Lakes of Pokhara Valley

Lake Phewa

Size * 2 sq. Miles

Place N-W-of Pokhara

Orientation NW-SE

Location Harpan Khola

* Phewa Lake is nearly 2 miles long and 1 mile wide. The deepest section is 150 feet.

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Lake Begnas

Size 1 Sq. miles

Place N-E-of Pokhara

Orientation NW-SE

Location Khundi Khola

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Lake Rupa

Size 1 Sq. miles

Place N-E-of Pokhara

Orientation NW-SE

Location Dobhan Khola

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Lake Maidi tal

Size 1/4 Sq. miles

Place N-E-of Pokhara

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Lake Dipan tal

Size 1/4 Sq. miles

Place N-E-of Pokhara

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Lake Khalte tal (Upper)

Size 1/8 Sq. miles

Place N-E-of Pokhara

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Lake Khalte tal (Lower)

Size 1/8 Sq. miles

Place N-E-of Pokhara

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Lake Chapa Pani

Size 1/8 Sq. miles

Place N-E-of Pokhara

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1 Mile = 5,280 ft or 1,760 yd or 1.6 km

Mile: a unit of linear measurement on land, used in English-speaking countries

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Source:- Natural Resources of Pokhara Valley By CHANDRA K. Sharma, Ph. D. a.i.s.m First Edition 1975

I hate to get up early.

Little bit about me.

I hate to get up early. It is so relaxing to wake up without the help of an alarm clock and to lie fifteen minutes more recalling your dreams. Nevertheless I get up at 6 o'clock every morning, put on my T-shirt and shorts and go jogging(Not everyday). Sometimes when I hear the sound of my alarm clock I have a strong wish to put my head under the pillow and fall asleep. Now and then I wake up at night and look at my watch to check how many hours I have left. And I am the happiest person in the whole world because I have a few more hours to sleep. You may ask me "Why do I do it every morning?". Because more than I hate to get up early I love to feel freshness of the morning air. I love to feel a little bit tired and at the same time to be so full of energy. It helps me to feel better all day long.

I will tell you more later........................

(-_-)

Today, I want to relate to you a few other things.

Trees you fall from? Find your birthday; find your tree and then scroll down to see what it means. Then e-mail it to all your friends including the person who sent you this telling them what tree you fell from.

Jan 01 to Jan 11.............................Fir Tree

Jan 12 to Jan 24.............................Elm Tree

Jan 25 to Feb 03............................Cypress Tree

Feb 04 to Feb 08............................Poplar Tree

Feb 09 to Feb 18............................Cedar Tree

Feb 19 to Feb 28............................Pine Tree

Mar 01 to Mar 10........................... Weeping Willow

Mar 11 to Mar 20............................Lime Tree

Mar 21............................................Oak Tree

Mar 22 to Mar 31............................Hazelnut Tree

Mar 01 to Apr 10.............................Rowan Tree

Apr 11 to Apr 20.............................Maple Tree

Apr 21 to Apr 30.............................Walnut Tree

May 01 to May 14...........................Poplar Tree

May 15 to May 24...........................Chestnut Tree

May 25 to Jun 03............................Ash Tree

Jun 04 to Jun 13.............................Hornbeam Tree

Jun 14 to Jun 23............................. Fig Tree

Jun 24............................................Birch Tree

Jun 25 to Jul04...............................Apple Tree

Jul 05 to Jul 14................................Fir Tree

Jul 15 to Jul 25................................Elm Tree

Jul 26 to Aug 04..............................Cypress Tree

Aug 05 to Aug 13............................Poplar Tree

Aug 14 to Aug 23............................Cedar Tree

Aug 24 to Sep 02............................Pine Tree

Sep 03 to Sep 12............................Weeping Willow

Sep 13 to Sep 22............................Lime Tree

Sep 23...........................................Olive

Sep 24 to Oct 03............................Hazelnut tree

Oct 04 to Oct 13.............................Rowan Tree

Oct 14 to Oct23.............................Maple Tree

Oct 24 to Nov 11.............................Walnut Tree

Nov 12 to Nov 21.............................Chestnut tree

Nov 22 to Dec 01............................Ash Tree

Dec 02 to Dec 11........................... Hornbeam Tree

Dec 12 to Dec 21............................Fig Tree

Dec 22...........................................Beech

Dec 23 to Dec 31............................Apple Tree

APPLE TREE (the Love) - of slight build, lots of charm, appeal, and attraction, pleasant aura, flirtatious, adventurous, sensitive, always in love, wants to love and be loved, faithful and tender partner, very generous, scientific talents, lives for today, a carefree philosopher with imagination.

ASH TREE (the Ambition) - uncommonly attractive, vivacious, impulsive, demanding, does not care for criticism, ambitious, intelligent, talented, likes to play with fate, can be egotistic, very reliable and trustworthy, faithful and prudent lover, sometimes brains rule

over the heart, but takes partnership very seriously.

BEECH TREE (the Creative) - has good taste, concerned about its looks, materialistic, good organization of life and career, economical, good leader, takes no unnecessary risks, reasonable, splendid lifetime companion, keen on keeping fit (diets, sports, etc.)

BIRCH TREE (the Inspiration) - vivacious, attractive, elegant, friendly, unpretentious, modest, does not like anything in excess, abhors the vulgar, loves life in nature and in calm, not very passionate, full of imagination, little ambition, creates a calm and content atmosphere.

CEDAR TREE (the Confidence) - of rare beauty, knows how to adapt, likes luxury, of good health, not in the least shy, tends to look down on others, self-confident, determined, impatient, likes to impress others, many talents, industrious, healthy optimism, waiting for the one true love, able to make quick decisions.

CHESTNUT TREE (the Honesty) - of unusual beauty, does not want to impress, well-developed sense of justice, vivacious, interested, a born diplomat, but irritates easily and sensitive in company, often due to a lack of self confidence, acts sometimes superior, feels not understood loves only once, has difficulties in finding a partner.

CYPRESS TREE (the Faithfulness) - strong, muscular, adaptable, takes what life has to give, content, optimistic, craves money and acknowledgment, hates loneliness, passionate lover which cannot be satisfied, faithful, quick-tempered, unruly, pedantic, and careless.

ELM TREE (the Noble-mindedness) - pleasant shape, tasteful clothes, modest demands, tends not to forgive mistakes, cheerful, likes to lead but not to obey, honest and faithful partner, likes making decisions for others, noble-minded, generous, good sense of humor, practical.

FIG TREE (the Sensibility) - very strong, a bit self-willed, independent, does not allow contradiction or arguments, loves life, its family, children and animals, a bit of a social butterfly, good sense of humor, likes idleness and laziness, of practical talent and intelligence.

FIR TREE (the Mysterious) - extraordinary taste, dignity, sophisticated, loves anything beautiful, moody, stubborn, tends to egoism but cares for those close to them, rather modest, very ambitious, talented, industrious, discontented lover, many friends, many foes, very reliable.

HAZELNUT TREE (the Extraordinary) - charming, undemanding, very understanding, knows how to make an impression, active fighter for social cause, popular, moody, and capricious lover, honest, and tolerant partner, precise sense of judgment.

HORNBEAM TREE (the Good Taste) - of cool beauty, cares for its looks and condition, good taste, is not egotistic, makes life as comfortable as possible, leads a reasonable and disciplined life, looks for kindness and acknowledgment in an emotional partner, dreams of unusual lovers, is seldom happy with its feelings, mistrusts most people, is never sure of its decisions, very conscientious.

LIME TREE (the Doubt) - accepts what life dishes out in a composed way, hates fighting, stress, and labor, dislikes laziness and idleness, soft and relenting, makes sacrifices for friends, many talents but not tenacious enough to make them blossom, often wailing and complaining, very jealous but loyal.

MAPLE TREE (Independence of Mind) - no ordinary person, full of imagination and originality, shy and reserved, ambitious, proud, self-confident, hungers for new experiences, sometimes nervous, has many complexities, good memory, learns easily, complicated love life, wants to impress.

OAK TREE (the Brave) - robust nature, courageous, strong, unrelenting, independent, sensible, does not like change, keeps its feet on the ground, person of action.

OLIVE TREE (the Wisdom) - loves sun, warmth and kind feelings, reasonable, balanced, avoids aggression and violence, tolerant, cheerful, calm, well-developed sense of justice, sensitive, empathetic, free of jealousy, loves to read and the company of sophisticated people.

PINE TREE (the Particular) - loves agreeable company, very robust, knows how to make life comfortable, very active, natural, good companion, but seldom friendly, falls easily in love but its passion burns out quickly, gives up easily, everything disappointments until it finds its ideal, trustworthy, practical.

POPLAR TREE (the Uncertainty) - looks very decorative, not very self-confident, only courageous if necessary, needs goodwill and pleasant surroundings, very choosy, often lonely, great animosity, artistic nature, good organizer, tends to lean toward philosophy, reliable in any situation, takes partnership serious.

ROWAN TREE (the Sensitivity) - full of charm, cheerful, gifted without egotism, likes to draw attention, loves life, motion, unrest, and even complications, is both dependent and independent, good taste, artistic, passionate, emotional, good company, does not forgive.

WALNUT TREE (the Passion) - unrelenting, strange and full of contrasts, often egotistic, aggressive, noble, broad horizon, unexpected reactions, spontaneous, unlimited ambition, no flexibility, difficult and uncommon partner, not always liked but often admired, ingenious strategist, very jealous and passionate, no compromise.

WEEPING WILLOW (the Melancholy) - beautiful but full of melancholy, attractive, very empathetic, loves anything beautiful and tasteful, loves to travel, dreamer, restless, capricious, honest, can be influenced but isn't easy to live with, demanding, good intuition, suffers in love but finds sometimes an anchoring partner.

International Mountain Museum

About fourteen years ago the Nepal Mountaineering Association decided to construct an International Mountain Museum. This Museum is the first of its kind in the Kingdom of Nepal. A large portion of this Museum has been dedicated to the dwellers of mountains, history of International Mountains and Mountaineering including the history of the other great climbs around the world.

"Let's be proud on our legacy"

Definition of the Museum:
A museum is an institution which collects, documents, preserves, exhibits and interprets material evidence and associated information for the public benefit.

Introduction of above 8000+m Peaks

Everest: 8,848m
Mount Everest was known as Peak XV until 1856, when it was named for Sir George Everest, the surveyor general of India from 1830 to 1843. The measurements made by the Great Trigonometrical Survey in 1850. Most Nepali people refer to the mountain as Sagarmatha, meaning “Sky Mother.” Speakers of Tibetan languages, including the Sherpa people of northern Nepal, refer to the mountain as Chomolungma, Tibetan for “Mother Goddess of the Country.”

The height of Mount Everest was given as 29,002ft (8,842m) as the highest mountain in the world by Andrew Waugh, who had succeeded George Everest, Surveyor General of India. Later this height was increased to 29,028ft (8,848m), which is the currently accepted altitude. In 1999 a Boston Museum of Science GPS system attached to Bisop’s Ledge, the outcrop just below the summit, suggested a height of no more than 8,830m (28,970ft): just a few day later of the National Geographic Society announced that the correct height was actually 8,850m (29,035ft)

The mountain’s actual height, and the claim that Everest is the highest mountain in the world, has long been disputed. But scientific surveys completed in the early 1990s continued to support evidence that Everest is the highest mountain in the world. In fact, the mountain is rising a few millimeters each year due to geological forces. Global Positioning System (GPS) has been installed on Mount Everest for the purpose of detecting slight rates of geological uplift.

K2: 8,611m
K2, also Mount Godwin Austen, mountain peak in the Karakoram Range of the western Himalayas, straddling the border between China and Jammu and Kashmīr, a territory claimed by India and Pakistan. Pakistan currently controls the portion where K2 lies. K2, rising 8,611 m (28,251 ft), is the second tallest mountain in the world. In 1856 T. G. Montgomerie of the Survey of India measured the mountain and named it “K2” to denote it as one of 35 summits in the Karakoram Range. In 1861 the peak was unofficially renamed Mount Godwin Austen, after British soldier and topographer Henry Haversham Godwin Austen, the second European to visit the area. A later search for a local name for the peak revealed that there was nome. Latterly the Pakistan authorities have attempted to rename the peak using names ‘discovered’ among local peoples, but these have all failed. In Baltistan the name Chogori (which means Great Mountain) does appear to have been applied to the peak and probably have been accepted had not the peak been known as K2 for decades before Chogoricame to light. Eight expeditions to K2 were made between 1892 and 1954. On July 31, 1954, Achille Compagnoni and Lino Lacedelli, two members of an Italian expedition led by Ardito Desio, made the first successful ascent to the mountain's summit.

Kanchenjunga: 8,586m
Kanchenjunga, Peak IX of the Indian Survey, is the most easterly of the 8,000m peaks, standing on the border between Nepal and Sikkim. There are a number of subsidiary summits, at least three over 8,000m: the south summit – occasionally called Kanchenjunga II – was given a unique designation (Peak VIII) by the Indian survey. The central (between the south and main tops) and west summits are both over 8,400m, the west (Yalung Kang) having been the specific object of several expeditions. Kangchenjunga’s name is something of mystery. One Sanskrit scholar claimed it derived from Kancan Jangha, golden thigh, though quite why this should have been is a mystery as there is no physical resemblance, or any obvious legend associated with the area. Most experts now agree a Tibetan origin, deriving from Kang-chen-dzo-nga which would be pronounced (more or less) as Kanchenjunga. One 19^th century explorer claimed the name was given to a local Sikkim god who rode a white lion and waved a banner, believing that the lion was the peak, the banner the clouds or snow plume at the summit. The name remains an enigma.

Lhotse: 8,516m
Lhotse was E1 of the Indian Survey, but appears to have had no local name either in Tibet or Nepal when Charles Howard-Bury’s Everest reconnaissance team advanced along the Kama Valley and the northern edge of the Kangshung Glacier in August 1921. In the absence of an alternative, Howard-Bury christened it Lho-tse, south peak in Tibetan as it laid to the south of Everest, separated from it by the South Col. Because of the name’s Tibetan derivation it has stuck.

Makalu: 8,463m
Makalu was Peak XIII of the Indian Survey, the survey suggesting, in 1884, that its name was Khamba Lung. This seems to have derived from the local area being called Khamba, through the valley to the north of the peal was called Kama Lung (The valley of the River Kama). The French has negotiated permission for an attempt on Makalu from Tibet as early as 1934 but the Tibetans had changed their minds before any significant planning was underway. Two teams, American and New Zealand were attempted to climb Makalu on the pre-monsoon on 1954, but both were retreated due to bad weather and physical troubles of climbing member.

Cho Oyu: 8,201m
The British Indian Survey did not at first assign Cho Oyu a peak number. Though it was eventually assigned T45 (later changed M1) it must have originally seemed a minor peak among the giants that spread across the Nepalese horizon from Makalu to Dhaulagiri. The name is now invariably to mean ‘Goddess of Turquise’, the peak glowing turquoise when seen from Tibet in the light of an afternoon sun. As goddess is chomo in Tibetan, and turquoise is yu, the construction of chomo yu to Cho Oyu seems conclusive. A lama at Namche Bazar told Herbert Tichy that the name meant ‘Mighty Head’ and Heinrich Harrer claimed that the real name was cho-i-u meaning ‘god’s head’. Harrer’s suggestion is interesting because many early books have the peak’s name as Cho Uyo which would be a good phonetic approximation of the three Tibetan syllables. Harrer’s name is also close to the alternative Tibetan translation of the name as ‘bald god’. In Tibetan legend Cho Oyu, the bald god, had his back turned to Chomolungma, the mother goddess, because she refused to marry him.

Dhaulagiri: 8,167m
Peak XLII of the Indian survey is named from the Sanskrit 'Dhavala Giri', meaning White Mountain. It is often, and correctly, said that travelers to the Himalaya, when asking the name of a prominent peak, were told it was Dhaulagiri. It seems that when needing a name quickly, the local people chose an obvious one: most Himalayan peaks are, after substantially white.

Manaslu: 8,164m
Manaslu – the accent is on the second syllable: Man-as-loo rather than mana-sloo- was Peak XXX of the Indian Survey and was at the first called Kutang I, a name derived from it being the highest peak in the local district of Kutang. However, as tang is Tibetan for a flat area the name could be from the virtually that summit plateau, a distinctive feature of the peak when received form the Larkya La, a high pass to the north which would have been crossed by Tibetan traders to reach the valley of the Dudh Khola. Khola. The present name is Sanskrit in origin, deriving from manasa meaning the sprit or soul: Manaslu is the mountain of the sprit. The villagers of Sama, at the north-eastern foot of the peak, refer to it as Kambung, the name of a local god who is believed to reside on the summit.

Nanga Parbat: 8,125m
Nanga Parbat is the most westerly of the 8,000m peaks standing in massive isolation about 125km north of the Kashmir capital of Srinigar. Though geographically close to the Karakoram peaks, it is actually the western bastion of the Great Himalaya, overlooking the Indus River which forms the range’s western border.

The mountain’s name derives from the Sanskrit Nanga Parva, ‘Naked Mountain’, probably from its isolation.

Annapurna I: 8,091m
In 1948 the formerly closed, secretive nation of Nepal opened its borders, firstly to a group of American ornithologists, then to a team of Swiss climbers who, under René Dittert, explored the north-east of the country. In 1949 the French Fédération Française de la Montagne began negotiations with the Nepalese government for permission to climb one of the great peaks that stood wholly within Nepal. Annapurna was Peak XXXIX of the Indian Survey, its name being a combination of two Sanskrit words whose literal meaning is “Filled with food”. However the mane also contains the root of another name for Durga, the Hindu Divine Mother, consort of Lord Shiva, and as Maurice Herzog was told during his expedition, is more correctly translated as “Goddess of the Heaven”, i.e., the Divine Mother Provider.

Gasherbrum I: 8,068m
The Gasherbrum I was K5 in the first Karakoram survey, but was named Hidden Peak by Conway during his 1892 expedition because it only came into view as he climbed the Upper Baltoro Glacier towards the west ridge of Golden Throne (Baltoro Kangri). However, before Conway named the peak it had already been referred to by it’s ‘correct’ name, the Alpine Journal of August 1888 nothing the name Gusher-Brum which, it reported, Col Godwin-Austen had been told mean ‘Sunset Peak’. Hidden Peak was the accepted name for the peak until very recent time – the account of the first ascent uses the name, as does Messner in his book on the second ascent. But with the trend away from the use of western names for Himalayan peaks Gasherbrum I is now preferred.

Broad Peak: 8,047m
Broad Peak was not assigned a peak number in the original Karakoram survey, being hidden from the surveyor’s view, and was named by Martin Conway during his expedition of 1892.

Catching sight of the massif that defined the eastern side of the valley of the Godwin Austen Glacier, filling the space between the Sella Pass and the Palchan La/Gasherbrum group, Conway noted ‘a fine breadth of mountain splendor …… a huge Breithorn, as it were, filling the space between K2 and the hidden Gasherbrum’.

Shisha Pangma: 8,046m
Peak XXIII of the Indian Survey was for many years known by the Sanskrit name Gosainthan which translates as Place of the Saint. The existence of a Sanskrit name for a peak which rises from the Tibetan plateau was, and is, something of a mystery, but is assumed to originate from the mountain’s proximity to Gosainkund, a holy lake of the Hindus which lies near to the border in Nepal. The Tibetan name for the peak is Shisha Pangma, meaning the mountain crest above the grassy plain, a very descriptive, if somewhat mundane, name.

Gasherbrum II: 8,035m
The Gasherbrum group is a series of peaks on a gigantic horseshoed edge which encloses the South Gasherbrum Glacier. On the eastern side of the glacier is Gasherbrum I, separated by the Gasherbrum La from the pyramidal peaks of Gasherbrum II and III.

In the original classification of the Karakoram peaks Gasherbrum I was K5, Gasherbrum II being K4. The name is from the Balti (a Tibetan dialect) rgasha brum, beautiful mountain (though Dyhrenfurth claimed that he was once told the name meant ‘shining wall’).

MOUNTAIN TOURISM

MOUNTAIN TOURISM

The Himalayas are not just a perennial source of water but part of our cultural activities as we worship mountain deities and they are a great tourism product too.

The lofty Himalayas from time immemorial have captivated tourists from all over. Some come to take a glimpse of this majestic snow clad mountain range, some to conquer its challenging heights and some visit to pay obeisance, for they believe it to be the holy abode of Lord Shiva. The perennial snow covering the Himalayas feed the rivers of this region through out the year. Boasting of eight of the world's 14 highest mountain peaks, Nepal is a true Himalayan country.

Mountains are crucial to life. In addition to hosting more biodiversity than any other eco-region on earth, mountains provide most of the world's freshwater and are often called, nature's water towers. More than 3 billion people rely on mountain watersheds for their supplies of fresh water. Mountains are a source of key resources such as minerals, forest products and agricultural products and of recreation. As a major ecosystem representing the complex and interrelated ecology of our planet, mountain environments are essential to the survival of the global ecosystem.

The Himalayan Kingdom of Nepal is a breathtaking destination with stunning mountain views, which includes the world's highest peak, the Mount Everest (Everest Region). Nepal is also known for its ancient and glorious culture with various fine exemplifications of Buddhist art and architecture. Besides these, this beautiful Himalayan Kingdom captivates tourists for fantastic adventure sports like - hiking, mountaineering and white water rafting which offers immense opportunities for the adventure lovers. Nepal is a dream destination with its beautiful cities, lush surroundings, abundant flora & fauna, inviting people, all cradled amidst the awesome snow capped peaks, a travel to which will change your life in more ways than you can imagine.

Nepal is famous the world over as the Himalayan Kingdom. Therefore it is important to analyze mountain tourism. The mighty Himalaya Mountains -- separated by some of the deepest gorges -- offer tourists picturesque scenes. Snowcapped mountains, beautiful lakes, endangered wildlife species like the red panda, the snow leopard, and the musk deer, historical sites, and traditional village culture and architecture are major tourist attractions.

Religious places like Mukti Kshetra, Pashupati Kshetra, and Baraha Kshetra are sources of inspiration for people around the world. The most important regions for mountain tourism are Annapurna, Khumbu, Sagarmatha, and Langtang-Helambhu. The mountains, endowed with a rich variety of living things, have provided an excellent source of revenue through eco-tourism.

Realizing the value of tourism, the government first opened its border to foreigners in the 1950s. In the Everest region of Nepal, visitors increased from 20 trekkers in 1964 to over 17,000 in 1996 and 27,000 in 2000. Today, 80 per cent of households derive income from tourism.

Mountains have become a magnet for tourism, which is the most rapidly growing industry in the world. Tourism is vital to the conservation and development of mountain regions. Mountain tourism accounts for 15 - 20% of worldwide tourism, or US$ 70 - 90 billion per year. By the year 2010, the World Tourism Organization (WTO) predicts that there will be one billion international tourists and more than US$1,500 billion generated in revenue. As tourism increases in mountain regions around the world, environmental, social and economic impacts can also be expected to increase. Mountain tourism plays a significant role in national economies, relative to mountain economies' generally small contributions. The impacts of tourism on mountain ecosystems and biological resources are of great concern, however, both at the local and global scales, because of the high degree of biodiversity and environmental sensitivity of mountain areas. Immense altitude changes and associated climatic conditions result in great variations in temperatures, precipitation, soils and vegetation, breeding a rich diversity of ecosystems.

Increasing tourism has had a negative impact in only a few areas. However, the unequal distribution of the benefits of tourism has caused conflicts between the haves and have-nots, creating problems within the whole nation and especially in the mountain regions. Because development occurs only within the valleys, the people of the mountains rely heavily on tourism. The political instability of the past few years had adversely affected this major contribution to the local economy, as well as the national economy.

Cultural identities and diversity in mountain regions are also under threat by the economic, social and environmental forces associated with mountain tourism. The knowledge and skills refined over generations by mountain peoples lose value in the face of the latest developments of sports, infrastructure and the demand for luxurious hotels. A loss of cultural identity leads to an increase of social problems of crime, drugs, and the degradation of community values and religious practices that once held the society together. Due to isolation and limited access, many people living in mountain areas lack sufficient skills and the resources to invest in and benefit from tourism.

To maximize the benefits of tourism to the mountain people, and to safeguard the fragile mountain environment, the government should undertake various activities in a planned way as the situation in the country improves.