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My first stop on the tour was the lakeside city of Pokhara said to be the tourism capital of Nepal, and it is not difficult to see how so. The city is located right next to the beautiful Phewa Lake, and is also quite close to the Annapurna Himalayan range whose majestic sights I saw as I entered the city. Pokhara is often the starting point of many Annapurna Treks, and thus, you can see lots of tourists in the city, especially around the lakeside area which is riddled with various restaurants and shops catering to tourists. Furthermore, there are also numerous temples and gumbas in the city, with many temples serving as combined places of worship for both Hindus and Buddhists, much like the Swayambhunath in Kathmandu. One of the first places that I visited in Pokhara was the Bindhyabasini Temple, followed by the World Peace Pagoda, a.k.a. “the Shanti Stupa”. I got a beautiful panoramic view of the Annapurna Range, Pokhara city and Phewa Lake from the pagoda. Pokhara had many attractions as well, like the Mahindra cave and the Davis Fall. The all natural setting of Pokhara contributed to its large influx of tourism, both from within the country and outside. During the evening, I leisurely strolled around the lake side area, enjoyed a tranquil boat ride on the lake and visited the Tal Barahi temple- which is located right in the centre of the Phewa Lake. I had the constant view of the Annapurna range, and the beauty of Pokhara lulled me into a beautiful expectation of visiting Sarangkot- a vantage point near the city. In the early hours of dawn the next day, I was driven to Sarangkot. I finally get why people fall in love with sunrises now; as I stood on the hill station at Sarangkot, I saw the rising sun from amidst the Annapurna Himalayas. It was majestic and I will never forget the moment. The panoramic view of the lovely Pokhara city also provided me with a postcard perfect picture. My last stop on the tour was Chitwan National Park- one among the two national parks of Nepal enlisted under the UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site. Famous for its jungle safaris, I knew that Chitwan was going to present me with the natural side of Nepal, and I was right! Presenting me with a wild taste of the wilderness, I experienced Chitwan’s wide expanses of natural landscape and woodlands. The lush forests of Chitwan National Park and its parameters consist of many wild animals and rare floral abundance along with ethnic villages and old traditional settlements of the local people. Perhaps one of my most memorable moments was riding an Elephant through the woods! I explored the ethnic Tharu villages and visited the national park’s animal breeding centers. With a relaxing and euphoric nature walk along the Rapti River, I was surrounded with the ambiance of exotic birds filling up the sound of the air with their chirping. One of the best times while I was at Chitwan was the Elephant bath. I got in the cool waters of the Rapti River and helped the elephant bath (or more specifically, got sprayed by the lovely creature!). The elephant sprayed a shower of water out of its trunk and I was in love! The excitement of playing with the elephant in the water brought out the inner child in me, and left me with a smile on my face and my soul feeling lighter. Nepal really is a wonderful country with amazing features and beauties. It simply isn’t enough to visit it once, as the country has so many attractions and highlights that it demands more well-deserving visits. It’s natural, Himalayan, cultural and religious wonders make Nepal a cornucopia of exotic characters!