Kathmandu Valley and Chitwan National Park

You can obtain a Nepal visa upon arrival. Bring one passport picture and US$ 30 cash to pay in visa fee. After clearing immigration and custom, meet your guide and driver at the arrival gate.

After introductions, your guide and driver will transfer you to your hotel in the city (35 minutes). After wash up and change, with your guide and driver, proceed for sightseeing. 

First, visit Swayambhunath Stupa - the 2000-year-old Buddhist monument situated atop a hillock on the western fringe of the city. It's a historic temple associated with the evolution of Kathmandu valley. The temple complex includes the stupa, an array of small shrines, temples, and monasteries. Swayambhunath is a popular pilgrimage destination for Buddhist as well as Hindu followers, and we will have an opportunity to watch the rituals performed by them.

The stupa complex also offers a panoramic view of the valley and perhaps Himalayan mountains on a clear weather day.

From here, we descend and drive to Kathmandu Durbar Square in the heart of the city. Several of the temples and palace complex here is devastated by the last earthquake, but we are still able to see many other structures here. We will visit the Kumari House, among other temples. The house has rich wood carving at its door, windows, and balconies but more importantly, this is the residence of Kumari - the living goddess of Nepal! We will request for a glimpse of the goddess who briefly appears in the balcony if she is available.

We will take leisurely walk through the streets of Indrachowk and Asson - the traditional business hub and end up in Thamel - the popular tourist destination for budget accommodations, restaurants, and handicraft stores.

In the evening, you are invited to a Nepali welcome dinner in a typical Nepali restaurant. The restaurant also entertains the guests by Nepali folklore dancing.

After breakfast, meet your guide at your hotel lobby and proceed for sightseeing.

Our first stop will be at Boudhanath Stupa; this is the largest Buddhist monument of Nepal. This stupa is also the holiest Buddhist temple outside Tibet. There are several active monasteries associated with different Buddhist schools. Tibetan refugees primarily dominate the area and remind of small Barkhor Square.

Next, we proceed to Bhaktapur, about 10 miles northeast of Kathmandu. Bhaktapur is the smallest of the three medieval principalities but the best-preserved one. With stone-paved streets, medieval-looking houses and temples, the city look like an open-air museum. We visit the durbar square with the former palace complex. Other attractions of Bhaktapur include the 5-storied Nyatapola Temple that survived two significant earthquakes, Duttratray square with Duttratray Temple and Pujarimath Complex. Stroll through the narrow-cobbled lanes between the private dwellings and also visit the potter's square. We stop by the workshops of local carvers and painters and appreciate their skills of generations-old arts.

Our final stop of the day will be at Pashupatinath Temple - the holiest Hindu temple of Nepal. The temple lies by the sacred Bagmati River - one of the tributaries of the holy Ganges. The main temple sanctum is reserved for the Hindu worships and non-Hindus are not allowed inside, but we can watch the temple and rituals here from another side of the river. The river also has some pyres for Hindu cremation services. If we wait till late, we can watch the Hindu arati ceremony with oil lamps that wrap up the rituals of the day.

Overnight at hotel in Kathmandu.

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for flight to Bharatpur airport of Chitwan. It's a 25-minute long scenic flight. Upon arrival at Bharatpur airport, you are greeted by the local representative and transferred to your lodge in the park.

After lunch, embark on a game drive to the forest. Jeep safari is operated during the dry season only and may cancel due to insufficient participants. In that case, we provide you with an alternative elephant back safari or jungle trek. Most commonly sighted animals are one-horned rhinos, deer, wild boar, and monkeys. One-horned Rhinos were once almost extinct in the early 70s!  We will always be on the lookout for less frequently seen animals such as bears, leopards, and Bengal tigers. Although the tiger population is believed to be about 100 in the park, it's a territorial animal, and due to thick vegetation, chances of seeing one are scarce! 

In the evening, attend an informative slide show on Chitwan’s flora and fauna, history of the park and the conservation efforts conducted by the in-house naturalist who is usually a local with a wealth of knowledge on the park. 

Overnight at the lodge.

After breakfast at your hotel, your nature guide will take you on a boating trip down the Rapti River. We will catch sights of sunbathing crocodiles and aquatic birds such as kingfisher, storks, egrets, etc.

After lunch, we will go on elephant back safari in the park.

In the evening, enjoy the cultural program that features folklore singing and dancing by Tharu troupe. Tharus are the original inhabitants of Chitwan and are believed to have immune against Malaria! 

The activities order may change depending on the park regulations and availability of the safaris.

Overnight at the lodge.

If you are a morning riser, you may go for a short birding tour in the park. Following breakfast, the driver will transfer you back to the airport for flight back to Kathmandu.

Upon arrival at Kathmandu airport, you are met by your guide and then taken to Patan city. Visit the Durbar square with former palace and cluster of medieval temples. Stroll through the stone-paved alleys with arts and craft workshops and traditional shops lined up on either side. Visit the Golden Temple-a Buddhist monastery of Newari Buddhist and 5-storied Kumbheswara Temple, among others.

You will have time for shopping before your guide transfers you to the hotel.

Overnight at the hotel.

After breakfast, check out hotel. Your guide and driver will transfer you to the airport in time for a flight to your next destination.