This tour combines the best that Nepal has to offer - a deep cultural immersion and soft adventure. In this tour you will be mesmerized by the culture - visiting small valleys, the juicy momos (steamed dumplings, a favorite in Nepal) for lunch at Double Dorje's close to the Boudha Stupa or visiting Uttam Samata School, to hear of his dream to build simple bamboo structured schools in every district in Nepal. We go for a heritage tour in Kathmandu, visiting seven world heritage sites, as you get struck by the melting pot of cultures that is Kathmandu Valley. Tour of these sights is a must while you travel through Nepal. After this we will take you for a safari tour in the Chitwan National Park, where you can immerse yourself in the slow pace of the jungle, doing elephant back safaris (safari elephants are mostly female and have beautiful names) to see the protected one horned rhino and if lucky, the royal Bengal tiger. Here you also visit a local community project, including a paper making project, which looks pretty normal, except they are making paper out of elephant dung. If interested can go on adventure tour with our friendly experienced local guides, which can be either a short hike or a long trek, rafting, paragliding, bungee jumping, mountain biking, or a combination of all the above.
Duration: 9 days
Route: Kathmandu - Bhaktapur - Chitwan National Park - Kathmandu
Activities: Heritage tour, elephant safari, responsible shopping, soft adventure activities, conservation projects, (optional, customised adventure activities)
Day 1
Kathmandu: Land at Kathmandu, transfer to the hotel and enjoy the welcome dinner.
Day 2
Kathmandu – Bhakthpur: We go for a heritage tour of Kathmandu. This heritage tour will cover the 7 heritage sites that dot Kathmandu. All are living heritage sites, places that people use on a daily basis and this makes it incredible. Just walking through one of these sites and watching the people go about their daily lives is a remarkable experience in itself. Trip takes us through these seven sites one by one. First day we go to the holies temples for Hindus, Pashupatinath to the oldest temple in the valley, Changu Narayan and then on to the beautiful city of Bhaktapur.
Day 3
Kathmandu: We continue the heritage tour to complete the seven world heritage site circuit. Today, we go to the Patan Durbar Square, on to Boudha, the holy Buddhist stupa and then to another stupa called Soyambhunath and then come back to the amazing Kathmandu Durbar Square.
Day 4
Chitwan National Park: We transfer early in the morning to Chitwan National Park (3.5 hours). Chitwan National Park, formerly called Royal Chitwan National Park, covers an area of 932 km² and is the oldest national park in Nepal. Established in 1973, it was granted the status of a World Heritage Site in 1984. The park is located at subtropical inner Terai lowlands of South-Central Nepal in Chitwan district. Chitwan National Park is rich in flora and fauna, including one of the last populations of single-horned Indian rhinoceros (rhinoceros unicornis) and the Bengal tiger. Upon arrival at the jungle lodge, the managers and naturalists will brief you on the activities they have planned. After lunch you will start your jungle activities such as elephant safaris for 2 hours deep into the jungle to experience the wildlife, flora and fauna of the park at close quarters and a bird watching tour will also be organized.
Day 5
Chitwan National Park: Today you can go for a nature walk and canoe ride. Lunch at the lodge and after lunch an elephant briefing at the elephant stables where naturalists will give a lecture on the Asian elephant. Here you will have an opportunity to witness and participate in the bathing of an elephant.
Day 6
Chitwan National Park: Today, we visit the elephant dung paper making project plus other project activities. There are also visits to Tharu museum and culture village, which is a local initiative.
The Tharu museum houses the history of the Tharus and is a one stop snapshot of the Tharu lifestyle. Its simplistic and at the same time well done. Just besides this is the Tharu culture village, a collection of three four huts where you can walk in and experience the Tharu lifestyle. This is maintained by Tharus themselves so is not an infringement into their lives. They are proud to show this to visitors.
Later we will visit the new project of the Green Society where hand made paper is made out of Elephant dung. Apparently the Elephant conducts about one third of the processes required to make paper in its stomach itself.
Day 7
Kathmandu: We drive back to Kathmandu. Afternoon is free for you to roam around and explore on your own.
Day 8
Kathmandu: Today you visit the Association for Craft Producers, an organization where individual producers are owners and they produce excellent fair trade gift items which are exported. Buying them in Nepal is excellent value. Walk through their four storied craft store which is in a street with other fair trade craft retailers.
Day 9
Kathmandu: Explore Kathmandu city and enjoy shopping. The day is free till departure
Classic Nepal
This journey through the mountain country of Nepal will traverse its breadth and give you a wholesome flavour of the country and its people
Nepal Trek and Safari
Potentially, one of Nepal's most unique trekking journeys, this off the beaten path trek will take you through....