Next day morning, we proceeded towards Kodari border along with a team of Sherpa men in a private travel bus. These Sherpa team accompanies us throughout our journey.  This team takes care of routine breakfast, lunch and dinner.  It is a team consisting of trekking experts, a chef, and other helpers. A pantry vehicle follows the bus carrying pilgrims. Fortunately, our Sherpa team consisted of very caring and jovial persons.

 Our aim was to cross the Kodari border that day. We took the Arniko highway that connects Kathmandu with China occupied Tibet. Kodari is a small township comprising Tibetan migrants mostly. Nepali people are scantly visible. It is the last town of Nepal. Traveler inns are available providing only basic amenities.

Kodari lies in a God gifted ambience. Whether it is a boon or a curse, one should decide for himself. Situated on top of a Himalayan valley, the town is blessed with a picturesque landscape. Green hills, countless waterfalls and the meandering Botikosi River flowing down the valley make this town look beautiful. However, the fate of migrants is a big question mark. Poverty and an uncertain future haunt the township and that is strikingly visible for travelers.

 The road to Kadori from Kathmandu is called the Arniko Highway. This road has been constructed with the initiatives taken by the China Government for the improvement of bilateral trade and commerce. You can’t call it a proper highway. It is a narrow strip of road skirted by steep hills on side and the Botikosi River Valley on the other side. Landslides are common during rains. We could notice the damage already done by previous landslides. A scary highway indeed.

A bridge has been built across the Botikosi River and the bridge is known as ‘Friendship Bridge’. This bridge is a part of the Arniko Highway connecting China with Nepal. One will have to cross the bridge on foot. Nepali vehicles are not allowed on this. A red line has been drawn in the middle to mark the boundary between two countries. Chinese military commandos will be guarding on the other half. Border crossing is done through strict immigration process.

Chinese immigration center is located on the Chinese side of the bridge. That area is called Zangmu. The United Nations has not officially recognized Chinese status on the Tibetan territory. However, China is executing its supremacy over the land and visitors are supposed to respect the law of the land. After crossing the border, tourists will have to travel with Chinese travel guides in the Chinese permit vehicles.

Due to Indo-China border tensions the Kailsh Manas Sarovar Yatra was banned from 1962 to 1981. Kadori is the only official gateway to enter China from Nepal side. We were strictly warned in Kathmandu as not to talk about political affairs of China and about Dalai Lama.  It is almost a known factor there. There seems to be an undeclared deal among the Nepali merchants/businessmen/traders/travel agencies. They do not encourage any kind of activities against the Chinese policies in Kathmandu or anywhere inside the Chinese territory. In that way they have secured entry into the Chinese territory. One can use the trade route for uninterrupted trade and commerce. That must be the reason, perhaps, that the number of private travel agencies in Kathmandu is increasing day by day for conducting Kailash-Manas Sarovar Yatra. These private agencies assure us of a safe journey inside the Chinese Territory for the same reason. As long as one does not protest or keeps showing green signal to the Chinese Supremacy the show goes on!

Most of our travel mates were elders. Most of them had come to accomplish the ultimate yatra, it was a dream come true for them. They were excited, thrilled to have that ultimate experience of reaching the abode of Shiva. However, the Kailash Manasarovar yatra (on this route) makes us to think about the bilateral relations of India and Nepal with China. We did share a bit of unexplainable anxiety, could observe the same in the eyes of the migrant workers crossing the bridge everyday for the daily bread.

One needs to obtain a valid passport and a Chinese Visa before crossing the border. We had group Visa, but we had to get through the immigration check in. The Chinese agent booked by the Nepali travel agency must be present on the Chinese side to complete the formalities. To our bad luck, that fellow didn’t turn up on that day. We were put up in a roadside inn. We waited till the evening for the Chinese guide. Late in the evening, our Nepali guide came back with the message that the Chinese guide would come next day morning. We were made to stay in the same inn where we had lunch that noon.

Houses of that town were roughly built on the hill slope, terraced residences. Timber houses without foundation. The Inn we had stayed was built on the edge of a slope overlooking the Botikosi river stream. It had a balcony and if we stand on that we would feel as if we were standing on a hanging bridge! Such an unstable condition. Kids of migrant workers rush towards you asking for snacks, and money. Pretty and adorable Tibetan faces, mostly girls and women were seen.

Next day, we woke up to a chilly morning, bought hot water paying 100 Nepali rupees for each bucket, had bath and got ready to cross the border. After this day, we again had bath only in Kathmandu on our return journey, on the twelfth day!  It is just five minutes’ walk from our inn to the Friendship Bridge. We crossed the bridge in a line. It was indeed an emotional moment for all of us to cross the border of a country on foot. I was imagining about the experience of crossing the Indo-Pak border!

Photography is not allowed on the bridge. Even at the immigration center, visitors are not allowed to take photos. But, we noticed a few foreign visitors shooting outside the immigration center. Please confirm anyway with your travel guides before taking snaps. We took a snap of the bridge from a far distance.

The Chinese guide had arrived and we proceeded towards Nyalam in a bus. The road from Zangmu to Manassarovar is well maintained. We would be provided with a well conditioned luxury bus to travel. So, the bus journey till we reach Manas Sarovar is completely hassle free. But, one can’t be so confident about the accommodation facility. Now, we have entered the Tibetan Plateau.

Let’s explore the Tibetan plateau in the next episode!

North-Eastern India is the less explored region in India compared to other parts of the nation. Lack of accessibility was the major concern for the tourists. But, now, the region is slowly opening up to nature enthusiasts. Though there are instances of separatist protests and agitations in a few parts of the region, tourists activities go on. However, it is better to update yourself before landing up there.

North East India, as the name suggests, is located to the North-Eastern part of India bordering China (Southern Tibet), Bhutan, Bangladesh and Myanmar. The region consists of seven states: Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Tripura. Rich biodiversity, indigenous local cultures and picturesque landscape have made this region versatile and unique. Let us explore the tourism possibilities of each state within this region. There are two World Heritage Sites in the region and they are located in Assam: Kaziranga Wildlife Sanctuary and Manas Wildlife Sanctuary in Assam.

Arunachal Pradesh

Known as ‘The land of Dawn lit Mountains’, the state of Arunachal Pradesh is located on the eastern most part of North Eastern India bordering China, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nagaland and Assam. Bound by the Himalayan Mountains in the north, the state is the home for exclusively rare variety of orchids. Hence it is also called the Orchid State of India.

Culture of Arunachal Pradesh comprises indigenous tribes and Buddhist traditions mainly. Most of the tribal language belongs to Tibeto0Burman family, which is known as Tani language. Itanagar is the capital city.

Buddhist Gompas occupy the larger section of state heritage sites and thus makes the state a destination for ‘Spiritual Tourism’. The Tawang Monastery is one of the important Buddhist sites in the entire India.

Travellers need Inner Lane Permits to travel within the state. There are different travel circuits marked by the Tourism Authorities and the tourists will have to mention to which circuit they will be travelling.

Travel locations within the state are spread out among five river valleys (the Kameng, the Subansiri, the Siang, the Lohit and the Tirap), lakes, Himalayan peaks and Himalayan forests. The climate depends upon the locations; freezing Greater Himalayas, cool Middle Himalayas or moderate lower Himalayas.

Four main travel circuits are:

Main tourist destinations within the state are:

The state is not served by a proper airport. Airports in the Assam state are the nearest points for air travellers. By road, the state is connected to Tezpur of Assam. Soon it will be connected by a railway line Harmuti to Naharlagun. Stay in guest houses, lodges, private hotels and home stays. 

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If you are booking a cab for the 1^st time, you would naturally be scared and confused. Will that be affordable, reliable, or will that be convenient…all sorts of doubts arise in your mind. Online Cab Booking services are plenty these days, and you can book a cab through your cell phones. Here is a trustworthy Online Cab Booking service provider that clears all your doubts regarding cab booking, follow Clear Car Rentals.

There are two ways for cab booking which is followed usually; one is the conventional way of booking through travel agents and another one is on the spot booking. Online Cab Booking is the new wave in the history of cab booking in India. It is as reliable as your travel agent and more efficient than him.

Online cab booking would be done through online service providers who are connected to various travel agencies and cab owners. Clear Car Rental Company, a reliable online rental car service provider, guides you how to book a car. It is fast, easy and simple.

Open the Clear Car Rental web page. On the home page, you would see a search box. Just fill the details asked in the search box. Choose the type of service you need: whether it is an out station trip, local or transfer service. Click whether you want for a round trip, a one way drop off or a multicity travel. Enter the starting point and end point, duration, date and time.

Now, you will be directed to our price deal on the different types of vehicles and select the one you prefer. Book the car! You can pay the full amount or partial in advance. Everything would be mentioned online. If you have our discount coupon, mention that. We accept all types of cards, and you can make cash payment also.

Filter your search through wide range of vehicles and price range. Our staff will be at your service round the clock. Advantage of online cab booking is that you can book in advance, can choose from wide range of booking options, vehicles and price list. Booking is done very quickly.

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Wayanad region in Kerala is known for aboriginal tribal culture, paddy fields and rich forests. The region is not connected by rail network yet. It is situated in the southern tip of the Deccan Plateau bordering Karnataka and Tamil Nadu states. The region has been a district in the state of Tamil Nadu. The entire region comprising three Taluks has been chosen as one of the promising tourist spots under the Responsible Tourism project in Kerala.

Kalpetta is the district headquarters. You can approach this region via Karnataka or Tamil Nadu. From Karnataka side, one can enter through Mysore and Coorg. Kozhikode in Kerala is the nearest major destination that is connected well by rail/road and airways. Kalpetta is at a distance of about 75 km from Kozhikode. Sultan Bathery is another main town in Wayanad having good connection.

Speciality of this region is that it is tucked away in the wild forests of Western Ghats. The remoteness and less movement of population have created a distinct atmosphere in the entire region. You feel like exploring more. Winding Ghat sections, thick jungles, wild life, heritage spots and the local indigenous/un-disturbed tribal culture are really rewarding. Preservation and conservation of the local culture and environment has been the priority of Wayanad Tourism Organization.

Explore:
 

Chembra Peak    (image courtesy:kiran kumar)

Chembra Peak, Neelima View Point, Meenmutty Falls, Chethalaym Falls, Brhamagiri Hills, Banasura Sagar Dam, Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuaries in Muthunga and Tholpetty, Sulthan Bahthery Jain Temple, Edakkal Caves, Wayanad Heritage Museum, Muniyara, Pazhassi Raja’s Tomb, Valliyoor Temple, Papanashini, Tirunelli, Pookote Lake, Sentinal Rock Falls, Sunrise Valley and phantom rock…huh! Innumerable spots you see.

Many NGOs have joined hands in the preservation of local culture and have been providing market to locally grown products. Medicinal herbs, spices and handicrafts produced in this region are in great demand.

Accommodation:

Resorts and home stays overlooking Jungles and plantations are very popular among the tourists here. These home stays provide the experience of traditional homes of Kerala. Jungle resorts are typical of this region.

The Responsible Tourism project in Thekkady was inaugurated in 2008. The intention behind this project was to provide a reliable market for the local products, and to ensure eco-friendly tourism in the region.

Kerala state is a hotspot of Indian tourism. Destinations of diverse interests like beaches, ancient temples, backwater trail, houseboats, wildlife sanctuaries, hill stations and moreover the state offers peace full travel experience.

Thekkady, which is known for Periyar Tiger Reserve is located in the Idukki district of Kerala. Idukki district itself is a major attraction comprising wildlife sanctuaries, hill stations, spice plantations, elephant rides and rich landscape.

Thekkady is the gateway to enter the Periyar Reservoir which is famous for the Periyar Tiger Reserve. Thekkady is a small village showcasing the rich heritage of Kerala Culture. Timber cottages, eco-friendly resorts, home stays are available here for the tourists.

Nearest railhead is Kottayam and the nearest airport is available at Madurai. However, ideal way to enter the place is to go via Munnar hill station. Munnar is situated at about 85 km. If you go in a private vehicle, you can reach within 2 hours. On the way, you can have a glance at spectacular spice plantations.

Munnar is closer to Ernakulam Railway Station and Cochin International Airport is the nearest air base. So, you can cover Fort Kochi, Munnar and Tekkadi in one package. Spend a day at Thekkady to experience the village stay.

You may have to buy tickets for entering Periyar Reserve at Thekkady. A jungle safari in the Periyar Reservoir is the main part of the Jungle Safari over there. You will get to see wild animals near the river. Actually the Tiger Reserve is located within an island surrounded by the Periyar Lake. So, you would be taking a round of the Periyar Lake. Boat mishaps have been reported recently, confirm with the locals before booking a boat ride.

 Visit nearby spice and coffee plantations; Murikkady is the nearest of all. Thekkady is also connected to Kodaikenal Hill station of Tamil Nadu.