This tour takes in the highlights of Nepal, taking you to many of the less known places where you can to see the real Nepal: its rich and diverse culture against a backdrop of the Himalayas. Visiting little historic towns of Nuwakot, Bandipur and Tansen, it is as if time has stood still. Accompanied all the way by spectacular views of the Himalayas, you go on a short but very worthwhile trek to Poon Hill where you will feel even closer to the Annapurnas. Continuing south to the plains, you visit Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha. Finally spending a couple of days in Chitwan, you go on a jungle safari and if you are lucky, you might even see a tiger.
Trek Grade: This tour is Grade 2 and is easy and safe for all age groups.
Inspired? For similar kinds of trips offered by Royal Mountain Travel, have a look at:
Best of Nepal (Homestay Option)
If you are interested by this itinerary, you can find more information in CommunityHomestay.com and Inside Himalayas about places you visit and homestays: 10 Tips for Staying in Homestays; 10 Good Reasons to Visit Tansen
Days | Activity |
---|---|
Day 1 | Arrive in Kathmandu |
Day 2 | Kathmandu sightseeing |
Day 3 | Bhaktapur and Panauti |
Day 4 | Namabuddha - Neydo Monastery |
Day 5 | Nuwakot (3-4 hrs drive) |
Day 6 | Bandipur (3-4 hrs drive) |
Day 7 | Bandipur – hike to Ramkot |
Day 8 | Pokhara |
Day 9 | Pokhara |
Day 10 | Drive to Nayapul; trek to Ulleri (1952m, 4-5 hrs) |
Day 11 | Trek to Ghorepani (2850m, 5-6 hrs) |
Day 12 | Poon Hill, trek to Nayapul (6-7 hrs) |
Day 13 | Drive to Tansen and short hike up Srinagar Hill |
Day 14 | Drive to Lumbini |
Day 15 | Lumbini |
Day 16 | Chitwan (5 hrs) |
Day 17 | Chitwan |
Day 18 | Kathmandu (5-6 hrs) |
Day 19 | Departure |
Trekking: Additional information
Please note that the published itinerary can only be a statement of intent and should be used as a guide only. Each day may vary due to the walking times of the group, camping and trail cond
Read More...Royal Mountain Travel is a Nepal-based sustainable tourism operator. We specialize in curating once-in-a-lifetime experiences to showcase indigenous and community based tourism projects. We work with travel agents and tourism companies to help plan travel experiences that highlight authentic, local lifestyles throughout some of the most unique landscapes on earth.
Arrive in Kathmandu
Your first impression of arriving at Tribhuvan International Airport is an experience in itself. But don’t be worried by the apparent confusion as your airport representative will be waiting to welcome you with your name written on a placard. Depending on traffic, you will be at your hotel within 20 minutes or so.
Kathmandu sightseeing
The day is spent visiting some of the major World Heritage Sites of Kathmandu. More…
You will have plenty of time in the afternoon to prepare for your trip and check that you have everything you need. You might want to visit Thamel, the tourist hub of Nepal where you can easily find all you need for trekking. Or if you just want to relax, there are many cafes and bakeries serving excellent local tea and coffee. It is best to avoid the street food, however, unless you have a very strong stomach. It is recommended that you have an early night as you will have an early start in the morning.
Bhaktapur and Panauti
Starting the day with a visit to Bhaktapur, (another World Heritage site), you then are taken to the charming old town of Panauti where you will be made very welcome by your homestay host.
One of the most fascinating and important World Heritage Sites in Nepal, Bhaktapur is made up of three large squares filled with historic shrines and temples, Newar architecture and fine art. Famous for its clay pots and exquisite wood carvings, Bhaktapur is also legendary for its colourful festivals and its delicious and unique cuisine. Bhaktapur retains its medieval feel and the local people are still engaged in farming and traditional crafts like pottery, metalwork, art and woodwork which have supported the city since it was established in the 12th century. This is a ‘must see’ place to explore! You will be shown the magnificent Golden Gate in Durbar Square (square of the palaces), the Palace of 55 Windows, the Nyata Pola Temple, Newar houses and pottery square. Although the town was damaged in the 2015 earthquake, there has been a lot of work to repair the old buildings.
After a sightseeing tour of Bhaktapur city, you are taken to Panauti, just an hour or less away. You are introduced to your homestay host who takes you to visit the old town centre. Panauti is an old traditional Newari village where you can see a large number of Hindu and Buddhist religious monuments and temples. Originally a small state given by King Bhupatindra Malla as a dowry to his sister, it is still largely unchanged over the passage of time. You visit Indreswor temple and Durbar square in the town centre. Situated at the confluence of the two rivers Rosi and Punyamati, it has been regarded as an important religious site since very early times. Rich in Newari culture, many of the town’s festivals are similar to those of Kathmandu while some are unique with a completely local character. (Panauti Homestay)
Namabuddha - Neydo Monastery
After breakfast, you leave Panauti to visit Namobuddha, just up the hill from the town. This small village is where you can find the very old Thrangu Tashi Yangtse Monastery. It is a very important Buddhist pilgrimage site and one of the holiest in the world as it is known as the place where the Buddha, in a previous life as a prince, gave his body to a starving tigress and her cubs. The monastery is home to more than 250 monks and includes a monastic college, a school for young monks and a Tibetan Medical clinic.
You are then taken to Pharping and to Neydo Monastery where you can observe the monastic life of the monks here, and if you like, join with them in their prayers and ceremonies. A Tibetan monastery, there are up to 140 monks living in the monastery from Nepal and India. The present Karma Charmé is the seventh reincarnate lama in the unique Neydo Kagyu tradition, which also follows the Nyingma lineage Tibetan Buddhism. The monastery has Nepal’s biggest statue of the Amitabha Buddha flanked by statues of Avalokitesvara (Buddha of Compassion) and Vajrapani (protector and holder of the Buddha’s sacred teachings).
You stay in the monastery’s adjoining guest house. Originally built to accommodate monastic visitors, it was under-used and it was decided to open it so that guests could stay. Now profits from the guest house 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. There are other wider balconies where you can also relax, admiring some of the stunning views of the Valley. Excellent meals are provided in the dining room.
Nuwakot (3-4 hrs drive)
You are driven back to Kathmandu and then on to Nuwakot, just 75 km west of Kathmandu. It was once the capital of the Kathmandu Valley before Nepal was unified by Prithvi Narayan Shah. For over 1,000 years it was a lookout and fortress that guarded the western entrance to the Valley. Nuwakot was an important trading post for the Malla kings and formed major trade route between India and Tibet.
Built in the Malla style, the historic complex includes the main palace, the Bhairab Temple and other temples and shrines. In 2008 the site was submitted for consideration as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The 2015 earthquake damaged some of the temples and buildings. The owners of the Famous Farm, (who also played a major role in rescuing Bandipur from dereliction), are leading the restoration effort.
Bandipur (3-4 hrs drive)
Driving down to the Trisuli, the road is scenic to Bandipur. A living museum of Newari culture, it is a beautifully preserved village that sits on a ridge above the highway town of Dumre. The centre of the village is lined with traditional Newari houses. Despite being close to the epicentre of the 2015 earthquake, Bandipur escaped with minor damage.
Originally part of the Magar kingdom of Tanahun ruled from Tansen, Newari traders settled here after the conquest of the valley by Prithvi Narayan Shah. Formerly on the important trading route between India and Tibet, after the Prithvi Highway was built during the 1970s linking Kathmandu with Pokhara, it lost its economic importance. With its glorious 18th-century architecture, an absence of vehicles and cafe tables on the bazaar, it is a lovely place to relax and admire the uninterrupted panoramic views across to the Annapurnas. Bandipur is still a bustling community, with farmers and traders going about their business alongside the tourists.
Though Bandipur is very small, there’s a lot to see. Visit the Silkworm Farm to see the fascinating process of how silk is produced. The farm grows mulberry plants which are fed by the silkworms that are reared indoors. Tundikhel is where you can admire the panorama of Himalayan peaks that include Dhaulagiri (8167m), Machhapuchhare (6997m), Langtang (7246m), Manaslu (8162m) and Ganesh Himal (7406m). In the past, this 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. Bindebasini Temple, at the northeast end of the bazaar, is an ornate, two-tiered temple dedicated to Durga with walls covered carvings. Khadga Devi temple is one of the most revered temples in Bandipur and contains a Khadga, a sacred sword wrapped in layers of cloth. Legend has it that it was a present from Lord Shiva to Mukunda Sen, king of Palpa (1518-1553 A.D.) Pagoda style Mahalaxmi Temple to the southeast of the main bazaar dates from the medieval period, with Chandithan Temple to the west of the bazaar, and Narayan Temple is to the east of the main bazaar area. A short walk from the bazaar is Paharpani Mahadev, a cave-like shrine where you can find a waterspout, and several small statues of various gods. Also not far west from the bazaar is Purano Kot (Gurungche Hill) that was originally a fort. There is a small temple close to it containing some old statues.
Bandipur – hike to Ramkot
Today you hike to the Magar village of Ramkot, about three hours’ walk from Bandipur. Here you see wooden balconied houses and a few, now rare thatched roundhouses. You relax with a picnic and you walk an hour where you are picked up and driven back to Bandipur (for those who want to, they can walk back).
Pokhara
After breakfast you are driven to Pokhara, arriving before lunchtime. There are lots of things to see and do in Pokhara. You are taken on a tour of the city in the afternoon.
Pokhara
You are taken to visit the World Peace Stupa that sits up above Phewa Lake. Continuing back down on foot to the lake, you take a boat across to Lakeside.
You have time to explore Lakeside or maybe to visit some of the museums like the International Mountain Museum (IMM), the Annapurna Natural History Museum or Gurkha Museum featuring the history of the Gurkha. Or if you are interested in Tibetan culture, you can take a tour of the Tibetan settlements with a Tibetan guide.
Drive to Nayapul; trek to Ulleri (1952m, 4-5 hrs)
Starting with the scenic drive from Pokhara to the Nayapul where the trek starts, you cross over Modi Khola to Birethanti and hike up a stone staircase towards Ulleri (1952m), a large Magar village. From here you can see the Annapurnas and Himchuli.
Trek to Ghorepani (2850m, 5-6 hrs)
From Ulleri the trail climbs to Bantnati (2300m), where you have an amazing view of the Fish Tail Mountain (6996m). The trail goes up through the rhododendron and magnolia forest to Ghorepani (2850m).
Poon Hill, trek to Nayapul (6-7 hrs)
An early start and you hike an hour to the top of Poon Hill (3210m) where you can watch the sun as it rises over the Himalayas. You see Dhaulagiri I, Nilgiri Fan Peak, Annapurna South, Himchuli, Gangapurna, and Machhapurchhre (Fish Tail Mountain). After breakfast, you trek back down to Nayapul where you are driven back to Pokhara.
Drive to Tansen and short hike up Srinagar Hill
Driving along the dramatic Siddhartha Highway, you pass landslide-scarred valleys as you climb and descend to the deep, steamy gorge floor of the mighty Kali Gandaki River.
This “off-the-beaten-track” ancient hill town of Tansen is a fascinating place to look around. Explore its cobbled bazaar and admire its beautiful old Newari houses. In a historic area, Palpa was the seat of the Sen kingdom that ruled over this region from the 16th century for almost 300 years. In the evening you hike up the Srinagar Hill to the view tower for a beautiful panoramic view of Palpa and its surroundings. On a clear day you can see the peaks of Kanjiroba far to the west, Dhaulagiri, Machhapuchhare/Fishtail and the Annapurnas, Manaslu and Gauri Shankar. It an easy hike of about a kilometre up from the bazaar.
Drive to Lumbini
You are driven to Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha.
Lumbini
With the whole day to explore the Lumbini. Believed to be the place where Queen Maya Devi gave birth to Buddha, Siddhartha Gautam, it remained forgotten until it was rediscovered by Nepali archaeologists in 1896. Listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage site due to its importance, the Lumbini site is almost 5 kilometres long and is designated as a monastic zone where only monasteries can be built.
One of the most important temples, the Maya Devi temple is a white building that protects the exact spot of Buddha’s birth that is denoted by a marker stone. The ancient Bodhi tree is supposedly the actual tree where Maya Devi rested in the shade while she was travelling and where she went into labour, taking a ritual dip in the nearby pond, which is also believed to be the place where Buddha took his first bath. Nearby is the Ashokan Pillar, believed to have been built in 249 BC when Emperor Ashoka of India visited the village of Lumbini. He built four stupas and a pillar with a horse idol at the top and an inscription that describes his visit and the importance of Lumbini as the birthplace of Lord Buddha. In the complex there are also many other temples that have been built more recently like the Myanmar Golden Temple, the Japanese World Peace Pagoda, the Tibetan Dharma Swami Vihar, the China temple, the Korean temple, and others built by Vietnam, Thailand, Mongolia, Germany, Sri Lanka as well as other countries.
Chitwan (5 hrs)
After an early start, you are driven to Chitwan in time for lunch. In the afternoon there are several choices of activities such as going on a jeep safari, a jungle walk, canoeing and riding an elephant.
Chitwan
There is a full day of jungle activities.
Kathmandu (5-6 hrs)
Returning to Kathmandu by road, you should arrive back by late afternoon (flight time 20 minutes). You are free to relax.
Departure
Transfer to Tribhuvan Airport to connect with your onward flight. Please note that you should check in three hours prior to your flight time.