My interest in Nepal

My interest in Nepal was spurred over 40 years ago by my grade five social studies teacher. I fell in love with Nepal when Mrs. McLandress enchanted us with heroic tales of Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary summiting Mount Everest. The mountain looked so remote, and so beautiful, and I couldn’t get enough of the story of their climb. (I’m still fascinated by tales of mountaineering; both Into Thin Air and Touching the Void kept me up reading all night.) So Nepal became an almost-mythical destination for me. Bhaktapur, Nepal Bhaktapur, Nepal But I’m not a mountain climber! There was only one problem with this dream – I’m not a mountaineer. I’m healthy, and my regular Pilates classes and walks keep me in decent shape. But mountain climbing is totally outside my area of expertise, and I wasn’t interested in taking it up as a new hobby. The practical details didn’t keep me from reading everything I could about visiting Nepal, including Intrepid’s website. CHECK OUT INTREPID’S RANGE OF SMALL GROUP TRIPS IN NEPAL Nepal mountainsThat’s when I noticed that they offer 32 itineraries in Nepal. Many involve trekking, of course, like the Everest Base Camp treks (rated 5-star difficult), or the nearly-as-challenging Annapurna circuit. The truly fearless can hike both in one trip. Then I saw their Classic Nepal trip. There were no strenuous treks at altitude, but between canoeing in Chitwan National Park, full-on cultural immersion and jungle resort stays, it offered plenty of adventure. Because here’s the thing: I may not want to hike eight-hour days at altitude, but I’m not ready to give up adventure travel. I spent much of my 30s and 40s enjoying “soft adventure” journeys. I’ve walked through moonscapes in the Atacama desert and hiked in the Atlas Mountains. I’ve snorkeled at the Great Barrier Reef and gone sea kayaking in Belize. I’m in my 50s now, but I’m no more interested in a beach holiday than I’ve ever been. And so I booked my trip to Nepal. READ MORE: WHY THE BEST TRAVELS OF MY LIFE STARTED AFTER 50 Annapurna Base Camp NepalHow can anything compete with Mount Everest? From the beginning, I knew the highlight would be the scenic flight by Mount Everest. On our first day in Kathmandu, our group boarded a 16-seater plane. We soared into the air and peered out the windows as we approached the Himalayas, identifying each mountain by a chart the flight attendant had passed out. At last we approached Everest, that mythical mountain that I’d imagined in grade five, and read about as an adult. Even from a distance was it imperial and remote. It seemed impossible that I was seeing it in person. READ MORE: 8 AMAZING THINGS TO DO IN NEPAL (THAT AREN’T HARDCORE HIKING) And don’t just take my word for how impressive it was – on our way back to Kathmandu, I visited the cockpit to speak to the copilot. “Do you ever get tired of seeing Mount Everest?” I asked. He smiled. “Never,” he said. That was day one. How could the rest of the trip live up to that? Nepal sunrise Sunrise, with my Intrepid group Luckily, Nepal is a country full of highlights, and every day brought completely new experiences. In Pokhara, we took a beautiful sundown walk around Lake Phewa, and in Bandipur we explored a mountain village that only recently became accessible to outsiders. SUBSCRIBE TO INTREPID’S NEWSLETTER FOR DEALS, GIVEAWAYS, TRAVEL TIPS AND STORIES At Chitwan, we stood a few feet away from a hungry Greater One-Horned Rhino, and were amazed by the number of crocodiles basking in the Rapti river. At night, we watched members of the Tharu ethnic group perform a traditional stick dance. Bhaktapur, a UNESCO World Heritage site and former kingdom of the Kathmandu Valley, is crammed with architectural marvels – and we were wakened early (oh, so early!) by devout villagers ringing bells in Taumadhi Square.

Sundown at Lake Phewa Nepal Sundown at Lake Phewa The trip seemed long in the best possible way. Every day was so jam-packed with new sights, sounds and flavours, it seemed like three. (Don’t overlook those flavours! My trip became a quest to find the best momos – plump Nepali dumplings, often stuffed with spiced ground chicken and dipped in a savory chutney sauce.) READ MORE: AN ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO NEPALI CUISINE And as thrilling as the scenic flight by Mount Everest was, I was even more dazzled by the helicopter trip to Annapurna Base Camp. I wouldn’t have believed the contrast between the snow-covered peaks and the impossibly blue sky if I hadn’t been there myself. With fewer than a dozen travellers, it was easy to find a secluded spot and savour its sacred beauty in silence. Making new friends Before I left, I wondered how I’d feel about travelling with a group of people I didn’t know. As a solo traveller, would I feel part of the group? And what would their travel styles be?