Locations: KATHMANDU - NAGARKOT-BANDIPUR-POKHARA-CHITWAN-KATHMANDU

Operational period: Entire year
Best period : October - March
Trek Grade: D+

INTRODUCTION During the holiday you will enjoy some amazing mountain vistas, walk amongst Himalayan foothills, get an idea of how Nepali life is lived, enjoy the great cultural heritage of the cities and have some up close wildlife encounters from the back of an elephant. That is a fair bit to pack into one holiday. The holiday format allows you to walk in some pretty remote places.

Turning southwards we continue to Chitwan, the subtropical Terai region of Nepal's south where we spend three nights and include walking in the jungle, bird watching from a canoe and looking for wildlife on elephants. Finally we fly back to Kathmandu for three nights. There is plenty to do in Nepal's capital with two days to explore the city centre and the surrounding valley.

Meet assist upon arrival in Kathmandu and transfer to Nagarkot

Nagarkot is a village located 32 km east of Kathmandu in Bhaktapur District. At an elevation of 2,195 meters, it is considered one of the most scenic spots in Bhaktapur District. It is renowned for its sunrise and sunset views of the Himalaya including Mount Everest as well as other snow-capped peaks of the Himalayan range of eastern Nepal. Nagarkot also offers a panoramic view of the Kathmandu Valley. You can breathe the cool mountain breeze in the resort town of Nagarkot.   (MEAL - D)

Overnight at hotel.
 

Breakfast at the hotel.

Walking as per the brief   (MEAL - B/L/D)

Overnight at hotel
 

Breakfast at the hotel.

Walking as per the brief   (MEAL - B/L/D)

Overnight at hotel
 

Breakfast at hotel

Drive back to Kathmandu en-route visiting Bhaktapur City.

Bhaktapur City (Bhadgaon): Also known as city of devotees, this place is the home of medieval art and architecture. Lying 14 km / 9 miles east of Kathmandu City, this place was founded in the 9th Century and is shaped like a conch shell. The city is at the height of 4600 ft. above sea level. Here, you will visit the Durbar Square with its array of temples overlooked by the Palace of 55 windows built by King Bupatindra Malla. The Nyatapola Temple, also built by King Bhupatindra Malla, is the best example of Pagoda style and stands on five terraces on each of which stands a pair of figures - two famous strong men, two elephants, two lions, two griffins and two goddesses.

After sightseeing, drive 5-6 hours under normal road conditions to Bandipur which is approx. 132 km southwest of Kathmandu Valley.

Bandipur is a picturesque town nestled in the Himalayan foothills of Nepal, a land as famous for its natural beauty as for the hospitality of its people. Bandipur lies midway between the capital Kathmandu and Pokhara, another popular tourist destination.Situated on a hilltop above the highway town of Dumre (7 km.), Bandipur captivates the visitor with its cultural appeal and pristine scenery. This Newar town has maintained its age-old flavour and it presents sightseers with a heady mix of history, architecture, incredible views, awesome caves and unspoiled landscapes.  (MEAL - B/L/D)

Overnight at hotel
 

Breakfast at hotel. A day walking   (MEAL - B/L/D)

Overnight at hotel
 

After breakfast, drive of 2-3 hours under normal road conditions to Pokhara which is approx. 75 km away. Pokhara is a remarkable place of natural beauty. Situated at an altitude of 827m from the sea level and 200km west of Kathmandu valley, the city is known as a center of adventure. The enchanting city with a population of around 95,000 has several beautiful lakes and offers stunning panaromic views of Himalayan peaks. The serenity of lakes and the magnificence of the Himalayas rising behind them create an ambience of peace and magic.

PM: Half day tour of Pokhara City + Boating on Phewa Lake

Devi's fall: Locally known as Patale Chhango (Hell's Fall), Devi's fall (also known as Devin's or David's) is an awesome waterfall lying about 2 km south-west of Pokhara airport on the highway to Tansen. An interesting modern legend says that a foreigner named David was skinny-dipping in the Pardi Khola (river) when the floodgates of the dam were opened sweeping him into an underground passage beneath the fall, never to be seen again.

Seti River Gorge: It is carved by Seti River and is one of the natural wonders of Pokhara. KI Singh Bridge at the Bagar, Mahendra Pool & Prithivi Highway Bridge near Bus Park provides a perfect view of the river's dreadful rush and the deep gorge made by the turbulent flow of white water like milk.

Tibetan Village: Tibetan Village Tashiling in the south and Tashil Palkhel in the north of Pokhara Valley are the two Tibetan villages, which is inhabited by the Tibetan people who keep themselves busy by producing and trading woolen carpets and other handicrafts.

Phewa Lake: The ultimate lake for boating where an island temple is located at the middle of the lake. Another attraction is the reflection of Mount Machhapuchhre and Annapurna range on the crystal clear water of the lake. While boating in Phewa Lake, you can see several varities of fish. Thick forest lies on the adjoining southern slopes of the lake. It's hard to escape the draw of Phewa Lake and any visitor with even a few spare minutes should endeavour to take a boat out on the water to fully experience the wonderful views of reflected mountains. Paddling out into the middle of the lake is a nice way to spend a quiet afternoon.    (MEAL - B/L/D)

Overnight at hotel
 

Full day walks in the foothills of Machhupulchare & walking in the valley to Dhampus, Naudanda & Birethani (MEAL - B/L/D )

Overnight at hotel
 

After breakfast, drive to Chitwan from Pokhara. The journey which heads southeast takes about 4-5 hrs under normal road conditions, it is a distance of 140 km.

The Royal Chitwan National Park is the lush valley of Chitwan situated in the foothills of Churia ranges which houses the first National Park of the Kingdom. This National Park is famous for its variety of wildlife especially the Great Indian One Horned Rhinoceros and the elusive Royal Bengal Tiger.  (MEAL - B/L/D )

Overnight at the resort
 

Breakfast at hotel.

Nature walk or jungle walks:
Jungle Walk allows one to explore several different habitat areas, from the flood-plain grassland to the dense Sal forests where one gets an opportunity to encounter different animals right in front. One can learn about different kind of plants and herbs in the National park.

Dugout canoe ride:
Floating down the Rapti River on a dugout canoe is the best way to discover the habitat of crocodiles in the river. It is also a relaxing and better way to watch the different kind of birds and wildlife species while they are drinking water on the bank of river.  (MEAL - B/L/D )

Overnight at Resort
 

Breakfast at resort.

Elephant ride:
How about a ride on an elephant back in the dense forest viewing the wildest of wildlife activities? Don't you wish that there be an Elephant breeding centre to breed and rear these gigantic mammals before extinction? Yes, and it's an opportunity not to be missed, to go in depth about their reproducing behaviour.

Bird watching:
The Chitwan National Park is the realm of more than 450 species of birds, in other words, some people have commented the park as a heaven of the bird world. Take a guided tour through the forest to hear the colourful birds' early morning chirps and hand in hand goes the beauty of the dawn.   (MEAL - B/L/D )

Overnight at Resort
 

After breakfast, drive to Bharatpur airport to fly back to Kathmandu.

Kathmandu Valley, the capital of Nepal is the political, commercial and cultural hub. Spread across an area of 360 square kilometres and at an altitude of 1336 meter above the sea level, Kathmandu is an exotic and fascinating showcase of a very rich culture, art and tradition. The valley, roughly an oval bowl measuring 24 km east-west and 19 km north-south, is encircled by a range of green terraced hills and dotted by compact clusters of red tiled-roofed houses.

A remarkable legend speaks that the valley was once covered by a lake until the Bodhisattva Manjushri raised his sword of wisdom and sliced a passage through the mountain walls draining the water and creating the first settlements Evening at Leisure

Evening: Proceed to a local family's house for dinner.  (MEAL - B/L/D )

Overnight at hotel.
 

EVEREST MOUNTAIN FLIGHT There are everyday mountain flights over the Everest region. These flights duration is about 50 minutes and these supply breathtaking views of all the mountain peaks that come under the region of Everest as well as several others. Everest mountain flights are conducted early in the morning between 06.30 and 08.00am. Once the flights take off, it can go as high as 25,000 feet! The experience itself is thrilling and worth remembering once you are in the country of the Himalayas. Jetstream-41, the state-of-the art technology based aircraft is used for the flight with guaranteed window seat for all the passengers.

Breakfast at the hotel. AM: Tour of Kathmandu City + Patan City

Kathmandu City: Known as Kantipur, is the capital of the Kingdom of Nepal. A 218 square miles of land, situated above 4400 ft above sea level, Kathmandu is the hub of Nepal's traditional culture and arts. Kashtamandap the source of the name Kathmandu and supposed to be made from the timber of a single tree and the Durbar Square are with its array of temples overlooked by the Hanuman Dhoka, Seto Machendranath and the ancient place of the Nepalese Royalty.

Patan City: Located about 5 km south of Kathmandu in the Kathmandu Valley on the southern side of the Bagmati River, Patan is one of 3 royal cities in the valley. A destination for connoisseurs of fine arts, it is filled with wood and stone carvings, metal statues, ornate architecture, including dozens of Buddhist and Hindu temples and over 1200 monuments. The city of Patan is believed to have been built in the third century B.C. by the Kirat dynasty. It was expanded by Lichhavis in the 6th century A.D. and again by the Mallas in the medieval period. Durbar Square, like its counterpart in Kathmandu, is an enchanting melange of palace buildings, artistic courtyards and graceful pagoda temples. Listed as a World Heritage Site, the former royal palace complex is the center of Patan's religious and social life and it houses a museum containing an array of bronze statues and religious objects.

If you are inclinded, we may also see the Patan Museum (which is not part of a regular sightseeing tour). The Patan Museum displays traditional sacred art of Nepal in an illustrious architectural setting. Its home is an old residential court of Patan Darbar, one of the royal palaces of the former Malla kings of the Kathmandu Valley. Its gilded door and window face one of the most beautiful squares in the world and Tibetan handicraft centre.

After visiting the museum, proceed for lunch to the Cafe de Patan, a popular local restaurant in the Patan area which offers Nepaleese and Continental cuisine.   (MEAL - B/L/D )

Overnight at hotel.
 

After breakfast at the hotel, transfer to airport for the onwards journey.   (MEAL - B)