Nepal:Things to explore in 2020
Nepal, from its lush green fields of Terai to beautiful snow-capped mountains of Himalaya has always been every backpacker’s dream. Whether you want to stroll around an unending stretch of greenery, feel awed looking at all the hills surrounding you, or love the thrill of walking through narrow mountain trails, in Nepal, you will find it all. Even though, it is counted as one of the smaller countries in terms of area, it seems huge because of the massive variety of culture, language and traditions. Tourism is one of the major income sources for us Nepalese, but sadly, after the earthquake of 2015, tourism industry took a major hit. To the outside world, Nepal became a thoroughly devastated nation living in ruins. But, this, as we know is not the case. Although some areas were completely destroyed, most of the districts survived with only minor damages. With an attempt to show the world that Nepal is completely safe for visit, Nepal Tourism Board announced 2018 as “Visit Nepal Year”. After some setbacks, the campaign has shifted to 2020 and “Visit Nepal 2020 campaign” was announced. With just a handful of months remaining for the big campaign launch, let’s look at some of the things we can look forward to in 2020 campaign: Trekking For all the trekkers out there, 2020 campaign offers abundant opportunities. Everest Base Camp Trek, Mardi Himal Trek, Manaslu Trekking and Upper Mustang trek are just few of the popular trekking expeditions to look forward to in 2020. Wildlife Whether you are a bird watcher or an enthusiast of exotic, beautiful animals, Nepal is the place for you. Nepal homes an astounding 852 types of flying creatures and is home to various endangered animals including Snow Leopard, Red Panda, Bengal Tigers and others. Tour The ethereal view from Gosainkunda Lake, the feeling of calm experienced while gazing across the deep blue Rara lake, and the mind numbing energy felt during Biska: and other Jatras, Nepal offers the unique mixture of scenery, culture and traditions. Religion For Hindus as well as Buddhists, Nepal has always been of historic importance. Pashupatinath Mandir, Muktinath Mandir, Gosaikunda, Janaki Mandir, Swayabhunath, and Lumbini are just few of the pilgrim sites that one can travel to in Nepal. There are lots more to be explored. Boating in Fewa Lake of Pokhara, watching sunrise from the hills of Nagarkot, Jungle Safari in Chitwan, Strolling around the streets of Bandipur and Bhairawa are some of the most popular activities for tourists in Nepal that need no introduction. Besides these, tourists will get to see the progress of heritage sites like Basantapur and Bhaktapur Durbar Square post-earthquake. To those who have already visited Nepal, I would like to end by quoting Nepal Tourism Board’s 2011 tagline “Naturally Nepal: Once is Not Enough”.
