After a leisurely breakfast we packed our bags and prepared to leave Kathmandu for the time being as we are due to return in a week or so.
Kathmandu has an estimated population of 1.7 million and has a sprawling array of suburban locations resulting in approximately 4 million people in its surrounding agglomeration.
We were met by our bus driver, Om at 11:00 and after loading our bags we then proceeded eastwards through the high density traffic of the airport and surrounds. For at least and hour we drove through suburbs with typically two to three storey buildings most of which looked to lack much in the way of maintenance. Often the ground floor areas were small shops trading in every imaginable wares. The traffic was incredibly chaotic, typical of many Asian cities we’d experienced in past travels.
Eventually the scene changed and the traffic density decreased although the road surface deteriorated as we began a one hour climb leaving Bhaktapur and heading towards the settlement of Nagarkot where we’ll stay this evening.
Nagarkot clings to a 1,985 m hilltop far removed from noise, pollution and the urban sprawl.
View across the valley from near our hotel, Nagarkot
We checked into the Club Himalaya hotel which can be best described as exclusive and exceptionally well appointed providing facilities for even the most discriminating traveller.
After lunch we went for a one hour walk to a westward lookout point and then climbed a nearby hill through a pine forest hoping to find an easterly viewpoint. Unfortunately the hilltop offered a meagre panoramic view and was little more than a helipad. However, to our great joy we found two epiphytic orchids growing on the pine-tree trunks nearby. One of the orchids was in flower and a quick survey revealed that it was plentiful. We managed to get some photos including the second species that had now gone over and all that was visible were seed pods.
Orchid on pine tree, Nagarkot
From our hotel room balcony we have extraordinary northward views of the Himalayas that are so visually dominating that they give the impression of being only a short distance away. The jagged snow covered peaks look amazing in the late afternoon sunshine. Undoubtedly, as the guidebooks suggest, Nagarkot provides one of the best close-range vantage points from anywhere on the Kathmandu Valley rim. From the Annapurnas to Everest, the peaks provide a stunning spectacle that will be etched in our memories forever!
View from our room at Club Himalaya Hotel
View from our room at Club Himalaya Hotel
View from our room at Club Himalaya Hotel
In the late afternoon we had sundowners at an outside bar offering a spectacular Himalayan backdrop. After relaxing with a few cold drinks in the cool evening air we ventured inside to enjoy our evening meal.
Sundownera at Club Himalaya Hotel
Tomorrow we travel southwards towards Dhulikhel where its hillside location offers further stunning views of the Himalayas. We have our fingers crossed hoping we’ll get cloud free conditions.