It is hard to find words that do justice to wonderful Kathmandu. One ridge away from the highest mountains in the world, and thronged by a million Hindus and Buddhists, this pricely city is the archetypal mountain kingdom – mystical, magical and arcane. Temples loom out of the mist around every corner and the cobbled streets resound with the chanting of mantras and the chiming of temple bells. At dusk, the city is transformed into a cut-out of stupas, prayer flags and temple spires. On clear days, a wall of snow-covered mountains rises behind Kathmandu and eagles soar majestically overhead on the high Tibetan winds – it is like the special effects from The Lord of the Rings, but right there, alive in the real world.
The main reason for Kathmandu’s remarkable state of preservation is its unique geographical situation. There are only two roads out of the Kathmandu Valley, one going north to Lhasa in Tibet and the other winding down to the Terai plains – a five hour journey to cover a distance of 50 kilometers. Historically, this was Kathmandu best defense against foreign invaders. Unlike India and Tibet, Nepal was never conquered by the...