Travelling to Nepal had never been on my bucket list. Yet sometimes the most unexpected journeys become the ones we remember most. My trip to Nepal, taken with two of my cousins, turned out to be one such journey: a girls’ trip filled with excitement, unexpected detours and, ultimately, beautiful surprises.
My parents dropped me off at the airport, where I met my cousins. We were giddy with anticipation. But when we boarded our evening flight, there was little to see outside the window.
Our excitement was tempered when we received news of a glacier collapse and flash floods in Nepal. Knowing that people were facing the consequences of these disasters made us pause and put our own travel plans into perspective.
We reached Kathmandu at night, with a drizzle welcoming us to the city. By the time we arrived at our hotel, we were exhausted and had no energy left to explore. So, we called it a night.
The next morning, we woke up early, had breakfast and set out to explore Kathmandu. Our first stop was Kathmandu Durbar Square, the historic heart of the old city, where ancient palaces and temples stand shoulder to shoulder with the everyday chaos of modern life. But what I remember most vividly isn’t the architecture – it’s the pigeons.
Hundreds of them. Maybe thousands. They covered the square like a living carpet, grey and iridescent, pecking at grains scattered by locals and tourists alike. Every few seconds, something would startle them – a child running, a motorbike honking, a sudden clap – and the entire flock would erupt into the air at once. The sound was like a thunderclap made of feathers. For a moment, the sky would be thick with wings, and then, just as suddenly, they would settle again, as if nothing had happened.
Next, we visited Swayambhunath Temple, one of the city’s most recognisable Buddhist landmarks, popularly known as the Monkey Temple. The temple’s ancient eyes watched us from every angle, and the monkeys, of course, watched us too, with far more interest than we would have liked.
In the evening, we headed to Chandragiri Hills to ride the cable car. The ride itself was one of the most exhilarating experiences of our trip. As the cable car climbed higher, the landscape gradually unfolded beneath us, making the journey feel like an adventure unto itself.
The following day, we were supposed to travel to Pokhara. But our plans were disrupted by a roadblock, forcing us to stay in Kathmandu. At first, it was disappointing. But instead of letting the change of plans ruin the trip, we decided to make the most of our time in the capital.
We wandered through the vibrant streets of Thamel, Kathmandu’s lively tourist spot, and explored Durbar Marg. We also visited the Garden of Dreams, a peaceful historic garden in the middle of the bustling city. It was a welcome contrast to Kathmandu’s busy streets – a pocket of stillness where we could hear ourselves think.
The next day, we headed to Nagarkot, around a two-hour journey from Kathmandu. On the way, we stopped at Rani Jhula, a suspension bridge surrounded by the hills. Walking across the bridge offered a different perspective of Nepal’s landscape, with the hills stretching out around us. It was a brief stop, but one that added another memorable moment to our journey.
We reached our resort in the evening and spent some time exploring the surroundings. During our little expedition, we found a spot from where we could supposedly watch the sunrise the following morning. Excited about the prospect, we set our alarms and went to bed.
But we missed the sunrise. We were upset. After all, we had made plans specifically to wake up early and watch it. Yet what came next made us realise that sometimes missing what you planned for can lead you to something even more beautiful.
Instead of the sunrise, we got a spectacular view of the Langtang range. It was surreal. Clouds floated around the resort, so close that it felt as though we could reach out and touch them. The entire landscape seemed dreamlike. Looking back, I realised that if we had not visited during the monsoon, we might not have experienced that particular view.
That morning taught us something else about Nepal, its landscapes can change dramatically with the seasons. The same mountains, hills and valleys can offer very different experiences depending on when you visit.
Around 11:30am, we got into our car and began our journey back to Kathmandu. On the way, we stopped at a viewpoint in Bhaktapur. Reaching it required climbing almost 200 stairs, but the effort was worth it. The view waiting at the top made us forget about the climb.
Later, we travelled to Dhulikhel, where the scenery once again left us spellbound. The beauty of the place was enough to make me forget the small, unnecessary sorrows of everyday life. Sometimes, all it takes is a beautiful landscape to put things into perspective.
Eventually, we returned to Kathmandu, where we spent some time shopping and picked up a few souvenirs, including fridge magnets and keyrings — little reminders of a journey that had started so unexpectedly.
My Nepal trip was never supposed to happen. It was not on my bucket list, and even after we arrived, things did not go exactly as planned. We could not travel to Pokhara because of a roadblock. We missed the sunrise in Nagarkot. The weather and news of natural disasters dampened our excitement at the beginning of the trip.
Yet every disappointment seemed to carry a silver lining. We wanted to see the sunrise but missed it; instead, we saw the Langtang range surrounded by clouds. We wanted to go to Pokhara but ended up discovering more of Kathmandu, Nagarkot, Bhaktapur and Dhulikhel.
Perhaps that is what made the trip special. My Nepal journey unexpectedly became a vibrant chapter of my life, a reminder that travel is not always about following an itinerary or seeing everything you planned to see. Sometimes, the beauty lies in the unexpected.
After all, every cloud has a silver lining. And in Nepal, quite literally, the clouds led us to something even more beautiful.
