As you exit baggage claim/customs on arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, your airport representative will be waiting to greet you and transfer you to your hotel. Please look for your name sign. The airport is close to the city centre (about half an hour’s drive), but traffic can make the journey a little slow, especially during peak hours.

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Start at Boudhanath Stupa, one of the holiest sites in Nepal, and the holiest Tibetan Buddhist site outside of Tibet. It commands admiration not only from Buddhists but also Hindus, who can also be seen paying their respects at this holy site. The stupa is a UNESCO World Heritage site and a symbol of peace and love. It used to be a resting point for Tibetan merchants travelling to Nepal and India. Tibetans and other Buddhists from around the world consider this a sacred destination.

Next, visit Pashupatinath Temple, which is dedicated to Hindu Lord Shiva, the God of Destruction and Lord of Animals. This temple is a final destination for Hindu devotees from all around the world, as many people come to die here and to have their ashes scattered. Built in around 400 A.D, the temple is located beside the holy river Bagmati, and is decorated with ancient arts and crafts. Four of the main gates of the temple are made of silver.

Pashupatinath Temple is also home to many Hindu sadhus. They can be spotted around the temple: they are the men with long dreadlocks who meditate by the banks of the Bagmati River. They can sometimes be seen smoking marijuana, as it is believed that Lord Shiva was fond of smoking marijuana at his adobe, Mount Kailash—so the sadhus at Pashupatinath impersonate him!

Later on, visit the old town of Patan. This is one of the Kathmandu Valley’s World Heritage Sites, and well worth a visit. Its origins are mysterious, but it has a long Buddhist history. It claims to have been the capital of the mythical Kiranti Dynasty, and is associated with the great Indian emperor, Ashoka, who is credited with the building of the four grass-covered stupas surrounding the city in around 250 BCE. For many centuries, Patan’s importance eclipsed Kathmandu’s, and by the 7th century it was a major Buddhist centre of Asia, attracting pilgrims, scholars and monks from India, Tibet and China. Medieval Patan was the largest and most prosperous of the three kingdoms in the Kathmandu Valley. The town was ruled by noblemen until the Mallas of Kathmandu took control of the city in 1597, for a while unifying the Kathmandu Valley. Most of Patan’s magnificent architecture dates to the late Malla era (16th-18th centuries).

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Following the Araniko Highway out of Kathmandu, climb up and out of the valley to the village of Panauti, set at the confluence of sacred rivers (35km, 1-2 hrs).

Many families in Panauti village have come together to establish a homestay program. They provide comfortable rooms for guests in their own homes, as well as cultural programmes and sightseeing activities. Eat lunch with a local family in their homestay, a unique and memorable experience.

Next, drive to Bhaktapur for sightseeing. Bhaktapur is an important and fascinating World Heritage Site. It’s comprised of three large squares filled with shrines, temples and activity, and a typical Newari city (the original inhabitants of the Kathmandu Valley) with some of the finest architecture in Nepal. In its heyday (14th-16th centuries), Bhaktapur was the most powerful of the Kathmandu Valley kingdoms, and its capital for 300 years.

Despite earthquakes and frequent rebuilding, Bhaktapur today retains a medieval feel. Its neighbourhoods are still caste-oriented and centred around the old ponds or tanks (built to store water for drinking, washing and religious ceremonies), and which continue to be a social focal point. Local people here are predominantly farmers or engaged in the traditional crafts of pottery, metalwork, art and woodwork, which continue today and have supported the city since its establishment in the 12th century to service the trade route between Tibet and India. It’s a fascinating place to explore.

In the evening, return to Kathmandu.

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Drive from Kathmandu to Janakpur, 246 km away, which takes approximately 8 hours along the Mahendra Highway.

Janakpur is the headquarters of Dhanusa District on the Terai. The city is a centre of religious and cultural tourism. It is also called Janakpurdham and was founded in the early 18th century. According to oral tradition, an earlier city existed in the area, also known as Janakpurdham, which was the capital of the Videha Dynasty that ruled the Ancient Mithila Kingdom of what is now India and Nepal.

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Today is a free day in Janakpur, in which you can enjoy some of the city’s highlights:

The Janaki Temple was built in 1911 in the Hindu-Koiri style of Nepali architecture, reminiscent of palaces in the Indian state of Rajasthan, and one of Nepal’s unique monuments. Janakpur is believed to be the birthplace of Hindu Goddess Sita, wife of Lord Ram, one of the most heroic gods in the Hindu pantheon. The Janaki Temple has a lot of Mughal elements in its architecture. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008.

Close to the main temple is the Sita-Ram Vivaha Mandir, a smaller temple built later, at the site where Ram and Sita took the seven circumambulations around the sacred fire to tie the nuptial knot.

In addition to many ponds in and around Janakpur, there are a couple that are especially sacred: Dhanush Sagar and Ganga Sagar, situated near the Janaki Temple.

Just outside of Janakpur city is the Janakpur Women’s Development Centre, which is famous for the expertly made handicrafts and paintings. It is well worth a visit, for both touring and shopping.

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Lord Rama was born on the ninth day of Chaitra (March/April), which happens to be the very first month of the Vedic calendar. This day is celebrated by all Hindus worldwide as Ram Navami. 

Ram Navami is celebrated by visiting temples dedicated to Lord Rama. The Janaki Temple is an especially important centre during this festival, and thousands of pilgrims travel here. This temple is considered particularly important because Rama’s wife Sita is said to be from this town. It’s an ideal time to visit this gorgeous temple and learn more about Hindu festivals.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT RAM NAWAMI, PLEASE CLICK: https://goo.gl/un3mN6

Drive back to Kathmandu along the Mahendra Highway.

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Today it’s time to leave Nepal, and you will be transferred to the airport. Or, travel onwards in Nepal.