YouTuber Zachary Augustin (雷小龍) came to Nepal to explore its beauty, but fate had other plans
YouTuber Zachary Augustin (雷小龍) came to Nepal to explore its beauty, but fate had other plans. 🇳🇵 Just as he arrived, the country was rocked by a massive revolution — with protests erupting across cities, parliament set ablaze, and history unfolding on the streets. Instead of just sightseeing, he ended up capturing Nepal’s biggest protest live on his camera — truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience, both shocking and unforgettable. 🔥📸
Zachary Augustin, known to his millions of followers as 雷小龍 (Léi Xiǎolóng or “Little Dragon Lei”), adjusted the camera on its tripod, framing the ancient, serene face of the Swayambhunath Stupa. Prayer flags fluttered violently in the wind, a riot of color against the crisp blue sky of the Kathmandu Valley.
“What’s up, Dragon Fam!” he began, his voice filled with the infectious energy that had made his travel channel a global hit. “We finally made it to Nepal! For the next three weeks, we’re going to be exploring the heart of the Himalayas, trekking through breathtaking landscapes, and soaking in the incredible culture. This is the beginning of an epic adventure.”
He had landed just 24 hours earlier, his mind filled with visions of misty mountain peaks, tranquil monasteries, and cinematic shots of daily life in the historic city. His first evening in the bustling tourist hub of Thamel was everything he’d imagined: a sensory overload of fragrant incense, sizzling momos, and the gentle chime of singing bowls.
But the morning brought a different sound. Not the peaceful chants of monks, but a distant, rhythmic roar that seemed to vibrate through the city’s cobblestone streets. At first, Zachary dismissed it as a local festival. But as he ventured out, camera in hand, the atmosphere felt charged, tense. Shops were shuttering their doors, and knots of people gathered on street corners, their voices low and urgent.
His planned trip to the Pashupatinath Temple was quickly forgotten. The distant roar grew into a wave of chants, a unified voice of thousands. A river of humanity began to surge through the main thoroughfares—students, monks, grandparents, and workers, all marching under a sea of red Nepali flags. This was not a festival.
Zachary’s instincts as a documentarian took over. He wasn’t a journalist, but he was a storyteller, and a massive story was unfolding right before his eyes. He started recording, his usual upbeat commentary replaced by a hushed, awe-struck whisper. “Guys… something is happening here. I don’t know what it is, but the entire city is on the move.”
News alerts began flooding his phone. A political crisis had boiled over. The government had collapsed. Protesters were demanding a new constitution, a new future. As dusk began to settle, the energy shifted from passionate to furious. From his guesthouse rooftop, Zachary watched in disbelief as a plume of thick, black smoke rose into the sky from the direction of the parliament building. The revolution was televised, and he was holding the camera.
The next day, he knew he couldn’t stay on the sidelines. This was bigger than any mountain trek. He found himself swept up in the largest procession yet, a human tide flowing towards the city center. The air was electric with a mixture of hope and rage. He wasn’t Zachary the travel vlogger anymore; he was a witness.
He raised his camera, his hands trembling slightly, not from fear, but from the sheer gravity of the moment. He wasn’t filming a beautifully framed shot of a temple; he was capturing the raw, unfiltered emotion on the faces of people fighting for their nation’s soul. He live-streamed, the shaky footage showing the sheer scale of the movement—a million voices demanding to be heard. The chants, the sirens, the passion in the eyes of the people—it was overwhelming, terrifying, and profoundly moving.
Zachary had come to Nepal to see its majestic, silent mountains. Instead, he captured the earth-shaking voice of its people. The temples and trails would have to wait. He had stumbled into the heart of a nation’s rebirth, documenting history as it was being written in the streets. It was an experience that no planned itinerary could ever offer—a shocking, unforgettable baptism by fire that would forever change him and the stories he told.
