Kalinchwok

Kalinchowk, at the height of 3700 meters, has a panoramic view of splendid mountains and the scenic beauty of nature. A six to nine (depends on the people) hours walk from the Charikot, Dolakha district; Kalinchowk bears a tremendous beauty that one must see during the lifetime. 

Dolalghat

Located at about 150 Kms from Kathmandu, buses ply to Charikot almost every hour. Places like Dolalghat, Khadichaur, Mude falls on the way to Charikot which has its own importance in terms of natural beauty and the height factor.

Trail to Kalinchowk

A six hour walk is worth reaching Kalinchowk. The places like Deurali, Chautari, Gairi and Kuri on the way to Kalinchowk are the rest points for the trekkers. Located at the height where the vegetation line ends one feels the height sickness and tremendous cold .

A view from Kalinchowk

A very few houses can be seen on the way and the people carry all the load of foods with them when the winter arrive. They stock foods enough for about 3 months so that they do not have to bear the scarcity when the snow falls as there are least chances of getting out of the house during winter because of heavy snow.

An electricity pole in Kalinchowk

But to the surprise the NEA (Nepal Electricity Authority) has been able to install the single phase line at the top i.e at Kalinchowk. People generally cut down the trees and sell the woods and timbre for living due to which the deforestation rate is going higher.

Kalinchowk is famous for the goddess residing there named Kalinchowk Bhagwati. The height of 5300 meters makes us able to see the Kathmandu valley from there. The mountain ranges like Ganesh himal, Sagarmatha range are clearly viewable. The sunrise is the glorious instance one can observe there.

 

Kalinchowk Bhawati

All you need to do is pack your bag and go for it. One must not forget the camera when you are on a trek to Kalinchowk else you will miss everything you thought of.

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Places to see at Bhaktapur city are

Nyatapole Temple in Bhaktapur, Nepal

The Kathmandu Valley, the political and cultural hub of Nepal is the first stop for the majority of visitors to the country. It has separate kingdom itself, it contains three fabled cities- kathmandu, Patan, and Bhaktapur. Each cities is an artistic exposition of graceful temples, elegant palaces, brick-paved courtyards and quaint streets. There are seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the Valley. The history of the Valley begins with the Buddhist saint Manjushree who slashed a passage through the surrounding hills to drain out the primordial waters and make it inhabitable. Over the centuries, a refined urban civilization emerged, built on a unique synthesis of Hinduism and Buddhism Dynasties came and went. Trade and the arts flourished. Its deeply-religious Newar inhabitants built fabulous cities and artistic temples that attracted devout pilgrims as well as rampaging invaders.

 

Changu Narayan Temple is situated on a ridge overlooking the Valley about 12 km to the east of the city. It is dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu. One of the finest and oldest specimens of pagoda architecture, the temple is embellished with exquisite wood and stone carvings.

Bhaktapur Durbar Square. As you walk in, you cannot but be overcome by feeling of inner harmony. Such is the art and architecture and the spatial layout here. The 15th-century Palace of 55 Windows, situated to the left as you enter through the city gate, inspires admiration. The National Art Gallery is also housed inside. The entrance to the palace, the Golden Gate, is a masterpiece in repousse art.

Taumadi Square lies to the east of Durbar Square reached by a narrow brick-paved lane. The towering five-roofed Nyatapol temple presides over the square. The stairway leading up to the temple is flanked by stone figures of deities and mythical beasts, each 10 times more powerful than the one immediately below.

Dattatreya Square takes its name from the Dattatreya temple dedicated to a three headed combination of the Hindu Deities Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. The Square is famed for its many ornate Hindu monasteries known as Math. The 15th-century Pujari Math is the most famous among the nine here and the building is decorated with the finest wood carvings, including the celebrated Peacock Window. The National Wood working Museum is also housed here and the Brass and Bronze Museum is across the street.

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Places to see at Kathmandu Valley are

Durbar Square: This complex of palace, courtyards and temples, built between the 12th and 18th centuries, used to be seat of the ancient Malla kings of Kathmandu. The Durbar Square, protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the social religious and urban focal point of the city. There are also three museums inside the palace building.

Swayambhu Stupa watches over the Valley from the top of a hillock on its western side. The huge stupa is one of the holiest Buddhists sites in Nepal and its establishment is linked to the creation of the Kathmandu Valley out of primordial lake. Swayambhu is also known as Samhengu and is listed as World Heritage Site.



Boudhanath Stupa lies about 6 km to the east of downtown Kathmandu and is the largest stupa in the Valley. It looms 36 meters high and presents one of the most fascinating specimens of stupa design. Boudhanath, a World Heritage Site is also known as Khasti.


Pashupatinath Temple one of the most sacred Hindu shrines in the world, Pashupatinath lies 5 km east of the city center. The richly-ornamented pagoda houses the sacred linga or phallic symbol of Lord Shiva. Devotees can be seen taking ritual dips in the holy Bagmati river flowing beside the temple also a World Heritage Site.




Balaju consists of a sprawling garden of stone water spouts, religious shrines, fish ponds, and a replica of statue of Budanilkantha. Situated below Nagarjun hill about 3 km northwest of the city center. Balaju is also known for its bank of 22 stone water spouts carved in the shape of sea-dragons.



Budhanilkantha is situated below Shivapuri hill at the northern end of the Valley. It is about 9 km from the city center. The hub of the temple complex is a pond in which lies a great stone figure of the Hindu god Vishnu reclining on the coils of a cosmic serpent.

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Religious sites of Nepal

Lumbini: Lumbini is the birthplace of Lord Buddha, the apostle of peace, compassion and non-violence. It is situated in the Kapilvastu District in the Lumbini Zone western Terai of Nepal, 250 kilometers southwest of Kathmandu. The broken Ashoken pillar, remnants of an old monastery, and image of Buddha's mother Maya Devi are in Lumbini. It is accessible by air from Kathmandu to Bhairahawa from where one can proceed by car or by other means of transport. here are lot of religious sites outside Kathmandu. Some of the famous sites are as follow

 

  

Muktinath: Muktinath is an important place of pilgrimage for Hindus. The famous temple of Lord Muktinath lies in the district of Mustang. This temple is situated on a high mountain range and is visited during the fair weather. During the Janai Purnima and Ram Navami festivals devotees gather there to pay homage to lord Muktinath. Muktinath is situated about 18 km northeast of Jomsom at an altitude of 3,749 meters. There are two ways to get to Muktinath from Kathmandu. The first way is to take a direct flight from Kathmandu to Jomsom and hike for a couple of hours via Kagbeni. The next way to trek all the way from Pokhara which takes about 13 to 15 hours.

Janakpur: This is a great religious place famous as the birthplace of Sita, the consort of Lord Rama and the heroine of a great Hindu epic, the Ramayan. There is an artistic marble of temple of Sita popularly known as Naulakha Mandir which means "built at the cost of Rs 900,00". Religious festivals, pilgrimages, trade fairs and other festivities are held here on Bivaha Panchami and Ram Navami days. 

 

 

Barahachhetra: A few kilometers from the main city of Biratnagar, on the bank of the Koshi River, lies a holy place of Hindu pilgrimage called Barahachhetra. It is the temple of lord Baraha, the boar incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Historians have traced the existence of this image to the twelfth century.  

 

 

Gosainkunda: One of the most famous religious places of pilgrimage in Nepal is Gosainkunda. The best approach to Gosainkunda is through Dhunche 132 kilometers northeast of Kathmandu. The religious lake is situated at an altitude of about 4360 meters. Dhunche is linked with Kathmandu by a motorable road surrounded by the high mountain on the north and the south, by higher landscape on the east and west, this kunda(Lake) is grand and picturesque. On the east and west of kunda, there are 9 other famous lakes including the Saraswati Kunda, Bhairav Kunda, Sourya Kunda and Ganesh Kunda.

 

 

 

 

 

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Gosainkunda

Introduction

GOSAINKUNDA

     A country where myriad deities, religions and cultural traditions blend with unique language defines this beautiful Nepal . And when it comes to holy places, Nepalese should really be proud of it. Each holy place is considered revered and chaste and each of them carries its own story and history. ‘Gosainkund’ of Rasuwa is one masterpiece holy heaven for Hindus and Buddhists pilgrims that embraces magnificent natural heritages since time immoral. Janai Purnima and Dashara of Jestha are two D-Days when this place is visited the most.

       The ‘Gosainkund’ lies in Lang tang National Park of Rasuwa district of Bagmati Zone at the height of around 4380m from sea level. The place, being located East of headquarter Dhunchhe, can be reached through Ghattekhola, Dhimsa, Chandanbari,Cholangpati, Lauribinayak, Ganesh Gaunda or Sundarijal. However the mesmerizing natural beauty is common to both the routes.

     The panoramic view of the mountains like Annapurna II, Hiunchuli, Manaslu, Ganesh, Langtang, Lirung makes and visitor forget about the strenuous trek under the wide blue sky. Not just as a holy place this is equally famous for adventure lovers and flora and fauna researchers. Many unprecedented aromas can be expected en route to the place, but some strong and pungent odors could prove pernicious to heath for some. They could render headache, vomit and eye burn sensation. Some consider it a bad omen and some find it difficult to proceed owing to this. If somehow you proceed, the rare Red Panda and Assamese monkeys among others could be not-to-be-missed sites.

How it got the name       The name ‘Gosainkund’ is derived from Sanskrit word ‘Goswani’ that later distorted to ‘Gosai’ where Go = Cow and Swami = Master or a person with many cows. Also, Go means ‘Indriya’ where master is ‘Jitendriya’. Gods, ascetics and saints fall under this category ‘Jitendriya’, and the most powerful one is Shiva or Shankar.
Kunda is the other name for lake or pond which when added with Gosain makes ‘Gosainkund’. So this word is seen relevant to saints, ascetics and jogis. Shiva is said to have built this pond and so it may also be called “Nilkantha kund” or “Shivakund”.

 

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Panch Pokhari

Departure: Kathmandu
Duration: 12 days
Best season: October to May
Trek Grade: Moderate


This trek to Panch Pokhari at the base of Jungal Himal offers pristine mountain views, rich culture and genuine adventure. This area offers a combination of rich cultural heritage, unsurpassed beauty and biological diversity as you trek to a group of high altitude holy lakes, sacred to both Buddhist and Hindu people.

Trekkers first travel by bus to Chautara, five hours northeast of Kathmandu towards the Tibetan border. We travel through a mixture of beautiful mountain scenery and the terraced fields and characteristic houses of rural villages from different ethnic groups.

On your first night you will experience life in the village homes of Sherpa and Tamang people and your guide will give a short talk on trekking, altitude sickness and the highlights of the trek. These include the holy Five Lakes, the incredible Himalayan scenery and the life style of nomadic people unchanged by time. The unusual climatic and geographical mix make this area a naturalist's dream and a mecca for those who appreciate traditional cultures.

This trek starts from 1,450m and goes up to 4,100m at Panch Pokhari, a secluded pilgrimage site where the Janaipurnima festival is held in August. Many Hindu and Buddhist pilgrimages visit this site each year. This is a very spectacular and spiritual trek.

The top of Panch Pokhari (4,100m) offers an excellent view of Jugal Himal Range, Rolwaling Range, Gosainkund, Kanchenjunga and Makalu.

This trek can be done all year round except for the monsoon months and can be combined with a rafting tour.

BRIEF ITINERARY

Day 01: Kathmandu [1350m] to Chautara [1450m]
Day 02: Chautara to Sano Okhareni [1965m]
Day 03: Sano Okhareni to Kami Kharka [2810m]
Day 04: Kami Kharka to Pauwa Bas [3000m]
Day 05: Pauwa Bas to Hille Bhanjyang [3400m]
Day 06: Hille Bhanjyang to Narsim Pati [3700m]
Day 07: Nasim Pati to Panchpokhari [4100m]
Day 08: Panchpokhari – Panchpokhari top – Tupi Danda [2320m]
Day 09: Tupi Danda to Dhap [1200m]
Day 10: Rest day to explore the culture
Day 11: Dhap to Melamchi [800m]
Day 12: Melamchi to Kathmandu

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