Gurkha Encounters

25/12/2023

"May your Christmas sparkle with moments of joy and adventure! 🎄✨ Wishing you all the warmth and wonder of the holiday season from us at Gurkha Encounters. Happy travels and Merry Christmas!"

12/11/2023

Happy Deepawali - a festival of colours and lights
Along with worshipping the creatures associated with Yama, Tihar celebrates the goddess of wealth for good fortune. Most of all, the festival celebrates the love and bond between siblings following the myth of how a sister saved her brother's life even when the god of death, Yamaraj himself, came to take his soul.

14/10/2023

On this biggest festival of Nepalese, we wish all our fellow travellers, GE family, and supporters joy and prosperity.

14/04/2023

Happy New Year, 2080... Let this year bring you joy and peace...
Wishing you this new year brings new adventures, and let GE be part of your journey...
https://gurkhaencounters.com/ Visit our website for exciting new packages

12/02/2023

https://kathmandupost.com/money/2023/02/06/there-are-another-six-8-000m-peaks-in-nepal-experts-say?fbclid=IwAR1fQ_3PSgiCZ_R8vXC9k7o7OJzQczDL-dNlYV-nHt1cBqzeDIkCdb-PX2E

There are 20 eight-thousanders in the world, not 14 as is generally believed, according to Nepali mountaineers and geographers.

07/02/2023

Did you know that:
The Himalayan Range in the Indian subcontinent is the youngest mountain range in the world. Consisting some of the tallest massifs, it emerged as a result of collision of Indian Plate with the Eurasian Plate some 40-50 millions of years ago.

05/02/2023

Your Guide to Phoksundo Trek in Dolpa Region:

One of the most known region for trekking in Nepal, Phoksundo Trek is popular form of trekking pertaining to its semi-arid geography, picturesque landscape and tranquil environment. You will traverse through some of the remotest terrain in the world and immerse in culture and lifestyle of people nowhere else to be found. Here are few things to know if you are planning to trek to Phoksundo Lake.

Find out more :
https://gurkhaencounters.com/page/upper-dolpa-phoksundo-lake-trek

22/01/2023

Dhido is a traditional Nepalese dish made by continuously mixing and stirring flours, maize, and other grains such as buckwheat in hot water. It is a very healthy and nutritious dish and is still served as staple meal in various parts of Nepal.


Photo Credit: Tshering Sherpa, Photonepal

15/01/2023

Generally maghe sankranti falls on 14 January, and also called Makar Sankranti or Maghi in the Indian subcontinent. Maghe Sankranti is a major harvest festival celebrated in Nepal. The movement of the sun from one zodiac sign into another is called Sankranti and as the Sun moves into the Capricorn zodiacal sign known as Makara, this occasion is named as Makara Sankranti in the Pahari context. It is one of the few Nepalese festivals of Madhesi and Tharu people celebrate it on a fixed date, i.e., 14 January because this solar festival in the honor of deity Surya follows the solar cycle of the Bikrami calendar, unlike other festivals that follow lunar cycle.

10/01/2023

Updated Nepal Entry Protocol.

10/01/2023

There is something called " fresh start effect' which implies psychological urge to do something new in the periodical time marks such as The New Year. Skipping the theoretical perspective, What travel resolutions have you created for the ongoing year 2023?

Maybe we at Gurkha Encounters can guide you through your travel plans. Check our blogs section to browse through travel options you may choose from.

Blog about Gurkha Encounters

06/01/2023

The Mythical, Symbolism-Laden Goddess Swathani Fasting Begins:

Hindu mythology is filled with numerous tales of gods and goddesses. There are countless practices and processions that go along with Hindu practices yearly. A popular ritual among Hindus, the recitation of Swasthani Brata Katha, which is dedicated to God­dess Swasthani, starts from Poush Shukla Purnima (the full moon day in mid-January) and lasts for a month until Magh Shukla Purnima (the full moon day in mid-February).

Swasthani Brata Katha is an anthol­ogy of mythical stories nar­rated by Lord Kumar, the elder son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, to Agasthya Muni, a saint. The month-long celebrations are marked by daily fasts and recitation of mythological stories.

06/01/2023

http://gurkhaencounters.com/do-more/blog/173-nepal-birding-heaven

Nepal is home to over 800 different species of birds spread across 6 varieties of vegetation,

03/01/2023

The Himalayan Endeavor is none like other experience you would find in other adventures niches. With numerous mountains offering lifetime experience it is one of kind adventure for your thrill needs.

Know more about Himalayan expedition:
http://gurkhaencounters.com/do-more/blog/172-beginner-mountains-to-climb-in-nepal-2

31/12/2022

Happy New Year from all of us at Gurkha Encounters! We're excited to see what kind of work we'll achieve together this year! We're so grateful for all our customers! Thank you for all you've done to help us grow this year.

30/12/2022

GE team and CEO Rajendra Bajgain / राजेन्द्र बजगाई are committed to uplifting the communities and saving lives... Helicopter rescue funded and commenced by MP Rajendra Bajgain to save the life of Channi Gurung (Severely injured in the head by a rolling stone fell from a cliff in rural Manaslu trekking region)

Read the article in The Kathmandu Post https://kathmandupost.com/health/2022/12/30/chopper-permit-hassles-costing-lives-in-gorkha

30/12/2022

Tamu Lhosar is a new year festival of Gurung people of Nepal and Sikkim and Darjeeling regions of India. It is celebrated on every 15th Poush (December/January) of the Nepali calendar. Similar to other Lhosars, the Gurung people also represents the years with a cycle of 12 years representing various creatures (garuda, serpent, horse, sheep, monkey, bird, dog, deer, mouse, cow, tiger and cat). This year the new year is marked by a cat.

28/12/2022

Tiji is an annual festival which is held in the lustful valley of Lo Manthang, the Upper section of Mustang region. The term "Tiji" stands for “Tenchi." Both of these are the short forms of Tenpa Chirim, which means prayer for world peace. Held every year in May, this festival is celebrated for 3 consecutive days. The memoir of this festival dates back to a event 300 years before when popularly believed reincarnation of Lord Buddha, Dorje Sunnu defeated a demon called Man Tam Ru who was creating havoc and draught in the valley. He defeated the evil forces to bring prosperity and acted on the instruction provided by Padmasambhava himself.

The festival undertakes a lengthy ritual that consists of prayer chants and colorful masked dances. The dances enact the historical battle between Dorje Jono and the evil forces.

The three-day festival begins with a peaceful dance, which escalates to a vibrant performance depicting the winning of the good over the evil. On the last day of the festival, performers disguise themselves as demons and gods and wear eccentric masks and horns called "Dhungchen."

26/12/2022

The Authentic Langtang Experience:
Trek to Langtang National Park is gratifying and fulfilling for its diverse offerings. Nestled just up north of Kathmandu, this trek follows through quaint villages, tranquil landscapes and culturally rich spatial distribution of Rasuwa district.

25/12/2022

The gift of love. The gift of peace. The gift of happiness. May all these be yours at Christmas.

22/12/2022

Nepal is affluent when it comes to topographic diversity. Within a span of 100 kilometers traveling latitudinally (North to south) one can experience hot tropical weather to bone chilling arctic cold.

Moreover, the elevation of the country ranges from less than 100 meters above sea level in the Terai, to the highest point on earth, the summit of Mt. Everest, at 8,848 meters, all within a distance of about 150km. Owing to this fact, flora and fauna found within this nation is diverse and rich.

21/12/2022

Ever come across these stone structures during your trek?

These stone structures are called "Chhortens" which translates into "Worship or offering" in the native Tibetan tongue. These are mostly built as a divine sacred symbol of well wishes and good luck. These are spread across the Nepalese Himalayan Belt and trekking regions. While some of the structures are basic with stone piled up on to one another, some are decorated and painted in traditional Buddhist themes.

Always pass these kinds of structures from your left as it makes a complete rotation on your journey back. Its a sacred practice among Asian devotes to take a round of sacred site from the left and form a complete circle.

20/12/2022

Tourism Reduces Inequality:

The most constructive impact of tourism is it reduces the economic disparity in a society. Tourism is driven by factors that even the lowest economic class of people can afford. Local experiences such as handicraft, artistic creations, cultural indulgence, festival celebrations have become popular tourism product globally. Indulging in local activities has become one of the most sought after tourism product.

Moreover, the Tourism Multiplier Effect distributes the revenue generated among primary vendors which further strengthens the economic situation of individuals and households.

10/12/2022

Mountain Biking in Nepal comes off as a popular adventure sports. The topography of Nepalese territory is rugged for most of the mid section (known as hilly region) which is formed by Rivers cutting down mahabharat hills. The rocky formations right beneath the himalayan mountains make Nepal a perfect playground for someone looking to jump and bunny hop between two wheels.

Check Our Adventure Section for More:

09/12/2022

Often overlooked relative to other touristic counterparts, Dolpa— a small, welcoming district in the western vicinity of Nepal is vivid and alluring to travelers. Referred as "Dolpo" in native tongue, this region is picturesque with its quaint villages and tranquil surroundings. It offers plenty of diversity, from snow-capped mountains, pine-forests and shimmering deep blue lakes.

Opened to foreigners back in 1998, Dolpo was accessible only via foot trails even until a decade back. Today, there are seasonal flights from Nepalgunj which takes you to Juphal which will shorten your trekking duration by couple days. Phoksundo Lake is Dolpa’s most well-known and touristed spot — mostly cherished and lively during Spring and Fall. The topography of Dolpo in none like what you'd find in other regions of Nepal. The geography replicates that of Tibet and it is surrounded by Himalayan Mountain Chain including Dhaulagiri, 7th highest 8000er, which makes trip to this region indelible. Be forewarned: People who travel to Dolpo often wish they had scheduled more time.

08/12/2022

Yomari Punhi marks the end of rice harvesting season (November/December) in the foothills of Himalayas. As a part of the norm, farmers devote their cultivation of the season to Goddess of Grain, Annapurna, for the food they're blessed with. Yomari, a confection of rice flour (from the new harvest) dough shaped like fish and filled with brown cane sugar and sesame seeds, which is then steamed is served and shared among friends and families.

07/12/2022

Traditional Nepalese houses are based on Vernacular Architecture which is characterized by its reliance on needs, construction materials and traditions specific to its particular locality. These houses consists of thick stone walls, a thatched roof made of either hay, stone, or tin, and a paste of manure and clay (kamero) for the painting. They also have wooden pillars. These houses are eco-friendly and adheres the concept of sustainability.

06/12/2022

Nepal is affluent when it comes to topographic variation. Within a span of 100 kilometers traveling latitudinally (North to south) one can experience hot tropical weather to bone chilling arctic cold. Moreover, he elevation of the country ranges from less than 100 meters above sea level in the Terai, to the highest point on earth, the summit of Mt. Everest, at 8,848 meters, all within a distance of about 150km. Owing to this fact, flora and fauna found within this nation is diverse and rich.