mt. Annapurna) for the first time in 1950. Furthermore,exhibits of Ms. Junko Tabei, first woman Everest Suumiteer, Mr. T. Imanishi, the first Manaslu Summiteer and other climbers equipments are also on display. This section also exhibits the photographs of the first successful ascents of all the 14 peaks over 8,000m in a chronological order to the year.

Mountaineering Equipment Section: The necessary equipment and their uses in climbing mountains are exhibited in the showcases. 

Mountain Ecology/Environment Section: In this section, environmental information of the mountain region is presented. 

Imaging Everest section: This section exhibits the photographs of British expeditions to Mountain Everest from 1921 to the successful expedition of 1953. 

          4.      Hall of Associates’ Guests Exhibition (Ground Floor): There are two sections: IUCN section and ICIMOD section. They both have launched various programs to uplift socio economic life of the mountain people and their activities conducted in the different periods, the present activities and future planned activities are exhibited in this hall. 

             5.       Lakhang: A replica of Lakhang, a prayer room is also built. This reflects the culture of the people living in the Himalayan region. 

          6.      Library: The library contains a large collection of books on mountains, flora fauna, mountain people and mountaineering. 

           7.      MT. MANASLU MODEL:  The 31 ft high model of mountain outside the museum in another attraction for the visitors. 

            8.   Living Museum: The thatched huts on the south-eastern side outside the museum, offer a view of the typical Nepali mountain People’s village. It is a live museum, where one can see people at work. In this village local or foreign visitors would find equally interesting and homely village atmosphere with all originality and tradition. It would have all the indigenous craft, culture, works and activities of social and ceremonial. The unique restaurant serves all kinds of foods including Nepali delicacies.

Devis Fall

“Davis Fall” is another unique attraction which lies about 2 km from central Pokhara city. The Davis Fall has many nick names such as Devin’s fall, David’s fall or Davis’s fall, these all mean the same thing “The Davis Water Fall”. It is believed that once upon a time, a tourist namely David, fell down into the canal and was never found, so that the name David waterfall, named in his memory by the people of Pokhara. I have shown two photographs above, the left one is of outer-looking part and left most part that is, second once is the inner part of the Davis Fall. The water fall the you are looking in the second photograph, goes directly into a deep and narrow canal which has no any ends.

  

Chinese Gumba / World Peace Stupa (Pagoda)

A virtual tour of world peace stupa of Pokhara, local people say Chinese Gumba and some say Japanese Gumba although it was made by major grant by Japan. It is a wonderful visit and I suggest everyone to visit this place if you are around Pokhara by any chance. This place has become a popular tourist (both domestic and international) destination in recent years. 

Gumba is on the south side of Phewa Lake on the ridge of the mountain. There are two routes to it. There is a rough motor road to it. You can head to cross the Phewa Lake by boating and hiking to the top of the mountain ridge. Boating may take 30 min or you can take your time to reach to the other side of the lake. From there hiking uphill through the jungle may take 1-2 hrs. It took about 2 hrs for us-talking, talking and talking, watching back towards Phewa Lake and Phokhara city. Fish Tail Mountain is also there. You can see the beautiful mountain clearly if the weather is clear at the time of visit.  

There is a beautiful garden infront of the Stupa with some rest benches. Because it is on the top of the hill, one could see beautiful view of Pokhara valley. One of the remarkable views that we could see from this place was the para gliding from Sarangkot.  There were so many colorful para gliders flying on the sky right above the Phewa Lake.

 

Sarankot

Sarankot is a hilli area which is just beside the Lake side. From this, you can see whole pokhara valley and you can do paragliding from here. The way to Sarankot is by vehicles to reach its tip, but by foot it takes about 3 hours and by Taxi it takes about 45 minutes from the base of the Sarankot hill to its top level. It is like a mountain and less number of people is lived and few required hotels and restaurants are available here. 

Bat Cave

The photograph shown on the left hand side is of BAT CAVE. It is located in north-west from the central Pokhara. It is about 6 km from the Mahendrapool city to the Cave. You can reach to Bat Cave by Taxi or local public bus. The following map shows you the way to the cave. 

Mahendra Cave

The Mahendra Cave is nearer to Bat Cave. The distance between Mahendra Cave and Bat Cave is about 1.5 km. You can enter inside the both Caves by buying a ticket with very low and cheap price  about Rs. 20 to Rs.40 or upto 0.5 Cent per person for foreigner. You will enjoy and amaze that how it is made. Inside the Mahendra Cave, there is light so that you can observe easily everything inside the Cave. 

 Begnas and Rupa Lake

Many years ago, the name of the Pokhara was Pokhari, which is called as Pond or a Lake in Nepali. Begnas Lake and Rupa Lake are located in Lekhnath Municipality which is about 14 km from Pokhara. These both places are ideal places for boating, fishing and relaxation. You can get to Begnas by a Taxi or a Bus    (Public bus) from Pokhara.  

Things to do in Pokhara

1. Paragliding 
2. Riding on Glider 
3. Boating in “ Lake Fewa ” 
4. Trekking – Annapurna Base Camp, Manaslu and other.

Paragliding

As the most experienced company providing paragliding holidays in Nepal we are unrivalled in our knowledge of paragliding conditions, sites and local cultures. Nepal forms a rectangle on the southern slopes of the Himalaya and is without exception, the most stunning country imaginable. The main area for paragliding is the Pokhara Valley, commanding views of 3 of the worlds 8000m peaks with friendly and constant conditions for your paragliding holiday. You can enjoy yourself by using all the facilities available here in pokhara. This paragliding covers the whole of Sarankot hill at the altitude of 5,000 feet and Fewa Lake view and whole scene of Pokhara City. Most of the tourists who come here wants to fly on Paragliding once. I think the cost for Paragliding from the Sarankot hill is about $100 - $120 for an hour. See the video given below:

Riding on Glider

Pokhara is also a very safe and wonderful place for Glidder. You can see the Gliding picture on left hand side. It is also called as Motor Gliding in Pokhara, Nepal. It starts from the beginning of September to Jun from Pokhra airport. The fligt takes place from sunrise to 9:00 am and from 2:00 pm to sunset everyday during these months. You will enjoy most from this flight. This is Ultra Gliding / Motor Gliding, is the another attraction point. 

This flight covers whole of Annapurna Mountain Range at altitude of 12,000 feet, Pokhara City, Fewa Lake, Sarankot hill at the altitude of 5,000 feet. During this flight you yourself understand the trekking idea in the Himalayan region of Mt. Manaslu, Annapurna, and Annapurna Base Camp. I think, this gliding flight costs about $120 - $150, not more than that.