Nepal with trekking - Itinerary
- Day 1:
- Departure from Sweden. We will meet and get to know each other and our tour guide before boarding the plane that will take us to Kathmandu.
- Day 2: Kathmandu
- We will land in Kathmandu and be taken to the Tibet Guest House, which is a bit simplistic but in a good location. We will check in after being greeted with the customary welcome ceremonies. This first day we will get acquainted with Kathmandu and also a take a short tour by foot together. There is much to see in this city full of towers and temples. Overnight at Tibet Guest House. Breakfast included.
- Övernattning Tibet Guest House. Frukost ingår.
- Day 3: Bhaktapur
- We will go to Bhaktapur – the Newari city. Neawri is one of Nepal's many languages and peoples. Kathmandu is really a valley consisting of several cities including Patan, Bhaktapur and Kathmandu, and we will visit Patan as well. It will be a day dedicated to the culture and the areas crafts. We will wander around amongst the old temples and palaces, experiencing the everyday life along the streets. Among other things, we will see potters, woodcarvers, metal craftsmen and tanka painters. Tanka is a Buddhist icon painting. Also, there is always some festival going on where we can experience its associated rituals and rites.
- Overnight at Tibet Guest House. Breakfast included.
- Day 4: Pokhara
- We will be taken by minibus to Pokhara. It is around 200 km to the center where we will begin our hike. Himalaya rises at the base of the city and the view is stunning, to say the least! The journey to the center may be adventurous and unpredictable in the sense that you never know exactly how long it takes on the serpentine roads - it can take a few hours or even all day depending on the traffic. We will visit a Tibetan refugee camp on the way and see their convents or the Gandaki Boarding School, dependent on our time. There will also be time for a little shopping in the plaza and a meal at one of the restaurants along lake Phew.
- Overnight at hotel in Pokhara. Breakfast included.
- Day 5: Trekking
- Now it will be time to start our hike. We will be driven to the starting point in Naypool. We will walk together under the leadership of the Nepal Trekking Team with our pace completely dependent on the group's ability. If ability varies a lot, then we will split up into smaller groups. The porters will help us with our luggage, carrying it on their backs. We will carry our own smaller backpacks containing only what we need during the day. We will walk at a leisurely pace giving us a chance to enjoy the surroundings. We will likely cross paths with the locals who travel along the trails to the different villages. We will eat lunch in the teahouses along the road.
- Overnight at the lodge. All meals included.
- Day 6: Trekking
- We will march on. Along the way, we will see beautiful landscapes and scenery that is constantly changing. Rhododendrons of every conceivable color are growing all around us. When we stop for the night, we will have a magnificent view of the Machha Puchhre, the mountain whose peak looks like a fish tail. In the evening, we may be presented with a cultural experience in the form of a traditional dance by the “mother group” of the village. If anyone is daring enough, maybe he or she will join in…
- Overnight at the lodge. All meals included.
- Day 7: Trekking
- Our trek continues to Ghorepani. At this point, we will be really close to some of the world's highest peaks; Daulagiri, at 8,167 meters, Annapurna 1 at 8,091 meters and Machha Puchhre, at 6,993 meters. We will see blooming orchids in the trees. Along the walls of the mountains, we may see a pack of langurs, or colobinae. Our local guides will share their knowledge of both the plants and animals that we will come across during our trek. Once at the lodge, we can sit and enjoy the fantastic view along with our meal.
- Overnight at the lodge. All meals included.
- Day 8: Trekking in Pokhara
- This will be the last day of trekking. For those who would like to be woken at 4 o'clock for a unique experience, we will hike up to Poon Hill led by the light of our headlamps to meet the sunrise. We will see the sun light up the Himalayan peaks one by one. A beautiful site for group photos and a cup of tea afterward. Then we will walk back to a road to be taken to Pokhara.
- Overnight at hotel in Pokhara. Breakfast included.
- Day 9: Tansen
- We go by a chartered bus to the town of Tansen. It is a very old mountain town that still lives out the original Nepalese culture with little influence from western society. We will stop on the way and have lunch at a local eatery. We will live simply but well at the hospital's guest house or hotel. For those who are interested, we are welcome to visit to hospital with members of the staff as our guides. Dinner at a restaurant in town by the name of Nanglo. Perhaps we will even find a local band to entertain us for the rest of the evening.
- Overnight at the guesthouse/hotel. All meals included.
- Day 10: Tansen
- We will spend another day in Tansen. We will prepare ourselves breakfast in the kitchen of the guesthouse with all the necessary condiments and groceries already laid out. At the hotel, the breakfast will be served as usual. During the day, we will visit a Nepalese family and drink tea at their home. We will have a picnic on the hill in Sri Nagar that rises above Tansen. Then we will walk down through the small town where we will take the afternoon at our own leisurely pace. Certainly, there will be plenty of shopping at the local shops.
- Overnight at the guesthouse / hotel. All meals included.
- Day 11: Butwal, Lumbini
- We will get up early to head south, down to the Terai plains and to Buddha's birthplace, Lumbini. During our trip, the landscape will slowly change from mountains to hills and then eventually to flat plains. We will devote the day to wandering around all the temples that Buddhists from all over the world built in the memory of the Nepalese prince Siddhartha Gautama, the "Enlightened One", or Buddha. Lumbini has since been a holy place with a sacred stone. The stone marks Buddha’s birthplace and was built in 249 AD.
- Overnight at the hotel in Butwal. All meals included.
- Day 12: Chitwan National Park
- After a night in a descent hotel, we will make our way to the national park, Chitwan. We will live in the Chitwan Tiger Lodge just outside the jungle and the day is filled with several activities that you are free to choose from. We will experience a jeep safari, a ride with an ox cart, witness elephants bathing, ride elephants and even see how they live in their barns. There is also an opportunity to canoe in the traditional hollowed logs, dance and do a jungle walk.
- Overnight at the Tiger Lodge. All meals included.
- Day 13: Chitwan
- We will continue our adventure in the park with its enormous assortment of animal species. We will depart on the jungle safari by jeep where we can see rhinos, crocodiles (possibly even the endangered crocodile species gharial), as well as antelopes, monkeys and bears. If we are lucky, we will discover some fresh tiger tracks.
- Overnight at the Chitwan Tiger Lodge. All meals included.
- Day 14: Chitwan
- We will move north and stop at the river where we can take part in various activities on the beach and in the village. For those who dare and it is suitable for all ages, you can chose to go water rafting; something that is guaranteed to give you some butterflies and a good laugh. We will spend a night camping in tents. The simple living is compensated by the beautiful and exotic surroundings. Accompanied by a symphony of sounds of the jungle, we will listen to our guide and experience our own Lama´s narrative art. By the campfire, myth and truth are blended together as he shares his and Nepal’s remarkable history.
- Overnight in the tents. All meals included.
- Day 15: Kathmandu
- We will travel to Kathmandu. Back at the Tibet Guest House, we can choose to relax, socialize, or use the Internet to reconnect with the outside world. The day is at your leisure. Perhaps you will wander around in the Thamel quarter where the market is in full swing for a good portion of the day and into the night, or visit the Durbar Square.
- Overnight at Tibet Guest House. Breakfast included.
- Day 16: Kathmandu
- In the early morning, we will visit the Hindu holy incineration site, Pashupatinath. We will witness the authentic rituals held around the burning of the deceased. We will meet, in all likelihood, both holy men (sadhu), monkeys and the occasional hippie who resides in the surrounding area. In the afternoon there is additional time to explore Kathmandu on your own and visit handicraft shops or even visit a tailor to have any garment custom made.
- Overnight at Tibet Guest House. Breakfast included.
- Day 17: Kathmandu
- For those who want to and still have some money to spend, there is a chance in the early morning (weather permitting) for a so-called mountain flight, where you can fly over the spectacular Himalayas. During the rest of the morning we will visit the Buddhist stupa, Swayambhunath. A stupa is a holy temple with many relics of worship. In the afternoon we go to a monastery on a hill above Kathmandu where we will have lunch. Afterwards, it is time for the next stupa, Boudhanath.
- Overnight at Tibet Guest House. Breakfast included.
- Day 18: Departure
- We will depart from Kathmandu via Doha, then take a direct flight home. The flight is usually in the afternoon. Therefore, we may have time for anyone who wants to do a tour around town before we must bid farewell to an atmosphere and culture very much influenced by the Himalayas.
- Day 19:
- Arrival in Sweden
