For many, the thought of a vacation conjures up images of relaxing beaches and crystal clear seas, but if you have a sense of adventure and feel you need a challenge, there are plenty of exhilarating alternatives. After searching the internet for specialized adventure holiday companies, I came up with an exciting option, a trip that combines sightseeing, trekking, rafting and jungle safari in Nepal.
The journey began in Kathmandu, a fantastically colorful and vibrant city that, at 4,400 feet above sea level, feels like it is on top of the world. The mountains surrounding Kathmandu are incredible and the views from the impressive temples are a sight to behold. The Swayambhu and Pashupati temples are definitely worth a visit and are both World Heritage Sites.
Our next step was to spend the night in Bhahtapur before traveling 198 km west to the lakeside town of Pokara. This was a great bus trip and the amazing scenery made up for the lack of comfort. Pokara is very popular with tourists and travelers; it has impressive waterfalls, caves and the impressive chains of Annapurna, Manaslu and Dhaulagiri with peaks of more than 800 m. Phewa Lake gives the town a sense of peace; many artists are drawn to this area because of the magnificent scenery. From Pokara we embark on our 7-day trek to the foothills of the Himalayas.
A trek in Nepal allows you to directly experience the culture, lifestyle and different ethnic mixes of Nepal. Our sherpa, Chok-pa, was very helpful and I personally felt that this trek was not too strenuous. Although you need a certain level of fitness, we strike the perfect balance between rest and exercise, walking 4-6 hours a day.
To keep us on our toes, our next adventure involved a couple days of whitewater rafting on the Seti River. In short, it is about overcoming river rapids and obstacles in a rubber boat with a team of up to 8 people. At this point, I had made some steadfast friends who I still keep in touch with now. The rivers are rated from easy to nearly impossible based on the size and intensity of the rapids. The Seti runs through a wonderfully secluded area, with beautiful jungle and many easy rapids.
It was great fun and an adrenaline pumping team challenge to stay in your boat as you hit the rapids. I loved the songs around the campfire in the evenings, once a tribe from the village joined us and danced, it was a unique experience.
Our last stop was Chitwan National Park, for a jungle safari spot. This is the oldest national park in Nepal, established in 1973, and received World Heritage status in 1984. Rich in flora and fauna, the park is home to the Bengal tiger and one of the last remaining populations of the Indian rhinoceros. one-horned The jungle rides were exciting, especially riding elephants and we were lucky enough to see the famous rhino. It is certainly a breath of fresh air to take an adventure holiday, I would recommend it to all my friends and I arrived at my desk in London feeling physically sated and mentally refreshed.
