Discover Nepal

1-Join tour Kathmandu
Arrive Kathmandu, check into hotel.
Overnight: Comfortable Hotel
Single Room option available

2-In Kathmandu
This morning we have arranged a walking tour visiting the bazaar and the Durbar Square area, the centre of old Kathmandu. Much of the day to day life of Kathmandu takes place in the bazaar: a fascinating mixture of people selling fruit, vegetables and spices; potters spinning their wheels to produce small household bowls and containers for temple offerings; devotees visiting their favourite gods at temples and small shrines dotted along the sides of alleyways; rickshaw wallahs honking their horns and the ever present sacred cow wandering amongst it all. In the afternoon we plan to visit the Temple of Pashupatinath on the banks of the Bagmati River, the holiest Hindu shrine in Nepal and also Bodnath, the largest stupa in the country and a destination for Buddhist pilgrims from all over Nepal.
Overnight: Comfortable Hotel
Single Room option available

3-Drive to Nagarkot
In the morning we visit the almost perfectly preserved city of Bhaktapur, also known as Bhadgaun or City of the Devotees. Bhaktapur feels more like a huge medieval village with its potters wheels and its many intricate stone and wooden carvings. We then continue to our lodge at Nagarkot on the Kathmandu Valley rim. Sunset views from Nagarkot back across the valley to Kathmandu are very impressive.
Overnight: Standard Hotel
Single Room option available

4-In Nagarkot
Thirty five kilometres east of Kathmandu and at an altitude of 2,174 m, Nagarkot stands on a ridge between the Kathmandu valley in the west and the Indrawati valley in the east. We make a pre-dawn walk from our lodge to a nearby hilltop along the ridge to catch a spectacular sunrise over the Himalayas, and then return to the lodge for a late breakfast. There are many other possibilities for short walks during the rest of the day, perhaps to visit our near neighbours who are mostly farmers raising crops of fruit, vegetables and grain, the snow capped peaks of the Himalaya providing an awesome backdrop.
Overnight: Standard Hotel
Single Room option available

5-Drive to Kurintar on the banks of the Trisuli River
We make a morning departure to drive out of the high Kathmandu valley and descend to the foothills where we overnight at the much lower altitude of about 262m. As we leave the valley, on clear days we will have views of the Ganesh, Manaslu and Annapurna ranges of the Himalaya. En route we have the option of a half-day’s whitewater rafting on the Trisuli River. No previous experience required. Includes all permits, services of experienced river guides, helmet, life jacket and lunch. We recommend that you are confident swimming for at least 25 metres unaided if participating in the rafting. As the rafting finishes at the beach just below our accommodation, those who do not wish to raft may relax by the hotel pool.
Overnight: Standard Hotel
Single Room option available

6-Visit Gorkha. Walk to local villages.
Next day we make our way to the small hill bazaar of Gorkha (1 1/2 hour’s drive) where the surfaced road ends. The town which gave the feared Gurkha soldiers their name was also the place from which King Prithvi Narayan Shah set out to unify Nepal in the 18th century. A walk up to the ridge on which stands his old palace fort is well worth the climb. The view over the surrounding Annapurna and Manaslu ranges is spectacular.
Overnight: Standard Hotel
Single Room option available

7-Drive to Pokhara
In the moring there is an option to visit the nearby Manakamana Temple (1302m) using Nepal’s only cable car imported from Austria and inaugurated in 1998. Local people call the goddess the wish fulfilling deity and the temple is a popular pilgrimage site. Afterwards, we continue our journey on to Pokhara situated beside Lake Phewa Tal beneath the Annapurna range.
Overnight: Standard Hotel
Single Room option available

8-In Pokhara
On our first morning, we take a walk through some small Gurung and Chettri settlements, to a ridge above Pokhara. From this ridge there are spectacular views of the mountains making up the Annapurna range which at this point are only 48km away – from Dhaulagiri in the west to Annapurna II in the east The rest of the day is left free to explore the tranquil town of Pokhara, perhaps taking a boat trip on the lake, or simply sitting back and admiring the breathtaking beauty all around.
Overnight: Standard Hotel
Single Room option available

9-In Pokhara
Today we’ll visit the Mountain Museum housing expedition memorabilia and information on ethnic groups, flaura and fauna. We’ll also visit Tashiling, a long established settlement of Tibetan refugees. We spend some time here watching wool being sorted, dyed and eventually made into Tibetan carpets which are exported all over the world and then visit the village’s Buddhist monastery.
Overnight: Standard Hotel
Single Room option available

10-Drive to Bandipur
Leaving Pokhara we take a short drive to the hilltop town of Bandipur. After a short walking tour of the town and the bazaar there is free time to explore this traditional Nepali town. Bandipur is a small, quiet town that doesn’t attract as many tourists as nearby Pokhara. There are several small temples to visit and stunning views back across the Himalaya.
Overnight: Standard Hotel
Single Room option available

11-In Chitwan National Park
Drive from Bandipur to Chitwan National Park. Our lodge is situated outside the park, near the village of Jagatpur, just across the Rapti river from the Chitwan National Park. Once a private hunting ground, Chitwan is now a National Park with thick tree cover and tall elephant grass sheltering a wealth of animals. In January the local people are permitted to enter the Park to cut the long grass for roof thatching. Throughout your stay you will be kept busy during the day (except for a couple of hours around lunch time ). Activities available in the Park include elephant back safaris searching out the one-horned rhino, birdwatching, jungle walks and drives and dugout canoe trips along the Rapti River. Chitwan National Park is famous for the Asian one horned Rhino. In our safari we mostly focus on spotting rhinos. The vegetation in Chitwan National Park is different than what you expect in Africa. It has three different sets of vegetation –grasslands, riverine and sal forest. Spotting wild animals is quite difficult – if you see one you will be lucky. The elephant safari is the best (and safest) way of searching for game in this park. Though the elephant may make quite a noise pushing its way through the dense jungle the other animals know that it poses them no danger and seem to completely ignore it. Canoeing will be dependent on the water level. Float silently down the Rapti river in a traditional dugout canoe spotting many varieties of water birds. Nature Walks: In the company of trained native naturalists you can walk along trails in the less densely forested parts of the park. Bird Watching: More than 450 species are to be found here: an early morning walk near the river will reveal many especially kingfisher. A trained naturalist will help you get the best enjoyment and interest from these excursions.
Overnight: Standard Lodge
Single Room option available

12-In Chitwan National Park
Today we continue our exploration of Chitwan National Park.
Overnight: Standard Lodge
Single Room option available

13-Drive to Kathmandu
We drive back to Kathmandu. The total driving time is approximately 5 to 6 hours.
Overnight: Comfortable Hotel
Single Room option available

14-In Kathmandu
Today there is the option to visit Swayambunath. Perched on a hilltop, the stupa is known as the monkey temple because of its resident group of very inquisitive monkeys.
Overnight: Comfortable Hotel
Single Room option available

15-Tour ends Kathmandu
Our tour ends this morning after breakfast.

Tour includes:

14 Breakfast
5 Lunch
7 Dinner
Transport
Bus, On Foot
Accommodation
4 nights Comfortable Hotel
8 nights Standard Hotel
2 nights Standard Lodge
Tour Staff
Driver(s), Explore Tour Leader, Local Guide(s), Boat Crew, Naturalist(s)
Group Size
Generally 12 – 18

Explore have been running small group adventure holidays throughout the world since 1981 and have a vast array of experience, knowledge and well established close personal contacts in all the countries in which they operate, which makes them stand out as one of the most trusted adventure tour operators in the UK.

They are passionate about what they do, and above all, simply love nothing more than to travel. The founder directors ran overland trips through Asia, Africa and the Americas in the 1960s and 70s prior to setting up the company, and were determined that the spirit of adventure that was such an important part of those early pioneering days, should continue to play key role as part of the driving ethos of Explore.

Our Opinion
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