Nepal Uncovered: Travel Podcast

Description: ☸ Step inside the beating heart of culture in Kathmandu. Rising from a giant 3D mandala, the massive white dome and all-seeing gilded spire of Boudhanath Stupa form one of the most powerful sacred spaces on Earth.

In this episode, we take you on a complete audio walk-through of the kora, the sacred clockwise pilgrimage circuit around the base, so you can experience the site like a local rather than just a tourist. 📿

Inside this episode:

• 🧭 The Rules of the Kora: Discover why you must always walk clockwise around the stupa, how to properly spin the bronze prayer wheels, and the unwritten etiquette for joining the morning and evening flow of monks, pilgrims, and locals.
• 👁️ Decoding the Architecture: What the painted Buddha eyes, the Nepali number one symbol, the massive white dome, and the 13 golden tiers actually mean in ancient Buddhist cosmology.
• 🛕 Hidden Shrines & Monasteries: Where to find the ancient Ajima (Hariti) Temple tucked into the courtyard, and how to respectfully visit the surrounding Tibetan gompas during evening prayer chants.
• ☕ The Best Rooftop Views: How to time your visit for sunset, find the quietest rooftop cafes for a butter tea or cold coffee, and watch the stupa glow as hundreds of butter lamps are lit below.
• 📜 Logistics & Legends: The fascinating story of the poultry keeper who built the original dome with a single buffalo hide, plus practical 2026 updates on entry fees, ticket booths, and combining your trip with nearby Pashupatinath. 🎧

📸 Read the full details and view photos for The Complete Visitor Guide to Boudhanath Stupa
Read David Ways step-by-step walks though history and make your own Kathmandu Valley Heritage Walks

📖 Get the new edition of the Trekking in Nepal Guidebook

#Boudhanath #BoudhaStupa #Kathmandu #NepalTravel #TibetanBuddhism #Podcast #TravelNepal #UNESCO

Nepal is open. That does not mean every trek is safe. In the weeks after the Bhotekoshi flood late monsoon rains, snow and floods have hit Nepal. Official bodies opened, closed and reopened treks in the Annapurna and Manaslu regions, sometimes within hours of each other. Then came a late September monsoon alert, a flood at Chame and an avalanche at Himlung base camp.In this episode: why mixed official messages are a safety problem, why landslides and avalanches follow heavy rain and snow by weeks, how to choose a safer trek when the forecast turns, and why Nepal's trekker information system needs fixing.Read the full article: The latest trekking in Nepal safety alerts

🏔️ The conclusion to one of the most unbelievable survival stories in mountaineering history.

🧊 After being presumed dead above 24,000 feet and left off the rescue manifest, 52-year-old Hillary Dawa Sherpa did the impossible: he crawled off Mount Everest entirely on his own. In Part 2, Dawa speaks out about what really happened during those six agonizing days alone in the Death Zone. 🧗‍♂️

Inside this episode:

• 🕳️ The Icefall Trap: How Dawa survived falling into a 25-foot deep crevasse below Camp 1 carrying a 62-pound pack, surviving on dry coffee and chunks of ice.

• ❄️ The Miracle Avalanche: The terrifying moment an avalanche thundered over his crevasse, filling the ice void and creating an unlikely snow ramp that allowed him to claw his way out.

• 🪜 Navigating the Ghost Route: How Dawa negotiated the treacherous Khumbu Icefall after the ladder teams had already dismantled the route and declared the mountain officially closed.

• 🏥 The Homecoming: The dramatic moment SPCC clean-up workers spotted him crawling across the glacier, while his family in Kathmandu was actively performing his funeral rites.

• ⚖️ The Aftermath: Unpacking the corporate negligence, permit loopholes, and systemic issues that allowed a guide to be completely abandoned on the world's highest peak. 🎧

Abandoned on Everest Part 1 (Hillary Dawa Sherpa)

#Everest #Mountaineering #SurvivalStory #DawaSherpa #Himalayas #Podcast #AdventureTravel

🍕 Descending from the high mountain passes back into the Kathmandu Valley triggers two immediate post-trail cravings: pure carb-loaded comfort food or a desperate need for fresh greens. 🥗 In this bonus episode, we break down the absolute best spots in Thamel to celebrate your successful trek.

🍕 From iconic wood-fired pizzas at Fire and Ice and massive smash burgers to safe, UV-filtered organic salad bowls and soothing rooftop gardens, we guide you through the ultimate post-trek food tour to refuel your body and recover in style. 🧆🍺

• 📸 Read the full details and view restaurant reviews for Where to Eat Dinner in Kathmandu After Trekking

• 📖 Get the latest edition of the Nepal Guidebook

🌊 On August 26, a 50-million-ton wall of rock and ice collapsed off a Himalayan peak, melting from friction as it fell at 120 mph and wiping out border posts, bridges, and entire towns in minutes.

It was called a "glacial lake flood," but there was no lake! In this episode, we unpack the terrifying real physics behind Nepal's recent catastrophic surge.

We unpack the science behind the drama with step by step look at exactly what happened with a debris flow model

• How did part of a mountain collapse?
• How did an avalanche turn into liquid concrete in under ten minutes?
• Can multi-million dollar early warning systems work or completely fail?

• And is there any engineering solution on Earth that can actually stop a moving mountain, or can we only run? 🎒🇳🇵
• Nepal – Langtang/Tsangbu rock avalanche event: rock avalanche & debris flow model by Marc Hendrikx⁠
• Nepal Travel Guides David Ways

It's been a really difficult year in Nepal for tourism. The election, the catastrophic flash flood, and recently extended monsoon damage.

Nepal tourism promotion because soon after the flood, but was it too soon? They said Nepal was open, but the reality was the national highway was impassable, and yet another trek was closed. Add to this, tourist guilt about visiting a country after such a disaster.

We unpack the reality of what to expect if you visit Nepal in September, October, November and beyond in 2026.

• ⁠Manaslu Trekking Closed with information⁠
• ⁠Nepal Flood 2026 information⁠

Breaking news on September 6th a landslide near Namrung on the Manaslu trek caused a flash flood wiping away bridges. Authorities have asked that trekkers do not trek the Manaslu or Tsum Valley treks until further notice.

With the catastrophic Bhote Koshi-Trishuli flash flood last month, Nepal is now season late monsoon damage causing more disruption.

We look at the latest updates, plus David Ways supplies vital Manaslu information, and how to travel from Kathmandu to Pokahra and bypass the damaged national highway.

• Manaslu Trekking Closed with information
• Nepal Flood 2026 information

We bring you ongoing coverage of the 2026 Nepal Glacial Flood.

• We look at how this occurred
• The areas affected, including areas not mentioned in mainstream media
• Langtang Treks are not accessible - do not go
• Langtang trekkers currently missing
• We look at how some in social media are trying to profit on the disaster
• Public use of drones causing problems with helicopter rescues
• We also look at where to get trustworthy news about the disaster

🔗 Resources & Official Info:https://www.thelongestwayhome.com/travel-guides/nepal/nepal-floods-2026.html

🔗 Langtang Trek Updates & Cut-off Trekkers:https://missingtrekker.com

The current events surrounding the catastrophic flood in Nepal are unfolding as we recorded this. Events, data, and confirmations will change.

We focus on the current knowledge in how and where this flood started. What happened during it. And, the media frenzy that followed.

We acknowledge the Nepal Red Cross for supplying immediate aid to the areas along with the Nepali Army and supporting departments.

It's the final day on our 9 day trek on the Nar Phu Trek. It's time to decide, had to Pokhara or Kathmandu ... or trek on to the Annapurna Circuit for a an epic 13-15 day road free trek.

We look at the last day on the Nar Phu trek, how to reach Kathmandu or Pokhara. And, how to trek on!

• Read more about day 9 on the Nar Phu Trek.

• Discover the road free Annapurna Circuit

• Get the best trekking in Nepal guidebook