Arriving at Tribhuwan International Airport is an experience in itself. Don’t let it put you off, as our airport representative will be waiting to welcome you with your name written on a placard. Depending on traffic, the drive to your hotel takes about 20-30 minutes. (Traditional Comfort Hotel or equivalent)

Visiting three of the major UNESCO World Heritage Sites, you start in Kathmandu’s Durbar Square Built between the 12^th and 18^th centuries, the ancient temples, palaces and courtyards and streets is a social, religious and urban focal point of the city. Visiting the Kumari’s house, home to the living goddess, if you are very lucky you might even see her peek out of her window at you. You also see the surrounding temples and the Itumbahal courtyard. This old Newari community that is set in its large courtyard is famous for its traders in herbal spices and medicines. From Durbar Square you then walk to through Asan to the bustling Indrachowk, one of Kathmandu’s most colourful local markets. Continuing to Asan Chowk you visit the Annapurna temple, dedicated to the goddess of Grains.

You then are taken to Swayambunath, otherwise nicknamed the ‘Monkey Temple’. This is one of the oldest and most revered shrines in the country. Perched on the top of a small hill, it is a not only a major landmark of the valley but a symbol of Nepal. The stupa has been an important Buddhist pilgrimage site since the 5th century. Buddha Jayanti (Buddha’s Birthday), Gunla (a month-long festival) and Lhosar (Tibetan New Year) are all celebrated with gusto here. You can reach the shrine by climbing 365 steps up the hill or by a less steep but not so scenic route that winds around the back of the temple complex. You see many chaityas and temples but look out for the mysterious Shantipur Temple. This is where the 8th century Tantric Shantikar Acharya lived. His meditation supposedly kept him alive for centuries.

Pashupatinath Temple, considered one of the sacred temples of Hindu faith sits on the banks of the Bagmati River in Kathmandu. The seat of the national deity, Lord Pashupatinath, the temple complex has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 1979. A collection of temples, ashrams, images and inscriptions, it is lies along the banks of the holy Bagmati. A major festival celebrated here is Maha Shivaratri when over 800,000 devotees visit here. Hindus believe in cremation within a day of death. You may see funeral pyres smoking as this believed to be one of the most auspicious places to be cremated.

Bungamati and Kokana are typical Newari villages with traditional architecture and narrow, unpaved streets where the rituals of daily life are always in full swing. They offer a fascinating glimpse of rural life in the Kathmandu Valley. In both villages, day to day life takes place more outside on the streets than indoor, with villagers spinning, caring for their young children, gossiping, and drying their crops in the sun. Wood carving is still a living tradition and you can see beautiful pieces of woodwork being produced like doors and window frames.  Bungamati is one of the two homes of the rain god, Raato Machhendranath. Kokana is particularly renowned as for its mustard oil.

Neydo Monastery in Pharping, about 22 kilometres from Kathmandu, is a world apart in its little corner of the southern part of the Kathmandu Valley. A Tibetan monastery, there are up to 140 monks living in the monastery who come from Nepal and India. The present Karma Charmé is the seventh reincarnate lama of in the unique Neydo Kagyu tradition, which also follows the Nyingma lineage Tibetan Buddhism.

You stay in the monastery’s adjoining guest house. Originally built to accommodate monastic visitors, it was under-used so it was decided to open it for guests to stay, using the profits to contribute to the day-to-day expenses of the monastery. The rooms are all very comfortable with ensuite bathrooms, a kettle to make tea and coffee, and a private balcony.

The monks are very happy for you to join them for their early morning and evening ceremonies in the main hall. Watched over by a towering image of the Amitabha Buddha, many people chose this peaceful setting for personal retreats, meditation, and courses that are given on Tibetan literature, Buddhist philosophy and ethics. (Neydo Monastery Guest House)

You are driven to Bandipur Described at a ‘living museum of Newari culture’ by Lonely Planet, Bandipur lies on a ridge about 700m above the river. An important stop for traders along the India-Tibet route in the eighteenth century, the Newars brought their cultural heritage and architecture which has remained unchanged. In the nineteenth century, Bandipur was a prosperous trading centre, with its buildings that have ornate elegant neoclassical façades and wood-carved shuttered windows.

Although the town suffered a decline in the 1970s after the building of the Prithvi Highway from Kathmandu to Pokhara, a lot of work has gone into helping restore Bandipur to its former glory. Bandipur Eco-Cultural Tourism Project (BECT-Project) that is funded by EuropeAid supports Bandipur as a unique tourist destination. Now with its glorious 18th-century architecture, pedestrianized bazaar and cafes, it is a very relaxing place to chill out.

Visit the Silkworm Farm to see the fascinating process of how silk is produced. The farm grows mulberry plants which are fed to the silkworms that are reared indoors. There are temples all around the main bazaar with the ornate Bindebasini Temple, at the northeast end, a two-tiered temple dedicated to Durga with walls covered carvings; Mahalaxmi Temple to the southeast, dating from the medieval period, in the style of a pagoda; Chandithan to the west;  and Narayan Temple to the east of the main bazaar area. Here there are statues of the god Harihar and the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu inside. Khadga Devi Temple is one of the most revered even if it looks more like an ordinary house. The shrine contains a Khadga, a sacred sword wrapped in layers of cloth and legend has it that it was a present from Lord Shiva to Mukunda Sen, king of Palpa (1518-1553 A.D.) The Khadga is worshipped as a symbol of the female power, hence the name Khadga Devi, which means goddess of the sword.

Today you hike to the Magar village of Ramkot, two-three hours’ walk from Bandipur. Here you see wooden balconied houses and a few, now rare thatched roundhouses. You first come to Purano Kot, formerly an old fort twenty-minute walk west from the bazaar. A small temple nearby contains old statutes. Beside this, a newer temple has been built, where local people come to pray for rain to the god Mahadev during times of drought. Ramkot is an easy couple of hours hike. It is a typical Magar village with traditional round houses and is untouched by modern development, offering an opportunity to see the lifestyle of people in rural Nepal.

Not only are there spectacular views from your hotel, but a short walk to Tundikhel gives an excellent vantage point to the north of Bandipur’s main bazaar where you can see the sun setting over the Himalayan Range including Dhaulagiri, Machhapuchhre, Langtang, Manaslu and Ganesh Himal, among others. You should be able to see the legendary Gorkha Palace and Manakamana Peak and look down to the Marsyangdi Valley, Bimalnagar and Dumre. Tundikhel was where traders gathered to bargain over goods from India and Tibet before starting the long trek to Lhasa or India. It was also a former parade ground for Gurkhas serving with the British Army.

From Bandipur, it is about three hours (but just 78 kilometres) on the Prithvi Highway to Pokhara.  Continuing westwards across the Madi River, you climb again with views of deep rocky gorges crossed by suspension bridges before descending to the broad Seti Valley.

Pokhara lays on a once vibrant trade route between India and Tibet. Even to this day, mule trains can be seen sometimes camped on the outskirts of the town, bringing goods to trade from remote regions of the Himalaya. This is the land of Magars and Gurungs, hardworking farmers and valiant warriors who have earned worldwide fame as Gurkha soldiers. The Thakalis, another important ethnic group here, are known for their entrepreneurial skill.

There are lots of things to see and do in Pokhara. There are a few museums, the most notable being the International Mountain Museum (IMM). In addition, there is an ethnographical museum, Pokhara Regional Museum and Annapurna Natural History Museum with collections of flora and fauna, and butterflies. There is also the Gurkha Museum featuring the history of the Gurkha soldiers. Gurkha soldiers are still recruited here in Pokhara. You might like to go boating or take the opportunity to try out paragliding. For the fearless, you might want to have a go at Nepal’s second bungee jumping site: Water Touch Bungee Jumping. Or if you are interested in Tibetan culture, you can take a tour of the Tibetan settlements with a Tibetan guide.

You are driven to Galeshwor to start your trek. As you head up to Bas Kharka, climb through forest and then orange groves, passing scattered farmhouses on the way to this attractive village. You have time to explore this Magar village, maybe visit the school and health post, and in season, enjoy the sweet oranges that grow on the hillsides here. (Community Homestay)

Heading up through the forest to Danda Kaske, this is where you stop for lunch. Overlooking the valleys, as well as admiring the lovely views, you get a good chance to meet some of the local people.  and admire the views.  After lunch, it is a leisurely walk on to Nangi, the main village where you spend the night. Here you can visit the school, see how the villagers make paper from the locally grown plants, visit a medicinal plant nursery, and see a number of other income-generating projects. (Community Lodge)

Today you climb through forest, accompanied by stunning views of the mountains. On the top of Mohare Hill, you can see the Himalayas stretching as far as the eye can see, with close-up views of Macchupucchre (Fish Tail Mountain) and Dhaulagiri. Surrounded by forest, don’t be surprised to meet yaks grazing nearby. There is no village here, but there is the highest wireless internet relay station in Nepal, providing internet to the remote villages for schools and health posts that use telemedicine, linking up with hospitals in Kathmandu to provide better healthcare in the villages. (Community Lodge)

After a fantastic ridge walk with marvellous views in every direction, you descend through forest to the secluded lodge at Danda Karka. The mountains here seem so close, you feel could reach out and touch them. (Community Lodge)

Continuing down, you pass through changing scenery as you go down to Tikot, a village of narrow lanes and beautiful houses. Here you visit the school and experience the fascinating Mayar dance tradition (the men dress as women, while the women sing traditional songs). Staying with families in their home, you get a close-up glimpse of village life in this fascinating and bustling village. Sit and watch the women carrying huge mountains of grass to feed their buffalo; see the children clutching their books on their way to school; see the villagers working in their fields. (Community homestay)

Too quickly the trek is close to the end. From Tikot you descend a steep path down to Tipling, with amazing sheer views down to the Kali Gandaki river below. After about two hours of descent, at Tipling you are met and transported back to Pokhara.

There are lots of things to see and do in Pokhara. The most notable museum is the International Mountain Museum (IMM). In addition, there is an ethnographical museum, Pokhara Regional Museum and Annapurna Natural History Museum with collections of flora and fauna, and butterflies. There is also the Gurkha Museum featuring the history of the Gurkha soldiers. Gurkha soldiers are still recruited here in Pokhara. You might like to go boating or take the opportunity to try out paragliding. For the fearless, you might want to have a go at Nepal’s second bungee jumping site: Water Touch Bungee Jumping. Or if you are interested in Tibetan culture, you can take a tour of the Tibetan settlements with a Tibetan guide.

Fly back to Kathmandu takes only about 35 minutes.  You have the rest of the day free. You might like to try out one of the many cooking classes or workshops on offer, go for some more sightseeing or do some last minute shopping.  

You transfer to Tribhuvan Airport to connect with your onward flight. Please note that you should check in three hours prior to your flight time.