Nepal: from Kathmandu .....

KATHMANDU

The roads within Nepal are notoriously in extremely poor condition. So with the bus from Pokhara to Kathmandu, a distance of only about 200km, we needed 10 hours of travel time (!!!).

Arriving in the capital of Nepal, we were both appalled by how much the city is still suffering from the effects of the devastating earthquake 2 years ago. Scattered debris and rubble, as well as many ruins and construction sites, characterize the first impression along with extremely poor, dusty air and hellish traffic.

Even in the center, in the district of Thamel, the streets are mostly unpaved.

So, as it is now in the rainy season, the 'roads' are just muddy paths where you sink up to your ankles at worst.

When it's not raining, it's terribly dusty, which is why many residents wear face masks.

We had a lot to do here, on the one hand to meet with our guide Ripa to prepare for our planned Langtang trek, but also to organize our visas for Myanmar.

After doing the necessary research, we decided to skip Tibet this time, as entry by land on the Peace Highway is unfortunately not possible because China still keeps the border closed. The only alternative would have been a flight to Lhasa with an organized tour, which did not seem attractive to us.

We visited the Swayambhunath temple complex, also known as the Monkey Temple, located on a hill. The inner buildings are estimated to be 2,500 years old.

We also visited the famous Boudhanath Stupa, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After being heavily damaged by the earthquake in April 2015, it has now been completely renovated or rebuilt.


It is surrounded by numerous monasteries, some of which have not yet been fully restored.




For Buddhists around the world, this is an important pilgrimage site, so you will also encounter many Tibetans here.




There are also many souvenir and handicraft shops, as well as plenty of nice cafes and restaurants.


After the last few days in the hectic city, we are really looking forward to our trekking in Langtang National Park.