Explore Nepal 12 Days Third Eye Travel

The very word “Nepal” invokes visions of high mountains, remote valleys and hardy explorers foregoing all creature comforts to test themselves against nature and her forces. However, long before the first mountaineers ventured north to the jagged horizons of rock and ice; long before the first rafter or kayaker descended among the rivers; long before the first trekkers appeared on the ridges; the Nepalese were building palaces, temples, monasteries, and complex townships to rival those anywhere else in the world. Arts and crafts flourished – so much so, that artisans and builders traveled as far as Beijing, China to build temples and Pagodas.  

The lost way method of metal casting was perfected, woodworking and carving attained new heights, stone carving and painting as devotional excises became art forms. Perhaps these are among the many reasons why, just in the vicinity of the Kathmandu valley alone, there are seven UNESCO designated World Heritage Sites, within a 13-mile radius.

This trip is designed to introduce to you the essence of Nepal. The heritage sites and museums, stunning mountain scenery and model conservation and preservation efforts; all of which go to make Nepal one of the most exciting destinations in the world.

 
 

Day 01 Arrive Kathmandu, Explore Thamel.

Upon arrival in Kathmandu, you will be greeted by a tour officer and transferred to your hotel.

The rest of the afternoon is at leisure to rest or just walk around Thamel, the tourist hub in Kathmandu, with plenty of restaurants, pubs, cyber cafes, book stores and colorful shops.

Overnight in Kathmandu.

Day 02 Tour of Pashupati, Bodhnath, Kathmandu Durbar Square & Swambhunath
MEAL: Breakfast

Today you have a full day sightseeing tour of various temples and monasteries which include Pasupatinath : Situated near the banks of sacred Bagmati River the temple of lord Siva-Pasupatinath with two tiered golden roof and silver doors is famous for its superb Newari architecture.

Baudhanath : This colossal and ancient Stupa, one of Nepal’s most unique monument and said to be the world biggest, attracts Nepalese pilgrimage of Tibetan stock from as far as Dolpo and Mugu as well as Tibet, Ladhak in India and Bhutan.

You will also visit Kathmandu Durbar Square that has housed kings of different dynasties and temple-scape representing finest specimens of Hindu and Buddhist architectures.

Hanuman Dhoka, the traditional seat of royalty in Nepal. The temples in Hanuman Dhoka and the surrounding Durbar Square include some of the finest specimens of Nepalese architecture and many erotic carvings.

Temple of the Living Goddess, the residence of the ling virgin goddess Kumari. Kastha Mandap, an interesting temple in pagoda style said to have been built from the timber of a single tree.  The name of the city Kathmandu, is derived from this structure.

Continue to Swayambhunath, a 2000 year-old Buddhist monument on a hilltop overlooking Kathmandu Valley. Surrounding the hemispherical Stupa are many temples and pagodas and a large band of monkeys.

Overnight in Kathmandu.

Day 03 Overland Kathmandu - Dhading.
MEAL: Breakfast/Dinner

After breakfast, drive to Dhading along the highway, and continue to Soraghar Primary School in Dhading District. The school was destroyed by the earthquake in 2015, and has been rebuilt. 

Upon arrival in the school, you will be briefed about the school. The most of the students are from Tamang community living in nearby village. You will have an opportunity to interact with student today.

Overnight in a local Guest house built by school.

 

Day 04 School in Dhading
MEAL: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

Today you’ve an opportunity to interact with the kids in the school, see how they are learning. If you like to volunteering for a day, you are welcome to do so.

Later visit the local village, and experience the life of the typical village in Nepal.

Overnight in local Guest House.

Day 05 Overland Dhading-Chitwan National Park
MEAL: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

Drive for about 4 hours from Dhading along the main highway that leads to the plains to arrive at the Chitwan National Park. which is one of the Asia's richest and most spectacular wildlife sanctuaries.

Upon arrival at the Lodge, you will be briefed about the activities in the park. The activates include wildlife viewing on the elephant back, boat trips, jungle treks and bird watching excursions. The wildlife of Chitwan is famous for the rare greater one-horned rhinoceros, royal Bengal tiger, and several species of deer, sloth bears, leopard, the marsh mugger and Gharial crocodiles and over 450 species of birds.

Overnight in Chitwan.

Day 06 Additional activities in Chitwan
MEAL: Breakfast

In Chitwan, In addition to its prime wildlife programmers, other activities at the jungle are walks to local villages, bird watching and canoeing. 

Overnight in Chitwan.

Day 07 Overland Chitwan-Pokhara
MEAL: Breakfast

After breakfast, the waiting vehicle will take you to Pokhara, a picturesque town. Pokhara is one of the most beautiful places in the world. It’s situated at an altitude of 2952 feet in a lush, picturesque valley surrounded by forest rimmed hills and just 30 km to the north is walled in by 140 unbroken kilometers of the central Himalayan Range including Annapurna and Dhauligiri each above 26240 feet. The horizon however is dominated by a far smaller, but infinitely more spectacular peak – Macchapuchhare or “Fish Tail” which seems to rise off the same valley floor and spectacularly ends in “Fish Tailed” peak.

In the afternoon you can take an option boating on Phewa Lake.

Evenings in Pokhara has its own charm especially in the Lake Side district, dotted with fancy restaurants facing the Phewa Lake, lazy shops and simple guest houses with lush gardens that bloom year round.

Overnight in Pokhara.

Day 08 Hike to Austrian Camp- Dhampus
MEAL: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

This morning your guide will meet you at the hotel lobby early morning, and drive 45 minutes to Khande.  Begin your hike to Austrian camp which is about one and half hour. Enjoy the views Fishtail mountain, Annapurna South, Annapurna 2 and 4 and Peak 29.

Descend to Dhampus, another great place from where you see the spectacular views of the mountains.

Overnight in a Lodge in Dhampus.

Day 09 Descend to Phedi, drive to Pokhara.
MEAL: Breakfast

Wake up early morning to enjoy the sunrise over the Himalayas.

After breakfast, walk down to Phedi and drive back to Pokhara.

Overnight in Pokhara.

Day 10 Fly to Kathmandu, drive to Nagarkot.
MEAL: Breakfast/Dinner

Morning flight back to Kathmandu. 

A guide will meet you at the airport and take you to  Patan which is also known as Lalitpur. “Lalitpur” literally the city of fine arts is perhaps a living museum as she still retains her medieval air of the ancient times and almost half the inner city residents are craftsmen in their own right.

Patan was one of the major Buddhist cities in Asia by the 7th century as pilgrims, scholars and monks from India, Tibet and China visited the city. It is said that at one stage the entire population of Patan city was comprised of monks and craftsmen only. The city is full of Hindu Temples, Buddhist monuments and structures with bronze gateways, guardian deities and wonderful Metal and wood carvings.

Continue to Nagarkot which is located on the eastern edge of Kathmandu Valley at 8000 ft and 20 miles east of the valley, offers the panorama eastern Himalaya including 5 of world’s ten higest peaks - Mt. Everest, Lhotse, Cho O Yu, Makalu and Manslu.

Overnight at Nagarkot.

Day 11 Drive Nagarkot-Bhaktapur

Wake up early morning to see the spectacular sun rise over the Himalayas. 

Drive down to the World Heritage temple complex of Changu Narayan, the oldest temple in Nepal, which is said to have been built in 323 by King Hari Dutta Varma. This, the oldest existing Vishnu Temple (built at about the same time as the Pasupatinath Temple), is richly decorated with metal, wood and stone sculptures and carvings and is still an active place of worship and is one of the holiest of temples in the valley. The triple roofed structure pagoda depict Vishnu’s ten incarnations. The temple compound contains smaller shrines dedicated to Krishna, Siva, images of Buddha, Demi-gods, Linga, Asta Matrika, Several forms of Vishnu. It is situated about 500 feet above the level of the Kathmandu valley and offers a beautiful view of the surrounding countryside.

Continue to Bhadgaon, also called Bhaktapur, the city of devotees, is located nine miles to the east of Kathmandu.

The tour visits: Durbar Square, the main palace square of the city containing many temples and other architectural showpieces, including the Golden Gate, described as the finest piece of art in the Kingdom.

Nyatapola Temple, The five-storied pagoda style temple built in 1708 AD. , the largest and the most famous example of Nepalese pagoda architecture.

Dattatraya Temple, a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva built in 1427 AD. Nearby is the monastery with exquisitely carved windows, which now serves as the National Works Museum.

Overnight  in Bhaktapur.

Day 12 Bhaktapur-U.S. or an extension
MEAL: Breakfast

Transfer to airport and fly back home or extend your trip to India, Bhutan or Myanmar.

Land Cost: US$
 
WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THIS TOUR?
  1. All airport transfers.
  2. Accommodation with breakfast in Kathmandu, Pokhara, Bhaktapur
  3. Accommodation with all meals in Chitwan and hiking
  4. Accommodation with breakfast and dinner in Nagarkot.
  5. Guided tours with entrance fees to monument
  6. Private Transportation as per the itinerary
  7. All government taxes and service charge.
 
HOTEL MENTIONED OR SIMILAR
  • Kathmandu
  • Hotel Dalai la
  • Chitwan
  • Chitwan Tigerland Safari
  • Pokhara
  • Hotel Barahi
  • Nagarkot
  • Nagarkot Farm House
  • Bhaktapur
  • Hotel Yechu
     
    WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS TOUR?
    1. International Airfare
    2. Visa Fee & Travel Insurance
    3. Lunch & Dinner which are not listed
    4. Excess Baggage, Laundry, Soda, Tips
    5. Any other expenses that are not specified.
     
    FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
    • Are the trip and price guaranteed?
      The trip is guaranteed even with the sign-up of the minimum of two people. The price shown with departure date is guaranteed once you send us a trip application form with a deposit of $350.00. Otherwise, it may change until we receive the trip applications form.
    • What is internal air?
      There are flights involved in the tour. Internal Air is the flights between one city/place to another during the trip. Since the airfares keep changing, we do not include this in the land cost.
    • Can you arrange my flights from/to U.S.?
      Yes, we can arrange your flights from/to U.S. We can match the online airfare, if not lower one. You just need to email us your full name as appears on the passport and departure city in U.S. We will then send you a quote for the flight. To issue the ticket, we just need your credit card details.
    • How soon do I book the trip?
      The sooner you book, the better it is, because getting lower airfare from U.S. is higher when you book well in advance. Also, it is hard to get seats on some of the internal flight if it is closer to departure date. You can usually make the international flight reservation nine months prior to your departure date.
    • Do I need visa, permit & entrance fees?
      Yes, you need a visa for Nepal which you can get upon arrival in Kathmandu airport. All the permits and entrance fees are included in the tour.
    • What about the weather?
      Spring & Fall are the best time to travel to Nepal. The weather generally stays nice and sunny, and the the chance of rain is very low during the time, and the views are usually pretty good during the time.
    • When do I need to pay?
      At the time of booking, you need to send us $ 350.00 deposit with a trip application form. $ 1000 is due 3 months prior to departure, and balance is due 2 months prior to departure. For the internal flight, you may need to pay about 5-6 months as we need to issue the tickets to secure the flight seats.
    • How big are the groups?
      Our groups are usually small, so you get the personalized services from local guides. There must be minimum of 2 people to run the trip and the maximum is 10 people in the group.
    • How difficult is the trip?
      This is an easy trip. However, you have to be physically fit to do this trip. You will be spending from around 9 AM to 4 PM touring around, going from one place to another taking scenic drive and enjoying the world famous monuments/heritage sites here and there. There is only one short hike involved during the trip near Pokhara in Annapurna region.
    • Do I need travel insurance & where I purchase it?
      We strongly recommend you to purchase the travel insurance which protects you, in can if you had to cancel the trip or other reasons like flight delay, flight cancellation, and medical evacuation. Once you book the trip, we can send you a Travel Insurance Quote. You can either buy through the link we send you or from your choice of other insurance companies.
    • What about accommodations, meals & upgrade?
      You will be staying in nice, comfortable accommodation with attached bath. Your breakfast is always included. Lunch and dinner are included only in Chitwan and hiking. A decent meal will cost you about $ 8-12 in tourist class restaurant. If you like to upgrade it to higher end hotels, that is also possible with additional price.
    • What about guide, drivers and travel during the period?
      We provide experienced driver and English speaking local guides during the sightseeing tour. You will be traveling in comfortable private Car or van or mini bus with driver depending on the number of people in the group.
    • What should I pack?
      We will email you a packing list once you book the trip with us. We mail you the final information packet 2-3 months prior to departure. You will find the all relevant information including confirmed hotels, local contact details, domestic flight info, and packing list as well.
    • Can I extend my trip?
      Yes, you can extend your trip to Nepal or India, Myanmar or destinations in Asia. You may like to inform this at the time of booking the trip, should you book the international flight with us. We would be happy to arrange your extension as well.
    • Can we make this as a private trip on our own date?
      Yes, we can arrange this trip as a private trip on your own date. However, the price will be higher.
    • What if I have more questions?
      If you have more questions, just fill out the form below, and click "SEND". We will get back to you within same working day.