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Experience Nepal from a different perspective on an exciting adventure holiday by Cox & Kings. From the colours and magic of Kathmandu's markets to the serenity of Himalayan trails, this 10-day adventure offers an intriguing blend of well-paced excursions. Visit the website for information on the tour package. http://adventure.coxandkings.com/destinations/asia-adventure-holidays/nepal
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Nepal Adventure
10 Days , KATHMANDU to KATHMANDU
What's Included
6 nights accommodation at the hotels mentioned or similar.
3 nights accommodation in teahouse lodges
Overseas Medical Insurance for the duration of the tour (Sum of US$ 2,50,000 covered)
Kathmandu walking tour.
Lunch at the Planeterra-supported Sisterhood of Survivors Project.
Bhaktapur guided tour.
Annapurna trekking (3-day).
Chitwan National Park 4x4 safari.
All transport between destinations and to/from included activities.
I Lunch
Services of Chief Experience Officer (CEO) throughout the tour.
VERY IMPORTANT: Please ensure that you print a final copy of your Trip Details to
review a couple of days prior to travel, in case there have been changes that affect
your plans.
Itinerary
DAY 1 Kathmandu
You may arrive at the joining-point hotel at any time on Day 1 as no group
activities are planned for today except for a group meeting in the early evening
followed by an optional dinner. It is important that you arrive in time for this
meeting as we will cover important aspects of the trek. Please check the
entrance of the hotel for a notice from your CEO detailing the location of the
meeting.
Kathmandu is Nepal's magical capital and largest city and for many, simply the
name alone is sufficient to conjure up images of temple pagodas, long-haired
saddhus in clouds of hashish smoke and the ever-present Himalayas.
Kathmandu is all this and more. Sitting in a bowl-like valley surrounded on all
sides by some of the highest mountains on earth, Kathmandu has been a
crossroads of cultures since hundreds of years before Christ, a tradition very
much alive today.
Kathmandu is fascinating at every turn and a great place to just wander,
seeing where chance, fate or the city may lead you.
DAY 2 Kathmandu
On Day 2 we will take a tour of the world heritage sites of Durbar Square and
Bhaktapur.
Durbar Square was built primarily in the 16th and 17th centuries. Within the
square there is of course the Royal Palace and many temples built in the
traditional Newari pagoda style. On the south side lies the Kumari Chowk,
home to Nepal's living goddess the Kumari, a prepubescent girl chosen as the
incarnation of the Hindu goddess Talejn. The Kumari lives a cloistered life
rarely leaving the confines of the chowk, when she does it is for important
religious festivals and whilst traveling her feet must never touch the ground.
Once the Kumari reaches puberty another 3-5 year old girl will take her place.
Known as Bhadgaon or the city of the devotees, Bhaktapur is a unique old town.
Since time immemorial it lay on the trade route between Tibet/ China and
India. This position on the main caravan route made the town rich and
prosperous, which in turn fed the cultural life of the city, which today is a
living gem of Hindu temples, pagodas, palaces and monuments, many dating
back to the 16th century. The old palace in Durbar square, built in 1700, is
well preserved and has beautifully carved wood work and a finely worked gilt
gateway. Nepal's Malla dynasty's achievements in arts and crafts are reflected
throughout the city. During our stay here you will observe interesting
happenings such as colorful open markets, locals making clay pots and
weaving. The town is famous for its home made curd which is known locally as
khopa dhau.
In your free time, you may want to visit Bodhnath Stupa, one of the largest
Buddhist shrines in the world. Here you may observe Buddhist monks in prayer
in the monasteries surrounding the Stupa. Another fascinating place is
Pashupatinath, the most famous Hindu temple in the country, located on the
banks of the holy Bagmati River. Here we will see Hindu holy-men (or Sadhus),
pilgrims performing ritual bathing, and occasionally, funeral pyres burning on
the ghats.
Swayambhunath is the most ancient and enigmatic of all the holy shrines in
Kathmandu valley. Its lofty white dome and glittering golden spire are visible
for many miles. On each of the four sides of the main stupa there is a pair of
big eyes. These eyes are symbolic of God's all-seeing perspective. There is no
nose between the eyes but rather a representation of the number one in the
Nepali alphabet, signifying that the single way to enlightenment is through the
Buddhist path. Above each pair of eyes is another eye, the third eye, signifying
the wisdom of looking within. No ears are shown because it is said the Buddha
is not interested in hearing prayers in praise of him. To reach Swayambhunath
you climb 365 steps that lead up the hill and the area surrounding the stupa is
filled with temples, painted images of deities and numerous other religious
objects.
MOUNTAIN FLIGHTS
Regular flights are conducted daily from Kathmandu towards the Himalayan
Range in the North and East of Kathmandu. The flight generally takes off in
the morning and lasts for one full hour. This is the quickest way to get a close
look at Mt. Everest, the highest mountains in the world. Other mountains that
can be viewed at close range are Nuptse (7879 M), Lhotse (8501 M), Cho Oyu
(8000M), Makalu (8475 M) and Kanchenjunga (8584 M).
DAY 3 Pokhara
A lively bus ride along stunning scenery brings us from Kathmandu to Pokhara.
Pokhara lies on a once vibrant trade route extending between India and Tibet.
To this day, mule trains can be seen camped on the outskirts of the town,
bringing goods to trade from remote regions of the Himalaya. The enchanting
city has several beautiful lakes and offers stunning panoramic views of
Himalayan peaks - creating the ambience that has made it such a popular
place to relax and enjoy the beauty of nature. Nestled in a tranquil valley at an
altitude of 827m, Pokhara is a place of natural beauty. The serenity of Phewa
Lake and the magnificence of the fish-tailed summit of Machhapuchhre
(6977m) rising behind it create an ambiance of peace and tranquillity.
Pay a visit to the striking temple of Brindabasim which stands proudly over
Pokhara. The temple is of great religious importance to Hindus and is the site
of much religious fervor. Dedicated to the goddess Durga who is the chosen
guardian deity of Pokhara. Animal sacrifices take place here usually on
Saturdays and Tuesdays. Later why not relax in a cafe, hire a boat and float
around the lake or shop for Nepali and Tibetan souvenirs in the endless stalls
and shops.
DAY 4 Annapurna Foothills Trek
At 8091m, Annapurna 1 is one of the highest mountains in the world. Its
surrounding sister mountains are equally imposing, creating magnificent
panoramas from any view point. Throughout the trek we come across isolated
mountain communities, each observing different ancestral customs and
traditions, resulting in not only a visually superb expedition but also a
culturally rich one. Amid the rugged mountain scenery, we meet warm and
welcoming locals herding yaks and goats on the grassy pastures. We also enjoy
the opportunity to visit their monasteries and temples. Along the way we see
waterfalls of melted snow, cross icy rivers, broad plains and high mountain
passes and reward ourselves with a soak in natural hot springs (boy, have you
earned this!).
We transfer to our trekking start point Nayapool which is around 1.5 hours
from Pokhara. From here we start to trek uphill passing the foothill of
Annapurna Region to reach Ghandruk. Ghandruk is a village which is
populated by mostly Thakalis, Gurungs and Magars. Total hiking time today is
about 5 - 6 hours and distance hiked is 8-9 km. (Altitude at Nayapool: 1080m,
at Ghandruk: 1920 meters)
DAY 5 Annapurna Foothills Trek
After breakfast, we trek all the way to Jhinu Danda which takes approx. 4
hours (distance hiked: 6 km). We spend about 2 hours in Jhinu so we can take a
break and enjoy the hotsprings. In the afternoon we hike another 3 hours (5-6
km) through the forest of Annapurna to reach Landrung. (Altitude at Jhinu
Danda: 1710m, at Landruk: 1630 meters)
DAY 6 Annapurna Foothills Trek
Today our 4 - 5 hour trek brings us to Dhampus for the evening. The total
distance hiked is 8-9 kms. (Altitude at Deurali: 2100m, at Dhampus: 1600
meters)
DAY 7 Pokhara & Chitwan
Today, we have a final two hour trek to Phedi from where we return to Pokhara
for lunch before continuing to the UNESCO World Heritage listed Royal
Chitwan National Park (approx 4-5 hrs). Known as the Terai Tarai ("moist
land"), the landscape you travel through today is a belt of marshy grasslands,
savannas, and forests at the base of the Himalayas. The Terai zone is
composed of alternate layers of clay and sand, with a high water table that
creates many springs and wetlands; the zone is inundated yearly by the
monsoon-swollen rivers of the Himalaya.
Total time trekking: 2 hours
Distance hiked: 3km
DAY 8 Chitwan National Park
The Terai-Duar savanna and grasslands form an eco-region that stretches
across the middle of the Terai belt. They are a mosaic of tall grasslands,
savannas and evergreen and deciduous forests; the grasslands are among the
tallest in the world, fed by silt deposited by the yearly monsoon floods. It is this
eco-region that is home to the endangered Indian Rhinoceros, as well as
elephants, Bengal tigers, bears, leopards and other wild animals. Much of the
region has been converted to farmland, although both Royal Chitwan National
Park and Royal Bardia National Park preserve significant sections of habitat,
and are home to some of the greatest concentrations of rhinoceros and tiger
remaining in South Asia.
Royal Chitwan National Park (RCNP), the oldest national park in Nepal.
Established in 1973, it became a World Heritage Site in 1984. Within its area
of 932km square, the Royal Chitwan National Park is home to at least 43
species of mammals, 450 species of birds, and 45 species of amphibians and
reptiles including sambars, chitals, rhesus monkeys, and langurs.
Until 1950 the Chitwan Valley was a hunting reserve for big game. Happily,
today tourists come only to spot wildlife, rather than shoot it, and the park
offers some of the best wildlife viewing opportunities in Asia. We explore the
national park by jeep safari before we are accompanied by our local guide for a
half day walk inside the park. There will also be free time to go on a canoe ride
or to enjoy a spot of bird watching.
DAY 9 Kathmandu
Return to Kathmandu by road (approx 6 hours).
The afternoon is free for your own explorations and shopping. If you have not
done so already you could visit the burning ghats at Pashupatinath and
Swayambhunath, the monkey temple. More than almost any city in the world,
Kathmandu is fascinating at every turn, and some travelers prefer to just
wander, seeing where chance, fate or the city may lead them.
DAY 10 Kathmandu
You are free to depart at any time today, though remember check out from the
hotel is 12.00 midday. Your CEO can help you arrange any onward travel.