KIMFF 2016 | 08 - 12 December

Its that time of the year again. The 14th Kathmandu Int'l Mountain Film Festival takes place from 8-12 December. More than 80 films on mountain people, culture, and sports from Nepal and around the world. Loads of documentaries, features, shorts, experimental films. 

Do not miss it for the world. Check out the Schedule here.

Top Tips : First time in Nepal?

So you have decided to go to Nepal. Where is it on the Globe anyways, this tiny speck of a country which has the highest mountains of the world? (interesting fact: between 70m to the top of the world around 8.5 kms up in a meagre 250 km breadth and hence the steepest country in the world). Let me try to ease you into this amazing country called Nepal.

# 1: Quick Facts
Its in between China and India, has about 27m people, over 150 ethnicities and languages - from the Sherpas who are the Worlds top climbers (the current world record is 21 times up Everest, soon to be broken) to the Tharu - the only ethnic group in the world resistant to Malaria.

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# 2: Visa on Arrival
Nepal has one of the easiest entry rules in the world. Barring a few countries, very very few, all nations are allowed in on a Visa on Arrival. You could fill an online application and come with the receipt, or fill it in at the airport, pay the visa fee, and welcome to Nepal. Easy as that!

# 3: English is more common than you think

You will be mildly surprised how easy its to get around Nepal, especially if you can speak English. The official language is Nepali, which has a 36 alphabet script of its own, but most schools teach English, so we have a huge percentage of the population who can speak English, making travel in Nepal super easy.

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# 4: Internet penetration is super high
An opening of the cyber space investments by the Government in the early 90s has paved a way to get pretty decent penetration for the internet. Since the last ten odd years, the 3g networks have started and you can get fairly fast internet connectivity. It is also probably the country with the highest percentage of tourism providers offering free wifi. So you will never lose contact with your loved ones.

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# 5: Its affordable
Getting to Nepal can be expensive, specially if you are coming in Long Haul, but once you are in the country, its quite inexpensive. This is quite a boon for budget travellers.

# 6: You will like the food
There are a very few travellers who have gone back after a trip to Nepal saying. “Your food sucks”. The Dal Bhaat (rice and lentil soup with other side dishes), the momos (dumplings and sauce) are super duper hits, and everyone love them.

# 7: Its safe
Crime is very very low in Nepal, and specially for travellers it is very safe. There have been incidents here too of course, but its rare and nothing untoward that could not have happened anywhere else in the world. Practice standard precautions, and you will be fine.

Photo by: Rocky Prajapati

# Smile like a local
We smile easy, and so it works really well if travellers do the same. We make friends very quickly and its not uncommon to meet a guy at a bar the first time and he will get into a fight for you by the end of the evening, if need be!



# 8: Its not all trekking and mountains
Its popular for trekking, but there are so many other layers. ParaHawking, Cayoning, bungy jumping and a giant swing, mountain biking, stand up paddling, you name it - a wide variety of safe and fun softadventure experiences are right here.

# Bring along a great attitude
Its not what you think it is. So bringing along a right attitude could be critical in determining how much you will enjoy Nepal.

Happy Journeys!

Top 10: Most Instagramed Pictures of Kathmandu

Instagram is a place of inspiration and countless day dreams. Here, we count down the top 10 Instagrammed pictures from Kathmandu with stunning photography.

1. Swoyambhunath
A golden spire crowning a conical wooded hill, Swayambhunath Stupa is the most ancient and enigmatic of all the holy shrines in Kathmandu valley.

A photo posted by Laura Becker (@lauraabecker_wahl) on Feb 25, 2016 at 1:55am PST

2. Bhaktapur Durbar Square 
Bhaktapur Durbar Square, located in the center of Bhaktapur city, is a conglomeration of pagoda and shikhara-style temples grouped around a fifty-five window palace of brick and wood.

A photo posted by Saurabh Shrestha (@_saurae) on Feb 24, 2016 at 7:25am PST

3. Boudhanath 
It is the largest stupa in Nepal and the holiest Tibetan Buddhist temple outside Tibet. It is the center of Buddhist culture in Nepal.

A photo posted by @jonaske on Feb 28, 2016 at 8:16pm PST

4. Thamel 
Thamel has been the center of the tourist industry in Kathmandu for over four decades, starting from the hippie days when many artists came to Nepal and spent weeks in Thamel. Even though Thamel has been referred to as a "ghetto" by some, many low-budget travelers consider it a hotspot for tourism.

A photo posted by Masaya.S (@msy.shimajiro) on Feb 21, 2016 at 2:42pm PST

5. Patan Durbar Square
Patan means eternity itself and Patan Durbar Square is a spectacular sight. It is full of Hindu temples and Buddhist monuments with bronze gateways, guardian deities and wonderful carvings.

A photo posted by @travellifesd on Feb 13, 2016 at 5:26pm PST

6. Ason
 A walk through Ason brings you to the heart of “normal” Nepali city life. It is the Kathmandu of many generations of inhabitants. There more temples for the gods than there are houses for people in Ason.

A photo posted by Suraj Shakya (@surajshakya) on Dec 2, 2015 at 6:59am PST

7. Pashupatinath 
 The Mecca of Hinduism attracts millions of devotees worldwide during the last week of February for the Shivaratri festival.

A photo posted by Hopetilltheend (@akpanthi) on Feb 26, 2016 at 5:49am PST

8. Kopan Monastery
Home to 360 monks, lamas. teachers and workers, visitors from all over the world come here to attend courses and enjoy the spiritual atmosphere of the place for study and practice

A photo posted by Mark Foster (@mistersmims) on Jan 8, 2016 at 8:45pm PST

9. Basantapur
Kathmandu Durbar Square in the heart of old Kathmandu city in Basantapur never fails to impress first time visitors with its intricate wood carvings and rich history.

A photo posted by @vlad_butik on Feb 10, 2016 at 11:16pm PST

10. Nagi Gompa
Nagi Gompa nunnery sits on a mountainside high above the Kathmandu Valley and is home to more than 100 nuns. Here, nuns from all over the Himalayan region have come to study, practice and meditate in quiet and peaceful surroundings.

A photo posted by @nono2loco on Oct 16, 2015 at 10:28pm PDT

MEET us at WTM 2015 | 02 - 05 Nov 2015

Elders @ Patan Durbar Square #stillSmiling pic: Rocky Prajapati

As we go into World Travel Market 2015, we are just beyond the six month mark of the EarthQuake that changed the course of Nepal’s history altogether.

The flurry of media activity in Nepal post quake unfortunately only focussed on the destruction, not realising that only a certain portion of the country was affected, and very little was actually destroyed. The effect on the backbone of the economy, tourism was devastating.

Pic: Rocky Prajapati

At socialtours, we have worked through rescue, relief, recovery and since just under a month since the earthquake, have been working hard on reviving Tourism, through various campaigns and programs. Our I AM IN NEPAL NOW campaign viralled online and caught even the attention of international media.

For the past months, we have developed a range of limited edition products, showcasing the strength and resilience of Nepal, in earthquake recovery. We feel that this will greatly enhance your product arsenal for Nepal, giving your travellers a first hand look at how strong and skilled we are, and how Nepal is tuned to react to something like this. This is not Disaster Tourism, we are not showcasing disaster, but we are showcasing the pride and energy that exists in Nepal now. 

Please take a look at our special edition catalog "IN NEPAL NOW" that can be downloaded via this link.

Raj Gyawali (@KingGyawali on twitter), who has been instrumental in development of these packages and who plays a key role in the Tourism Recovery Campaign in Nepal, will be best placed to inform you more about how Nepal is responding and what these packages entail.

Raj will be available at WTM all days and will be delighted to meet up, and discuss possibilities, or even just to have a quick catch up on the situation in Nepal.

Contact him direct at raj@socialtours.com to set an appointment or pick a date and time at the online appointment slots on Google Calendar here

TEAM SOCIALTOURS

Rebuilding Heritage in #nepalNOW | Shantipur Temple, Soyambhunath

The Shantipur temple in Soyambhunath has damages on the outside wall and the inside wall and is now closed for worship, though devotees still worship the door outside - there is no stopping that.

I attended a small meeting at Soyambhunath in the morning, and was pleasantly surprised that it was teeming with devotees (supposedly, three days after the August Full Moon, devotees from Bhaktapur have to come to Soyambhunath). I never knew that, and it always surprises me how many times I feel like a tourist in my own country, every time I come in contact with a new tradition from the over 100 ethnic groups we have.

The first thing that struck me was how young the group in the meeting was - and how diverse. Some were the priests family, some were the custodians of that space, the youth club, the sponsors etc. The discussion was revolving around traditions - with the earthquake and the recovery, whether to modify the traditions or find ways to preserve. Fascinating debates that happens in Nepal now.

So here is the story. The main sanctum sanctorum of Shantipur can only be opened by the priests, and no other person is ever allowed to enter. So no one really knows what is in there, even today, except this young guy sitting around the drinking tea (who I secretly hoped would take me aside and tell me, but it was not to be) who comes from the priest clan, and whose grandfather, now 92, is still head priest of this temple. It is said that this slightly bent man with a pacemaker suddenly walks straight when inside this deepest part of the temple. The devotees can only come to the second level, just outside, and of course around the temple too.

The decision. We cannot modify tradition. Tradition and belief systems are a combination of known and unknown, and if you make the unknown known, we destroy ancient beliefs and this is the beginning of the end. If there is way to keep the mystery there, we will preserve tradition. Everyone is agreed on that!

Hence an interesting solution for recovery comes up and is agreed upon. Wood panel walls will be constructed to keep the accessible area separate from the inaccessible. A walled area will be outside the temple, and there will be walls to separate the sanctum sanctorum from the outside too… the priest clan will go inside and work there on their own, doing the restoration and recovery of what is their responsibility, the outside can be done by other people. However, all of them have to be raised from the ground up together to keep the building stable and earthquake resistant.

The most fascinating thing in this whole discussion, I think, is that there is no questions of architects, painters, masons, technique. We know that already - this has been preserved through the ages. The discussion on funds is casual - the Indians, the Thai, the government have all promised something, but no one goes to them… when they are ready to fund, they have to come to these committees who hold the keys to each structure. The agreement - let them figure it out. When they are ready, they will come to us!

Shantipur Temple, Soyambhunath, Kathmandu

Later, someone laughs about how lucky we are that the earthquake happened after 86 years of the last one. If it was after a 100 years, everyone who had experience in restoration of these structures would be already dead! That way, Nepal is lucky - this cycle of 80 odd years of earthquakes preserves ancient traditional skills - as the ARTISANS rise again, every time disaster strikes.

We leave after drinking some really, I mean really sweet tea, and feeling a deep sense of pride - in our own ability to restore our heritage.

Check out the RISE of the ARTISAN - a trip focussed on exactly this - the artisan who rebuilds structures that have fallen.

Ropain: The rice planting festival 2015

Pic courtesy - https://www.facebook.com/jaysan.photography

Carrying on with the tradition of celebrating ROPAIN as in yesteryears, socialtours organized a group of expatriates and tourist to travel to the southern ridge of the Kathmandu Valley to indulge in one of Nepal’s most colorful and exuberant festivals. After the earthquake of April 25th this was one of the major events to take place.

On 27th June, 2015, the journey towards the paddy fields began at 8 am and we reached the Bajrabarahi temple after an hour of driving through earthquake damaged village houses and well manicured terraced fields. A brief stop at the temple and the team was on its way to the fields. After a quick change of clothes the planting began in earnest. Fifteen minutes of rice planting then gave way to over three hours of fun and frolic in the mud. Mud wrestling, tug of war and mud racing then over took rice planting.

In between local rice beer, rice wine, Newar style sautéed buffalo meat and spicy potato was served. This served as an energizer for the mayhem in the mud to continue for another two hours. After another hour in the fields mingling with the local farming community and giving continuity to on the spot invented games, it was time to relish a typical village Newar lunch. After shower and change of clothes under the open sky an eight course Newar lunch was laid out. Food was as varied as from beaten rice, chicken, bamboo shoot to your regular potato curry. 3 pm and we were pulling our tired bodies into the bus for the ride back home.

This year the crowd was smaller than in previous years due to the earthquake, but let me assure the fun wasn’t. It was an occasion that everyone relished and spoke highly of. It was also a measure of how far we had come after the earthquake in terms of getting our lives back to normal. socialtours has come back stronger and better after April 25th and we promise you a bigger and more eventful ROPAIN 2016.

All photos sourced from https://www.facebook.com/jaysan.photography

See more photos

Press Release | Nepal is building-back-better for autumn 2015 tourist arrivals

source: www.humanitarianresponse.info

Kathmandu, 15 June 2015 - Major reconstruction work and in-depth assessments are underway in Nepal to build-back-better and get the Himalayan nation ready for the upcoming tourist season.

The two earthquakes that shook parts of Nepal on 25 April and 12 May 2015 have brought damage to 14 of the 75 districts of the country, and even though the devastation is extensive in some regions, many areas remain relatively unscathed and are fit for tourists to visit in autumn 2015.

“Our nation is working hard to make Nepal a safer place,” says the founder director of socialtours - Raj, who has been in the industry for more than a decade. “The tourist district Thamel has been relatively unaffected. Damaged hotels are getting a full structural assessment and are being restored to an even better condition than before.” Under the assessment project, engineers have marked safe buildings with a green sticker and started demolishing those deemed unsafe in and around the Kathmandu Valley.

Damaged sites, such as the historic Kathmandu Durbar Square, have partly been reconstructed and opened for tourists on 15 June. The main roads and air transport links are operational and life is getting back to normal in many areas. “Nepal is a wonderful country and one of the best qualities of the Nepali people is their hospitality. They are very resilient and are working hard to get their country back on the international tourism agenda,” says Katja Staartjes, a Dutch mountaineer and a Goodwill Ambassadors to aid tourism, emphasising the need for this source of income to return to the country.

Many trekking areas have seen little damage and, if the monsoon rains do not trigger landslides in these areas, trekking will be as safe as it was before the quake. “Apart from Langtang, Rolwaling and Manaslu, we do not see much of a problem with other trails, such as the Everest Base Camp Trek,” says Swiss geologist Erwin Scheibert, who is assessing the routes in the affected areas for the Local Road Improvement Programme (LRIP) in collaboration with the World Food Programme (WFP).

Other places further in the west, such as the popular wildlife parks Chitwan and Bardia, the lakeside town of Pokhara and the much-visited Annapurna trekking region have also escaped widespread damage, and are ready for visitors to showcase their abundance of natural beauty and wildlife. Buddha’s birthplace Lumbini, did not suffer damage and is thankfully all set to welcome visitors back to its sacred soil.

Tourism is a big contributor to the Gross Domestic Product of the Himalayan nation, directly supporting almost 500,000 jobs in 2014. According to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) this figure was due to rise to almost 700,000 in the coming ten years. “With tourists not coming to Nepal even more people will be forced to leave the country, which will be devastating for the future of our country,” Gyawali continues.

The Nepal Institute of Development Studies (NIDS) says that around 2.2 million Nepalis, which constitutes about 10 per cent of the population, have opted to leave the country to work abroad in order to provide the necessary means to feed their families.

For more information, please contact - NepalTourismRecovery@groups.facebook.com 
- or visit www.facebook.com/groups/NepalTourismRecovery

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Trip Extensions off Kathmandu & Pokhara

Kathmandu and Pokhara are towns where there is always a stopover for travellers into Nepal. Most of the activity in these cities are restricted to regular run of the mill city tours. Over the last few years, socialtours has worked extensively on our GO LOCAL series of extensions, meant to give a better insight into the cultural melting pots that are our cities. The list below gives a gist of what we have developed. Do check back with us constantly – we keep developing new products in this series.

All trips are guided and are reasonably priced, run with low minimums and never exceed 10 persons.

Tours around Kathmandu

Cook like a local | 3-4 hours

Discover the art of Nepali cooking in a perfect extension to any trip to Nepal. As part of the Go Local series, socialtours gives you an opportunity to learn how to cook like a Nepali. Each class starts with a tour of the bazaar to source ingredients, continues on to the actual cooking and ends in lunch. Learn to cook the Nepalese staple food, Dhal Bhat (lentil soup and curried vegetables or meat with rice), one of the most popular fast food dishes, momos (dumplings) or aloo paratha (potato stuffed flatbread). All classes are a maximum of six participants only.

Newari Village Tour | 4 hours

The tour gives you an insider's view of Nepal. The Newars are the original inhabitants of Kathmandu. Due to the fertility of Kathmandu Valley, they have a very rich cultural heritage, with highly developed art, architecture and cuisine. This is best experienced visiting the ancient Newar villages just outside Kathmandu. The tour is guided by well-trained local experts.

Throw your own souvenir | day tour

The craftsmen in the small township of Thimi just east of Kathmandu are reknown for their pottery, which is exported worldwide. You will spend a morning with these artisans learning about their skill. You will then try your hand at creating your own souvenir to take back home. For a relaxed afternoon we move on to an organic countryside farm for lunch.

Hidden Trails of Kathmandu | Cycling | day tour

The Kathmandu Valley is built for mountain biking and has more trails than one can count, catering for bikers of all experience and expertise levels, ranging from gently cultural trails to downhill and extreme uphills. Fully customizable, we will carefully select the best route based on your interests and expertise. You ride with one or more of our team of expert bikers. This trip will give you an insight into the valley and its back roads plus an excellent workout! You will visit the hidden places only regular mountain bikers discover, giving you a unique perspective into this wonderful valley.

Dawn at Bhaktapur | overnight trip

The ancient city of Bhaktapur, located east of Kathmandu, is commonly known as the culture capital of Nepal. One of the UNESCO world heritage sites, Bhaktapur Durbar Square is an open museum itself with palaces, pagodas, temples and monasteries. This trip will let you experience a city waking up, something rare in more common tours of this ancient city. The whole trip will take place before breakfast. Your experience does not get more local than this.

Kumari Trail Walk | 3 hours

In Kathmandu, the Living Goddess Kumari, a young unmarried girl, comes out of her temple at Kathmandu Durbar Square only three times a year on specific routes. We follow one of these routes on an informative city walk, learning more about this tradition and discovering parts of old Kathmandu to get a true sense of history of the place with its courtyards and communities.

Bhote Koshi River Rafting/Canyoning  | 2 days

Just three hours away from Kathmandu, the Bhote Koshi River is without a doubt the most exciting thing you can do in Nepal and one of the best two-day rafting trips offered anywhere in the world. The Bhote Koshi is a very steep, continuous mountain stream, a unique combination of exceptionally fun and challenging rapids without it ever getting past the point of recreation, surrounded by mountains, forests and waterfalls. Challenging and action-packed, the Bhote Kosi offers you nothing less than the ride of a lifetime.

The Chitwan Jungle Safari | 3 days

One of Nepal's best attractions is a safari in the tropical jungles of Terai, the southern plains of Nepal, which still preserves some of the best wildlife habitat in the subcontinent. The Chitwan National Park offers protection to 56 species of mammals including one-horned rhinos. Highlights of the trip include elephant back safari, jungle walks, bird watching tours and canoeing.

Chepang Hill Trail Hike | 3 days

This hike leads you through the off-beaten trail and beautiful hillsides of Chitwan to the homeland of Chepangs and their traditional villages. Chepangs are the small ethnic group living a nomadic life with rich cultural traditions. The trek was developed to promote their culture and livelihood.

Rice Planting Tour | day tour

Rice is one of the most important commodities in Nepal. Every summer, as the rains set in the valley, it is time to celebrate the showers by making a festival of the planting of rice. Spend a day planting rice with the locals! This tour will allow you to mingle with the locals and their traditions in Kathmandu Valley and serves as a wonderful peak into the daily lives of Nepalis. Children are most welcome.

Walk with a Monk | day tour

This tour focuses on Buddhism, showcasing the different types of practice that exist in Nepal. The walking tour takes you from Kopan Monastery to the famous Boudha Stupa led by a Buddhist Lama. In Kopan Monastery you participate in a philosophy session about Buddhism followed by a short meditation. After lunch and a visit around the monastery you walk with the monk through agricultual fields and local villages to Boudha with a chance to debate and learn more about Buddhism. The tour ends with a prayer session and lighting candles in one of the many Tibetan Gompas around Boudha.

Splice of Kathmandu | 2.5 hours

This is a 2.5 km guided walking tour of the inner streets of Kathmandu and the bustling bazaars of Ason a stone's throw away from the tourist district of Thamel. Within the seeming chaos of rikshas, motorbikes and crowds, you will discover the true heart of Kathmandu and learn about vegetables, salts, spices, herbs, utensils, traditional nepali clothing and the wholesale of Tibetan items. You will get a chance to taste the spices and herbs and also shop like a local. As an added value the guide gives an insight into other important aspects of the Nepalese culture, religion and customs.

Heritage sites of Kathmandu Valley | 1-2 days

The tour takes you through the seven heritage sites of Kathmandu one by one, going from the holiest temples for hindus, Pashupatinath to the oldest temple in the valley, Changu Narayan. You will then stay overnight in the beautiful city of Bhaktapur - the Durbar Square of which is one the most charming architectural showpieces of the Valley highlighting the ancient arts of Nepal. The second day of the tour takes you to Patan Durbar Square, then on to Boudha, the holy Buddhist stupa and yet to another one, Swayambhunath. Finally the tour takes you to the amazing Kathmandu Durbar Square. Just walking through these sites watching the people go about their daily lives is an incredible experience in itself.

Day tours around Pokhara

Coffee Trip | 1-2 days 

Nepal is abound with hidden secrets and the production of organic coffee is one of them. The unique climate and terrain allows for a very high quality coffee to be grown in picturesque farms in altitudes between 900–1800 meters. This trip takes you up close and personal with this coffee with a very distinct taste, while the Himalayas create the backdrop. You meet the farmers, help in the farm, visit production chain processes and end up drinking the very coffee that was roasted in front of your eyes.  

World Peace Stupa Hike | 3 hours – day hike

This hike takes you to a beautiful World Peace Stupa recently built by the Japanese up on a hill across the famous Fewa Lake. After a short boat ride across the lake, it is a leisurely walk uphill through the forest with the panoramic background of the Himalayas. From the Stupa you can watch the sun set over Pokhara. The hike can be also done as a circuit.

Dawn at Sarangkot | 3-5 hours
Setting off before sunrise with a short drive to a point where you start your walk uphill to the ridge top, you will reach the top of Sarankot at 1610 meters before sunrise to see the breathtaking mountain range near Pokhara, including the sacred Fishtail that is off-llimits to climbing. The hike up to this closest viewpoint near Pokhara takes from 45 minutes to three hours depending on your starting point. 

Biking to Pame | day tour

The villages around Pokhara present a wonderful insight into village life in the western side of Nepal. What better way than to spend the day cycling to these wonderful idyllic villages on our day tour. One could go in different directions but we are suggesting that we go towards the north of the lake to Pame.