A Taste of Nepal

Arrival

Arrive in Kathmandu. Transfer to your hotel. Trip briefing.

Kathmandu Sightseeing

Kathmandu is the historical and cultural heart of Nepal and has been a popular destination for tourists ever since Nepal opened its doors to visitors. The city presents a wonderful mix of Hinduism, Tibetan Buddhism and Western influence. Today there will be a guided tour to the most important Hindu temple in Nepal at Pashupatinath, which is dedicated to Lord Shiva. We also visit the largest Buddhist stupa in Nepal at Boudhanath. In the afternoon we drive to Patan or Lalitpur (the City of Artisans), which is 5km away from Kathmandu. We walk through Patan Durbar Square, and delight in the architectural wonders of Malla era. There are hundreds of temples dotted around the town and the Royal Palace has an interesting museum

Raft on the Trisuli River and drive to Chitwan

We have an early start this morning and drive to Kurintar, from where we start our short rafting trip. After a safety briefing by the river guide, we raft for about 3 hours along the Trisuli River. There are several rapids such as Twin Rock, Ladies Delight and Scout Upset. After a picnic lunch by the river we re-join our transport for the drive to Chitwan.(Please note the rafting is optional and anyone not wanting to do the rafting can stay with the vehicle and follow the raft by road).

Chitwan

Today we have a full day in Chitwan National Park, which prides itself in its rich wildlife and lush vegetation. Rare species of birds and animals, including the one-horned Rhino and the Royal Bengal Tiger, inhabit the jungle. You will have a full day of jungle activities including an elephant safari, dugout canoe ride and bird watching. In the evening, you'll get to enjoy the local Tharu stick dances and some Nepali food.

Drive to Pokhara

After breakfast we drive to Pokhara (3-4 hours). As we approach Pokhara on a clear day we get amazing views of the snow-capped Himalayan peaks including Dhaulagiri, the Annapurna range and the beautiful fishtail shaped mountain called Machhapuchhare. Pokhara is a beautiful lakeside resort overlooked by the Himalaya. We should reach Pokhara by lunchtime and the afternoon is free for individual exploration. You may want to wander along the lakeside, hire a bike for a couple of hours or browse round the shops before dinner in one of the many lakeside restaurants. We stay in a guesthouse close to the lake.

Pokhara

We have the whole day to explore Pokhara. After breakfast we take a short boat ride to the opposite side of the lake and then we have a couple of hours walk uphill to the Japanese Peace Pagoda set on a hill overlooking the lake. From here you can see the whole Pokhara Valley and the Annapurna range, Machhapuchhare and Lamjung Himal. We can have some lunch at the Raniban resort and then either walk or drive back to Pokhara in the afternoon.

Kathmandu

Today we fly back to Kathmandu, a short 30 minute flight with great views of the Himalaya from the left side of the plane on a clear day. The rest of the day is free in Kathmandu. You may want to visit the monkey temple at Swayambhunath, Kathmandu Durbar Square or Bhaktapur.

Depart

Transfer to the airport, depart Kathmandu