This itinerary is an excellent general introduction to Nepal, and includes time in the Kathmandu valley, a day rafting on the Seti River and two days in Chitwan National Park. Nepal is a remote landlocked mountainous country bordered to the north by Tibet and to the south, east and west by India. We will spend some time in the Kathmandu valley visiting Bhaktapur Durbar Square its ancient cities, full of gilded Pagoda style Hindu temples, large white domed Buddhist Stupas, bronze and stone statues and bustling bazaars.

We leave the busy capital and travel to Nagarkot 30 km east of Kathmandu, on the rim of the valley. From here at sunrise and sunset, are outstanding views of central and the eastern Himalaya. From Nagarkot we travel by road to the small hill town of Nuwakot then continue our journey to Pokhara, with its beautiful lakes set below the majestic peaks of the Annapurna Himalaya. We then drive to Chitwan national park. The park is well known for its Royal Bengal tigers, one-horned rhinoceros, several species of deer, sloth bear, leopard, wild boars and more than 350 species of birds. Although this trip is designed as a non-trekking tour, we have the chance of some easy walks and hikes for those who are interested. In addition, we have the opportunity to take an Everest mountain flight by Chopper from Kathmandu.

Day to Day Activity

Day 01: Arrive Kathmandu.
Day 02: Bhaktapur sightseeing and drive to Nagarkot,
Day 03: Walk to Changu Narayan and drive to Nuwakot
Day 04: Drive to Pokhara
Day 05: Sightseeing In Pokhara
Day 06: Drive to Damauli/Seti Camp
Day 07/08: Morning rafting and to Chitwan
Day 09: Drive to Daman(2400m)
Day 10: Drive back Kathmandu,
Day 11: Everest mountain flight by Chopper
Day 12: Depart Kathmandu,

Note: Bed and Breakfast is provided in Kathmandu and Pokhara. Full board is provided during the rest of the trip.

» Good sunrise and sunset view over Himalaya from Nagarkot
» Comfortable lodges, all with superb views of the area
» A night in a well-appointed fixed camp by the Seti River
» Elephant back safaris in Chitwan
» Watch typical village life go by whilst gently rafting

• Day 01: Arrive Kathmandu,
  Check in to your Hotel (Yak and Yeti) right in the centre of the town, just off Thamel. It’s easy to get all the important sights in Kathmandu valley.
  Overnight 4-Star Hotel, Meals included: breakfast

  Day 02: Bhaktapur sightseeing and drive to Nagarkot (2,175m),
  After breakfast, you begin a day’s sightseeing in Bhaktapur. It’s a short drive to the old city of Bhaktapur, a typical Newari town in the valley and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the medieval period, it was one of the powerful valley capitals. Still a functioning town, Bhaktapur Durbar Square is a superb place to spend few hours visiting different Pagoda style temples, monuments, museum and different streets including Poetry – this is in the East as people imagine it. It is still a very fascinating town in the valley. After lunch, it’s an interesting short road journey to Nagarkot arriving late afternoon.
  Overnight Simple Hotel, Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner

  Day 03: Walk to Changu Narayan and drive to Nuwakot,
  After viewing good sunrise on the mountains this morning, you walk down through fields to the oldest known temple in Nepal, Changu Narayan. This is an exquisite example of age-old Nepalese artistry and ingenuity. This afternoon, you’ll take a road journey of approximately 4 hours north to little-known Nuwakot, a delightful small town near the Trisuli River. You will stay at the newly restored and locally owned Famous Farm. You will have the chance here to enjoy the charming settings with a number of short walks around the area.
  Overnight Simple Hotel, Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner

  Day 04: Drive to Pokhara,
  This morning you set off west on your journey towards the Pokhara town. Along this route, there is a 16km stretch of rough off-road. It is currently being tarmacked, but be prepared for a bit of a bumpy ride. The foothills of the Himalaya are in themselves impressive enough and we continue following Trisuli River to Mugling. From here, we take right turn to Pokhara valley a beautiful town known as “Lake district of Nepal” now days, where there are nearly half dozen of lakes situated in different direction. Our Hotel is situated soar of the lake Phewa Tal beneath the Annapurna range. Although we spend some time exploring different places of Pokhara valley, we will spend more time around this lake doing lots of different things.
  Overnight Simple Hotel, Meals included: breakfast

  Day 05: Sightseeing in Pokhara,
  On our second day in Pokhara we hire a rowing boat to Barahi Temple, a Hindu Temple of lord Shiva where you will see lots of Hindu pilgrims buying flowers, grains, doing puja and feeding for pigeon in the temple and then we go across the lake climbing steeply sometime through forest and terraces all the way up to the top where suddenly you will see a white painted big world peace Buddhist Stupa is situated. From this place, there are spectacular views of the mountains making up the Annapurna range, which at this point are only 48 km away- from Dhaulagiri in the west to Machhapuchare or Fishtail peak (6993m) and Annapurna 2 in the east. From here, we walk down hill other side on a village track at the bottom where there is Davis fall or“Patale Chhango”in Nepali, the out flow from the Phewa Lake making big underground waterfall to Seti River. We will visit Tashiling, a long established settlement of Tibetan refugees. We spend some time here watching wool being sorted, dyed and eventually made into Tibetan carpets which are exported all over the world and then visit the villages Buddhist monastery. We will also visit the mountain museum housing expedition memorabilia and information on ethnic groups, flora and fauna. You may like to start very early to go to Sarankot viewpoint to see sunrise over Dhaulagiri and Annapurna range.
  Overnight Simple Hotel, Meals included: breakfast

  Day 06: Drive to Damauli/Seti River Camp,
  After breakfast, we drive through the countryside to Damauli, (1½ hours). Our experienced rafting crew, who will give us a full briefing prior to launch, will meet us here. Floating down the river gives us a chance to see typical village life along the banks as well as an abundant variety of birds. There will be a picnic lunch stop on the way to the camp. We will raft over 2 small grade 2 rapids, which are no longer than 50 meters. The remainder of the trip is very much a floating experience. Upon arrival, you will be shown to your safari style tent with beds, a changing room, veranda and attached bathroom. For those who feel energetic, an optional hike to a nearby village will be arranged. (Rafting time about 3 hours depending on water levels).
  Overnight River Camp, Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner

  Days 07/08: Morning rafting and to Chitwan,
  The morning of day 7 is spent rafting. The route we take passes 5 grade 2 rapids each being no more than 50 meters. The remainder of the trip is an opportunity to enjoy the surrounding countryside. Rafting time will be 2 to 3 hours in total depending on water levels. Following our morning of activity, we drive to Chitwan, where we spend two nights in a comfortable safari lodge. The most popular way of seeing the wild animals is on elephant-back, and we should see the Indian one-horned rhinoceros and several species of deer. It is also possible to make trips along the Rapti River in a dugout canoe, looking for crocodile and observing the many birds. We stay in a safari lodge, whose knowledgeable and helpful staff accompany us on all the excursions. The lodge has a complex of two roomed huts with attached bathrooms and larger dining room/bar areas.
  Overnight Jungle Lodge, Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner

  Day 09: Drive to Daman (2400m),
  Leaving from Chitwan, we drive northeast to Hetauda, a small industrial town in inner Terai. From here, we follow the scenic switch backing mountain road through little villages and human made terraces to the top of the middle hills at Daman (2400m). For those seeking the ultimate panoramic Himalayan view, Daman is the place to visit. Located approx 80 km southwest of the Kathmandu valley, Daman offers the only unimpeded view of the entire Himalayan range – roughly 400 km of Himalayan panorama. Daman is located on the Tribhuvan Highway between Kathmandu and the town of Hetauda. A walk around the surrounding area or a lounging on the one of the resort here is just a different experience in itself. Rock climbing, cycling, hiking are few of the many activities possible here.
  Overnight Simple Hotel, Meals included: breakfast

  Day 10: Drive back Kathmandu,
  You can take your time in the morning exploring the village and drive through fields of little villages to join Prithivi Highway at Naubise and continue on to Kathmandu.
  Overnight 4-Star Hotel, Meals included: breakfast

  Day 11: Everest mountain flight by Chopper,
  You may want to do Everest mountain flight by helicopter today. It is an extra and can be very expensive but your enjoyment is not comparable with the money. If it suits for you, you can have a short break at Everest view Hotel for breakfast or lunch depending on your time to there and back. You will have sometime for sightseeing or last minute shopping.
  Overnight 4-Star Hotel, Meals included: breakfast

  Day 12: Depart Kathmandu,
  The trip ends after breakfast. You will be transferred to the airport for the flight back home.
  Meals included: breakfast

Price Includes:

» Transport-Comfortable Bus, elephant, on foot, canoe
» Accommodation - Comfortable hotels , Simple hotel and Lodge
» All sightseeing in Bhaktapur, Pokhara, Nuwakot and jungle activities in Chitwan
» Local leader throughout the trip, local guide and naturalist
» All meals (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner), snacks, welcome drink, Tea/Coffee as listed in the itinerary
» Domestic flights and applicable taxes.
» All National Park permits and entrance fees
» Comprehensive medical kit

Price Excludes:

» Personal expenses such as soft drinks, beverage, postage, laundry
» Meals in Kathmandu and Pokhara
» International flights and departure taxes
» Visa and passport fees
» Travel insurance
» Emergency evacuation
» Tips and gratuities
» Costs arising from unforeseen events outside the control of Griffon Travel