Nepal 11 Days
This itinerary visits historic Kathmandu and the surroundings towns, Pokhara, the Annapurna Range and the jungle of Chitwan National Park.
Nepal has a diverse geography, including fertile plains, subalpine forested hills, and eight (8) of the world's ten tallest mountains, including Mount Everest, the highest point on Earth. Kathmandu is the capital and the largest city. The country is a trekkers' paradise, offering Himalayan views, golden temples, charming rural villages and jungle wildlife watching. It is one of the world's great travel destinations.
Tips:
Visa: Nepal visas are available on arrival at Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International airport.
You can also apply for a visa online up to 15 days before your arrival (you must travel to Nepal within six months of visa being approved). Make sure you’re applying for your visa on the official government site, rather than scam sites like iVisa who charge a lot more to complete the very same form that you do.
ATMs are widely available in big cities, but not in rural areas.
Travel Guides: Lonely Planet Nepal and Footprint Nepal & Nepal Guide.
Vaccines recommended are: hepatitis A, hepatitis B, rabies and typhoid.
Best time to visit: Late October to December. Visitors are greeted with beautiful clear skies, fresh air and incredible views.
Travelwildnow.com strongly recommends a tour operator for your Nepal adventure. Nepal is a difficult country to navigate on your own.
Tour Operators can be found in the Guides mentioned above.
Day 1
Arrive at Kathmandu airport and transfer to your hotel.
Kathmandu has become a busy, polluted, modern city, but it still preserves a stunning medieval heart, quiet courtyards and an exciting restaurant and nightlife scene. It is set in a valley surrounded by the Himalayan mountains.
Explore Kathmandu’s Buddhist temples and bustling bazaars.
Overnight: Kathmandu (3 nights), We suggest the Dwarika Hotel.
Day 2 and 3
Kathmandu is a huge city that extends throughout most of the valley.
Best way is to plan wisely visiting the “must see” neighborhoods:
Durbar Square at Basantapur. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979. There are many Hindu and Buddhist temples dating as far back as the 12th century. Sadly however, a huge earthquake destroyed many of the temples and buildings, including the palace, in 2015. (Patan’s Durbar Square is better preserved, read below.)
Thamel - the district is full of shops, tour operator offices, restaurants, clothing and souvenir shops and hotels. Everything that travelers may need can be found in Thamel.
Swayambhunath Stupa - the stupa has stood as a hallmark of faith and harmony for centuries with Hindu temples and deities incorporated in this Buddhist site.
Boudha - is almost a town in itself. Focused on the enormous Boudhanath Stupa—the most sacred Tibetan Buddhist site outside of Tibet—Boudha is central to Kathmandu's Tibetan population. Here you'll find shops selling Tibetan souvenirs.
Pashupatinath - at the holy riverbank of Pashupatinath, the Hindu dead are cremated in the open.
Visit Patan - Patan is 5 km away from the capital city, Kathmandu. Despite its proximity to Kathmandu, it still retains its old-world charm. Patan is a city of major temples, Buddhist monasteries and its artisans are known for their fine metal works.
Patan Durbar Square (better than the one in Kathmandu) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with the old royal palace and a host of artistically designed temples all within the square.
Explore Bhaktapur - similar to Patan, Bhaktapur (16 km away) is another town that was once a separate kingdom, and also feels very different from Kathmandu, and not totally connected by urban sprawl. The stunningly preserved city of Bhaktapur offers a taste of what Kathmandu before it became a modern world city.
Discover Bandipur - Unlike many small towns in the Nepal hills, Bandipur has retained its age-old cultural - a temples, shrines, sacred caves, festivals, that retracts back to the Kathmandu Valley of old.
It makes a ideal location for hiking along trails that take you through tribal villages, verdant forests, boutique hotels and hilltop shrines that once doubled as fortresses.
Day 4-7
Journey to Pokhara - located under the white peaks of the Annapurna range, lakeside Pokhara is Nepal's biggest tourist center. It is the base for trekkers undertaking the Annapurna Circuit.
What is the best way to get from Kathmandu to Pokhara ?
Pokhara may not seem far from Kathmandu (the cities are only 126 miles / 204 km apart), but the terrain and road quality make for a very long and uncomfortable drive.
By Road it will take 6- 8 hours. The main factor that will affect your journey is the poor road conditions and traffic around the Kathmandu Valley depending on the time of day.
Flying is by far the quickest and most comfortable way of traveling between Kathmandu and Pokhara and HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. Numerous flights leave each day from Tribhuvan Airport and take only around 30 minutes. Aside from the higher cost, the downside of flying is that flights can often be delayed due to poor weather, or because of delays with incoming flights.
Trekking in the Annapurna Range is the main reason visitors come to Pokhara.
The Annapurna Range rises above some of Nepal's lushest, steepest and loveliest foothills – perfect for a shorter trek to the viewpoint of Poon Hill, or, with a few more days in hand, up to the uplifting Annapurna Sanctuary and then back to Pokhara.
The legendary Annapurna region is the most diverse and popular trekking area in Nepal.
There is a trek suitable for every interested visitor, from the full three-week Annapurna Circuit, which stretches into the historic Mustang region to the popular short three (3)-day treks. Working with a tour operator is highly recommended for an enjoyable customized trek.
Day 8
Returning from your trek to Pokhara, head next to the jungle Chitwan National Park.
Sauraha is the main town outside of Chitwan. It’s the starting point of the vast majority of tours.
To reach Sauraha, buses depart daily from Kathmandu and Pokhara and each take approximately 4-6 hours.
Overnight: Sauraha (3 nights) <Where to stay>
Driving time:
Pokhara —> Chitwan Park 4-6 hours. Road Construction, Maintenance, Strikes etc. may delay arrival.
Option: BY AIR - flight time, 30 minutes. Bharatpur airport is the hub for Chitwan Park.
Bharatpur is 16km (10 mi.) from Sauraha.
There’s usually one daily flight between Pokhara and Bharatpur. It’s a very short flight, so if it fits your schedule, you can save a long road journey. It’s easy to arrange a pick-up and transfer to your hotel. Tour operators are your best bet to customize your itinerary.
Day 9 and 10
Chitwan National Park is located in the mid Terai area of Nepal. It's famous for a jungle that has a population of Royal Bengal tigers, elephants, one-horned rhinoceros, crocodiles and a host of bird life.
Your activities at the Park will depend on the type of tour you select.
Activities range from visiting the Tharu villages to see how they live, plus cultural dances and performances, visiting a elephant breeding center, canoeing, birding watching, cycling, elephant safari ride or jeep safari trips with a naturalist.
Overnight: Sauraha.
Day 11
Depart Chitwan Park to Kathmandu and connect to your flight home.
Climate Guide:
Nepal has dry periods in mid-October to March.
The warmest months are May through August with an avg. maximum temperature of 30°C (86°F).
The coldest months are January and February with an avg. maximum temperature of 18°C (64°F).
June through September are the most wet months.
November through February are the driest months and peak season for visitors.
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