#62 best destination in the world

Boudhanath

Boudhanath_Panorama_2016

  • One of the largest stupas in the world (a mound-like structure containing relics such as the remains of Buddhist monks or nuns)
  • UNESCO World Heritage Site

Garden of Dreams

Garden_of_Dreams

  • Neo-classical garden, built in 1920
  • Consists of gardens with three pavilions, an amphitheater, ponds, pergolas, and urns
  • From the mid-1960s, upon the death of its patron, Kaiser Sumsher Rana, it lay in neglect but was recently restored with the help of the Austrian government

Swayambhunath

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  • Ancient religious architecture atop a hill in the Kathmandu Valley
  • For the Buddhist Newars, in whose mythological history and day-to-day religious practice Swayambhunath occupies a central position, it is probably the most sacred among Buddhist pilgrimage sites
  • The complex consists of a stupa, a variety of shrines and temples
  • A Tibetan monastery, museum and library are more recent additions
  • The stupa has Buddha’s eyes and eyebrows painted on. Between them, the number one (in Devanagari script) is painted in the fashion of a nose
  • Founded in 464-505 AD

Gandaki River

1024px-Narayani_river_in_Chitwan

  • River source at the border with Tibet at an elevation of 20,564 ft, at the Nhubine Himal Glacier
  • The river is older than the Himalayas
  • As tectonic activity forces the mountains higher, the river has cut through the uplift
  • The largest hydroelectricity project in Nepal is located along a stretch of the river

Phewa Lake

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  • Freshwater lake that is stream fed but a dam regulates the water reserves, therefore, the lake is classified as semi-natural freshwater lake
  • Most visited lake of Nepal
  • The lake is famous for the reflection of mount Machhapuchhre and other mountain peaks of the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri ranges on its surface

Sarangkot

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  • Ward located on Sarangkot, a hill on the western side of Pokhara
  • Sarangkot is known for panoramic Himalayan views of Dhaulagiri, Annapurna and Manaslu
  • Also provides an expansive view of the city of Pokhara, from the extreme north to the south including the Phewa Lake

Maya Devi Temple (Lumbini)

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  • Main ancient Buddhist temple at Lumbini, a site traditionally considered the birthplace of Gautama Buddha
  • The temple stands adjacent to a sacred pool and a sacred garden
  • The archaeological remains at the site were previously dated to the third-century BC brick buildings constructed by Ashoka, but a sixth-century BC timber shrine was discovered in 2013
  • UNESCO World Heritage Site

Costs

Number of Days: 22 days

Best Time To Fly: Oct-Dec

Airline tickets: $973

Seattle -> Kathmandu (round trip) $911
Siddharthanagar -> Kathmandu (one way) $62

Food: $6/day x 22 days = $132

Entertainment/tours: $106

Airbnb: $25/day x 19 days = $476

TOTAL: $1,687