Magic Nepal Tour
This tour is the best way to discover all Nepal. All the characteristics of the country are gathered in this program. During a 14 days / 13 nights package, you enjoy the culture in Kathmandu Valley, the history in Gorkha, the landscapes in Pokhara, the religion in Lumbini and the nature in Chitwan.
FACTS OF THE TOUR
Tour Days : 13
Total Days in Nepal : 14
Accommodation : Hotel
Food : Three meals a day
Transportation : A/C car or A/C van
Guiding : Fully escorted by a guide
ITINERARY OF THE TOUR
Day 1 :
After being welcomed in the Tribhuvan International Airport, you are transfered to your hotel for refreshing and resting.
Later you are taken to the Kathmandu Durbar Squar. In this UNESCO site, you can see many temples dedicated to different Hindu deities. Among them Taleju Temple, Kumari Ghar and Kasthamandap, the temple which is supposed to have given its name to the city.
During the evening, you are invited to a welcome dinner.
Night in Kathmandu.
Day 2 :
This morning you move to Dakshinkali, a holy hindu place 20 kms south of Kathmandu. There lays a temple dedicated to the terrible goddess Kali. Hundreds of devotees (especially on Tuesdays and Saturdays) gather at the temple to pay homage to the goddess and sacrifice animals for Her.
After noon, you discover Patan Durbar Square. Patan also called Lalitpur means “the city of artists”. This complex of temples has been damaged because of a earthquake in 1934 but all buildings have been restored since that date. In Patan you can find one of the only two five pagodas temple in Nepal : the Khumbeshwor Temple.
Night in Kathmandu.
Day 3 :
One hour drive from Kathmandu is Changunarayan Temple at the top of a hill. This Hindu Temple is registered as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. This temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu, the God of Protection is the oldest temple in the country.
Driving down from Changunarayan Hill, you stop in Bhaktapur for visiting its Durbar Square. The Durbar Square of Bhaktapur is the cleanest, the most well conserved and the most peaceful of the three Durbar Square of the Valley. Among the attractions, you visit the Golden Gate, the 55 Windows Palace, Taleju Temple and Nyatapola Temple, a five pagodas temple.
You are then transferred to Nagarkot, a city at the top of a hill (2000m) from where you can enjoy a panoramic view on the Himalayas. From there, you can see the ranges of Annapurna in the west, Manaslu, Ganesh Himal, Langtang, Rolwaling and Everest in the east.
Night in Nagarkot.
Day 4 :
From Nagarkot, you drive to Namo Buddha Monastery. The buddhist monastery hosts 250 monks and hides the legend of a Prince who gave his own body to a starving tigress.
From Namo Buddha, you start a three hours hike down to Panauti. After visiting this city you are brought back to Kathmandu.
Night in Kathmandu.
Day 5 :
This morning, you move west of Kathmandu for Gorkha. This city has a big meaning in the history of Nepal because it is from here that Prithvi Narayan Shah started the unification of the country in 1750.
After visiting Gorkha, you are transferred to Bandipur, a picturesque Newari town which has been developed in the early 20th century thanks of being a major stop on the Tibet-India trade route.
Night in Bandipur.
Day 6 :
Leaving for a hike, this morning you reach Ramkot after three hours walking. This village, off the touristic areas, is a perfect example of the life in the countryside in Nepal. Then you go back to Bandipur to have lunch.
After lunch, driving west of Bandipur, you reach Pokhara, the third city of the country. Pokhara is famous in Nepal because its situation at the feet of the Annapurna Region is the starting point of many treks.You visit the International Mountain Museum which offers a glimpse over the ethnic group in Nepal and the history of each of the 8000 meters Himalayan peaks. Later on you discover Davi’s Fall.
Night in Pokhara.
Day 7 :
After an early wake up, you move to Sarangkot Hill for a wonderful sunrise over the Himalayan Range. After breakfast, you enjoy boating on the peaceful waters of Phewa Lake, the main attraction of Pokhara.
After lunch, you move to Tansen for a six hours journey, south of Pokhara. Most of the people in Tansen are Newars who mainly migrated in the 19th century when trade opportunities opened here.
Night in Tansen.
Day 8 :
This morning, you drive by jeep and hike down to the banks of the Kaligandaki River to discover Ranimahal. Ranimahal is a marvellous palace built by the Rana Governor of Palpa (1893) in memory of his wife Tej Kumari. Ranimahal is the Indian Taj Mahal in Nepal.
During afternoon you visit Tansen Old Bazaar and Tansen Durbar. Later, you move to Bhairabi Temple whiche settles at a top of a hill.
Night in Tansen.
Day 9 :
Today you move to Lumbini. After three hours driving, you reach the birthplace of Lord Buddha. Because of that it has become a famous place for buddhist pilgrimage. In the Sacred Garden of Lumbini spreading over 8 kms², you see Maya Devi Temple built on the exact place of Siddarta Gautam's birth, Puskarni Pool, Ashokan Pillar and many other buddhist temples and stupas built by other countries.
After lunch, you move to the Chitwan National Park in the lowlands of Terai. This natural reserve, stretching over 900kms², has been established in 1973 and has been registered as a UNESCO World Site Heritage.
Night in Chitwan.
Day 10 :
Today, you enjoy the jungle safari activities during all the day : elephant breeding center, elephant bath, jeep safari and visit of a Tharu village.
Night in Chitwan.
Day 11 :
Today, you enjoy the jungle safari activities during all the day : elephant back safari, boating, jungle walk and Tharu Dance Cultural Show in the evening.
Night in Chitwan.
Day 12 :
After birdwatching in the morning, you move back to Kathmandu.
On the way, stop at Manakamana Temple, a Hindu Temple at a top of a hill reachable by cable car. This place is very faithful and many pilgrims visit it everyday.
Night in Kathmandu.
Day 13 :
This morning you discover the Stupa of Swayambunath known among foreigners as Monkey Temple. This Buddhist Temple settles at the top of a hill in Kathmandu. It is registered as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The temple complex is scattered with shrines and statues of both Buddhist and Hindus deities characterizing the country’s unique religious harmony.
After the lunch, you visit the Stupa of Bouddhanath, one of the largest stupas in South Asia. This Buddhist place is the house of many of the Tibetan refugees who leave their country in the 1950’s. This “Little Tibet” is the best place in the Kathmandu Valley to observe the Tibetan lifestyle.
Close to Buddhanath is Pashupatinath, a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, the God of Destruction. Registered as a UNESCO site, the main attraction of Pashupatinath is the human cremations. Once a year the Shivaratri Festival is hold in the temple gathering thousands of Hindu pilgrims.
In evening you are invited to a farewell dinner.
Night in Kathmandu.
Day 14 :
You have free time for buying souvenirs and resting before being transferred to the airport for your final departure.
