ramsar site – About Outdoors

Gosainkunda Lake

September 20, 2017 Caravan OutdoorsLeave a comment

Gosainkunda is one of the most revered sites inside Nepal. The lake situated at Gosainkunda is visited by millions of devotees and tourists throughout the year. It’s mostly visited during the local festival of Janai Purnima.

Overview

Gosainkunda is a fresh water oligotrophic lake located inside the Langtang National Park of Rasuwa district. Situated at the altitude of 4,380 meters, you must trek for days before reaching the holy lake. It has a surface area of 13.4 ha; and it was declared a Ramsar site back in 2007.

The lake freezes and remains inaccessible throughout October-February. Spring (March-June) and Autumn (September-October) are the best times to visit Langtang region. The weather remains clear during these times of the year.

It makes up for many sources forming the Trishu river. There are 108 smaller/larger lakes in the area.

Legend & Pilgrimage

The Hindu mythology of Puranas attributes Gosaikunda as the abode of the Hindu deities Shiva and Gauri. The Hindu scriptures and the epics Ramayana & Mahabharata refer to Samudra manthan (Churning of the Sea), which is directly related to the origin of Gosaikunda.

It is believed, Lord Shiva created the lake when he thrust his trident into a mountain to extract water to quench his thirst after swallowing the poison.

The water of the lake is considered holier and significant during the events of Gangadashahara and Janai Purnima. Thousands of pilgrims make a visit on foot to Gosainkunda during these festivals.

Trekking

Gosainkunda forms a greater trekking trail in Langtan region. It can be reached during both Dhunche-Helambu trek and Langtang trek.

Lauribina La Pass at the altitude of 4,610 meters forms the toughest part of the treks. The surrounding mountains of Langtang Lirung and Ganesh Himal are clearly visible during the trek. The farthest you can reach is at Kyanjin Gompa inside the national park.

Langtang National Park was established in 1976 as the first Himalayan national park in Nepal. It covers an area of 1,710 km²and covers 3 different districts, namely; Nuwakot, Rasuwa and Sindhupalchok.

Gosainkunda

Gosainkunda lake

Lake Gosainkunda, a holy lake

Hindu pilgrims walk to sacred Gosainkunda Lake high in the Nepali Himalayas on August full moon. Pic copyright Timothy Allen. http:/humanplanet.com

Ganesh Himal as seen from Cholangpati, Langtang

Hindu pilgrims walk to sacred Gosainkunda Lake high in the Nepali Himalayas on August full moon. Pic copyright Timothy Allen. http:/humanplanet.com

Langtang starry night

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Phoksundo -The Deepest Lake of Nepal

September 5, 2017 Caravan Outdoors1 Comment

Phoksundo is a fresh water lake located in the Dolpo region of Nepal. It is popularly known as the deepest lake in the country, and makes up for one of the best trekking experiences in Nepal. Reaching the lake isn’t easy either. You need to trek for days and up to 3,612 meters to reach the site.

Overview

Phoksundo or Shey Phoksundo is an alpine fresh water oligotrophic lake located in the Dolpo region of mid-western Nepal. It lies to the north of Dhaulagiri mountain bordering Tibet and inside Shey Phoksundo National Park.

With the depth of 145 meters, Phoksundo is known to be the deepest lake in Nepal. The lake and surrounding was designated a Ramsar site back in 2007. At the lake’ southern end, the village of Ringmo lies on the 30,000-40,000 year old landslide dam that formed the lake. Past the dam, the waters of the lake plunge over a 167 meter tall waterfall, called Phoksundo Waterfall.

The lake is rich in biodiversity and also supports various wildlife in the region. Snow leopard, musk deer, Blue sheep, Tibetan wolf and frequently traversing Yak caravans and cattle.

Visitors are prohibited from stepping inside the lake, as it is considered a holy site by the local inhabitants.

Dolpo region

Upper Dolpo is a high-altitude region located at western Nepal. A rain-shadow area, Upper Dolpo receives least rainfall; therefore, most of the terrain resembles a desert like landscape and can be trekked throughout the year. It lays close to Tibet in the North, therefore, the inhabitants, local culture, dialect and architecture, resembles its northern counterpart.

The Dolpo people have practiced trading salt through caravans for ages. Eric Valli, a renowned French filmmaker made a movie based on the life of the people of Dolpo, named “Caravan.” It was nominated for Oscars in 1997.

Phoksundo National Park

Shey Phoksundo National Park, established in 1984, is the largest and only trans-Himalaya National Park in Nepal. Covering the entire Dolpa and Mugu districts, the park is home to some of the most exotic and least seen wildlife.

The national park is home to 6 different species of reptiles and 29 butterflies. Snow Leopard, Grey wolf, Musk deer, Blue sheep. Goral, Great Tibetan sheep, Himalayan Tahr, leopard, Jackal,Himalayan black bear and yellow-throated marten dominate the wildlife. Rhododendron, Caragana shrubs, Salix, Juniper, White Himalayan birch and the occasional Silver fir are the most found flora inside the park.

Phoksundo lake seen from the camp site

Phoksundo camp site

Phoksundo panorama

Holy site at phoksundo

Yaks soaking in Phoksundo lake

Yak Caravan

Himalayan Tahr

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Bishazari Tal – The Local Heritage of Chitwan

April 24, 2017 Caravan OutdoorsLeave a comment

Bishazari Tal is a local heritage and a popular tourist landmark of the Chitwan National Park. A designated Ramsar site is home to many wildlife and endangered species.

Overview

The Bishazari Tal, literally translates to 20,000 Lakes in English. Also spelled as Beeshazar Tal, it is an extensive oxbow lake system inside the Chitwan National Park in the Terai of Nepal. The designated Ramsar wetland covers an area of 7,900 acres.

It’s spelled बिस्हजार् ताल् in the Devnagari script.

The forested wetland provides excellent habitat for the critically endangered and vulnerable species including Bengal tiger, sloth bear, smooth-coated otter, one-horned rhinoceros, white-rumped vulture, Pallas’s fish-eagle, lesser adjutant stork, ferruginous duck, gharial and marsh crocodile.

A popular tourist destination lies in a close distance to Sauraha. It can be visited during or after the Jungle Safari.

Chitwan National Park

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The first national park of Nepal is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country, and is home to some of the most endangered species of animal.

The southern plains of Nepal is known for its lush green vegetation, variety of yielding crops and wildlife. More than 150,000 tourists visit the park annually. It has a tropical monsoon weather which permits regular rainfall in the area throughout the year.

The massive hunting expeditions organized by royals members of Nepal, officers of British empire and other hunting enthusiasts during the 19-20th century caused most of the mass depletion of some of the exquisite animals from the region. Today, it acts as a home and buffer-zone for such endangered species.