Adventurous Nepal

The difficulty of our trips varies greatly. Added to this is the fact that travel difficulty is a very personal perception. To give an impression of the difficulty of a particular journey, we have developed a classification system.
Category A: Light travel, possible for anyone. Short travel distances, good hotels, slow travelling speed.
Category B: Feasible for anyone who prepares for the trip. Sometimes longer distances, good hotels or camping facilities, some adventure nights, average travelling speed.
Category C: Feasible for anyone who prepares well and is flexible, though some parts of the journey are difficult, distances may be long or require a day’s walk, there may be some accommodation with rather basic facilities.
Category D: Reasonably difficult trip because of long travel distances, often primitive facilities or tents, long walks.
Category E: Difficult trip. The traveller knows him/herself and is well prepared, he or she realises that the journey can be demanding

The roundtrip Adventurous Nepal is Category C holiday. You can expect some long bus rides.
Generally we stay in comfortable hotels, except in Chitwan and during the trekking where accommodation is simpler.

Day 1 - 2: Kathmandu

These days are scheduled as free days in Kathmandu. The Kathmandu Valley is the very heart of Nepal and combines beautiful nature with a multitude of temples, monasteries and other exquisitely decorated buildings. The three majestic cities of Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur, once the capital cities of numerous sovereigns, are situated in the middle of the fertile rice fields that are surrounded on all sides by mountains. In the cities’ heyday between the 16th and 19th centuries, they all competed with one another to build temples bigger and more beautiful than the neighbours. This gave the inhabitants of the valley a real task to keep up with the whims of the demanding nobility. The citizens of the valley were known for their carving skills using bronze and other metalwork. People as far over the border as Tibet and even China were proud owners of Nepalese crafts. Through these and other trades, enough money flowed into the valley to finance yet more holy houses, resulting in hundreds of large and countless small temples being built. The situation was so extreme that the first western visitors to the region remarked that there were more temples than houses, and more religious statues than people! Although the number of motorised vehicles has risen considerably in recent years, daily life in Kathmandu continues almost as if the 20th century is still to come. Most streets and power lines stop at a distance of around five or six miles outside the busy city.
Kathmandu is an extremely interesting city whose temples and old buildings compete with the diverse native population for your attention. The native folk appear as if out of the Middle Ages, especially in the older part of the city. Some visitors spend a whole day sat on the stairs of the temples in the centrally located Durbar Square, taking in the spellbinding way of life of the people of Kathmandu. This square and the old neighbourhoods to the north and the south of it captivate your attention. A mile and a half to the west you will find the large and extremely beautiful stupa (traditional Buddhist monument) of Swayambunath. This site is very sacred to Buddhists, and it is definitely worth visiting. Due to the many apes that hang around the area, this stupa is also known as the ‘Monkey Temple’. An even bigger stupa is situated a little further outside Kathmandu, in Bodnath. On the way to this area we will pass by Pashupatinath, the most sacred of Tibetan Hindu sites, where the Nepalese and also many Indians bathe in the Bagmati River. It is also a favourite spot for cremation of Hindu dead, and there are always dozens of sadus (Hindu priests) and half naked beggar monks with untamed hairstyles. Patan, the sister city of Kathmandu, almost grows on the side of Kathmandu. The old regions of this city house an even denser population of temples and monasteries than the capital itself.
Patan is quieter than Kathmandu and is a welcome relief after the hectic pace of the capital. Our agent can organise an optional rafting excursion if desired. A trip in a rubber boat down the wild river and through the immense mountains is a breathtaking experience, and no special training or technique is necessary. Rafting in Nepal is especially popular on the Trisuli, Sun Kosi and Kali Gandaki rivers. These rivers are perfect for beginners, as the river offers varied terrain and a suitable numberof obstacles. No special measures need to be taken against the cold during the busiest months, as the air and the water are both quite warm. However, a raincoat may be useful in areas where water is continually splashing. Swimwear is necessary. During the winter months, however, rafting can be unpleasantly cold.

Day 3: Kathmandu – Pokhara

We shall leave Kathmandu today by bus and travel to Pokhara, a drive of around 125 miles. Pokhara is the only place in the world where mountains rise up to heights of over 4.5 miles. From the sub-tropical valley in which Pokhara is situated, the north side of the mountains rise straight up to the highest peaks in the world. Nothing, anywhere can compare to this landscape. In the middle of this spectacle of rock, ice and snow is the Macchapuchare, which is one of the smallest peaks in the region at ‘just’ 4.3 miles high, although its ‘pushed-out’ position makes it appear the highest. As the crow flies, it is 12.5 miles to the peak, seen as divine by the Nepalese (although its name ‘Fish Tail’ does not really reflect this!). The name of this prominent mountain only becomes clear when you walk for a day or two to the west. The mountain has two peaks, giving its side view a definite resemblance to a Macchapuchare (fish-tail). Despite its relative shortness, the mountain has never been climbed. It is one of the steepest mountains in the Himalayas and it has been compared to its smaller European brother, the Matterhorn. In the 1950s, a French expedition nearly managed to reach the top, but when in sight of victory, the sherpas became intensely fearful and turned back. Their fear of divine revenge should humans reach the summit was too great and since then, it has been forbidden to climb the mountain. Pokhara was once a hippie paradise. It is situated in a picturesque location on a mountain lake, where you can swim, row or enjoy the stunning panoramic view from one of the tea gardens. The area is also ideal for cycling and walking. In Pokhara, you will come across countless souvenir shops and restaurants. The small Barahi-Bhawani temple built on an island close to the waterside is definitely worth a visit. Barahi is an incarnation of the Hindu goddess Kali and animals are sacrificed during festivals as an offering to her. You may also wish to row across the lake to climb a hill. Half way up the hill you will find a small hut where there is usually something to eat. You can enjoy your food whilst gazing at the indescribably stunning view of Phewa Lake with the Himalayas in the background. Definitely a photo opportunity! There are also interesting Tibetan settlements with workshops, schools and health centres. They were originally set up as refugee camps for the Tibetans who were driven out of their country in 1959 by the Chinese. One of the most notable natural features in this region is the Seti River Gorge, which has been carved out by erosion to a depth of 150 feet. The gorge is just 15 feet wide in some places. The Mahendra Bridge in Pokhara-Basar offers a good view of the gorge. You may also wish to go for a morning walk to Sarangkot, where you get a spectacular view of the snowy peaks of the Himalayas. The panoramic mountains to the west and east of Macchapure are the peaks of the Annapurna mountains.

Day 6 - 8: Trekking

An early, hour long climb up to Poon Hill (3190m) provides a spectacular, unobstructed view of the high Himalaya. The trail initially climbs through thick forest before emerging to further resplendent views, eventually reaching the Gurung village of Ghandrung. Continuing via Dhampus to Phedi the trail crosses the Modi Khola and a number of its tributaries, commanding views marking most of the route. From Phedi it is an hour’s drive to Pokhara.

Day 9 - 10: Pokhara – Chitwan/Sauraha

We leave today for the Royal Chitwan National Park, Nepal’s first nature reserve. It was founded in 1973, encompasses an area of 360 square miles and is in the central region of the Terai. Chitwan’s flora and fauna is amongst the most varied in Asia. The vegetation is dominated by willow trees, which cover around 70% of the park’s area. The remaining 30% is a mosaic of forests, grassy highlands, lakes, marshes, rivers and streams. Aside from the estimated 300-350 Indian rhinos, the park is also home to many other large wildlife. Amongst the predators in the park are 60-70 tigers as well as leopards, fishing cats, jungle cats, jackals, foxes, civet cats, martens, otters, sloth bears, wild boar, various species of deer and ape such as the maroon-leaf monkeys and rhesus monkeys. There are 450 different species of birds native to this area. Water dwelling animals in the park include the marsh mugger crocodile, the Ganges gavial (large long snouted crocodilian) and the rare Ganges river dolphin. To explore the area you can walk (accompanied by a park ranger), ride on the back of an elephant or take a trip on a dugout tree trunk canoe. We will stay here for two nights in bungalows set in attractive gardens. The bungalows are in Sauhara, on the edge of the reserve.

Day 11 - 12: Chitwan/Sauraha – Kathmandu

Today we will take the long yet picturesque mountain route back to Kathmandu. You will then have the rest of the day to look around the city again and to comb the bazaars and shops for souvenirs. You may wish to go cycling, and the Kathmandu Valley is perfect to explore by bike. You can rent excellent mountain bikes in Kathmandu.

Day 13: Kathmandu

It is the last day of your tour but rather than being about ‘Goodbye’ your thought should be ‘Go further’!

Visit your personal ‘my.shoestring’ page on our website. ‘my.shoestring’ is the perfect way to make contact with other travellers before and after your trip. You can read and create journals from trips and upload your photos onto the photo gallery. Visit my shoestring today.

NOTE:
Due to the climat in Annapurna region our tours departing in July and August will have a changed itinerary. The trekking will take place in Kathmandu Valley. Itinerary will be during this period: Day 1-2 Kathmandu; 3-4 Chitwan NP; 5-6 Pokhara; 7 Kathmandu (optional rafting); 8 Panauti (Kathmandu Valley); 9 Trekking in Kathmandu Valley from Panauti via Namobuddha to Dulikhel; 10 Trekking from Dhulikel to Nagarkot; 11 Trekking from Nagarkot via Changunarayan Temple to Bhaktapur; 12 Kathmandu; 13 End of program at noon in Kathmandu.