2024 LCC River Karnali Trip – Nepal
Day 14 – Monkey Temple
We had a lie-in! We slept through our alarm and didn’t get up until 7.30 am! After breakfast in the hotel, we (me, Martin, Keith and Stuart) headed out to the “Monkey Temple” or ‘Swayambhunath Stupa’, about a 35-minute walk from the hotel. We took the back streets and saw fresh meat being butchered and fish hanging to dry amongst all the shops and stores. We quickly got used to mopeds whizzing past and around us but crossing roads in front of the oncoming traffic, that would not stop for you but would just go around you, we still struggled.
We walked to the top of the monkey temple, explored the temples, shrines and shops and bartered for a painting before getting drinks in a café at the highest point.
We then headed back into Thamel to find a rooftop terrace for a late lunch. On the way, we passed a sign for Everest Flights and as Keith had designated me as tour organiser, I joked that we should do that. Next thing we know, Keith is inside a travel shop asking for details.
Keith found the “Himalayan Rooftop Terrace” on Google and if you’ve read day 1, you’ll know where this is going. We wandered around, hoping we weren’t looking for the same one as on day 1. We quickly realised we were but this time when we came to the hotel that was not the right place we asked if we could eat on their rooftop terrace. They confirmed we could and we were escorted up to the terrace.
We messaged Sue and Colin and they came to join us. We sat and relaxed with drinks and mo:mo’s for a while and after much discussion, we agreed to book an Everest flight for the following morning.