Travel agents arrive in Kathmandu on their own and spend the first two days visiting the UNESCO World Heritage sites of Kathmandu and the neighboring cities of Bhaktapur and Patan before heading out on a scenic road trip to Chitwan Naitonal Park-Asia’s one of the most famous national park. In Chitwan, you will enjoy exciting jungle safari excursions such as elephant safari, bird watching, canoe trip etc. Chitwan National Park, 100 miles southwest of Kathmandu is recognized by UNESCO as the World Heritage site and is renowned for the preservation of One Horned Rhinoceros which was once almost extinct.
From Chitwan, we take a scenic drive to Pokhara -the second most visited destination in Nepal. Pokhara is regarded as the capital of nature! Nestled in the lap of Annapurna mountains, Pokhara has fresh air, clear skies and serene nature! Pokhara is the gateway to the many Annapurna trekking trails and offers great mountain views except during the monsoon season. In Pokhara, we visit gorge, take boating trip in Lake Fewa, visit the sacred temples and can even take a short hike.
Arrive in Kathmandu on your own. You can obtain Nepal visa upon arrival. Bring one passport picture and US$ 25 cash to pay in visa fee. After clearing immigration and custom, meet your guide and driver at the arrival gate. After introductions, your guide and driver will transfer you to your hotel in the city (35 minutes).
Join the group over dinner. Tonight, you are invited for a Nepali welcome dinner in a typical Nepali restaurant. The restaurant also entertains the guests by Nepali folklore dancing.
After breakfast, we will visit the almost perfectly preserved city of Bhaktapur (Bhadgaon in the past), which is situated 14 kilometers east of Kathmandu and covers an area of 4 square miles. Bhaktapur means the city of devotees. A lot of pottery and weaving can be found here, as these are the traditional home industries. The Durbar Square of Bhaktapur holds precious architectural pieces like the Golden Gate, the Palace of 55 windows, and the Lion Gate etc. People and the place still remain traditional. The museum of Bhaktapur contains various old paintings, sculptures, and handicrafts. The residents of this city are highly regarded for their skill in making exquisite woodcarvings and handicraft goods. The third of the medieval city-states in the Kathmandu Valley, Bhaktapur was always described as the best preserved. Tragically, however, the 2015 earthquake caused terrible devastation and loss of life. Nevertheless, only a few temples were destroyed, there is still much to see here, and tourism is vital to the community.
Once a private hunting ground, Chitwan is now a National Park, with thick tree cover and tall elephant grass sheltering a wealth of animals, most famously the one-horned Rhino. Our lodge is located just across the Rapti River, outside the park, near the village of Baghmara.
Upon Arrival at Chitwan, The Jungle Lodge staffs will guide us to our designated room and Lunch will be served by 1:00 pm. From 3:00 pm to 8:00 pm we will be occupied by safari lodge package activities like village tour to a nearby ethnic Tharu village where you will learn more about the life and lifestyle of the Tharus. Visit to the National Park Visitor’s centre where you can learn more about the history of the National Park and about wildlife & Sun set view from the bank of Rapti River. And of course one of the entertaining event at the evening is Tharu cultural dance presentation (which we will also participate in) by the local villagers or Slide show presentation on almost everything under the Chitwan.
The second day in Jungle Lodge, There will be a wake up call in at 6:00, Followed by breakfast at 6:30 and rest of the day will be occupied by activities like Canoe ride, Bird Watching, Jungle Walk, Elephant bathing, Elephant Safari , An excellent opportunity to see four different kinds of deer, rhinoceros, wild boar, monkey, leopard, sloth bear and Royal Bengal Tiger (If lucky). We will also encounter many other smaller mammals that have made Chitwan their home.
Throughout your stay you will be kept busy during the day (except for a couple of hours around lunch time)
Take an early morning nature walk in Chitwan and after breakfast, we continue with our 5 hours drive to the beautiful lake city Pokhara. Upon arrival, check in to our pre-booked hotel.
In the afternoon, we will visit the International Mountain Museum. The museum has an interesting collection of historical high-altitude mountaineering equipment and its evolution over the decades, document and chronicle the past and present development of mountaineering activities in the world in general and to preserve the saga of the momentous feats in the history of mountaineering in the Himalayan peaks in particular.
While returning back to the hotel, we can visit some other local attractions in Pokhara like Tibetan Refugee Camp or Mahendra Cave.
This morning, we will go for a sunrise tour of Sarangkot. Situated at an altitude of 1592m (5,221 ft,), Sarangkot offers spectacular sunrise and Himalayan panorama view on a clear weather morning and it's only 30 minutes' drive away from the lakeside.
Your guide and driver will pick you up at your hotel usually one hour before sunrise time. A brief hike from the parking brings you to the top of the ridge from where you will witness the magnificent sunrise and enchanting views of the Himalayan peaks and ranges of Machhapuchhre (Fish Tail), Dhaulagiri and Annapurna.
Optional: Paragliding or Zip Flying from Sarankot to Lakeside.
Retrace your drive back to the hotel for breakfast and then your guide and driver will take you for sightseeing.
First, visit the Lake Fewa and enjoy boating. Lake Fewa is the second largest lake of Nepal, Rara Lake in far-west Nepal being the largest one. We visit the island temple of Goddess Barahi - a beautiful two-storied temple.
Optional: Hike the Peace Stupa
We cross the lake by boat and then we begin our hike. It takes about 2-3 hours from the lake shore to get to the top of the ridge where lies the giant World Peace Stupa, looming over the lake. On a clear weather day, we will again enjoy breath-taking views of the mountain and the valley. If you are not interested to hike, we can go by car.
Depending on available time and your interest, we can visit other attractions of Pokhara.
A leisurely morning breakfast, we will leave for Kathmandu. It's going to be a long day drive ( six or seven hours on normal road condition.
If you wish, you can take flight back to Kathmandu for additional $135 ( airport transfers are included).
You have a free time in Kathmandu for your personal interests.
Our adventure in Nepal comes to an end today! After Breakfast, Free till departure transfer to the airport to connect with the onward flight.
THN-BON-FAM
2-20
8 Days
Nepal
Easy
Cultural Heritage, Nature, Lake City, Jungle Safari
1,300m/4,264ft
415m/1,362ft
As mentioned in Intinerary
Boutique Hotels, Jungle Resort
September - May