Accommodation

12 nights in hand-picked hotels. 2 nights in lodges.

Transport

Bus, 4WD

Others

All accommodation, activities and meals that are shown in the itinerary are included in the total cost of your trip You will also receive a complimentary transfer to and from the airport if you arrive on day 1 of the trip and depart on the last day and have provided your international flight information.

Guide

Tour Leaders are quite simply the glue that holds our tours together. They are chosen for their travel experience and people skills and are thoroughly trained by Explore, widely acknowledged as some of the best training in the industry. A Tour Leader’s ultimate aim is to ensure everyone is well looked after and have a fantastic trip. They are there to ensure that the tour logistics run smoothly, that health and safety is adhered to and provide comprehensive briefings at the beginning and throughout the tour.

Meals

A key facet of our responsible approach to tourism is that we encourage our groups to eat in local restaurants that prepare locally grown food. We give customers choice as to their meals and do not use rather bland and impersonal hotel restaurants or all- inclusive options 14 Breakfasts 5 Lunches 7 Dinners

Not included:

Optional

Optional experiences are available on this tour for an additional cost.

Others

Any visa costs, spending money and tips are not included in the trip price. You can also book extra nights’ accommodation at the beginning and end of the trip and the cost of this accommodation along with any transfers would be quoted separately.

Insurance

Travel Insurance is not included

Flights

International flights not included in the tour cost

Start planning your experience

Day 1 Day 1: Join Trip In Kathmandu
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 1: Join Trip In Kathmandu

Our tour starts today in Kathmandu; the busy, colourful and chaotic capital city of Nepal. Centuries of history are evident in shrines, hidden temples and narrow backstreets, and the Himalayas provide a spectacular backdrop to this intoxicating city. Our hotel in Kathmandu is around a 30-minute drive from the airport. For those arriving on time, our tour leader will meet you in the hotel reception at 5pm for a welcome meeting. After this, for those who wish, there is the chance to go out for dinner. Should you miss the meeting, our tour leader will leave you information giving the meeting time for the next day in the hotel reception and will inform you of any essential information as soon as you catch up. There are no activities planned today, so you’re free to arrive in Kathmandu at any time. If you’d like an airport transfer today, you’ll need to arrive into Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM). If your flight arrives earlier in the day, you might choose to walk into the centre of town which is around 15 minutes from the hotel. This evening you might like to have your first taste of Nepalese cuisine. The local dumplings are a good bet - called momos, they consist of a flour-based dough filled with meat or steamed vegetables. Also worth trying is dal bhat, a lentil-based soup usually served with rice and vegetable curry. Whatever you try, you’ll find the cuisine varied, a mixture of influences from around the region, and a riot of colours and flavours.
Day 2 Day 2: Explore The Bazaars And Busy Streets Of Kathmandu
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 2: Explore The Bazaars And Busy Streets Of Kathmandu

This morning, we’ll take 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 Boudhanath, the largest stupa in the country and a destination for Buddhist pilgrims from all over Nepal.
Day 3 Day 3: Discover The Ancient City Of Devotees And Drive To Nagarkot
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 3: Discover The Ancient City Of Devotees And Drive To Nagarkot

This morning, we’ll 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’ll then continue to our lodge at Nagarkot on the Kathmandu Valley rim where sunset views back across the valley to Kathmandu are very impressive.
Day 4 Day 4: See The Sunrise Over The Himalayas In Nagarkot
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 4: See The Sunrise Over The Himalayas In Nagarkot

Nagarkot stands 35 kilometres/21.7 miles east of Kathmandu (at an altitude of 2,174 metres/7,132 feet) on a ridge between the Kathmandu Valley in the west and the Indrawati Valley in the east. We’ll get up early to catch the sunrise from the roof of the lodge and after breakfast take a walk to a nearby hilltop along the ridge for spectacular views over the Himalayas. There are plenty of opportunities for short walks today, including visits to neighbouring farms growing crops of fruit, vegetables and grain, under the spectacular backdrop of the snow-capped Himalayan peaks.
Day 5 Day 5: Drive To Kurintar And Enjoy Whitewater Rafting Along The Trisuli River (Optional)
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 5: Drive To Kurintar And Enjoy Whitewater Rafting Along The Trisuli River (Optional)

We’ll set off this morning to drive out of the high Kathmandu Valley and descend to the foothills where we’ll overnight at the much lower altitude of about 262 metres/859 feet. As we leave the valley (on clear days) we’ll have views of the Ganesh, Manaslu and Annapurna ranges of the Himalayas. En route, we’ll have the option of a half-day whitewater rafting on the Trisuli River (Grade III-III+). No previous experience is required. This optional 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/82 feet unaided if participating in the rafting. As the rafting finishes at the beach just below our accommodation, those who don’t want to raft are free to relax by the hotel pool.
Day 6 Day 6: Visit Gorkha And Walk Through Local Villages.
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 6: Visit Gorkha And Walk Through Local Villages.

Today, we’ll make our way to the small hill bazaar of Gorkha (a 90-minute journey) 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. It’s well worth the climb up to the ridge where his old palace fort stands - the view over the surrounding Annapurna and Manaslu ranges is spectacular.
Day 7 Day 7: Visit The Manakamana Temple And Drive To Pokhara
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 7: Visit The Manakamana Temple And Drive To Pokhara

This morning, we have the option to visit the nearby Manakamana Temple (1,302 metres/4,271 feet), the sacred place of the Hindu Goddess Bhagwati, taking a cable car up to the temple. Local people call the goddess the wish-fulfilling deity and the temple is a popular pilgrimage site. Afterwards, we’ll continue our journey to Pokhara, situated beside Lake Phewa Tal beneath the Annapurna range.
Day 8 Day 8: Walk Through The Gurung And Chettri Settlements And Take In Views Of The Annapurna Range
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 8: Walk Through The Gurung And Chettri Settlements And Take In Views Of The Annapurna Range

On our first morning in Pokhara, we’ll take a walk through some small Gurung and Chettri settlements to the World Peace Pagoda, situated on a ridge above Pokhara. From here, there are spectacular views of the mountains making up the Annapurna range which are just 48 kilometres/30 miles away - from Dhaulagiri in the west to Annapurna II in the east. The rest of the day is 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.
Day 9 Day 9: Discover Pokhara’S Mountain Museum And Visit The Tashiling Tibetan Settlement
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 9: Discover Pokhara’S Mountain Museum And Visit The Tashiling Tibetan Settlement

Today we’ll visit the Mountain Museum housing expedition memorabilia and information on ethnic groups, flora and fauna. We’ll also visit Tashiling, a long-established settlement of Tibetan refugees. We’ll 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.
Day 10 Day 10: Drive To Bandipur And Explore The Town And Its Bazaar
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 10: Drive To Bandipur And Explore The Town And Its Bazaar

Leaving Pokhara today, we’ll take a short drive to the hilltop town of Bandipur. After a short walking tour of the town and the bazaar, we’ll have free time to continue exploring 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 Himalayas.
Day 11 Day 11: Drive To Chitwan National Park
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 11: Drive To Chitwan National Park

Today we’ll drive from Bandipur to 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, most famously the one-horned Rhino. Throughout your stay, you’ll be kept busy during the day (except for a couple of hours around lunchtime) with many activities available, including jeep safaris searching out the one-horned rhino, bird watching, jungle walks and drives and dugout canoe trips along the Rapti River. Canoeing will be dependent on the water level, floating silently down the river in a traditional dugout canoe allows us to spot many varieties of water birds. On a nature walk in the company of trained native naturalists, you can walk along trails in the less densely forested parts of the park. An early morning bird-watching walk near the river will reveal many of the 450 bird species that can be found in the park, especially the kingfisher. A trained naturalist will help you get the best enjoyment and interest from these excursions.
Day 12 Day 12: Search For One-Horned Rhino In Chitwan
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 12: Search For One-Horned Rhino In Chitwan

Today we’ll continue our exploration of Chitwan National Park on foot, by canoe and with an afternoon jeep safari.
Day 13 Day 13: Drive To Kathmandu
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 13: Drive To Kathmandu

Today we’ll set off for Kathmandu (approximately a seven to eight-hour drive). Please note, the road is currently part of a major infrastructure project which might cause some delays (and excess dust) along the way. We’ll try to keep the journey as comfortable as possible.
Day 14 Day 14: Free Time In Kathmandu
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 14: Free Time In Kathmandu

Today is left free to explore Kathmandu. You might like to visit Swayambunath stupa, perched on a hilltop and also known as the ’monkey temple’ because of its resident group of very inquisitive primates. Or perhaps Patan, the ’city of beauty’, whose Durbar Square has the finest collection of temples and palaces in the entire country.
Day 15 Day 15: Trip Ends In Kathmandu
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 15: Trip Ends In Kathmandu

The trip ends after breakfast at our hotel in Kathmandu. There are no activities planned today, so you’re free to depart from Kathmandu at any time. If your flight is departing later in the day, luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel. If you’d like an airport transfer today, you’ll need to depart from Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM).

+12

15 days tour

Discover Nepal

This tour includes:

Not included:

Start planning your experience

Itinerary of your trip Discover Nepal

Day 1: Join Trip In Kathmandu

Day 2: Explore The Bazaars And Busy Streets Of Kathmandu

Day 3: Discover The Ancient City Of Devotees And Drive To Nagarkot

Day 4: See The Sunrise Over The Himalayas In Nagarkot

Day 5: Drive To Kurintar And Enjoy Whitewater Rafting Along The Trisuli River (Optional)

Day 6: Visit Gorkha And Walk Through Local Villages.

Day 7: Visit The Manakamana Temple And Drive To Pokhara

Day 8: Walk Through The Gurung And Chettri Settlements And Take In Views Of The Annapurna Range

Day 9: Discover Pokhara’S Mountain Museum And Visit The Tashiling Tibetan Settlement

Day 10: Drive To Bandipur And Explore The Town And Its Bazaar

Day 11: Drive To Chitwan National Park

Day 12: Search For One-Horned Rhino In Chitwan

Day 13: Drive To Kathmandu

Day 14: Free Time In Kathmandu

Day 15: Trip Ends In Kathmandu

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