Nepal Cultural Tour, Chitwan Jungle Safari and Short Trekking into Annapurna reg ion 13 days TOUR

HIGHLIGHT: Kathmandu sightseeing; Safari activities in Chitwan National Par k including elephant bathing; short trekking into Annapurna region This trip includes multifaceted activities such as guided tours of cultural hear ts of Kathmandu, Patan & Bhaktapur, wildlife Safari in Royal Chitwan National Pa rk and a short yet very scenic trek up to 3195 meter at Poon Hill. Day to day itinerary: Day 01: Arrival to Kathmandu airport and transfer to hotel. Stay overnight at ho tel accommodation in Kathmandu. Day 02: In the morning you enjoy the mountain flight. During the day you go for sight seeing in Kathmandu valley. The places of visit this day are Kathmandu Dur bar Square, Pashupatinath, Boudhanath and Swayambhunath. Stay overnight at hotel in Kathmandu. Kathmandu Durbar Square Kathmandu Durbar Square is one of the most popular tourist destinations as enlis ted in World Heritage Sites. Clustered around the central Durbar Square are the old Royal Palace (Hanuman Dhoka), numerous interesting temples, the Kumari Chowk or Kumari Bahal (House of the Living Goddess) and the Kasthamandap (House of Wo od) from which Kathmandu derived its present name. An exquisitive exploration in the Durbar Square reveals the ancient art and architecture of Nepal. Pashupatinath Temple Situated 5 kilometers east of Kathmandu City, Pashupatinath temple is one of the holiest temples dedicated to Lord Shiva. Situated amidst a lush green natural s etting on the bank of the sacred Bagmati river, the temple built in pagoda style has jilted roof and richly carved silver doors. Visitors are permitted to view the temple from the east bank of Bagmati River, as entrance into the temple is s trictly forbidden to all non Hindus. Pashupatinath is the centre of annual pilgr image on the day of Shivaratri which falls in the month of February/March. Boudhanath Stupa This Stupa, situated 8 kilometers east of Kathmandu city, is one of the biggest stupa in the world . It stands with four pairs of eyes in the four cardinal dire ction keeping watch for righteous behaviour and human prosperity. This Buddhis S tupa was built by King Man Deva at the advice of the Goddess Mani Jogini. It is built on an octagonal base inset with prayer wheels. The shrine is encircled by houses of Lamas or Buddhist priest. Swayambhunath Stupa Swayambhunath is located approximately 4 kilometers and this Buddhist Stupa is s aid to be 2000 years old. The Stupa which forms the main structure is composed o f a solid hemisphere of brick and earth supporting a lofty conical spire capped by a pinnacle of copper gilt. Painted on the four sided base of the spire are th e all seeing eyes of Lord Buddha. This hill is a mosaic of small Chaityas and Pa goda temples. Day 03: Full day of sightseeing in Patan and Bhaktapur. Stay overnight at hotel in Kathmandu. Brief description of the places: Patan Durbar Square Patan Durbar Square, like its counterpart in Kathmandu, is an enchanting mlange of palace buildings, artistic courtyards and graceful pagoda temples. Listed as a World Heritage Site, the former royal palace complex is the center of Patan s religi ous and social life, and houses a museum containing an array of bronze statues a nd religious objects. One remarkable monument here is a 17th-century temple dedi

cated to the Hindu god Krishna, built entirely of stone The main attractions in Patan: Besides above mentioned places to visit, there are other significant sites to be explored: 1. Golden Temple 2. Kumbheshwar 3. Krishna Mandir 4. Jagat Narayan 5. Mahaboudha 6. Ashokan Stupa 7. Machchhendranath Temple 8. Tibetan Refugee Camp Bhaktapur (1,401m) covers an area of four square miles. Bhaktapur which means th e city of devotees still retains a medieval charm and visitors to this ancient t own are treated to myriad wonders of cultural and artistic achievements. The pas t glory of the Malla rules continues to be reflected at the Durbar Square. Potte ry and waving are its traditional industries. Bhaktapur is famous for woodcarvin g and the traditional topi or cap. The city lies about 14 km east of Kathmandu. The places of interest include Bhaktapur Darbar Square, the National Art Gallery , Nyatapola Temple, Bhairavnath Temple, Dattatreya Temple and Dattatreya Square. Bhaktapur Durbar Square The main square of the city contains innumerable temples and other architectural wonders such as lion gate, the golden gate, the statue of King Bhupatindra Malla, Dattatraya Temple etc. A magnificent statue of King Bhupatindra Malla in the act of worship is placed o n a column facing the palace. It was listed in the UNESCO world Heritage Monumen t List in 1979. Palace of 55 Windows Being built by King Yaksha Malla in 1427 A.D. and remodeled by King Bhupatindra Malla in the 17th century, the balcony and the windows are intricately carved is a masterpiece of wood carving. Nyatapola Temple This five storied Pagoda Style temple was built by King Bhupati ndra Malla in 1708 A.D. is well known for its massive structure and subtle workm anship. It is the tallest pagoda structure in the Kathmandu. Day 04: Drive from Kathmandu to Chitwan. Enjoy some jungle activities. Stay over night at lodge in Chitwan. Day 05: Full day of jungle activities. Stay overnight at lodge in Chitwan. During your stay in National Chitwan Park you will enjoy the following activitie s: Bird Watching: For the bird watchers, it is Paradise Island with over 450 specie s of exotic birds of domestic as well as migratory birds. Many are threatened, e .g. the Great pied hornbill, Bengal Florican, Peregrine falcon, lesser adjutant storks, etc. A bird watching trip will be a memorable experience. Jungle Drive: A tour by four wheel drive in the less distributed areas of the pa rk to track the rarer species. You will visit Ox-bow Lake and museum of historic interest relating to the park. However during this period we will visit 20,000 areas which afford a varied experience of birds and mammals. Nature Walk: Our experienced naturalists will accompany you to the more speciali zed habitats. This is the ideal opportunity to explore and experience at closer quarters and beauty of the flora and fauna. The authority of the naturalist must be closely observed to obviate any risks from wildlife attacks. Elephant Breeding Centre: This is the first Elephant breeding centre in Asia. Yo u can see baby elephants socializing with their parents and other babies. This c entre is government owned and its purpose is to raise the young elephants, and t o train them to convey tourist around the region. Village tour: Excursion in Tharu village will grant you an exhilarating experien

ce. Tharus are the indigenous inhabitant of the Terai. We offer guided cultural tours to meet the people and experience their traditional self-sufficient way of life. Cultural Program: In the evening you will get an opportunity to be a part of Tha ru folk dance. The drummers and symbolic stick dancers perform traditional movem ents and invite guests to join them in this rhythmic display. Such cultural show s performed by Tharus will be an unforgettable experience. The Tharus in traditi onal colorful costumes are sure to captivate you. Elephant safari: On elephant back you can view the wild life of the area in thei r natural habitat. Elephant Bathing: Your guide will take you to the specific place where you can o bserve elephant bathing. Crocodile Walk: One more option is to go for crocodile walk. It goes through gra ssland and forest along the bank of Rapti / Narayani river. Day 06: Drive from Chitwan to Pokhara. Stay overnight at hotel in Pokhara. Day 07: City sightseeing in 7 around Pokhara valley. Stay overnight at hotel in Pokhara. Day 08: Drive from Pokhara (915 m.) to Nayapul (1050m.) by car takes one and a h alf hour s drive. Now, you begin your trek from Nayapul (1050m.) to Tikhedhunga (157 7 m.) via Birethanti (1065m.) which takes about four and half hours. The first p art of your trek is comfortable one passing through numerous small villages and settlements. Afterwards you could ascend gently to the final destination of the day. Stay overnight at lodge. Day 09: Trek from Tirkhedhunga to Ghorepani (2675 m.) takes about six hours. You r trek begins with a steep ascend for the early 2 hours and then ascend gently p assing through Ulleri (2070m.) and Banthanti, Magar villages. On the way, you ca n see good view of Machhapuchhre or Fish Tail (6997m.), Huinchuli (6441m.), and Annapurna (7219m.) south. Stay overnight at lodge. Day 10: Trek from Ghorepani to Ghandruk (1950m.) takes about 7 and half hours. E arly morning trip to Poon Hill (3232m.) to enjoy the sunrise view over Mt. Dhaul agiri (8167m.), Tukuche Peak (6920m.), Nilgiri (6940m.), Varaha Shikhar (7847m.) , Mt. Annapurna I (8091m.), Annapurna South (7219m.), Annapurna III (7855m.), Ma chhapuchhre (6993m.), Annapurna IV (7525m.), Annapurna II (7937m.), Lamjung Hima l (6931m.) and other numerous snowcapped mountain peaks. After breakfast trek fr om Ghorepani to Tadapani (2650 m.). From Tadapani to Ghandruk, it is a very easy trek by descending gently all the way through rhododendron, oak and other kinds of dense forests. This is one of the popular destinations for the birds' lovers . Ghandruk is a big Gurung village. From this village you can see good views of Annapurna South, Hiunchuli, Gangapurna (7455m.), Annapurna III (7755m.) and Fish tail. Stay overnight at lodge. Day 11: Trek from Ghandruk (1950m.) Dhampus Phedi (1113m.) via Pothana (1990m.) takes about seven hours. First part of your trek is steep descent following ston e staircase to Kimbu (Bee hive). Now, your trail steeply ascends following the s tone staircase up to Landruk. The trail ascends gently for early two hours and a gain ascends steeply for an hour to Deurali (2150m.) passing through Tolkha vill age (1850m.). From this point you can see panoramic view of Dhaulagiri I (8167m. ), Annapurna South (7219m.), Hiunchuli (6441m.), Fishtail (6997m.), Annapurna II I (7755m.), Annapurna IV (7525m.), Annapurna II (7937m.) and Lamjung Himal (6930 m.). Now, the rest of the trail gently descends down to Dhampus passing through Pothana village (1900m.). From Pothana your trail descends gradually for at leas t an hour and follows gravel road for two hours and then steeply descends to Phe di passing through Dhampus village, paddy fields and forest protected by local c

ommunity. Upon your arrival at Dhampus Phedi, you could take a vehicle to reach Pokhara. Stay overnight at hotel in Pokhara. Day 12: Drive from Pokhara to Kathmandu by tourist mini bus takes about seven ho urs. While driving from Pokhara to Kathmandu, you head up to Damauli, Dumre, Mug lin and Kurintar where Nepal's first Cable car is operated to reach to Manakaman a Temple. From Naubishe you climb up to Thankot, the gateway to capital city. St a overnight at hotel in Kathmandu. Day 13: Transfer to airport for final departure. Contact http://thehimalayantrips.com/ for more details