Nagarkot

NAGARKOT - SURISE OVER THE HIMALAYAS

DAY 2 - No matter how many sunrises and sunsets I see, I am constantly amazed by its beauty. We chose to go to Nagarkot for two main reasons: first, it was closer and more accessible (in terms of price and time) than Pokhara - our original thought, and second, it was famous for it's sunrise views of the Himalayan range including Mt Everest (if you're lucky). We're not really big trekkers or anything, so we didn't want to go somewhere famous only for its trekking paths.

When we got to Nagarkot, we couldn't see a meter past the balustrade of our hotel's terrace. It was like we were floating in the clouds. Nevermind seeing the mountains! We weren't too concerned, because we were sure that the clouds would lift the next morning. However, we didn't think about the impact that these clouds would have on our stay... Most hotels in Nagarkot have solar heated water.... so... no hot water for us! (Check out the essentials for traveling off the beaten track - soon!)

The next morning at 6:39, once the sunlight started making its appearance, we could make out the ridges of the mountain range and the misty valleys below. Absolutely breath-taking. After a sizzling breakfast we decided to take advantage of the few rays of sun and absence of rain to go for a 2hour 'jungle walk' to see the mountains from a bit closer up. The walk is not so hard, and on a clearer day may have yielded some nice views of the Himalayas and the valley, but the mountains kept playing hide and seek in the clouds as we made our way on winding paths and through clumps of bamboo.

After a quick lunch and a bit of card games while warming up at the hotel restaurant, we decided to chance it and go for another walk (sans guide - this time). We wandered about aimlessly amazed at how the scenery changed from a moment to the next as the mist rolled over the hills and valleys.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Kathmandu - Nagarkot: $20-$22 by private car [2h30]
Jungle walk: $20 [2h walk]