It was in October 2006 that we had been to Kathmandu on an excursion. Our trip was from Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh to Kolkata by train. We halted for few hours in the morning in Kolkata and just visited Victoria Memorial.
In the afternoon we took the train bound to Raxaul, Bihar. We reached the place in the morning and immediately took tongas from Raxaul station to Birganj, Nepal crossing the Ind-Nepal border. It's hardly 10 minutes ride from Raxaul to Birganj. On reaching Birganj in Nepal, we refreshed and started our onward journey to Kathmandu in luxury bus. The nearly 8 hours ride from Birganj to Kathmandu was a memorable one.
A road trip to Kathmandu from Raxaul in Bihar is an enchanting one. Raxaul in Bihar and Birgunj in Nepal are the main Indo-Nepal border crossing points. Mainly the trucks moving between the two countries are thoroughly check at these crossing points. However border crossing for the tourists is made easy through inter-state relations between the SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) countries. Indian tourists don't need any visa for traveling to Nepal.
Kathmandu is the capital city of Nepal and is well connected with all the major cities of the world by airways. Tourists from India who want to experience the border crossing by road can travel through various border crossing points in the states bordering Nepal.
In the above picture you can see the Birgunj-Raxaul border crossing gate. Tourists who wish to have an exciting experience of a tonga ride can engage one at the railway station in Raxaul. Tonga is a local horse-driven cart. The tonga rides on the bumpy shaky roads providing the tourists a typical village experience.
Raxual is a small rustic town in Bihar situated on the Indo-Nepal border, just few kilometres away from Birgunj in Nepal. It is the entry point to Nepal by road and rail.
In the above image you can see the entry and exit of the tongs through the Indo-Nepal border gate. This gate is actually a check post at the exit of Raxual and for entry into Birgunj (Nepal). Tourists who cross the international border for the first time will have a thrilling / exciting experience.
Raxual-Birganj border crossing point is an open international border with no restrictions for the movement of Indians into Nepal and Nepalis into India. No passport or visa is required by the citizens of these two friendly countries for entry / exit. But there is customs check point for goods and for the nationals of other countries (other than India).
It's hardly a 15-minutes ride to Birgunj. On reaching Birgunj in Nepal, tourists can book a cab or travel by luxury / semi-luxury bus to Kathmandu. Tourists from South India especially those who are used to traditional vegetarian food need to compromise with the food in Nepal which is not so tasty.
A road trip from Birgunj to Kathmandu on the Himalyan ghat roads is very much enjoyed. As the bus / cab / car twines and twists around on the ghat roads, nature-lovers find themselves lost in a different world on watching the beauty of Mother Nature. The high mountains, deep valleys, rich flora
and the streams on one side of the road all along the route.
While going on a road trip tourists will be awed on seeing the beauty of Mother Nature. It took around 8-9 hours to reach Kathmandu from Birgunj.
It would be a wonderful and enjoyable experience to the tourists who go on an enchanting road trip to Kathmandu.
My visit to Kathmandu was before the devastating earthquake in Nepal in April 2015.
In the afternoon we took the train bound to Raxaul, Bihar. We reached the place in the morning and immediately took tongas from Raxaul station to Birganj, Nepal crossing the Ind-Nepal border. It's hardly 10 minutes ride from Raxaul to Birganj. On reaching Birganj in Nepal, we refreshed and started our onward journey to Kathmandu in luxury bus. The nearly 8 hours ride from Birganj to Kathmandu was a memorable one.
A road trip to Kathmandu from Raxaul in Bihar is an enchanting one. Raxaul in Bihar and Birgunj in Nepal are the main Indo-Nepal border crossing points. Mainly the trucks moving between the two countries are thoroughly check at these crossing points. However border crossing for the tourists is made easy through inter-state relations between the SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) countries. Indian tourists don't need any visa for traveling to Nepal.
In the above picture you can see the Birgunj-Raxaul border crossing gate. Tourists who wish to have an exciting experience of a tonga ride can engage one at the railway station in Raxaul. Tonga is a local horse-driven cart. The tonga rides on the bumpy shaky roads providing the tourists a typical village experience.
Raxual is a small rustic town in Bihar situated on the Indo-Nepal border, just few kilometres away from Birgunj in Nepal. It is the entry point to Nepal by road and rail.
Raxual-Birganj border crossing point is an open international border with no restrictions for the movement of Indians into Nepal and Nepalis into India. No passport or visa is required by the citizens of these two friendly countries for entry / exit. But there is customs check point for goods and for the nationals of other countries (other than India).
It's hardly a 15-minutes ride to Birgunj. On reaching Birgunj in Nepal, tourists can book a cab or travel by luxury / semi-luxury bus to Kathmandu. Tourists from South India especially those who are used to traditional vegetarian food need to compromise with the food in Nepal which is not so tasty.
A road trip from Birgunj to Kathmandu on the Himalyan ghat roads is very much enjoyed. As the bus / cab / car twines and twists around on the ghat roads, nature-lovers find themselves lost in a different world on watching the beauty of Mother Nature. The high mountains, deep valleys, rich flora
It would be a wonderful and enjoyable experience to the tourists who go on an enchanting road trip to Kathmandu.
My visit to Kathmandu was before the devastating earthquake in Nepal in April 2015.