a) Rajasthan tour – In terms of area, Rajasthan, located in West India, is the largest state of India. With stunning forts, palaces and monuments, Rajasthan is the most preferred vibrant desert destination of many tourists. Some of palaces and havelis are now converted into hotels and resorts for visitor’s royal stay. Popular attractions are Hawa Mahal, Amber fort, Jaisalmer fort, Jal Mahal, camel safari, camel fairs, Palace on wheels and much more.

b) Pilgrimage tours - India is a country with many religions and culture and home to many pilgrim sites like rishikesh, haridwar, varanasi, golden temple amritsar with Buddhist pilgrim destinations. You can enjoy the beautifully and artistically designed temples here, which are not only places of worship but also marvels of architecture.

c) Wildlife tours - India is a country with over 500 animal sanctuaries and 80 national parks offering a stunning array of wildlife. Get in touch with the wild side of nature with a visit to some of the famous wildlife reserves in India. Bandhavgarh and Kanha sanctuaries in Madhya Pradesh; Sariska and Ranthambore in Rajasthan and Corbett Park and Dudhwa in Uttar Pradesh are some of the country’s best known tiger reserves. Enjoy trekking and safari tours with exciting wildlife destinations of India.

d) Ayurvedic and Yoga tours - India has many ayurvedic colleges, hospitals and health resorts with idyllic surroundings providing ayurvedic treatments and recreational holidays. Get ayurvedic treatment tours at popular ayurveda centres in Kerala, South India for refreshing your body.

e) South India tours - South India is a sprawling region that comes packed with overwhelming depths of culture, religion, festivals and food. Popular with all tourists to India. Visit all south india temples, monuments, beaches, wildlife, Kerala delight with luxury resorts stay.

f) Architectural tours - See amazing architecture and heritage of India with sightseeing of south India temples, Taj Mahal in Agra, Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, majestic forts, carved temples, decorated havelis of Rajasthan and more architectural wonders.

g) Taj Mahal tours - Enjoy the special tour of Taj Mahal, a monument of love located in North India in Agra city and built by the Mughal emperor Shahjahan in memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal which is famous all around the world and counts in the world’s seven wonders.

Travel to India for the exciting holidays and ultimate travel experiences.

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The trade and the general visitors inquired mainly about Shri Pashupatinath, Kailash Mansarovar Yatra (via Nepal), and holiday packages for city tours and sight seeing. As the Diwali is approaching near, Gujaratis are now planning their holidays. To this end, Nepal's participation in the fair with exciting packages and offers was effective in terms of attracting Gujarati outbound traveller to Nepal. Earlier on the inaugural day of the Fair, 1st September 2006, NTB organized a Press Meet. Around 20 journalists from the top media attended the Meet. NTB officials Mr. Rohini P Khanal and Mr. Deepak R. Joshi responded the queries raised by the attending media.

Travel Restrictions to be Simplified

The Chinese Government will no longer require foreign tourists to have special permits to enter the Tibet Autonomous Region effective from October 1, 2006, which was stated in a press release. The government officials told journalists in Lhasa on September 12, 2006 that traveling to Tibet will be eased when the government in Tibet will waive the existing travel restrictions and open more areas of Tibet for tourism. The recently opened new railway, the highest in the world, linking Beijing to Lhasa has facilitated the transport of tourists and goods into the remote region of Tibet.

TAAN Introduces New Rule for Trekkers

Trekking Agents Association of Nepal (TAAN) has introduced a new rule for trekkers, whereby it has become mandatory for all trekkers to go trekking in various parts of Nepal only through registered trekking agencies after having a Trekking Registration Certificate (TRC) from TAAN. The new rule, which will be effective from October 1, 2006, aims at discouraging unauthorized business and to control the leakage of revenue. TRC is not required for trekking in restricted areas such as Dolpa and Upper Mustang. TRC, which incorporates personal details, trekking routes and duration of trekking, is introduced in order to upgrade the service standard and for better management of sustainable mountain tourism development in Nepal. As per the new regulation, no trekker is allowed to go to trekking areas without taking the service of a registered trekking agency of Nepal and trekking without TRC is illegal and will be subject to fines and punishment as per the laws of the Nepal Government. The TRC will be issued from Kathmandu and Pokhara.

Japanese Team to Climb Mt. Manaslu

The 6-Member Japan Mt. Manaslu Expedition 2006 team is leaving Kathmandu on September for Gorkha to climb Mt. Manaslu, 8,156 metres (26,758 feet)- the eight highest mountain in the world to celebrate Golden Jubilee Anniversary of Ascent on Mt. Manaslu, which was first climbed on May 9, 1956 by Toshio Imanishi and Gyalzen Norbu of a Japanese expedition. The Expedition is being led by Mr. Yoshitomi Okura, 55 from Japan. Other members of the Japanese team are Aikra Suzuki, 68, Masami Yamanashi, 64, Yoko Mihara, 65, Hidehiro Minamii, 70, and Takesh Ogawa, 65. Mr. Serap Jangbu Sherpa, 37 is their supporting Sherpa. He is a seasoned mountaineer who has already climbed nine above 8,000 metre high mountain peaks out of 14. Gorkha Tourism organized a programme at Kathmandu yesterday to wish them all the best.

'Nepal Mountain Bike Race 2006' to be Organized

With the objective of promoting and developing Nepal as an adventure sports destination, the Nepal Mountain Bike Tours P. Ltd. will be organizing 'Nepal Mountain Bike Race 2006' on November 18, 2006. The race will be launched in the newly developed mountain biking route from Goldhunga- Mudkhu Bhanjyang- Cho Gaun- Dharmasthali- Gattekhola- Chimur Gaun- Jhor- Sapantirtha- Tokha- Budhanilkantha. The entry fee is NRs 550 per person inclusive of lunch, certificates, cash prize to winners and door prizes. The last date of entry is November 15, 2006. The event aims at attracting interest groups from regional and international levels towards adventure in Nepal.

'Garden of Dreams' Opens from October 4

The Keshar Mahal Palace and Gardens - also called the 'Garden of the Six Seasons' or the 'Garden of Dreams' located in the centre of Kathmandu within the main tourist district of Thamel, is all set to open to all from October 4, 2006. It represents one of the most prominent architectural examples of Nepal's Rana period. Situated right opposite the Royal Palace in Kathmandu, flanked by narrow congested lanes and budget tourists, the pleasure garden of a former potentate's son has been transformed by an Austrian architect into a garden of dreams, complete with a Viennese caf a restaurant for the well-heeled and an amphitheatre.

In the 1920s, Keshar Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana, the son of the then omnipotent Rana Prime Minister Chandra Shumsher, built a walled pleasure garden on a sprawling 3.8 acre plot next to his palace where, legend has it; even his children could not come in whenever they wanted to. The opening celebrations (October 8-21) comprise of different musical programs, children programs, poetry reading, staging play etc. Eco Himal, an Austrian has taken all constraints of restoring the garden to look like if not better to its original state. Nepal Tourism Board has promoted and supported the project and programs.

Top Tourism Enterprises to be Awarded

On World Tourism Day, September 27, 2006, the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA) has decided to award top foreign currency earning tourism enterprises of different categories, the selection of which is based on the earnings of the enterprises in the fiscal year 2005/06. Among the highest foreign currency earner in the five star hotels category, the Ministry has selected Hotel Hyatt Regency and Malla Hotel, Hotel Summit, Tibet Guest House and Hotel Garun are ranked as the top earners in the list of four, three, two and one star hotel categories respectively.

The award for carrying the highest number of passengers will be given to Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) while Thai Airways and Qatar Airways will receive the award for the second and third positions in carrying passengers to Nepal. NAC has also been selected as the winner in the category of the largest carriers in terms of ferrying passengers to remote areas followed by Yeti Airlines and Gorkha Airlines in the second and third position respectively. In the highest foreign currency earning domestic airlines category, Cosmic Air, Yeti Airlines and Gorkha Airlines, a NATO member, has been selected for the first, second and third positions respectively.

Destination of the Month

KATHMANDU & All Nepal for Nepalese festival Dasin & Tihar

Dasain: The great harvest festival of Nepal, Dasain is a time of family reunion, the exchange of gifts and blessings, profuse pujas, ritual bathing and animal sacrifices. Dasain honors the goddess Durga, who was created out of the shakti energy of all the gods, armed with weapons from each of them. Goddess Durga, symbolizing valor and prowess, is worshipped and offered animal sacrifices for the devotees progress prosperity. During the first 10 days, pilgrims throng various river confluences early in the morning and sacred shrines in the evening. Ghatasthapana, Phool Pati, Mahaastami, Nawami and Vijaya Dashami are the series of the events under Dasain. On Dashami, men and women in their fineries visit their elders to seek tika (a dab of red vermilion mixed with yogurt and rice). Sword precessions (Paayaa) are also held in various parkt of the Kathmandu Valley. The last day, known as Kojagrat Purnima, is the full moon. From this days onwards, Hindu women begin a month long fast, many in reisdence at Pashupatinath. New clothers, home visit, grand feasts, kite flying and village swings are the highlight of Dasain.

Tihar: This festival is a time of lights and tinsel decorations, fancy sweets and juicy fruits. The celebrations begin with the adoration of crows and dogs. Leaf dishes of rice, incense and light are set out for the dark messanger, while doges are worshiped and offered goodies. In the period of Tihar Laxmi, the Goddess of Wealth is worshipped. Rows of lamps are placed on windows and doors, with the strong hope that Laxmi, the Goddess of Wealth, is worshipped. Rows of lamps are placed on windows and dorrs, with the storng hope that Laxmi pleased to reside in light. The following day belongs to the cow, representative of Laxmi. Laxmi Puja, Gobardhan Puja and Bhait Tikea are the series of event under Tihar. In the day of Bhai Tika sisters and brothers get together and accept Tika from each other. This day is called as Brother's Day. Brothers and sisters honor each other on this days and sisters pray to Yama, the God of Death, for thier borhter's progress, prosperity and longevity.

UP COMING EVENTS

Dasin
Date: 02-04 Oct '06

Tihar
Date: 21-25 Oct '06

Venue: Kathmandu & All Nepal
Activities: Religious & Cultural