On this tour we make a gentle 4-day trek in the foothills of the Himalayas with spectacular views of the Annapurna range. We walk amongst traditional villages and beautifully terraced fields, with the iconic silhouette of Machapuchare’s ‘fishtail’ often in sight. We also explore the bazaars of Kathmandu, white-water raft along the Trisuli River and take an elephant safari through Chitwan National Park.
Itinerary
[+] Detailed Itinerary
Day 1:
Join tour Kathmandu (1300m/4265ft)
Transfer to hotel and check-in.
Overnight Comfortable Hotel (H++)
Day 2:
In Kathmandu
After breakfast we have arranged a walking tour visiting the bazaar and temples of old Kathmandu, accompanied by a local Nepali guide. Much of the day to day life of Kathmandu takes place in the local bazaar: a fascinating mixture of people selling spices; potters spinning their wheels; 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 to visit Bodnath, the largest stupa in the country and a destination for Buddhist pilgrims from all over Nepal.
Overnight Comfortable Hotel (H++)
Included meals: Breakfast
Day 3:
Drive to Kurintar on the banks of the Trisuli River
We drive out of the high Kathmandu valley and descend to the foothills where we overnight at the much lower altitude of approximately 200m. As we leave the valley, we will have views of the Ganesh, Manaslu and Annapurna ranges of the Himalayas. En route we have the option of a half-day’s whitewater rafting on the Trisuli River. Approx 4 hours drive to Kurintar
Overnight Standard Hotel (H+)
Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 4:
Visit Gorkha
Today we make our way to the small hill bazaar of Gorkha 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. A walk up to the ridge on which stands his old palace fort is well worth the climb. The view over the surrounding Annapurna and Manaslu ranges is spectacular. Approx 1 hour to Gorkha
Overnight Standard Hotel (H+)
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5:
Drive to Pokhara
Today we continue our journey through the foothills to Pokhara (819m). In the morning, there is an option to visit the nearby Manakamana Temple (1302m) using Nepal’s only cable car imported from Austria and inaugurated in 1998. Local people call the goddess the ‘wish fulfilling deity’ and the temple is a popular pilgrimage site. Pokhara is smaller and more relaxed than Kathmandu and is beautifully situated on the banks of Phewa Tal (lake). From here there are superb views of the snowcapped Annapurna range, including Machhapuchare – the famous Fishtail Mountain. Only foothills separate the town from the high mountains, making it a fine starting point for trekking. In the afternoon there will be a briefing by your tour leader to give you an idea of what to expect on a day to day basis while on trek and to make sure that everyone is properly equipped. Approx 4 hours drive.
Overnight Standard Hotel (H+)
Included meals: Breakfast
Day 6:
Trek to Bumdi above Badauri
First we drive north west from Pokhara (850m) to our trek start point above the village of Naudanda 1500m. From here we walk across country passing cultivated fields and scattered small settlements to the Gurung village of Badauri (1661m) where several trails cross. We leave habitation behind for a while and ascend into the forest sometimes following a stone paved, all weather trail. Our first campsite is in a clearing in this forest at approximately 1900m from where we have good views back to Phewa Tal, the lake beside Pokhara. Approx 40 minutes drive and approx 4 hours walk.
Overnight Basic Camping (C)
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7:
Trek to Panchase Bhanjyang
It’s worth making an early start to catch the sunrise views from the campsite. After breakfast our walk takes us mostly through mixed oak and rhododendron forest to the high point of the trek - Panchase Danda 2500m. The summit has panoramic views of all the Annapurna peaks as well as 8000m Dhaulagiri to the west and 8000m Manaslu to the east. This area is also part of a pilgrimage route and we may visit the nearby shrine to the Huindu god Shiva. We descend to camp in the open expanse of Panchase Bhanjyang - a ‘bhanjyang’ being the local name for a pass (2100m). There are several local houses at the pass and we have wonderful views of the mountains as well as of Pokhara and Phewa Tal from the campsite. Approx 6 hours walk.
Overnight Basic Camping (C)
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 8:
Trek to Bumdi
Our walk today is through a largely uninhabited area on a less major trail. We will spend some time in forest but will also pass several open meadows specifically cleared to graze water buffalo. In the spring look for rhododendrons and white orchids in bloom in the forest. There are several welcome stone built resting places along the route which climbs to the top of a ridge and then crosses three small passes on the descent to our overnight stop at Bumdi. We camp just above the village on a grassy campsite at 1500m. Approx 6 hours walk.
Overnight Basic Camping (C)
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 9:
Trek to Pokhara
We’re now coming back into a much more inhabited area and pass many cultivated fields and several settlements. There are lots of cherry trees in blossom here in November. We pass the chhettri village of Pumdi with its distinctive houses to reach the white dome of the Japanese Peace Pagoda all the while with good views of the mountains to the north. From here we descend through Rani Ban (the Queen’s Forest) to the end of the trek near the dam at the south eastern end of Phewa Tal. From here we drive a very short distance to our hotel. Approx 4 hours walk and 15 minutes drive.
Overnight Standard Hotel (H+)
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 10:
In Pokhara
The day is free to explore the interesting town of Pokhara. You could visit Tashiling, a thriving village of Tibetan refugees with its own schools and monastery, where you can watch Tibetan carpets being made. Alternatively hire a boat to visit a small temple on an island in Phewa Tal. There will also be time for some souvenir shopping.
Overnight Standard Hotel (H+)
Included meals: Breakfast
Day 11:
Drive to Chitwan National Park
We drive from Pokhara to Mugling then follow the Naryani River to Naryanghat into the flat Terai region of Nepal very close to the Indian border. Our lodge is situated outside the park, near the village of Jagatpur, just across the Rapti river from the 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. In January the local people are permitted to enter the park to cut the long grass for roof thatching. Total driving approx 5-6 hours.
Overnight Lodge (H+)
Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 12:
In Chitwan National Park
Throughout your stay you will be kept busy during the day (except for a couple of hours around lunch time). Activities available in the Park include elephant back safaris searching out the one-horned rhino, birdwatching, jungle walks and dugout canoe trips along the Rapti River.
Chitwan National Park is famous for the Asian one-horned rhino. In our safari we mostly focus on spotting rhinos.
Vegetation: Vegetation in Chitwan National Park is different than what you expect in Africa. It has got three different sets of vegetation - grasslands, riverine, and sal forest. To spot wild animals is quite difficult - if you see one you will be very lucky!
Elephant Safari: This is the best (and safest) way of searching for game in this sanctuary. Though the elephant may make quite a noise pushing its way through the dense jungle the other animals know that it poses them no danger and seem to completely ignore it.
Canoeing: (Dependent on the water level). Float silently down the Rapti river in a traditional dugout canoe spotting many varieties of water birds.
Nature Walks: In the company of trained native naturalists you can walk along trails in the less densely forested parts of the park.
Bird Watching: More than 450 species are to be found here: an early morning walk near the river to visit our watch tower will reveal many. Alternatively you may wish to visit the nearby small lake which supports a lot of birdlife as well as several marsh muggers – a non vegetarian variety of crocodile. Again, a trained naturalist will help you get the best enjoyment and interest from these excursions.
However it’s not all hard work. The lodge staff prepare good meals and there is a long break in the middle of the day. You can read or relax in the shade.
Overnight Lodge (H+)
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 13:
Drive to Kathmandu
We drive back to Kathmandu via Naryanghat and Mugling. Approx 5-6 hours drive.
Overnight Comfortable Hotel (H++)
Included meals: Breakfast
Day 14:
In Kathmandu
In the morning there is the opportunity to take a flight to see Mount Everest (optional, weather permitting), which gives outstanding views of the Everest region. Local airlines operate this flight every morning. The flight lasts 45 mins and flies initially from west to east towards Everest before turning back to Kathmandu. So those on the left of the plane get good views on the outward leg and those on the right get them on the return. This afternoon there is then an opportunity to take an optional excursion to the almost perfectly preserved Newari town of Bhaktapur in the eastern corner of the Kathmandu Valley. Also know as Bhadgaun or the City of the Devotees, Bhaktapur evokes the feel of a medieval village, a snapshot of a time when the city lay along the prosperous trade routes between Tibet, China and India. The ancient centre of the town is a dazzling collection of temples, palaces and monasteries that has earned it a place on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites and a wander around this cultural gem, taking in its beguiling charms and enjoying the sight of artisans going about their craft much as they have for generations, makes for a captivating visit.
Overnight Comfortable Hotel (H++)
Included meals: Breakfast
Day 15:
Tour ends Kathmandu
Included meals: Breakfast
