The Kathmandu Valley, even in the 21st century, has preserved its medieval roots as vibrant structures from those times still stand in their former glory. Here you can still behold the intrigue and charm of the Orient that the first travellers from the West witnessed.
A little west of Kathmandu, the tourist town of Pokhara still hosts thousands of travellers who come to see and conquer the Himalayas or just to soak in the marvel of nature.
It was in Lumbini where Lord Buddha was born and the ruins of his home mark his birthplace. Lumbini resonates the peace and calm that Buddha advocated.
But a tour to Nepal is incomplete without the visit to our wildlife sanctuaries like the Chitwan National Park which has been able to conserve some of the rarest animals in the world like the one-horned rhino and the Bengal tiger.
A representative of Mountain Kick will receive you at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu (4,600 feet). Rest overnight at your hotel musing over your Himalayan adventure ahead.
See Kathmandu first before embarking on your adventure. This ancient city is dotted with royal courtyards, monasteries and temples which offer a glimpse into local culture. We will take you to the Pashupatinath Temple, Kathmandu Durbar Square and the Swayambhunath Stupa – all of which have been listed in Unesco’s World Heritage Site list for their religious and cultural importance.
A holiday is incomplete without a little bit of thrill. Here we have plenty of it as we go rafting in the Trishuli River. A three-hour drive takes us to Charaundi where the rafting begins. With help from our guides and trainers, you will raft from Charaundi to Kurintar with grade 2 and 3 rapids. We will camp overnight on the river bank.
We have another day for rafting in the Trishuli River. Later in the day, we will take you to Pokhara in a tourist bus. It is approximately a four-hour drive with beautiful scenes of the mountains throughout the way to keep you entertained. You will reach Pokhara in the evening, just in time for the amazing nightlife to begin.
We will begin the day with a short drive to Nayapool village where the trekking circuit around Mount Annapurna begins. It is a one hour drive and we will spend the rest of the day preparing for our trekking trip ahead.
Steps have been laid all the way up to Ghorepani. Walking up the steps for five to six hours will definitely put a lot of pressure on your legs but we will pass through several villages and stops to keep you fresh. The forests and hills provide a very good distraction from your fatigue.
Poon Hill lies in the village and we trek to its summit. People say the western part of the Himalayas look more beautiful than the eastern ranges and nowhere is this true than from Poon Hill at 10,535 feet above the sea level.
It’s three hours downhill to the beautiful village of Ghandruk. Ghandruk is perfect to mix with the local people, who are very friendly, and get a sense of the culture. There is a monastery, a temple and even a museum here to keep you busy throughout the day. The view of the Annapurna Range is another prime attraction. Oh and yes, you have to try the local food here. It is something to die for.
It is an easy downhill trek to Nayapool from where we return to Pokhara to the comfort of a city. You can hangout in the lakeside area or visit a night club to relax after trekking for four days in the hills.
We will wake up early to travel to Sarangkot just in time for sunrise. It is a short drive to the top of Sarangkot hill from lakeside and you will be treated one of the most beautiful scenes of rising sun from here along with a beautiful panoramic view of the Himalayas. Mount Annapurna, Mount Dhaulagiri, and Mount Manaslu can be seen ahead of you while Pokhara city and the Phewa Lake are visible below. Sarangkot is also a popular destination for paragliding enthusiasts.
It takes about six hours to reach Lumbini which lies southwest from Pokhara in a tourist vehicle. As you know, Lumbini is the birthplace of Lord Buddha and Buddhist and Hindu pilgrims come here from all over the world. The atmosphere is peaceful and there are monasteries, temples and a museum to see here.
We will head east to Chitwan in a luxurious tourist bus. You will be treated with views of hills and forests throughout the five to six hours’ journey to Chitwan. We will stay in a jungle resort inside the national park.
There are so many fun activities in Chitwan National Park that one day is not enough. Elephant safari, jeep safari, watching wildlife, canoeing, mixing with indigenous people of the jungle – the options are so many that you will be spoilt for choice.
We will leave for Nagarkot hill station in a tourist bus and it takes about six hours to get there. The weather and the scenic beauty of the place make Nagarkot the most popular hill surrounding the Kathmandu Valley. Nagarkot also offer best views of the Himalayas, including Mount Everest and the Annapurna range.
The main reason for coming to Nagarkot is for viewing sunrise which, according to tourists, is an amazing sight. So after waking up early for the show, we drive downhill to visit the Changunarayan Temple, one of Kathmandu’s World Heritage Site. The temple is located on top of a hill and surrounded by a forest and is believed to be the oldest temple in Nepal. From there we drive to another hill station of Dhulikhel which offers equally good views and weather.
We return back to Kathmandu which is just a couple of hours of drive. We will make a stop at Bhaktapur Durbar Square on our way back. The square is a former royal courtyard where there are several ancient temples and monuments to visit. The place is rich in culture and preserves the traditional way of living.
We will take you on a tour of three ancient and culturally rich neighborhoods around Kathmandu beginning with Bungmati. Bungmati is a traditional Newar village and is as much as 2,000 years old. The temple of god Machhindranath, the patron deity of the Kathmandu Valley, lies here, along with many other temples. Just adjacent to Bungmati is Khokana, which is often called a “living museum” as you will get the feel of being in medieval times (with paved streets, ponds, a network of drainage systems) as you pass the village. Towards the end of the day, we will visit the old city of Patan which has remained more or less the same since medieval times. Former royal palaces still stand in Patan while there are temples every 20 yards so there are plenty of things to see here.
We have nothing scheduled for this day so you can spend it by going sightseeing, shopping or just relaxing at your hotel. As this is you last day of the tour, we will host a farewell dinner in the evening.
The day to return home has finally arrived. We will drop you to the airport.
Our guides and porters always put your safety and comfort first. We have English-speaking guides who take you to all major attractions throughout the travel and are happy to answer all your queries. We have one porter assigned each for two travellers and you will have to pay separately if you want to hire extra porters. We have local support staff in all villages and camps you reach to assist you in any way possible.
General
We never force our customers to follow our set itinerary.You can customize your itinerary exactly the way you want. Please share with us your ideas.
As one of the core guiding principles for Mountain Kick, we always give back to the mountain community in any way we can as a means of gratitude. The people who live in the Himalayas and share their homes with us deserve to have all their little problems fixed which seem very basic for outsiders but are commonplace in rural Nepal. The people lack proper access to healthcare, sanitation and education but a little effort from travellers goes on a long way to solve these issues. Mountain Kick has made it its corporate social responsibility to help improve the living standards of the local community. We make donations to their cause, organize social campaigns and programs and also have a few trips designed to mix a little volunteer work in your holiday.
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