7 Heritage Sites of Kathmandu Valley

 While Kathmandu valley is a Unesco World Heritage Site, it actually constitutes seven separate entities that comprise into the WHS. They are:

A. Kathmandu Darbar Square

B. Patan Darbar Square

C. Swayambhu Stupa

D. Buddha Stupa

E. Pashupatinath Temple

F. Bhaktapur Darbar Square

G. Changunarayan Temple

 7 Heritage Sites of Kathmandu Valley

It takes 2 days minimum to cover all the sites although it may take more than a day to cover each one in the true sense, such is the grandeur of Kathmandu valley. Day 1 can be dedicated to A, B & C while day 2 can be used to cover D, E, F & G.

Kedarkantha Trek - Part 2

While resting and entertaining ourselves at Kotgaon we were informed that the entire trek is not possible and we can only go till Juda ka Talab which is the first night camp on the way to the Kedarkantha peak. We came back to our stay and prepared for the next day hike. Next morning our blood pressure and oxygen was measured before giving us a go ahead and we packed our lunch for the day trek.

Juda ka Talab, Kedarkantha

The trek to Juda ka Talab is steep but beautiful. There are stretches of Deodar and sound of running water all the way to the camp. On the way we halted at a tea stall, the owner of which was famous for playing flute. He entertained us while we munched some of his snacks. We covered the 3 kilometers and 3k ft in less than 3 hours.

Night Camping @ Juda ka Talab

The camps were enticing, surrounded by tall tress and beside the lake. We would have loved to stay here and take the next day journey to Kedarkantha. We took our lunch here and admired the beauty of twin lakes at 9k ft before starting downwards. We had to reach Sankri before dark as the downward journey get treacherous by the night.

Kedarkantha Trek - Part 1

• There was no internet in 2021 in Sankri. Jio had limited service here.
• If you can reach Sankri on your own, you will save one full day of commute. Also you may have options of trekking groups and destinations to choose from at the last minute.
• Sankri is base to some of the most famous treks in Northern India - Kedarkantha, Har Ki Doon, Swargarohini, Ruinsara Tal to name a few. Accommodation and food is not for those who seek luxury, be prepared for that.
• Kedarkantha is a winter trek and two of the three nights are in tents. At a modest height of 12k ft and 3 days of trek, Kedarkantha is the definition of a beginner’s trek.

Sankri is a trekker’s heaven. The entire village is tuned to make sure the trekkers who turn up round the year have as comfortable stay as possible - their livelihood depends on it. Most of the trekkers come from Dehradun which is the closest railway station / airport from here. Generally trekking companies arrange buses which take a whole day to reach this place.

Local Temple @ Sankri Village