Seeing the Himalayas without trekking to mountains might sound unrealistic, but still it is possible and is quite easy and inexpensive. And in this Blog I will tell you how and where you could experience one of the best mountain views in your life, feel the warmth and beauty of a stunning sunrise over the Himalayas, and even get a chance to see the legendary Mount Everest without climbing it; and all of these things will cost you less than a pair of new sneakers.. The journey starts in the Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, from where we are going to Nagarkot, which is a tiny mountain village with a small number of hotels and restaurants, located at more than 2000 m above sea level
Nagarkot offers a wide variety of views of the Himalayas, as here you could see 8 of 13 Himalayan ranges of Nepal. It is a perfect place for nature lovers and hiking enthusiasts, there are lots of walking routes in and around the village. Nagarkot used to be a place for the royals of Nepal to hide away of the heat of summer and busy city life, and relatively recently the hill has become a popular travel destination for both locals and international visitors. Nagarkot is located not too far from the Kathmandu - in approximately 30 kilometers from the city, that makes it ideal for short or even day trips, but I’d recommend to stay there overnight to enjoy a magnificent sight of the Himalayan peaks at sunrise. Upon arrival most visitors usually regret they haven't planned to stay here longer for one or two day, as this place is really worth it - being here makes you feel super calm and relaxed.. Surrounded by forested hills Nagarkot offers you such stunning and beautiful views of Himalayas that you could spend hours staring at the breathtaking mountain scenery.
Personally, I'd recommend booking a hotel on the hill with a balcony facing the Himalayas, so that you could set your alarm on 6 O'clock in the morning, wake up in the dark and just step out of the room to feel the wonderful magic of rising sun. In few minutes you will see the sun spreads the rays of light over the snow-capped mountains and paints the sky with red, orange and yellow colors which makes the scenery even more mesmerizing. Look at these mountain tops - it’s just like a fire on ice... I've stayed in the Hotel Green Valley Nagarkot, where the night cost me 36 USD for a deluxe room with balcony, but the room was pretty basic, I haven't noticed anything that would make me feel deluxe to be honest. And only after waking up I've realized what I have paid for - for the view.. Nagarkot is located in about 30 kilometers from the Kathmandu city and the most cheapest way to get here is by bus, but this way isn’t so convenient, as at first - there is no a direct bus, and at second - the buses you need to take are local buses, which are usually overcrowded and often not only with people - it's normal for locals to transfer their home animals with them.. First bus you take will bring you to Bhaktapur, where you gotta change to the Nagarkot bus.
Such ride takes at least 3 hours. You can also hire a taxi or a private car and reach Nagarkot in a convenient way and much faster. I did that way. And the road itself took around 1 hour and a half.. I've booked a car from a tour company in Kathmandu. At first the driver brought me for sightseeing to Bhaktapur and after dropped to my hotel in Nagarkot. He also stayed overnight here but in a different place I guess, and in the next morning picked me up after finishing breakfast for going back to the Kathmandu. This tour cost me 60 dollars.. The road to Nagarkot is really challenging, plus the traffic jams on the way out of the city were truly horrible, so I was glad of the decision to go with a private car and experienced driver who was able to handle it well. Plus if you are coming by a private car you could stop anywhere you want - to enjoy local food for example. The driver recommended me an inexpensive family restaurant on the way up - a couple kilometers before Nagarkot - where I have got a chance to taste an extremely delicious “Dal Bhat” - a famous traditional Nepalese dish consisting of rice and lentil soup, chicken curry and a mixture of spicy vegetables and greens.
It was so great.. Just sitting there, enjoying tasty food, drinking Nepal Ice beer and watching the sun goes down.. After finishing the meal, the driver took me to the Nagarkot View Tower, situated around 2100 meters above the sea level. It was quite late and already dark but I still could have a 360 degree view of the Himalayas covered with clouds.. But the best part of this journey has happened next morning, when i woke up and became a witness of the magnificent sunrise along with the outstanding beauty of the Himalayas.
The opportunity to see the impressive sunrise as well as Mount Everest depends on the weather, as quite often the valley is covered with thick fog. The best viewing periods are from October to December and from March to April, when the clear sky is more likely. Well Guys, that’s it, If you like the video then hit the "like" button, write me in the comments if you wanna visit Nepal, or if you know other beautiful destinations with stunning views; share this video with your friends to support the channel, and I’ll see you in the next video.