Destination Nepal

Chitwan National Park
Area: 175 sq km
Established: 1976
Location: Eastern Nepal

Anyone who finds wildlife captivating will be thrilled to spend two or three days ‘on safari’ in Nepal’s premier national park.
Here you can ride on an elephant (and then help to bath him in the river afterwards!), see the seriously endangered one-horned rhino and perhaps a Royal Bengal tiger also, as well as taking a canoe trip to see garial crocodiles or going on an early morning birdwatching walk to spot some of the 420 species of avian life that have been recorded here.
Chitwan has a sub-tropical, lowland jungle landscape and takes five hours to reach by road from Kathmandu (or a 25-minute flight).
Most of our jungle itineraries include a stay at one of the six lodges within the park, in a double ‘thatched cottage’ style room. Typically your stay would be for two nights/three days and all your activities and nature tours are conducted by resident professional guides and naturalists.
A visit to Chitwan will give you an insight into a very different natural and cultural setting, compared to the soaring mountain peaks or the bustle of Kathmandu. A trip here blends in well into a varied itinerary tour, combined perhaps with rafting and/or treks in the Annapurna region.

Bardia National Park
Area: 175 sq.km
Established: 1976
Location: Western Nepal

This park is the largest and most undisturbed wilderness area in the Terai. About 70 percent is forested, with the rest made up of a mix of grassland, savannah and riverine forest.
This is a prime habitat for wildlife, including rhinoceros, wild elephant, tiger, swamp deer, black buck, gharial crocodile, marsh mugger crocodile and Gangetic dolphin.
Endangered birds include the Bengal florican, lesser florican, silver-eared mesia and Sarus crane.
More than 30 different mammals, 200 species of birds and many snakes, lizards and fish have been recorded in the park’s forest, grassland and river habitats.
Royal Bardia is likely to appeal to those people who enjoy solitude and for whom a study of nature will be a major focus of their tour. Tucked away and exclusive, the park is most easily reached by a flight from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj (one hour and 10 minutes), followed by a three-hour drive.

Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve
Area: 175 sq.km
Established: 1976
Location: Eastern Nepal

This is an internationally significant wetland reserve, situated on the flood plains of the Sapta-Koshi River in eastern Nepal.
It is home to more than 250 bird species including 20 varieites of duck, two types of ibis and many storks, egrets and herons. The endangered swamp partridge and the Bengal florican are also found here and the Koshi Barrage is an extremely important nesting place for migratory birds.
The reserve is also home to many types of mammals such as hog deer, spotted deer, wild boar and blue bull. The endangered gharial crocodile and Gangetic dolphin have been recorded in the Koshi River and the last surviving population of wild buffalo, or arna, are found here.
The vegetation mainly includes tall Khar-pater (grasslands), with a few patches of Khar-sissoo (scrub), also forest and deciduous mixed riverine forest.

During the monsoon season the river is flooded to depths ranging from 10-300 cm and with the changing seasons the Sapta-Koshi River also changes its course.

Explore the Famous Cities of Nepal

Kathmandu Valley Sightseeing

Kathmandu Valley incorporates the three cities of Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur, which between them boast no less than seven World Heritage sites – the greatest density anywhere in the world.
Eash settlement has its own distinctive character, with outstanding temples and works of art and architecture, as well as a varied calendar of feasts and festivals.
Any of our treks or activity holidays in Nepal can be combined with some time spent sightseeing and relaxing in Kathmandu.

Kathmandu
A fascinating melange of old and new, Kathmandu is characterful and buzzing with life, offering a spectrum of experiences from the age-old spirituality of its legendary temples to teeming touristy Thamel and bazaars, markets and more modern shopping centres.

Kathmandu Durbar Square
The impressive Durbar Square is crammed with ancient temples and palaces, echoing centuries of culture and Hindu tradition. Here, too, is the home of Kumari, or ‘the living goddess’, a young girl chosen as a reincarnation of the goddess Durga.

Patan
Patan, or Lalitpur, is dubbed ‘the city of beauty’ and nowadays merges almost seamlessly into Kathmandu, its bigger sister on the opposite north bank of the holy river Bagmati. More relaxed than Kathmandu, Patan also has a wealth of Hindu and Buddhist temples, as well as impressive bronze gateways and fabulous wood-carvings. Patan is home to many expert craftsmen and metal workers.

Patan Durbar Square
Patan’s central Durbar Square is the main focus of a visit, being full of ancient palaces, temples and shrines, adorned with exquisite carvings. The Patan Musuem has many fine artifacts from Nepal’s ancient cultures.

Bhaktapur
Situated 14 km east of Kathmandu, Bhaktapur is by far the least developed of the three Kathmandu Valley cities – in fact a visit Bhaktapurto with its ancient square and network of medieval streets is really like stepping back in time. The narrow, brick-paved streets are as intact and unspoiled as they were several centuries ago and harbour seemingly hidden shrines and statues around almost every corner.
Many of Bhaktapur’s activities and customs have remain unchanged and it is easy to spend an entire day here absorbing the ancient atmosphere and watching potters, woodcarvers and weavers at work.

Bhaktapur Durbar Square
Despite being badly hit by an earthquake in 1933, the square still has many temples and other architectural showpieces which remain unscathed, including the Lion gate, the statue of King Bhuparindra Malla, the National Gallery, the Palace of 55 Windows and the Bell of the Barking Dogs.

Major sites of interest in the valley include:

Boudhanath
This monumentally impressive Stupa is in the heart of Kathmandu’s Tibetan quarter, eight kilometers east of the city centre. Always an intriguing place for people-watching, Bouddanath is thronged with monks, pilgrims and tourists and is surrounded by shops selling Tibetan jewellery, thangkas and other gifts. A dawn visit is recommended to catch the Stupa at sunrise and to see many Tibetans paying ritual homage.

Swayambhu
PashupatinathOtherwise known as ‘the monkey temple’ thanks to its resident population of wayward primates, Swyambhu is one of the world’s most famous Buddhist Chaityas and dates back more than 2000 years. This spectacular Stupa, topped by its famous all-seeing eyes, has a hilltop site 2 kilometers from Kathmandu city centre – and commands wonderful views of the capital and its valley.

Pashupatinath Temple
Famous for its ghats, or cremation platforms, this is an ornate and fascinating temple on the banks of the sacred Bagmati River, 5 kilomtres east of Kathmandu. The Pashupatinath Temple,a popular Hindu pilgrimage site, is dedicated to Lord Shiva, who in his manifestation as Pashupatinath is both the creator and destroyer of life. This area is home to many sadhus, charcterful religious ascetics who will cheerfully let you photograph them in exchange for a few rupees.

Kirtipur
Less frequented by tourists, this is an ancient Newar township, where the people are known for their expertise in building and weaving, situated 16 kilometers south-west of Kathmandu.
A natural fortress with a proud and courageous history, Kirtipur has narrow medieval streets lined with artistic houses and temple squares. Its major sights include the Chilmahu Stupa and the Temple of Bagh Bhairab.

Gosainkunda is a significant pilgrimage place Hindus.  It is located about 150 kilometers north of Kathmandu (117 km by bus and 11 hours on foot) in Rasuwa district at an elevation of 4380 metres. Langtang National Park keeps Gosainkunda in its lap. The holy lake is a two-day trek from Dhunche, which can be reached through an adventurous 118 km mountain road from Kathmandu.

According to Hindu legend, the lake was created by Lord Shiva when he thrust his Trishula (trident) into a mountain to extract water so that he could cool his stinging throat after he had swallowed poison. There is a large rock in the centre of the lake, which is said to be the remains of a Shiva shrine. [Gosain means a monk and Kunda means a pool.] People often claim that they see Shiva lying in the water. Devotees gather here in hordes on the full moon night of August to take holy dips in the lake as well as during Janai Purnima, Thulo Yekadasi, Dassera and Maghe Sangkrati when huge festivals are held. It is believed that in the eastern and western side of the lake altogether nine lakes including Saraswotikunda, Suryakunda, Ganeshkunda Nagkunda, Bhairabkunda, Aamakunda etc exists.

In the hopes of making your journey as comfortable and convenient as possible, we can arrange helicopter services.

Itinerary:

Day 01: Arrival in Kathmandu; transported to hotel.
Day 02: Guided sightseeing tours of Pashupatinath Temple, Bouddhanath Stupa and Kathmandu Durbar Square.
Day 03: Departure to domestic airport for your flight by helicopter to Chandanbari situated in Langtang. On arrival breakfast at Hotel Red Panda. Chandanbari situated at 3220 m is also called Shingompa.
From Chandanbari a maximum of seven guests will be transfered to Gosainkunda, where half-an-hour is provded to take a holy bath.  Then we are transported to Chandanbari and onto Kathmandu.
Day 04: Departure to the airport for your final destination.

Price:

Our cost inclues the following services:

• Arrival and departure transfer
• Hotel accommodation on twin sharing with breakfast
• Guided sightseeing tour of Kathmandu Valley
• Helicopter charter to Kathmandu / Gosainkunda / Kathmandu
• Airport Tax
• First Aid Medical Kit
• Trekking Guide

Our price does not include the following services:

• Insurance coverage against accident, injury, death, theft, baggage loss, etc.
• All personal expenses
• All other expenses that are not mentioned above

Tilicho Lake is one of those places that have had next to mythic connotations. The Annapurna undoubtedly provides some of the world’s best trekking routes, including as it does a greater variety of scenery and culture than can not be found in any other comparable area. The route via Tilicho Lake and the two passes (Masokanto La 5099 m and Tilicho Pass 5230 m) that guard it from the Kaligandaki Valley beyond is still used and offers the adventurous and fit trekker high mountain scenery at its very best. Masokanto La is lower altitude pass than Tilicho but more technical and rope will be needed. With the same timeframe you can also attempt the Tilicho pass.

Tilicho Lake Tour By Helicopter:
3 Nights / 4 Days

Itinerary:

Day 01: Arrival in Kathmandu and transported to hotel
Day 02: Transported to airport for your chartered helicopter flight to Manang. From Manang a maximum of eight passengers will fly to Tilicho Lake (20 minutes flight) for the Pilgrimage do Puja and a holy dip in the lake, followed by a flight back to Manang.
Day 03: Guided sightseeing tour of Kathmandu
Day 04: Departure to your final destination.

Note: The program itinerary can be tailored according to your requirements.

Price:

Our price includes the following services:

• Hotel accommodation on twin sharing basis with breakfast
• Half-day sightseeing tour of Kathmandu
• Entrance fees
• Kathmandu – Manang – Tilicho Lake – Kathmandu charter helicopter
• Passenger Insurance during the flight
• Royalty fee USD 75 per person
• Medical Kit
• Experienced tour guide
• Arrival / Departure Transfer to airport
• All domestic airport taxes

Our price does not include the following services:

• Insurance coverage against accident, injury, death, theft, baggage loss, etc.
• All lunches and dinners.
• Beverages, alcoholic drinks, snacks, tips and gratuities
• Laundry and telephone bills
• All other expenses that are not mentioned above
• Porters for personal use