Nepal 2018
In October to November 2018, we spent 3 weeks enjoying some of the most amazing landscapes of mountains, valleys, villages and cities. The majority of our time was trekking within different areas of the Himalayas located in Nepal and India. The Himalayas literally translates as the “land of the snow” and they are the youngest and highest mountains on earth. The mountain range stretches from the Myanmar border in the East and spreads across India, Nepal, Bhutan, Southern China and finishes in Pakistan and Afghanistan in the north-west.
Starting in Nepal, we arrived in Kathmandu and explored the 3 main cities: Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur, and the Himalayan mountain range. In fact, Nepal is home to 8 out of the top 10 highest peaks in the world. We visited the Everest Base Camp via helicopter and take a “guest house to guest house” trek from the Pokhara area to explore the Annapurna mountain peaks. One of our highlights was seeing the morning sunrise from Poon Hill with a crystal clear sky.
Our time in Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur gave us exposure to amazing but limited food, friendly people and unique cultural and religious experiences. The damage from the 2015 7.8 earthquake is still quite evident and clearly devastating to the cities and a large portion of the population. As a visitor to Nepal and the Himalayans region, you are able to gain an appreciation and understanding of Hinduism, and more fully appreciate the culture and practices of the people. 80% of the population is Hindu and another 10% are Buddhist. Hindu is a set of beliefs that the faithful follow in their way of life. While there are 3 major deities of Hinduism (Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva), there are 33 million gods and goddesses in total. There is also a belief of an endless cycle of death and rebirth (reincarnation) that can only be broken through moksha, which releases the soul by achieving enlightenment or having your ashes laid in the River Ganges. We observed the practice of cremation and funerals in Kathmandu. Karma, which is the belief that a person’s actions in life will determine their fate in this or their next life, also plays a large part in their belief system.
Kathmandu
Cremation Ceremony in Kathmandu
Helicopter ride to Everest Base Camp
Lukla Airport
Everest
Everest Base Camp
Everest Base Camp
Patan
Pokhara
Hike to Tadapani
Tadapani
Tadapani
Ghorepani, Poon Hill and Annapurna Massif
View from our room😯
Bhaktapur
Cleaning after sacrifice
