Nepal 97 Travelog : short preview of the journey (0/24)

<BODY BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT = "#ABCBBE"> First, this is probably the most radical topography on earth : Nepal is only 150 km wide, but rises from near sea level in the southern Gange river plain and steamy lowland jungles to the highest peaks on earth near the Tibet border.<BR> So, in the Nepalese countryside, you may sometimes look at tropical flowers with freezing white deserts in the background.<BR> Secondly, this tiny kingdom is a place of deep religious customs. In this fairy tale land of temples and medieval villages, a varied and complex culture has evolved, rich which distinctive artforms, joyful ceremonies, and numerous religious traditions of more than 30 ethnic groups.<P> You surely need more than a lifetime to discover the country and fully appreciate the nepalese culture and lifestyle.<P>So I will just try to give the most comprehensive glimpse of what I could get during this short journey<BR> <B>Kathmandu</B> is our itinerary starting point :<BR> From here, we visited the two important religious centers for the school of tibetan bouddhism in Nepal : the stupas of <B>Swayambhunath</B> and <B>Bodhnath</B>.<BR> On my side, I had the chance to do some <B>hot air ballooning</B> in the Katmandu valley, with great views on the himalayas..<BR> Then, we visited the two other main cities of the valley : <B>Bhaktapur</B> and <B>Patan</B>, before having a look to the <B>Pashupatinath</B> temple, along the banks of the river Bagmati, which is for the Hindus a holy place and the cremation area for deads.<BR> <B>Rafting on the Trisuli River</B> : <BR> beautiful sceneries and a great introduction to white water rafting. <BR> <B>The Chitwan National Park :</B><BR> we were more than lucky in our wildlife observation hunts : 1 Royal Bengal Tiger, 2 crocos, 13 Rhinos and dozens of deers, birds and monkeys viewing.<BR> <B>Pokhara and the Annapurnas ranges : </B><BR> no time enough for one of the great treks around, but great walks and very enjoyable time <BR> </BODY>