Nepal is a kingdom which lies between Tibet and India, often referred to as the Shangri La of the East, and home to the highest peak on earth, Mount Everest. Our Vacation India representative will meet you on arrival at the airport and take you to the hotel. Kathmandu is not only Nepal’s capital, but also its largest city, and abounds with temples and historical buildings. No less than seven World Heritage Sites can be found in this valley and the capital itself is a wonderful mixture of ancient culture and modernity.

Use your first evening to walk around the Thamel neighborhood and try the famous Nepalese cuisine, like dumplings, here known as momos. They are made with meat or vegetable fillings wrapped in dough. Another good choice is the lentil soup called dal bhat, accompanied with vegetable curry and rice. You will savor this varied cuisine with its many flavors and colors, a wonderful mix of the regional tastes.

The morning kicks off with a visit to the 20 century-old Swayambhunath Buddhist shrine, also referred to as the Monkey Temple. From many miles away in the valley the towering white dome with its golden spire can be seen. On top of the dome is a cubed structure painted with pairs of the omniscient eyes of the Buddha looking in the four wind directions. Above each set is another eye, the so-called 3^rd eye, symbolic of looking inwards. We continue our tour to the heart of the city, Durbar Square, the Meeting Place, surrounded with numerous intricately carved shrines and temples. Amongst them are the Kasthamandap shrine supposedly constructed from the wood of one single tree, the impressive three story-high God of the Sky or Akash Bhairay, and the Malla Kings’ Royal Palace, Hanuman Dhoka. The palace gets its name from the large rock image of the monkey deity dressed in red garments. Although the courtyard square dates back to the Malla era, the majority of the surrounding buildings were constructed by the later Rana rulers. Just like in days gone by, Nasal Chowk is still used as a venue for coronations which ae performed on the center platform on the square.

Stop at the entrance to look at the surprisingly small, but beautifully carved door leading to the erstwhile private chambers of the Malla ruler. Then proceed to the Kumari Ghar, home to the living goddess, and the manifestation of Devi, the holy female energy of Hinduism. This tradition of worshipping a young girl is part and parcel of Hinduism in Nepal.

Your walking tour also takes you to the heart and soul of the Durbar Square section, the ever busy bazaar where people trade everything from fragrant spices, vegetables and fruit, to temple offering containers. Here you can watch a crafter spinning his wheel to make household bowls and many other artisans at work. Tiny shrines line the alleyways and devotees flock to the temples to honor their favorite deities.

The afternoon is dedicated to Lalitpur or Patan, an ancient Buddhist city and World Heritage Site with a rich cultural past and home to many excellent artisans. The tour concludes at the Center for Tibetan Handicraft. Here you can watch the traditional techniques employed to create the wonderful Tibetan carpets, and observe how metal statues are molded and sculpted. The center provides much needed job opportunities for Tibetan refugees.

Bhaktapur, also called Bhadgaon or the City of Devotees was founded by Raja Ananda Malla in 865 is our first port of call this morning. One of the most visited sites in Nepal, it is shaped like the shell of a conch and is rich in examples of medieval architecture and art. Durbar Square is but one of a few of the original 99 squares that survived the ravishes of time and earthquakes, and served as royal residence, with many temples in the vicinity. The palace, named for its 55 beautifully carved wooden windows, was built on five terraces, each with statues of a pair of elephants, strongly built males, griffins, lions and goddesses.

Pashupatinath Temple is considered amongst the holiest of all Hindu shrines worldwide and is a World Heritage Site. Shiva’s sacred linga is housed in the ornate pagoda style main temple and is symbolic of the unity among the different Hindu sects. It is situated on the Bagmati River where devotees take ritual dips in the water and where cremations take place. Nepalese Hindu tradition demands that a body be dipped in the sacred river three times before cremation can take place. Entrance is forbidden for non-Hindus, but it is well worth it to admire the structure from the special vantage point.

The day of sightseeing concludes with a visit to Boudhanath. Its enormous mandala makes it one of this country’s largest spherical shrines. The base of the tower is painted with a pair of eyes on each of its four sides, presenting Buddha’s all seeing, all knowing nature.

On the way to Bandipur we stop at Manakamana Temple in the district of Gorkha. The temple is dedicated to the female Hindu deity Bhagwati, an Parvati incarnation. Since the seventeenth century devotees have believed that the goddess will grant their wishes if they come to her sacred shrine on a pilgrimage, hence the name of the temple which means heart (mana) and wish (karmana).

We arrive in Bandipur later in the afternoon. This picturesque town with its hospitable people and beautiful location at the foot of the Nepalese Himalayas is a showcase for the traditional Newar architecture with narrow rectangular houses, overhanging slate tile roofs and finely carved wooden windows. Although the hotel where you will overnight seems basic, it is clean and the best this region has to offer.

The morning is spent on a pleasant guided walking tour of this interesting Newari, as the indigenous people of this region is called, town. It has managed to preserve its original flavor and presents visitors with an interesting mixture of typical architecture, stunning views, mystical caves and pristine landscapes. From here one can take in the incredible beauty of the complete Annapurna Mountains, as well as three of the world’s ten highest peaks, namely Chaulagiri, Langtang and Manaslu, while getting a deeper understanding of the Newari culture.

In the afternoon we drive on to Pokhara, sitting at 2953 ft./900 m above sea level, just 124 miles/200km west of Kathmandu on Lake Phewa. Pokhara is the base for numerous trekking expeditions in the mountains and a famous adventure center. The views are simply stunning and crystal clear lakes reflect the magnificent Himalayan mountains, creating a magical feeling of serenity and peace.

This morning we stroll through a few Chettri and Gurung settlements on the way to the famous World Peace Pagoda. The views of the Annapurna Mountain Range from the ridge where the pagoda is located are exceptional and no wonder – they are a mere 30 miles/48km away and include Annapurna II to the east and Dhaulagiri to the west.

We will also explore Devi’s Falls, also called David’s or Devin’s. According to local legend, a hiker David/Devin was swept away and disappeared into the underground passages and caves into which the water vanishes. Gupteswor Cave is dedicated to Shiva and one of the longest caves in Nepal. It is definitely worth a visit, as is the Bat Cave, or Mahendra with its stalagmites and stalactites.  Our next stop is at a

 The next stop is at Tashiling, a settlement for Tibetan refugees established in 1965. We will watch the process of creating a world famous Tibetan carpet, from the sorting and selection of the wool, watch the dyeing process and finally see how it is weaved into the beautiful end product that is shipped to all the corners of the world. We will also admire the Buddhist monastery in the village.

The day comes to an end with a relaxing boat ride on the enchanting Lake Phewa. One of three lakes at Pokhara, it is also the second biggest in Nepal and famous for the reflection of the nearby mountain peaks on the surface of the water. The rest of the day is at your leisure.

During the 1800’s and first half of the 1900’s royals and aristocrats used this area as their personal hunting grounds, but today Chitwan Park is a well-established sanctuary for rare mammals such as the one-horned rhino and Bengal tigers, amongst others. It consists of grassy plains and dense forest and is rich in biodiversity. There are a host of activities to choose from every morning and afternoon, like jeep safaris, bird watching, drives and walks through the forest, and depending on the water level, canoeing on the Rapti River. Floating soundlessly in a dugout canoe is the ideal opportunity to watch the many species of aquatic birds. A few hours at lunch time is reserved for relaxing. We will also visit a nearby village to get a rare glimpse into the Nepalese rural lifestyle and the evening concludes with local Tharu dancers exhibiting their skills.

We spend this day going on a number of excursions. There is an early walk near the Rapti River for bird watchers to try and spot some of the incredible 450 species of wild birds including kingfishers, found here. Another option is a guided walk on the forest’s less dense trails in the company of a naturalist who will provide interesting information on the flora and fauna of the park. Take a jeep safari to look for rhino, leopard, monkeys, elephant and the mighty Bengal tiger. The type of activities will depend on the time of year and weather conditions. Lunch and dinner are served at the resort.

After breakfast in the hotel we will drive back to Kathmandu to arrive at your hotel during the course of the morning. The afternoon is free to spend as you please, doing last minute shopping for souvenirs or to simply wander around. Dinner consist of delicious traditional Nepali dishes.