If you are planning to travel to the Himalayan region - Nepal, Tibet, India or Bhutan - please feel free to call our store manager, Kishor Shrestha at 304-258-0618 during our store hours. Kishor will be happy to give you free travel guidance and advice - that only a Himalayan tour guide veteran with 18 years of experience can provide.
Kishor began working as a travel guide in Kathmandu back in 1990. He led single and multiple country tours throughout the Himalayan region with a focus on helping travelers plan customized tours. Whether you are planning to visit Everest base camp, trek through the Himalayas, or just visit Kathmandu and the surrounding areas, Kishor will be happy to provide you with travel ideas. In 2004, when Maoist demonstrations temporarily destroyed the tourist industry in Nepal, Kishor came to the United States to work as store manager for Himalayan Trade and Tour. He now lives and works in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia with his family.
Himalayan Trade and Tour no longer actively promotes tours of its own but Kishor has personally assisted a number of travelers from our town and misses making new friends with those interested in travel to the Himalayan Region. Please feel free to call Kishor (during the week is best) for both travel advice and information on the crafts, antiquities, ritual items, statues and other products of the Himalayan region.
Help with Planning your Travel Itineraries
While Himalayan Trade no long promotes Himalayan Tours, Kishor would be happy to give you assistance in planning your trip. If you wish, for a fee, he can help you plan a customized trip and assist you in making the actual travel arrangements. He can recommend guides and tour agencies for part of the trip, select restaurants and hotels, and help you pack. Kishor can plan a trip for two to the region that would be approximately 30% less than what you would pay if you went through a typical travel agency/tour service.
Kishor’s Tips for New Travelers:
Trips to Nepal can require a variety of clothing depending on the time of year you visit and which parts of the country you are going to see. Nepal is a big country if you compare her with many Eastern Europe countries for example. The northern and eastern part of Nepal is completely covered by the Himalayas while parts of the Southern half of Nepal is jungle or tarai region. The temperature varies dramatically. In the North temperatures can range from –5 degrees centigrade in the winter to about 18 c. in the summer. In the South, temperatures can range from 17 c in the winter to 47 c. in the summer. Try to bring light clothing that can be layered at night and adjusted if you are visiting diverse regions of the country in one visit.
Here are some of my favorite do’s and don’ts for first time traveler’s to Nepal:
1. Don’t take photographs of locals or holy men unless they have given you their consent. It is customary to give about 50 Rupees to holy men who consent after you take their picture.
2. Don’t raise your voice it public as it is seen as bad manner.
3. Always walk clock wise around the temple, monasteries and stupas to gain religious merit.
4. Never touch offerings or persons preparing to give offerings at temples.
5. Never offer Nepalese food or drinks if you have touched or tasted it first.
6. Always remove your shoes when entering a home, temple or monestary.
7. To show gratitude or appreciation, it is customary to use both hands and say “Namaste” rather than one hand (which is considered impolite). When giving or receiving something, such as a business card or gift, use both hands.
8. Do not step over reclining persons or point at people with your finger.
9. Always trek or hike in the countryside with others.
10. When dining, it is best to avoid small roadside hotels.
11. Tipping is a fairly new custom in Nepal. While not always expected like in other countries like the US and India, it is very much appreciated to show a job well done.
12. When dining, many Nepalese eat with their hands. This is not bad manners.
Trekking
Nepal is a trekker’s paradise for those than have the time. You will trek along beaten trails and virgin tracks. With the magnificent tumble of the great snow summits always in your view, you can walk through alpine forest carpets among rhododendron flowers, visit isolated hamlets and small mountain villages, see ancient temples, and rare animals. Ideally, you will need 14-21 days on the ground for a trek that starts and finishes in Kathmandu.
There are a number of trekking routes advertised, but I highly recommend the Annapurna circuit and Everest base camp trek. Both treks take from 14-21 days depending on your itinerary. The lesser traveled Annapurna Circuit takes about 14 days and you trek to 3960m to the Annapurna base camp. This area leads around the entire Annapurna massif, visiting the surrounding Tibet-like country. You will see Manang on the northern slopes of the Annapurna, Himal involving the crossing of a high pass, Throngla, another high pass at 5416m and the dramatic Kali Gandaki Gorge near Muktinath 4100m, one of the important pilgrimages for the Hindus and Buddhists.
Shorter Visits to Kathmandu and the Kathmandu Valley
For those without the inclination or time to trek, I highly recommend a week exploration of Kathmandu and the Kathmandu Valley. In Kathmandu visit the Durbar Square with its hundreds of temples dating back to the 16th century, and the Boudhanath Temple which is also known as Little Tibet in Kathmandu because it is constantly visited by thousands of meditating Tibetan Buddhist refugees. Sw. Yambhnath, a Buddhist temple located on top of a hill overlooking the Durbar Square, is a must see attraction. 8 km south of Kathmandu is the Buddhist city of Patan also known as the City of Beauty. Visit the nearby Hindu Pashupatinath Temple which is located on the bank of Bagmati river and is a holy site as well known as Baranashi in India. Bhaktapur City is another fascinating must see place in the Kathmandu Valley. It is a medieval city with many temples and holy sites. Outside of Bhaktapur City you can visit some of the typical small villages of Nepal.
If you have more time for more adventure, I highly recommend spending another week taking a side trip to Tibet or to Bhutan.
Tibet
Tibet is literally the “ Roof of the World”. The valley bottoms of Tibet are higher than the highest mountains elsewhere. Its snow- covered plateaus are the highest in the world. North of the mighty Himalayas, some of the old monasteries have been recently reopened. No land has captured man’s imagination for its remote particularity and its almost mystical aura than Tibet.
You can travel both by air and road from Kathmandu to Tibet. Tibet’s only commercial airport is at Gongkar, 96 km from Lhasa and is accessible only from Chengdu (Mainland China) or from Katmandu/Nepal. China SouthWest Airlines are the only airlines that flies to Lhasa from Katmandu or from Chengdu. There are regular flights on Tuesdays and Saturdays from Katmandu and two flights every day from Chengdu. The route from Nepal to Lhasa by road (900 km) takes at least three days with overnight stops in Zhangmu and Shigatse. While most travel by air because of the time it takes to travel to Lhasa by jeep, the road trip is fascinating and filled with adventure. The trip includes Potala palace, Jhokang temple, Barkhor Market, Drepung Monastery, Tashilimpo Monastery, and the Kumbum Temple. Average tour is about 7/8 days from Katmandu.
Altitude sickness is the affect of the thin air at great heights. Travelers to Tibet may suffer some discomfort like breathlessness and headaches before becoming acclimatized. Many hotels keep bottles oxygen for emergencies. There are tourist standard hotels with modern facilities as no-frills basis accommodation. The best time of the year to visit Tibet is May through October. Midweight clothes are recommended during this season. Warm clothing is required from November to April. Remember that night and day temperatures vary greatly.
Bhutan
Bhutan holds great fascination for many because it is a true Buddhist Himalayan kingdom that is unsurpassed in its scenic majesty and vibrant culture. The kingdom shares with Nepal the world’s greatest concentration of mountains and a living heritage of Buddhism. It is one of the few countries in the world still untouched, a paradise for tourists interested in Buddhism culture and philosophy, flora and funa, trekking and mountaineering. A trip to Bhutan is considered a once in a lifetime experience. Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, there is limited accessibility to Bhutan and a trip takes great planning. Please call me for more information on how to properly plan a trip.
There are four areas that you must visit. The first is Paro. This beautiful terraced valley is home to many of Bhutanese’s oldest temples. The national museum is located in an ancient watchtower here, and Taktsang monastery clings to sheer cliffs 900 meters above the valley. Second is Thimpu, which is the capital of Bhutan, center of government, religion and commerce which has grown alongside ancient monasteries and forts. The earliest fortress monastery in the region, Simtokha Dzong, was built in 1627. Third is Punakha, which offers spectacular views of the Himalayas which can be seen on the road from Thimpu to Punakha Dzong. Forth is Wangdiphodrang, which features rich cattle pastures at the junction of the Mo Chu and Tang Chu rivers.
An average tour program is about 8 days in and out from Kathmandu. One can also travel to Bhutan from India, and Bangkok. The best time to travel to Bhutan is in March and May as Bhutan celebrates the colorful festival called Paro Tsechu. During this festival they display giant Thanka paintings.
Kishor in Himalayan Trade in Berkeley Springs, WV, when it first opened in 2006.
 |
.JPG "D 1203b Brass Dorje 6\"")
