More Beautiful scenery

In the morning I failed to notice Sarangkot even though I basically stared at it for a couple hours I witnessed the sunrise from the World Peace Stupa.  The reason I failed to notice Sarankot was the beautiful scenery which surrounded it.  From the World Peace Stupa the 5000+ foot Sarangkot is merely a hill compared to the backdrop of the Himilayan Anapurna mountain range.   Below Sarankot sits the city of Pokhara along with Phewa Lake (as seen in photo at top of post) and behind it is course the mighty Himalayas.  You can see the observation point which I will later talk about being pointed out by the red arrow on the picture at the top of this post.

Panoramic View of the Annapurna Range from Sarangkot Observation Point

Getting to Sarangkot from the city of Pokhara

We had arranged for a driver to pick us up from our Pokhara Hotel at around 2pm.  After we returned from the sunrise at the World Peace Stupa, freshened up and had lunch we were off.  I was told we be driven to within 30 minutes of  our guest house towards the peak of Sarangkot as it was too steep for motor vehicles.

At the roads end we were greeted by porters who offered to take our heavy baggage up the hill.  The path to our guest house towards the observation point at the top of Sarangkot was a mixture of dirt road and stone steps and it was steep.

The path to the top of Sarangkot was very interesting as it was lined with a combination of souvenir shops, restaurants, guest houses and of course the houses and farms of the people who live on the hills.  As we climbed up the steep path along with our porters there were numerous interesting sights and sounds.  It took us in between 45-60 minutes to ascend to our wonderful lodge called The Superview Lodge.

Even though the sunset was non-existent we hiked for a couple minutes to the observation point we would be at for the sunrise the next morning.  We spent a few minutes scouting out the views which we would be photographing the next morning and went down to our guesthouse and had a wonderful, home cooked, fresh Nepali meal before we all crashed out before 22:00 as we were all tired from the day’s hiking.

Yet Another Sunrise

I was awakened by my friend banging on my window around 05:00.  I got all my camera gear together and the 3 of us started the short hike to the observation point at the top of Sarangkot.   We were the first group of people to arrive at the closed gate of the observation point.  Nepali soldiers shuffled around behind the gates to prepare for the flock of tourists who would arrive for the sunrise.

The Sarangkot observation point is essentially a compound with a rather large square and an observation point viewing platform.  As with many parts of Nepal, some of the area was inexplicably fenced off with military grade razor wire.  I avoided the razor wire and myself and photographer friend staked out our claim for what we thought would be the best viewpoint of the sunrise.

Shortly after Sunrise from Sarangkot Observation Point

Photographing the Sunrise

Like the previous sunrise at the World Peace Stupa there were multiple vantage points to get the best shots at different points of the sunrise.  We got lucky with the sunrise the day before and got lucky again.

NOTE:  Tripods are not allowed at the top platform of the observation point.  This was disappointing at first but I was easily able to see and photograph the sun as it began to rise over the low laying fog of the valley.  Shortly after sunrise when the sunlight started hitting the Himalayan peaks I moved down off the observation deck to get some shots of the Anapurna Himalayan mountain range which includes the most prominent peak Fish Tail.

Below the Sarangkot Observation Deck (see it on the right)

More Things to do in Sarangkot

There is a lot to do in Sarangkot besides the hiking, sightseeing and eating.  One notable must do activity on Sarangkot is paragliding.  One friend who we were with planned to paraglide down but she ended up backing down.  As we ate lunch and climbed down the hill to our awaiting car which was to drive us to the Pokhara airport we saw the paragliders.  The dozens of brightly colored paragliders which were flying over us were a beautiful sight and great photo opportunity.  Seeing the paragliders definitely pales in comparison the actual activity which looks loads of fun.

Paragliders heading down to Pokhara from Sarangkot

Back to Kathmandu

After spending at least 2 hours photographing the sunrise and beautiful scenery the fog finally rolled up to the top of Sarangkot and we returned to our guest house for breakfast and check out.  Breakfast was excellent again as I could taste the freshness of the bread and especially the dairy products.   We had a short Buddha Airways flight to catch back to Kahtmandu.  We went to the small airport and had a bit of a delay but a quick bowl of noodles and our plane was ready to take us back to Kathmandu.

Overall Impression

I don’t think I’d be going out on a limb if I said that every tourist visiting Nepal should visit Pokhara.  Whether you are going to Nepal for sightseeing , a trek or an expedition, Pokhara is a better location than Kathmandu.   If you are doing any of the Annapurna treks, Pokhara is going to be the first stop anyway.

I didn’t get to see much of the city of Pokhara as I spent most of the time in the quiet, touristy area surrounding Phewa Lake as well as 5000+ feet above in Sarangkot.  In the limited time I was in Pokhara it seemed much less crowded and much quieter than Kathmandu.

My favorite part about my stay in Pokhara was the mountain people and my experience in Sarangkot.  They people who weren’t working hard hauling giant water jugs up 5000 feet or other labor intense jobs were delightful.

The accommodations were great in the place we stayed and the food (like most of Nepal) was excellent.  Hindsight is 20/20 but if I visit Nepal in the future, I will head straight to Pokhara for an Annapurna trek.  Even if trekking is not for you, a trip to Pokhara is highly recommended along with the previously mentioned activities.

Getting to World Peace Stupa

We had arranged for a driver the previous day to bring us to the world peace stupa before sunrise.  The world peace stupa was located on a hill to the southwest of the city of Pokhara overlooking Phewa Lake, the city of Pokhara and Sarangkot, the peak we were going to the follow night.  All the aforementioned things were of course dwarfed by the enormous 20,000+ foot peaks of the Annapurna Range.

I was awakened by my friend at around 05:00 as we both wanted to get some photos of the sunrise.  It took a few minutes for the driver to show up and we headed off.  The road to the World Peace Stupa was bumpy and steep.

It took around 20 minutes on the narrow, windy, dirt road to get towards the top.  I did see a few people hiking up but they were likely staying in a teahouse on the hill and not in the city of Pokhara.  Once we got to the top we started shooting photos.

The Sunrise

The sunrise was quite spectacular although it does not rise over the snowy Himalayan peaks.  The fog over the hills was just as spectacular as the sun and city itself.  My friend and I both got a lot of satisfying photos from a location below the stupa.  He decided to stay below and shoot the sunrise while I ascended a couple hundred meters up to the stupa.

Shortly After Sunrise from Just Below World Peace Stupa

World Peace Stupa

The very top of the hill had a flat, landscaped area around the size of a football field which surrounded the World Peace Stupa.  The actual stupa was what seems to be the standard.  There were about 20-30 stairs leading up the gold monument with multiple gold Buddhas.

Shoes removal is required to ascend the stairs of the stupa .  As the stupa was on the very top of the hill there were some spectacular views of the surrounding hills, pokhara, Phewa Lake and of course the most prominant peak Machupacure aka Fish Tail.

World Peace Stupa (Peace Pagoda)

Back to the Hotel

Our driver was waiting for us the entire time so when we were done taking in the scenery we all hopped back in the car to drive back down for breakfast.  I had hoped to get to Lake Phewa to get “the shot”  but the clouds were beginning to envelop the Himalayan peaks.

We had plans to head to our next destination as well as a driver who was going to pick us up by 2:00pm so we ate breakfast, freshened up and walked around Pokhara by the lake a little more.  We came to the conclusion that in order to get “the shot” we would either have to get lucky, or get to the shooting spot before sunrise.

Early AM was the time with the highest chance of not having any clouds which was the time we were up at the stupa viewing the sunrise.  We wouldn’t get another chance to get “the shot” this time because were were heading up to Sarangkot, the highest hill in the region with the world’s tallest mountains.

Continue to Part III:  Visiting Sarangkot from Pokhara, Nepal

Getting to Pokhara

To my knowledge there are few international flights which fly non-stop to the Pokhara airport.  While at the airport I noticed flights to Dhaka Bangladesh and several Indian cities but I assume most flights to Pokhara transfer in Kathmandu.  I happened to be in Kathmandu so I had 2 primary choices.

I could either drive via bus which would take around 7 hours or take a fast and easy 20-30 minute flight from a domestic airline.  The choice was a no-brainer as the roads in Nepal were indescribably bad.  There was almost a twist to the story as the holiday week’s flights were limited and I almost had to take a bus back but I got lucky and was able to get a flight back.

I booked the fast flight from a local travel agent.  She was a friend of a friend so she took care of everything so I cannot really explain how to get the tickets, etc. but I what I do know is they did not ask for any identification when booking the flight, entering the airport, going through security and embarking and disembarking the flight.

Pokhara City

I took a previously arranged taxi to the hotel/resort we were staying at which was very close to one of Nepal’s few water bodies, Phewa Lake.  The area along the lake reminded me of many vacation type towns I had been to all over the world from Brazil to America to Thailand.

I can’t really talk too much about the city of Pokhara because our hotel was a stone’s throw from the lake and while we were in Pokhara we stayed along the main road.  There are shops, hotels and restaurants for the entire length of the road which we walked at least a mile along.

Things to do in Pokhara

I was in Pokhara along with my friend who like me, is an avid photographer so our main agenda was to get some good photos.  After our flight we checked in our hotel and immediately headed down along the lake to await the sunset.

My primary goal was to get one of the ultimate post card shots of the Fish Tail peak reflecting in the lake but at the time we were there around 4-5pm there were clouds rendering the mountain peaks invisible.  We had to settle for the lake as our subject as it turned out to be quite a beautiful sunset.

The whole time in Pokhara I was salivating at the chance of getting the mountain and lake reflection.  We talked about where we would go to get the shot and we figured it was taken from across the rather large lake.

It didn’t’ dawn on me until I returned from Pokhara “the shot” could have been taken from the island which as less than 100 meters from the shore.  The island had a hotel on it which had astronomical prices of over $200 USD per night from what I heard.  If you are unfamiliar with “the shot” just google Pokhara and it will surely be the first dozen or so images that pops up.

Our first night in Pokhara we had dinner at our hotel/resort which featured traditional Nepali dancers.  The dancing was entertaining for a bit by my 2 Nepali friends were complaining about how sub-par the food was at the hotel so we went for a walk looking for a better place.  We ended up eating at a couple places and headed back to the hotel because we planned to get up for the sunrise the following morning.

Sunset at Phewa Lake in Pokhara, Nepal

For More photos of Nepal Travel Visit:  

Part II:  Sunrise at World Peace Stupa

Getting out of Kathmandu

I was on the way to a Thamel café to meet my Nepali friend and fellow photographer Surya when I started talking to one of the many touts on the street.  Three of them ganged up on me and convinced me to head to their manager’s office in a nearby building.

I saw on the chair across from his desk in front of 2 or 3 of his touts on a couch in a small office and we started talking.  We started talking about my situation in Nepal while we were sipping some always delicious Nepali tea.   The manager named Bin was a nice guy who quickly took interest in my knowledge of websites and the internet.

He explained a few options I had as far as tours which would get me out the utter craziness of Kathmandu city.  He explained a few Nepal tourism options ranging from 21 day long treks to day hikes with his guides.  I explained to him that I was on the way to meet with friends who would ultimately determine where I was going soon so he gave me his phone number and business card and instructed me to call after I was done at the café.

After it was decided that I was going to fly to Pokhara on the Sunday (2 days later) I decided to take Bin’s offer of a 2 day, 1 night tour of Nagarkot, the area outside of the city in Kathmandu Valley.  The mini trek included a guide, a night at Hotel Viewpoint, all meals and transportation.  The cost was $250 which I could have probably bartered down but I just paid him on the spot and went back to my nearby hotel where my guide would meet me at 9am the next morning.

To Nagarkot via City Bus

I expected a private car, taxi or air-conditioned tourist bus to pick me up from the hotel the next morning but it was only my guide.  We ended up walking on foot down the street and stopped at this corner where there were dozens of vans and buses completely stuffed with people.   Each bus had a guy yelling in Nepalese.

We waited a good 10 minutes before we found a bus with enough space for me, my guide and of course my giant camera bag.  When I say “enough space” I really mean just barely enough space for me to squeeze uncomfortably in.  We drove for about 15-20 minutes and got off in another part of Kathmandu to catch another bus.

We had to wait another 15-20 minutes to find another bus as most were completely full inside and even on top, outside of the bus which was really more of a large van.  Without my guide, I would have absolutely no idea which bus to take.  Another 15-20 minute bumpy road through the low uneven paved/dirt roads of Kathmandu when we were dropped off on what seemed to be a random dirt road intersection.

Walking Through a Valley and up a “Hill”

If it’s not 20,000+ feet in Nepal, It’s a hill.  I set out along with my guide who carried my small backpack.  We started walking at the edge of a small town (may have been part of Kathmandu) and kept walking on dirt roads through the villages and farms on the way up to the peak hotel where we would be staying the night.

For the first couple hours of the walk, the scenery was pretty interesting.  Most of the area consisted of farming land.  The hills had steps carved out of them presumably for farming.  The bright green grass of the crops and orange flowers and yellow mustard plants gave the area very visually pleasing colors.  The houses in the area were also very aesthetically pleasing, some built of brick with pained window seals and others just painted bright colors.

At one point I started noticing the signs which displayed the distance to the peak.  The grade wasn’t very steep but it seemed like it took forever for each new distance sign to appear.  It got to a point where the scenery was getting tedious and my single water bottle I bought earlier was long gone.  Luckily for me, the guide asked me if I wanted to take a bus the rest of the way to the hotel which I delightfully accepted.

Typical Scenery on the way to Nagarkot in Kathmandu Valley

Checking in at the Hotel and off for some Sunset Photos

It was getting closer to sunset so I didn’t have much time to spend at Hotel Viewpoint before sunset.  Everything was paid (so I thought) for and checking in was almost instantaneous.  I simply threw my clothes backpack and laptop in my room and went to the restaurant to refuel before the sunset.

It turned out, dinner and breakfast the next morning were included but the lunch/pre-dinner was not.  My guide said he wasn’t going to eat because the restaurant was too expensive which it was.  I insisted he ordered food and I would pay.  He got a club sandwich and I got some spaghetti and the bill was around 2000 rupees ($28 USD).  After dinner, I set off with my guide for some sunset views.

I remember commenting to my guide about h ow good the sunset was going to be because of the thin clouds and it didn’t disappoint.  He walked me down to a vista point where there were a couple busloads of Indian tourists which is where I took the photo at the top of this post.   I had a bit of a dilemma because I also wanted to get photos of the Langtang Himalayan range in the sunset as well.   After I felt I got the shots I wanted of the sunset in the valley I literally ran up a hill to another hotel’s viewpoint of the mountains to get some shots of the pink clouds and mountains.

View of the Langtang Himalayan Range from Hotel Viewpoint's Roof

View more Photos from Nagarkot, Nepal at tourismPICS.com

Part II:  Hotel View Point, Sunrise and Hiking Down Nagarkot

Getting an Early Start

I’m typing this post about ½ way through my 3 hour non-stop direct flight on Thai Airways from BKK to Kathmandu International Airport to get a head start. When I fail to type up the posts right away they fall by the wayside (like my Shanghai e experience) as I get wrapped up in my multiple endeavors. I purchased a new Asus UL80VT laptop which supposedly gets 12 hours of battery life so no battery power can’t be an excuse anymore.

Finding a Flight(s)

If for whatever reason you find yourself in Bangkok and want to visit Nepal you should know that there is only one dependable non-stop flight which is operated by Thai Airways (more on that a little later). I didn’t know this beforehand but there is another direct, non-stop flight under Nepal Airlines but as I learned from a Nepali friend, the flight is far from a sure thing as they are often canceled and backed up for weeks and even months.  I was told it is worth the extra couple hundred dollars to book on Thai

The Thai Airways flight was listed at 3 hours and 30 minutes but upon boarding the plane they announced the flight would be 3 hours. Whether you want to spend the least amount of money as possible or visit more places along the way, there are other ways to get from Bangkok from Nepal.

I was actually looking into taking a side trip to Kolkata (Calcutta) in East India which is basically halfway between Bangkok and Kathmandu and I found it to be possible by taking Indian Airlines. When I found out I need a visa beforehand it turned me off to visiting India at this time.

Booking your Thai Airways Flight

I knew I wanted to visit Nepal for months as I had a Nepali friend who was going to be there in early November. I had been scouting out the Thai Airways tickets for a couple months and made a few observations.

I noticed that Thai Airways really messes around with their flight as seen online. I’m not just talking about ticket prices but availability. One day I would check and the website said “Sold out” for the flight on the dates I was looking for as well as close dates. The next day the flights would miraculously be available again. When I bought my ticket and was choosing my seat for the flight which was “sold out” a few days earlier there were literally a couple hundred seats available.

I’m not sure if this is common practice or whether it is purposely done by the airline but I didn’t like it one bit. The prices fluctuated between 21000 baht and 28000 baht for a round trip ticket. I ended up paying 22100 baht for my ticket.  As advised in some online forums, I made sure to get a seat on the right side of the plane as far away from the wing as possible so I could take some photos of the Himalaya mountain ranges with my Canon PowerShot S95.

Minutes before Landing at Kathmandu Airport

Arrival at the Kathmandu Airport

I had a feeling I was in for a new cultural experience when after the plane landed from a 100% smooth flight and came to a stop while taxiing and literally 95% of the people raced up out of their seats before the whole flight crew had to scold them to all sit down until the plane was done taxiing.

After I got out of the Thai Airways Boeng 777 and walked off the airplane and across the tarmac I noticed the Kathmandu airport is well past its prime. The old brick exterior and half-hearted construction projects doesn’t compare to most modern airports.

Standing in the Visa on Arrival Line at Kathmandu International

NOTE: Visa on Arrival Process
If you arrive to Kathmandu airport without a visa you will be required to apply for one (which is what 99% of the foreigners did). What made the process interesting is a passport sized photo is required and the currency accepted was listed at $25 dollars for a 15 day visa and $40 for a 30 day visa. I found it interesting that they didn’t accept their own money.

The good news is for those who don’t come prepared (like me) there is both a currency exchange and a photo booth about 10 feet from the visa on arrival line. The line seemed like it took forever and when I finally got there I was confused as the first booth took the payment and threw all your paperwork in this giant pile. I walked away and they summoned me back to find my papwork in the messy pile and give it to the guy in the adjacent booth where they stamped my visa and I was off.

Gotta Love Hotel Airport Pick-up