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Nepal Adventure 10 Days , KATHMANDU to KATHMANDU What's Included 6 nights accommodation at the hotels mentioned or similar. 3 nights accommodation in teahouse lodges Overseas Medical Insurance for the duration of the tour (Sum of US$ 2,50,000 covered) Kathmandu walking tour. Lunch at the Planeterra-supported Sisterhood of Survivors Project. Bhaktapur guided tour. Annapurna trekking (3-day). Chitwan National Park 4x4 safari. All transport between destinations and to/from included activities. I Lunch Services of Chief Experience Officer (CEO) throughout the tour. VERY IMPORTANT: Please ensure that you print a final copy of your Trip Details to review a couple of days prior to travel, in case there have been changes that affect your plans.

Exciting Nepal Adventure Tours by Cox & Kings

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Experience Nepal from a different perspective on an exciting adventure holiday by Cox & Kings. From the colours and magic of Kathmandu's markets to the serenity of Himalayan trails, this 10-day adventure offers an intriguing blend of well-paced excursions. Visit the website for information on the tour package. http://adventure.coxandkings.com/destinations/asia-adventure-holidays/nepal

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  • Nepal Adventure

    10 Days , KATHMANDU to KATHMANDU

    What's Included

    6 nights accommodation at the hotels mentioned or similar.

    3 nights accommodation in teahouse lodges

    Overseas Medical Insurance for the duration of the tour (Sum of US$ 2,50,000 covered)

    Kathmandu walking tour.

    Lunch at the Planeterra-supported Sisterhood of Survivors Project.

    Bhaktapur guided tour.

    Annapurna trekking (3-day).

    Chitwan National Park 4x4 safari.

    All transport between destinations and to/from included activities.

    I Lunch

    Services of Chief Experience Officer (CEO) throughout the tour.

    VERY IMPORTANT: Please ensure that you print a final copy of your Trip Details to

    review a couple of days prior to travel, in case there have been changes that affect

    your plans.

  • Itinerary

    DAY 1 Kathmandu

    You may arrive at the joining-point hotel at any time on Day 1 as no group

    activities are planned for today except for a group meeting in the early evening

    followed by an optional dinner. It is important that you arrive in time for this

    meeting as we will cover important aspects of the trek. Please check the

    entrance of the hotel for a notice from your CEO detailing the location of the

    meeting.

    Kathmandu is Nepal's magical capital and largest city and for many, simply the

    name alone is sufficient to conjure up images of temple pagodas, long-haired

    saddhus in clouds of hashish smoke and the ever-present Himalayas.

    Kathmandu is all this and more. Sitting in a bowl-like valley surrounded on all

  • sides by some of the highest mountains on earth, Kathmandu has been a

    crossroads of cultures since hundreds of years before Christ, a tradition very

    much alive today.

    Kathmandu is fascinating at every turn and a great place to just wander,

    seeing where chance, fate or the city may lead you.

    DAY 2 Kathmandu

    On Day 2 we will take a tour of the world heritage sites of Durbar Square and

    Bhaktapur.

    Durbar Square was built primarily in the 16th and 17th centuries. Within the

    square there is of course the Royal Palace and many temples built in the

    traditional Newari pagoda style. On the south side lies the Kumari Chowk,

    home to Nepal's living goddess the Kumari, a prepubescent girl chosen as the

    incarnation of the Hindu goddess Talejn. The Kumari lives a cloistered life

    rarely leaving the confines of the chowk, when she does it is for important

    religious festivals and whilst traveling her feet must never touch the ground.

    Once the Kumari reaches puberty another 3-5 year old girl will take her place.

    Known as Bhadgaon or the city of the devotees, Bhaktapur is a unique old town.

    Since time immemorial it lay on the trade route between Tibet/ China and

    India. This position on the main caravan route made the town rich and

    prosperous, which in turn fed the cultural life of the city, which today is a

    living gem of Hindu temples, pagodas, palaces and monuments, many dating

    back to the 16th century. The old palace in Durbar square, built in 1700, is

    well preserved and has beautifully carved wood work and a finely worked gilt

    gateway. Nepal's Malla dynasty's achievements in arts and crafts are reflected

    throughout the city. During our stay here you will observe interesting

    happenings such as colorful open markets, locals making clay pots and

    weaving. The town is famous for its home made curd which is known locally as

    khopa dhau.

    In your free time, you may want to visit Bodhnath Stupa, one of the largest

    Buddhist shrines in the world. Here you may observe Buddhist monks in prayer

    in the monasteries surrounding the Stupa. Another fascinating place is

    Pashupatinath, the most famous Hindu temple in the country, located on the

    banks of the holy Bagmati River. Here we will see Hindu holy-men (or Sadhus),

    pilgrims performing ritual bathing, and occasionally, funeral pyres burning on

    the ghats.

    Swayambhunath is the most ancient and enigmatic of all the holy shrines in

    Kathmandu valley. Its lofty white dome and glittering golden spire are visible

    for many miles. On each of the four sides of the main stupa there is a pair of

    big eyes. These eyes are symbolic of God's all-seeing perspective. There is no

    nose between the eyes but rather a representation of the number one in the

    Nepali alphabet, signifying that the single way to enlightenment is through the

  • Buddhist path. Above each pair of eyes is another eye, the third eye, signifying

    the wisdom of looking within. No ears are shown because it is said the Buddha

    is not interested in hearing prayers in praise of him. To reach Swayambhunath

    you climb 365 steps that lead up the hill and the area surrounding the stupa is

    filled with temples, painted images of deities and numerous other religious

    objects.

    MOUNTAIN FLIGHTS

    Regular flights are conducted daily from Kathmandu towards the Himalayan

    Range in the North and East of Kathmandu. The flight generally takes off in

    the morning and lasts for one full hour. This is the quickest way to get a close

    look at Mt. Everest, the highest mountains in the world. Other mountains that

    can be viewed at close range are Nuptse (7879 M), Lhotse (8501 M), Cho Oyu

    (8000M), Makalu (8475 M) and Kanchenjunga (8584 M).

    DAY 3 Pokhara

    A lively bus ride along stunning scenery brings us from Kathmandu to Pokhara.

    Pokhara lies on a once vibrant trade route extending between India and Tibet.

    To this day, mule trains can be seen camped on the outskirts of the town,

    bringing goods to trade from remote regions of the Himalaya. The enchanting

    city has several beautiful lakes and offers stunning panoramic views of

    Himalayan peaks - creating the ambience that has made it such a popular

    place to relax and enjoy the beauty of nature. Nestled in a tranquil valley at an

    altitude of 827m, Pokhara is a place of natural beauty. The serenity of Phewa

    Lake and the magnificence of the fish-tailed summit of Machhapuchhre

    (6977m) rising behind it create an ambiance of peace and tranquillity.

    Pay a visit to the striking temple of Brindabasim which stands proudly over

    Pokhara. The temple is of great religious importance to Hindus and is the site

    of much religious fervor. Dedicated to the goddess Durga who is the chosen

    guardian deity of Pokhara. Animal sacrifices take place here usually on

    Saturdays and Tuesdays. Later why not relax in a cafe, hire a boat and float

    around the lake or shop for Nepali and Tibetan souvenirs in the endless stalls

    and shops.

    DAY 4 Annapurna Foothills Trek

    At 8091m, Annapurna 1 is one of the highest mountains in the world. Its

    surrounding sister mountains are equally imposing, creating magnificent

    panoramas from any view point. Throughout the trek we come across isolated

    mountain communities, each observing different ancestral customs and

    traditions, resulting in not only a visually superb expedition but also a

    culturally rich one. Amid the rugged mountain scenery, we meet warm and

    welcoming locals herding yaks and goats on the grassy pastures. We also enjoy

    the opportunity to visit their monasteries and temples. Along the way we see

  • waterfalls of melted snow, cross icy rivers, broad plains and high mountain

    passes and reward ourselves with a soak in natural hot springs (boy, have you

    earned this!).

    We transfer to our trekking start point Nayapool which is around 1.5 hours

    from Pokhara. From here we start to trek uphill passing the foothill of

    Annapurna Region to reach Ghandruk. Ghandruk is a village which is

    populated by mostly Thakalis, Gurungs and Magars. Total hiking time today is

    about 5 - 6 hours and distance hiked is 8-9 km. (Altitude at Nayapool: 1080m,

    at Ghandruk: 1920 meters)

    DAY 5 Annapurna Foothills Trek

    After breakfast, we trek all the way to Jhinu Danda which takes approx. 4

    hours (distance hiked: 6 km). We spend about 2 hours in Jhinu so we can take a

    break and enjoy the hotsprings. In the afternoon we hike another 3 hours (5-6

    km) through the forest of Annapurna to reach Landrung. (Altitude at Jhinu

    Danda: 1710m, at Landruk: 1630 meters)

    DAY 6 Annapurna Foothills Trek

    Today our 4 - 5 hour trek brings us to Dhampus for the evening. The total

    distance hiked is 8-9 kms. (Altitude at Deurali: 2100m, at Dhampus: 1600

    meters)

    DAY 7 Pokhara & Chitwan

    Today, we have a final two hour trek to Phedi from where we return to Pokhara

    for lunch before continuing to the UNESCO World Heritage listed Royal

    Chitwan National Park (approx 4-5 hrs). Known as the Terai Tarai ("moist

    land"), the landscape you travel through today is a belt of marshy grasslands,

    savannas, and forests at the base of the Himalayas. The Terai zone is

    composed of alternate layers of clay and sand, with a high water table that

    creates many springs and wetlands; the zone is inundated yearly by the

    monsoon-swollen rivers of the Himalaya.

    Total time trekking: 2 hours

    Distance hiked: 3km

    DAY 8 Chitwan National Park

    The Terai-Duar savanna and grasslands form an eco-region that stretches

    across the middle of the Terai belt. They are a mosaic of tall grasslands,

    savannas and evergreen and deciduous forests; the grasslands are among the

    tallest in the world, fed by silt deposited by the yearly monsoon floods. It is this

  • eco-region that is home to the endangered Indian Rhinoceros, as well as

    elephants, Bengal tigers, bears, leopards and other wild animals. Much of the

    region has been converted to farmland, although both Royal Chitwan National

    Park and Royal Bardia National Park preserve significant sections of habitat,

    and are home to some of the greatest concentrations of rhinoceros and tiger

    remaining in South Asia.

    Royal Chitwan National Park (RCNP), the oldest national park in Nepal.

    Established in 1973, it became a World Heritage Site in 1984. Within its area

    of 932km square, the Royal Chitwan National Park is home to at least 43

    species of mammals, 450 species of birds, and 45 species of amphibians and

    reptiles including sambars, chitals, rhesus monkeys, and langurs.

    Until 1950 the Chitwan Valley was a hunting reserve for big game. Happily,

    today tourists come only to spot wildlife, rather than shoot it, and the park

    offers some of the best wildlife viewing opportunities in Asia. We explore the

    national park by jeep safari before we are accompanied by our local guide for a

    half day walk inside the park. There will also be free time to go on a canoe ride

    or to enjoy a spot of bird watching.

    DAY 9 Kathmandu

    Return to Kathmandu by road (approx 6 hours).

    The afternoon is free for your own explorations and shopping. If you have not

    done so already you could visit the burning ghats at Pashupatinath and

    Swayambhunath, the monkey temple. More than almost any city in the world,

    Kathmandu is fascinating at every turn, and some travelers prefer to just

    wander, seeing where chance, fate or the city may lead them.

    DAY 10 Kathmandu

    You are free to depart at any time today, though remember check out from the

    hotel is 12.00 midday. Your CEO can help you arrange any onward travel.