Venture into the Intriguing Mahendra Gufa
The town of Pokhara, in Nepal, has always been known as a popular tourist destination for it natural beauty and the magical Himalayas that crowd the skyline. The surrounding areas are littered with lakes, hills and breathtaking landscapes, labeling the region as a favorable hiking destination.
Pokhara is a town that almost seems untouched by the outside world, and is proud of the natural splendor that lies at its front door. And together with this amazing land, comes rock formations and caves, such as the Mahendra Gufa, that are waiting to be explored.
Hiking enthusiasts will easily manage the two-hour walk to the Mahendra Gufa, which is locally known as Chamero Odhaar, meaning House of Bats. The Mahendra Caves were discovered in 1950 by a couple of shepherd boys and the caves’ collective name was derived from the former ruler of Nepal, King Mahendra Bir Bikram. This magnificent limestone cave gained popularity because of its breathtaking stalagmites and stalactites. Unfortunately, the Mahendra Caves has suffered at the hands of vandals and visitors that break off the beautiful formations as souvenirs.
No-one knows exactly how deep these caves run and rumor has it that a Swiss geologist did try to find the end of the caves, but gave up after two days of searching. There is extremely dim lighting inside the cave system, and visitors are recommended to take a flashlight, not only to enjoy a better experience of the glittering rock types, but just incase the electricity goes off. Even though the lighting is enough to see all the rock formations, some rocks shine and reflect in the beam of a torch, making it easier to see the true beauty of the caves. Of course the caves were not named the House of Bats for nothing, and visitors are likely to see these winged creatures hanging from the cave ceiling.
The Mahendra Gufa give visitors a unique opportunity to explore an ancient cave system, learn more about the rock formations that grow in the cool darkness of the caves and meet the families of bats that call Mahendra Gufa home. It is just one more noteworthy and adventurous tourist destination that lures visitors, locally and internationally, to Pokhara and its majestic natural beauty.
