The tiny Himalayan kingdom of Nepal demands that you live in the moment for the most rewarding experiences. The gorgeous mountainous landscapes, home to eight of the world’s 10 highest peaks, transport you to sublime realms of fantasy. Nepal’s otherworldly vistas awaken the adventurer in even the most timid traveler and have a timeless for the pilgrim soul in you.
Everest’s Soul-Stirring Magic
Prosaically named ‘Everest’ by the British after the Surveyor General of India, the sky-kissing mountain is aptly revered as Sagarmatha or ‘goddess of the sky” by the Nepalese, while the Tibetans have named it Chomolungma, or “mother goddess of the universe”.
Countless tales by climbers have brought home the undeniable mystique of this forbidding, spirit-elevating mountain that can test the physical and mental extremes of human capabilities. “Reaching the summit,” Lhakpa Sherpa said, “is an unparalleled feeling. I feel like a zombie who has stumbled into heaven.” While we may not have the guts to climb the highest point on Earth at 29,035 feet, you can still be an armchair traveler who can build up the nerve to travel to Everest Base Camp, near the Khumbu glacier; its quite an otherworldly experience in itself in this incredibly remote place. Just being in the vicinity of that mighty summit transports you to its awe-inspiring, ethereal world. You will be just blown away by the celestial beauty of the environs and so many awe-inspiring moments during your stay here. Catching that one-hour flypast of the legendary peaks offers the traveller an even more beguiling window to this grand theatre of otherworldly Nepal.
To be a mere spectator of the drama of the changing faces of the mountain in a day can be reason enough for you to either fly to Base Camp or slog up to it on a mind-blowing trek. Lukla airport is the jump-off point to Everest Base Camp. While enjoying a leisurely champagne breakfast in plain sight of the mighty peak, you will have time to meet the Sherpas, a community whose life is intertwined with mountaineering expeditions. One of the unique facts you’ll discover is that after thousands of years of living in one of the world’s highest regions, Sherpas, who serve as guides and porters, have experienced genetic adaptations to survive here. Going off on a mountain trek with a summiteer Sherpa provides ample opportunities to hear stories about the climbing one of the most dangerous but most compelling mountains in the world.
Bliss and Blessings and Moonlight Moments at a Buddhist Shrine
The Sagarmatha National Park, where Mt Everest is located, is one of Nepal’s most stunning environs for exploring nature at its wildest. On the trek along the way to Everest Base Camp, you will love to visit Nepal’s holiest monastery. From Lukla, the trek takes you through the forested Dudh Kosi valley to Namche Bazaar, from where you move on to the surreal setting of Tengboche village which is deeply steeped in Sherpa culture. This Sherpa monastery was established by Lama Gulu in 1916. It has been destroyed and rebuilt twice since then. Perched atop a hill, Tengboche is the Khumbu region’s largest monastery overlooks the confluence of the Dudh Koshi and Imja Khola rivers. On a clear moonlit night, when the stars are ablaze in heaven your world will be illuminated by the glorious visuals of the Khumbu region's giant snow pinnacles: Mount Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, and Ama Dablam. Did you know that National Geographic has earmarked Sagarmatha National Park is one of the best spots in the world for stargazing? Which simply means you can have the time of your life looking up at the Milky Way, the constellations and other heavenly bodies to your hearts’ content in the unpolluted dark night skies from Tengboche.
Nepal’s Himalayan vistas hold the promise of limitless incomparable experiences of its otherworldly landscapes. Journey on to discover many more exciting places to unleash the spiritual adventurer in you every time you return.