It was really a spontaneous decision to go to Eastern side of Nepal when my Dad asked me if I was interested. Almost no prior planning was done but I thought I'll take few days leave at office over weekend to spend in our Travel.
Packing our bags, me and my family on Saturday morning drove out of the city. Driving on a new route via B.P highway, we were excited and thrilled to see many places.
Traveling almost 1500kms from Kathmandu, this part of Nepal is a paradise which has a fascinating history, enthralling culture and filled with scenic beauty. Exploring its rich Natural diversity from shivering in the hills to dancing in the hot Terai plains , East Nepal has something for everyone.
Here are the Highlights of My Travel !
~ Bhedetar ~
Our first destination was Bhedetar, Pearched at 1420m it was like a hillstation above Dharan city. The damp monsoon air carried equal parts of cow dung, firewood and fog when we reached there in the late evening.
Charles Point, place to get the best view of Bhedetar which was named after Prince Charles, who visited the place back in 1980. Luckily we got the chance to see the beautiful Bhedetar before the mist covered the entire area.
One of my most memorable moment was climbing all the way to Namaste Jharna, and discovering an incredible view. It was simply Amazing and WOW!!
~ Dhankuta ~
Hile famous for the astonishing scenery of surrounding Himalayas, it was an eye-catching view of "Tongba" statue (wooden steins with brass hoops and fitted tops filled with millet-based alcoholic beverage) in the middle of the city.
Much heard about the place, the architectural masterpiece building, the timber construction, old fascinating house with balcony, such bold use of colors at the residence all made me look back again and again towards the building while climbing the uphill.
One could spend days wandering through the streets of Dhankuta with its uninterrupted natural beauty.
Saying goodbye to this breathtaking scenery we headed back to East West Highway destined to reach Ilam. On our way, we came across Koshi barrage in Saptari district. It seems like an ocean rather than the river. One of the biggest river barrages, it was thrilling to drive across the long bridge with huge waters.
~ Ilam ~
You know you reached Ilam when you start seeing the tea estates on both side of the road. Located at the foothills of Mount Kanchenjunga, Ilam is a small town with sloped hills of tea gardens, and thick natural forests. It was an excellent getaway from my city life for fresh mountain air, a brisk walk in the tea garden, tranquil time and sightseeing spots.
Definitely find some time to check out the Tea Manufacturing Factory if you stop here!
On the way to Ilam Bazaar, there are two hot spots for tourist and they are Kanyam and Fikkal. As my Dad said Kanyam has largest tea estates that have made Ilam famous for more than a hundred years. (Can you imagine??) Likewise, Fikkal is a sort of business center which is also the junction from where we went to the eastern border city Pashupatinagar.
When you are finally ready to leave this place do visit Kakarbhitta, another border city from Mechi zone.
~ Biratnagar ~
Ranked as the 2nd busiest and biggest city of Nepal after Kathmandu, Biratnagar was mostly filled with the same crowd as the capital.
It was good to see rickshaws that are one of the oldest means of transportation primarily still in existence in the city.
~ Janakpur ~
Last but not the least, Janakpur was the much-awaited place on my travel list.
The beautiful and famous Janaki Mandir is a Hindu temple that lies in the heart of Janakpur. Built in extravagant baroque Mughal style, Janaki Mandir is one of the most fascinated temples. The holy temple is draped with colorful lights and decorated with colored glass, engravings, and paintings, with beautiful lattice windows and turrets. Honestly, it felt so peaceful and religious to visit this incredible site.
Also don't miss the chance to visit marvelous Bibaha Mandap, Dhanush Sagar, Ganga Sagar. It's around 10 minutes away from the main Temple.
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Luckily, I think there will always be a “next time” for me and my travel. Here’s to trying out Tongba in Hile, horseriding by the tea estates, paying respects to the religious places, feeding the wild boar in the middle of the highway and much more. Cheers!!
