| It is hard to find words that do justice
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| | 1769 when Gurkha king Prithvi Narayan
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| to wonderful Kathmandu. One ridge away
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| | Shah swept eastwards from his base at
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| from the highest mountains in the world,
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| | Gorkha, conquering the towns on the
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| and thronged by a million Hindus and
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| | valley rim and isolating Kathmandu.
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| Buddhists, this pricely city is the
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| | Bhaktapur and Patan from the outside
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| archetypal mountain kingdom - mystical,
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| | world. This marked the start of the
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| magical and arcane. Temples loom out of
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| | golden age of Kathmandu architecture -
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| the mist around every corner and the
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| | temple-strewn Durbar Square has barely
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| cobbled streets resound with the chanting
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| | changed since. As the city grew, the
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| of mantras and the chiming of temple
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| | natural fortifications of the valley
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| bells. At dusk, the city is transformed
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| | walls became a hindrance rather an asset.
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| into a cut-out of stupas, prayer flags
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| | Everything has to be trekked in from the
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| and temple spires. On clear days, a wall
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| | plains of India and builders had nowhere
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| of snow-covered mountains rises behind
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| | to go but up, explaining the rather
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| Kathmandu and eagles soar majestically
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| | chaotic skyline of leaning brick towers.
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| overhead on the high Tibetan winds - it
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| | Politics also played a role in
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| is like the special effects from The Lord
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| | Kathmandu's status of suspended
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| of the Rings, but right there, alive in
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| | animation. From 1816 to 1950, Nepal was
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| the real world. The main reason for
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| | completely cut off from the outside
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| Kathmandu's remarkable state of
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| | world, vanishing into legend as another
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| preservation is its unique geographical
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| | forbidden kingdom of the Himalaya. The
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| situation. There are only two roads out
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| | Swiss explorer Toni Hagen was the first
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| of the Kathmandu Valley, one going north
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| | European allowed in and walked all over
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| to Lhasa in Tibet and the other winding
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| | the country, setting a precedent for the
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| down to the Terai plains - a five hour
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| | 200,000 trekkers who now visit every
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| journey to cover a distance of 50
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| | year.
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| kilometers. Historically, this was
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| | Tangopang is a frequent traveler with
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| Kathmandu best defense against foreign
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| | articles at Before your next travel to
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| invaders. Unlike India and Tibet, Nepal
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| | Nepal, visit Nepal Holiday Travel Guide
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| was never conquered by the British. The
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| | for more tips.
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| city's meteoric rise to fame began in
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