#777monkeysmaybe

The 777 steps up the temple started after a short 30 min hike from the hotel along a lightly used forest path. Sadly, the closer you get to Taung Kalat the less majestic it becomes. The streets leading up to it are filled with tour busses and cheap shops. The steps are filled with monkeys and people cleaning up after the tourists and monkeys alike (and soliciting donations). At the top, the temples and lights border on tacky, and again you are asked for donations. The monkeys are kept off the top by a vigilant man with a slingshot; but some tourists throw them food and they have collected trash into large piles. As impressive as the temple is, and while I would still recommend the trek; the views are best from afar.