8 Days in the Himalayan Kingdom: Kathmandu, Pokhara and Chitwan Tour

Your Nepalese journey starts at Tribhuvan International Airport, and you arrive with a warm welcome from Bold Himalaya with the Nepali greeting. The 30-minute journey rolls over city roads to your Thamel hotel, Kathmandu’s throbbing tourists’ hub.

Having acclimatized to altitude (Kathmandu is at 1,400 meters), spend the day wandering around the charming, narrow streets of Thamel. People are gesturing with Nepali handicrafts over their heads, prayer flags blowing in the wind, and smells of Nepali food filling the air. End your first evening with a rooftop restaurant dinner and sampling Nepali food while planning further excursions.

Begin the day of the cultural tour with a majestic cable car ride to Chandragiri Hills (2,551m). Enjoy the stunning view of the gigantic Kathmandu Valley below and the beautiful ranges of the Himalayas in the background, directly from Annapurna, Ganesh Himal, and Langtang. On a clear day, you even see Mount Everest at a distance.

Secondly, go see the ancient Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple), Nepal’s holiest Buddhist temple. Mischievous monkeys play within the complex as you climb 365 stairs all the way to the top. Your guide explains the fascinating mix of Buddhist and Hindu iconography on the stunning stupa and shrines that flank it from the top.

After steamed momos or dal bhat lunch, move on to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of the glory of Patan Durbar Square. The square is grand with Newari architecture in the shape of its old royal palace, temple woodcarvings, and the religious pearl in the Patan Museum.

Cap off your night at the Kathmandu Durbar Square, where Nepali kings were crowned. Delight in the unique way of life of Kumari (living goddess) and enjoy the vibrant atmosphere as locals relive their daily rituals within the steps of history.

Early this morning, take a tour of Boudhanath Stupa, Nepal’s biggest Tibetan-style round stupa and center of Tibetan Buddhism. Ramble among the pilgrims who are circumambulating this giant edifice with prayer flags so colorfully painted and Buddha eyes staring in all directions.

Walk to Pashupatinath Temple through the Bagmati River. Being Nepal’s holiest Hindu temple for Lord Shiva, it is where there are Hindus’ traditional death ceremonies. Your guide explains the traditional ceremonies in a respectful manner from the opposite side of the river.

Visit Bhaktapur Durbar Square, the most well-preserved valley of the three ancient kingdoms, in the evening. The medieval city-museum is a time-warp with its many curved, narrow streets, fine wood carvings, the famous 55-Window Palace, and Nyatapola, the valley’s highest temple. See the traditional pottery and woodcarving artisans at work, maintaining centuries-old skills.

Evening sunset, and ride to Nagarkot (2,175m), a hill station famous for the Himalayan sunset view. Relax in your hotel and watch the mountains from west to east, Dhaulagiri to Everest, with the sun’s color at sunset. Dining under the starry night sky is the beauty of your day, with the mountain breeze cold.

Wake up early in the morning to witness the breathtaking sunrise of the Himalayas at Nagarkot. Sunrise slowly wraps the snow-white mountains in dreamy colors of pink and gold to last a lifetime.

Breakfast after mountains and back to Kathmandu, then a brief flight to Pokhara, Nepal’s lakeside resort town. Even the flight is awe-struck thrilling bird’s eye view of the Himalayas if the weather remains fair.

Your Pokhara experience begins with lunch at a lakeside restaurant with pleasant views across tranquil Phewa Lake and the Annapurna range. Visit the International Mountain Museum to see exhibits on the history of mountaineering and on Nepal’s mountain people’s rich cultures. Drive to Davis Falls (Patale Chhango), a bizarre underground waterfall where the Pardi River plunges into a sinkhole.

Visit serene Gupteshwor Mahadev Cave with a holy Shiva temple and delicate overhangs of limestone above the waterfalls. End the day by trekking to Pumdikot for the bird’s eye view of the Pokhara Valley, Phewa Lake, and Annapurna hills rendered in sunset colors.

You begin the day in darkness and set out for a ride to Sarangkot viewpoint (1,600m) for a legendary sunrise over the Annapurna massif. Gaze up in awe as Himalayan giants—Dhaulagiri (8,167m), Annapurna I (8,091m), and Machhapuchhre “Fishtail” (6,993m)—graciously awaken from slumber in golden morning light.

On the way back to Pokhara for breakfast, stop at Bindabasini Temple, a Hindu temple in Pokhara dedicated to Goddess Durga. After breakfast, you will drive from Pokhara to Chitwan takes about 4-5 hours, and shows you yet another side of Nepal. You’ll descend from the hills into the Terai plains, where the landscape becomes more tropical and the air gets warmer and more humid.

You will arrive at your jungle lodge and be received with a welcome drink and orientation to lunch. The afternoon will be spent on a walking jungle trail with a professional naturalist who will lead you through the park’s ecosystem variety. Experience varied species of flora, insects, and bird life as you hunt for deer, monkeys, and even rhinoceros from afar.

The evening can be spent on the Rapti riverbank, admiring the sunset. The day will be so beautiful that the animals attracted to the riverbanks form a virgin silhouette against the gleaming sunset horizon. Cultural evening includes a dance show of traditional Tharu dances narrating tales of the jungle kingdom.

This Chitwan National Park tour gives you a taste of what’s to come: the sounds of the jungle at night, the anticipation of wildlife encounters, and the unique culture of Nepal’s lowland communities.

Rise to jungle alarm call and begin the day on a serene dugout canoe ride on the Rapti River. Plying the river in silence, looking for mugger crocodiles sunbathing on riverbank sand and waterbirds paddling in shallow waters as morning mist calms all to a sense of quiet.

Breakfast and then in the morning, visit the Elephant Breeding Centre and see how these lovely creatures are being conserved. See calves frolicking with their mothers and see how they are trained and nurtured.

Evening provides the crowning glory of your Chitwan safari—a jeep tour to the center of the national park. A professional naturalist guide accompanies jeep tours around diverse habitats for a view of the Royal Bengal tiger, one-horned rhinoceros, sloth bear, wild elephant, and other principal deer species. Open-top jeep offers unparalleled wildlife viewing and photography opportunities in Nepal’s stunning biodiversity.

Evening: Unwind in the lodge deck under a night starry sky, listening to the night jungle noises and re-reading the day’s experience.

Break for a complimentary breakfast before driving off to Kathmandu. Drive provides a final glimpse of Nepal’s volatile landscape that ranges from tropical lowland plains to middle hills rice terracing villages.

On reaching Kathmandu, just rest at the hotel and then lounge around for a couple of hours. Maybe a bit of last-minute shopping at Thamel for a few souvenirs such as hand-made pashmina shawls, singing bowls which produce melodious sounds, or exquisitely handmade thangka paintings.

On your previous night of departure, have a special cultural dinner at a Nepali restaurant. Have a rich spread of local dishes while watching performances featuring Nepal’s different ethnic groups’ dances. The traditional beats of the old music, the expensive dress, and the gestures are a proper farewell to Nepal’s rich cultural life.

After breakfast at the hotel, your driver will drop you off at Tribhuvan International Airport to board your departure flight, as per your flight schedules. Along with your goodbye to Nepal, you are carrying with you not only photographs, but Nepali hospitality, Himalayan grandeur, and cultural richness that make up this country and distinguish it.

All except the few tourists are already making their bookings to come again shortly before they have even left – next year to climb the Annapurna range, visit the birthplace of the Buddha at Lumbini, or trek the Upper Mustang wilderness. Meanwhile, “Pheri Bhetaula!