A H D D U B rf]l/Psf Issue # 39 February 2020 d"lt{sf] www.buddhaair.com syf Wonderful Nepal BAPHACHA ljjfxk~rdL Jhumke PETER BUDD Young ldlynf Topi Australian Priest of Ambassador to ljjfxsf Nepal Nepal uLt;+uLt facebook.com/ buddhaair @airbuddha @buddhaairnepal Buddha Air [email protected] Buddha Air 977-1-5521015 Jawalakhel, Lalitpur, Nepal Namaste and welcome on board Buddha Air! I would like to wish each of you a Happy New Year 2020! It’s Buddha Air would not be where we are today without the the start of a new decade and I am hopeful that it will be a great love and support of our passengers. In this issue, we had a chat one. with the top three Royal Club frequent flyer members - who have It’s the dawn of a new decade for all of us, which is a great been flying with us for many years and earned countless mileage time to reflect on the past as we look forward to the future. In the points. Read about their Buddha Air journey in, “Loyal members past decade, we celebrated many milestones together with the of Royal Club.” Our Yatra team also had an insightful interview introduction of ATR aircrafts to our fleet family, establishing and with Peter Budd, the Australian Ambassador to Nepal, where he operating our very own state of the art hangar, addition of new detailed his journey traveling across Nepal with his family. Read flight routes and destinations and also breaking records of flying about it in “Wonderful Nepal: Yet To Be Explored.” the highest number of passengers in a single day. Nepal is starting off to a great new year, with its Visit Nepal We are starting off the new year by introducing a new 2020 campaign, which is an endeavor to bring over 2 million destination; Rajbiraj. From February 2020, we will have daily tourists to the country. Since we are part of the travel industry, flights between Kathmandu and Rajbiraj, connecting Province 2 we are also doing our part to promote tourism around Nepal. If and Province 3. Furthermore, we are also introducing a new flight you need a list of recommendations on where to go in Nepal for route between Pokhara and Biratnagar from 3 February 2020. 2020, read all about it in our cover story, “Welcome To Nepal.” There will be 3 flights weekly for this route. Check out our “Get Featured” section to see the wonderful Since we introduced the ramp facility, we have been photos captured by our flyers of their journey with us. Please send extending these services to other airports we operate in. As of us your feedback, suggestions, experiences, and testimonials; January 2020, we have ramp facilities in Bhadrapur, Biratnagar, they could be featured on the next issue of Yatra. Janakpur, Simara, Bhairahawa, Nepalgunj and Bharatpur. We will Thank you for choosing to fly with us. I hope you have a also be extending the ramp facility to Dhangadhi and Rajbiraj pleasant flight. as well. Unfortunately, we will not be able to avail the service to Tumlingtar due to small aircraft operation and Pokhara and Birendra B. Basnet Kathmandu due to space constraints. Managing Director, Buddha Air In-flight magazine Jawalakhel, Lalitpur, Nepal Published by: Buddha Air Pvt. Ltd., Jawalakhel, Lalitpur, Nepal e-mail: [email protected] Editorial Board : lKhagendra Bahadur Basnet lSubarna Kharel lUL Shrestha lRatna Rai lD.K. Karna www.buddhaair.com Mobile App Download the power to fly ! FEATURES Search & Pay Directly On The App Login To Your Royal Club Create Your Own Profile Login As Guest Offline Ticket at your fingertips Check Ticket and Flight Status Get Detailed Flight Information Get Inspiration For Your Next Travel Destination DOWNLOAD FOR FREE 37 Issue Feb contents2020 COVER STORY 38 Welcome to Nepal 14An Ode to Birds 46 o;/L /flvof] Our Beautiful 24 Food on the Go ! lxdfnsf] gfd companions on Earth 165 things to do in 56 ;'zLnf sfsL{sf lk|o Bhaktapur 28 Aalucha k':tsx? A Nepali food chain that only serves potatoes TREKKING 6 KANCHENJUNGA TREK Built for the Intrepid Traveller l Mohan Duwal anchenjunga is the world’s experience of the village life in on your pace and time needed for third-highest mountain. It is eastern Nepal. Mohan Duwal, an acclimatization. The highest altitude Klocated in the eastern region avid trekker, and photographer you’ll reach in this trek is above of Nepal. The Kanchenjunga trek shares his experiences of the 5,000 meters. is one of the most strenuous treks Kanchenjunga trek to the north The trek requires you to walk - but this also makes it rewarding camp of Pangpema. at least 5 hours each day to reach because of the wilderness and In Tibetan, Kanchenjunga the next stop. Therefore, you have unspoiled nature you’ll see. means, “Five Treasures of the Great to plan your trek by calculating the While trekking, you come across Snow.” It is one of the five peaks of time and determine where to rest highland forest, rhododendrons the Kanchenjunga range. The trek for the night. You do not want to in bloom and majestic waterfalls, has two routes; the trek can be keep trekking until nightfall. Since while getting an authentic carried out to the north base camp teahouses are not abundant in this or south base camp, or you can trek, you need to carry enough trek to both the north and south water and food while trekking. base camp on a Kanchenjunga My Kanchenjunga trek started circuit trek. The trek will take with a one hour flight from about 17 to 22 days depending Kathmandu to Bhadrapur. There 7 TREKKING KANCHENJUNGA NORTH BASE CAMP TREK FACTS Duration: 17 to 22 days depending on your pace and rest days needed for acclimatization. Highest Altitude: 5,140 meters Trek Grade: Strenuous Best Time to Visit: March to mid-May and October to late November Accommodation: Rural villages, tea houses and tented camps are daily flights that depart to eight hours to trek from an altitude old Tibetan village that has been Bhadrapur. After landing, take of 2000 meters to 2500 meters. thriving for more than 150 years. a nine-hour drive to Taplejung. After Amjilosha, the next stop is It was enriching to experience the Depending on the time of your at Gyabla village (2730 m), which local culture and farming lifestyle of flight, you can rest for the night at takes four hours to trek. However, the people. You can enjoy organic either Bhadrapur or Taplejung. I chose to go to Phaley, which is an food and cheese at Phaley with the The trek begins from Taplejung to Chirruwa. The first part of the trail was a descent from 1820 m to 1270 m. It took about seven hours to reach the first destination on the trek. After a night’s rest, head out to Sekathum the next morning. The trail will take around five hours to reach Tamur River. You have the option to take a vehicle from Taplejung to Sekathum and start the trek to Amjilosha. If you choose to trek, it takes about seven to 8 warm hospitality of the locals. The trek requires to trek Kanchenjunga, trekkers The next morning, start the you to walk at least rarely go there. This means that that trek towards Ghumsa village 5 hours each day to you can an unadulterated wildlife (3595 m). As the capital region reach the next stop. experience, and you might even spot of Kanchenjunga, there are good Therefore, you have the elusive Himalayan Blue Sheep. facilities here compared to the to plan your trek by After spending a day at the base other rest stops. I took a rest at calculating the time camp, descent down to Ghumsa or Ghumsa for acclimatization and and determine where trek to Sele La to head towards the enjoyed witnessing the daily life to rest for the night south base camp. If you plan to trek of the locals. From here onwards, to the south base camp, there are trekkers are required to sleep in It’s advisable to wake up before rest stops at Cheram, Ramche, and tents. There are a few teahouses the sun rises and make your way Oktang before reaching Yalung Ri - available to replenish food or towards Pangpema - Kanchenjunga’s the south base camp. The descent water before going onward to north base camp. The five peaks from the south base camp is the Khambachen. The trek from emerged closer as I neared the base same trail to Ghumsa and descent Ghumsa to Khambachen takes camp. If you’re lucky, you might from there. There is another trail about four hours. There is a drastic see the sun rise over the five peaks from the south base camp that goes rise in altitude from 3600 m in of the Kanchenjunga range. It is through Tortung to Yamphuding. Ghumsa to 4100 m in Khambachen. wise to reach the base camp early After which, you trek to Mamanke It’s best to stop at Khambachen as the peaks will get shrouded in then Kesuwa before you reach for the night and get acclimatized clouds. Pangpema sits at an altitude Lalikharka - the final stop before before moving on Lhonak (4785 m). of 5140 meters and is the highest heading to Taplejung. Lhonak is the final stop before altitude on the Kanchenjunga trek. Contact for Trekking & Holiday Packages reaching Kanchenjunga Base Camp. Due to the great effort required [email protected] 9 ROYAL CLUB Loyal Members of Buddha Air’s Royal Club On 14 November 2019, three of Buddha Air’s top Royal Club members were felicitated by its Managing Director, Mr.