The Forbidden Kingdom of Lo is about to vanish forever A mystical, forbidden Kingdom that for centuries lied hidden in an otherworldly mountainous valley in the northern Himalayas. There are few other words that can tempt intrepid travelers to venture forth and discover the Kingdom of Lo in Nepal than these. Whether known as the …

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The cost of a tourist visa to Nepal is going up … soon The Nepali government have announced the impending rise of tourist visa entry fees into the country. Full details on Nepali tourist visa fees and information can be found here. The new fees have not yet been implemented but likely will be when …

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Bhaktapur is more than just Durbar Square, here’s a free guide! On this page you’ll discover a great free walking tour of Bhaktapur, including its many famous heritage squares. The walk has two versions. A light and easy heritage walk and a more in-depth walk for heritage enthusiasts. This page contains the lite version as …

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Kathmandu Valley Heritage Walks in paperback I’m pleased to announce that my first of its kind Kathmandu Valley Heritage Walks book is now available in print. Late last year I wrote about the digital edition of Kathmandu Valley Heritage Walks guidebook being an epic 10 year project and to expect the paper back edition soon. Here it …

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Breakfast in Bhanjyang before the descent There’s no doubt you can come back to Pokhara from Panchase on the second day after sunrise. But the restful afternoon after the sunrise was enjoyable and relaxing. The next morning it meant there would be no rush either. We got up, avoided the rice pancakes and dove into …

Continue reading “Trekking Panchase: Day three – the return”

Bhanyjang to Panchase Peak for Sunrise Leaving Bhanyang at 4.30 am for sunrise was initially not that difficult. I’d been awake for an hour waiting for our scheduled kick-off time. My guide was ready and my friends 14 year old son didn’t need too many threats of an ice water bucket to get him out …

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Panchase Peak: a short permit free trek in the Annapurnas A free trek in Nepal? Well, you still need to pay for accommodation and food but the Panchase Peak trek remains free of any permit fees or TIMS card costs. This is a rarity in Nepal and might not last much longer. But for now, …

Continue reading “Trekking Panchase: Day one”