Bhutan and Nepal Classic

Elevation of Kathmandu: 1340m

Once you reach KTM airport and finish with the immigration and custom formalities  be prepared to confront the confusion outside the airport which is common in most of the south Asian countries. As you walk out of the Exit door into the passenger pick up area you will see hundreds of people with different sign boards in their hands, taxi drivers looking for fares, hotel touts looking for customers and porters trying to help with the luggage for tips. Please remain calm and do not walk out of the restricted area into the crowd straight away. Remain there and try to find the Hi On Life sign board. Once you spot it, walk straight to the signboard and identify yourself. From here we will take care of you. When you arrive to your hotel you will be briefed about your activities and “do’s and don’ts” while your stay in Kathmandu. We will also collect some documents from you.   Please have the following things handy when arriving.

Travel/ Medical Insurance (photo copy)
2 passport size photos
Photocopy of your passport.

In the evening we will go for a traditional Nepali dinner at Kathmandu’s finest Nepali restaurant.

Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal was once thought to be the fabled and inaccessible Shangri-La. It is now a hub for independent travelers as well as a growing vacation spot catering to all budgets. The city with a population of 2.5 million stands at an elevation of approximately 1,400 meters (4,600 ft) in the bowl-shaped Kathmandu Valley of central Nepal. It is surrounded by four major hills: Shivapuri, Phulchoki, Nagarjun, and Chandragiri. Kathmandu was ranked third among the top 10 travel destinations on the rise in the world by TripAdvisor and ranked first in Asia. 

Flight Kathmandu to Pokhara: 30 mins
Elevation of Pokhara: 890m

We depart from the hotel early in the morning and are transferred to the domestic terminal at Kathmandu airport. From here we fly to Pokhara, which is a spectacular flight, flying west,
parallel to the mountain range with a flight time of about 30 minutes. After arrival at Pokhara we will be transferred to our hotel in the heart of Lakeside.

Pokhara is the second largest city in Nepal. With spectacular scenery, adventure activities, and accommodation and food choices galore, Pokhara is Nepal’s number 1 adventure and leisure city.  Pokhara is well-known as a starting point for various trekking trail and expeditions in the Annapurna making it a favorite hub where travelers and adventure lovers from around the world meet. Other than being famous for being a starting point of some of the best treks in the world, Pokhara also offers adrenaline activities such as ultralight flying, paragliding, skydiving, ziplining, bungee jumping, rafting and kayaking. There are plenty of souvenir shops. 

In the evening you can eat at the restaurants along the lakeside where you can meet travelers from around the world. Recommendations- The Olive Café, Moondance, OR2K, Roadhouse Café etc. Your Group Leader will arrange a dinner at one of these fantastic restaurants.

Drive Pokhara airport to Nayapul: 42 km, 1 hour 30 mins
Elevation of Nayapul: 1100m
Elevation of Ulleri: 1960m
Trek Nayapul to Ulleri: 10 kms, 3 to 4 hours approx.

From Pokhara we drive to Nayapul, and start our trek. We need to make entries of our permits and register trekkers details at the Birethani check post which is just about km from Nayapul. After completing entry formalities, we begin our trek. The first half of the trek is along the river side on undulating path. We will stop for lunch at Tikhedhunga. After lunch it is a steady climb on stone stair case for about an hour and a half to Ulleri. Ulleri is a small village with lodges and few local houses.

Trek Nayapul to Ulleri: 6 kms, 3 hours approx.
Elevation of Ghorepani: 2870m

Today the trail is mostly a climb on stone staircase through a forest. As we climb up the vegetation changes to more semi alpine with rhododendron, juniper and birch trees. Upon arrival at Ghorepani, we check into our lodge and have lunch. After lunch, you are free to explore the town.

Ghorepani used to be a rest stop where ancient traders found water (pani in Nepali) for their horses (ghora in Nepali), thus leading to the nomenclature Ghorepani. Today it is a bustling town with many lodges, souvenir shops, bakery cafes, a school a health post. The main income source for residents of the village is now tourism.

Ghorepani - Poonhill- Ghorepani: 3 km, 1 hour 30 mins + 45 mins to 1 hour stop for sunrise view
Elevation of Poonhill: 3200m
Trek Ghorepani to Tadapani: 6 kms, 3 to 4 hours approx.
Elevation of Tadapani: 2700m

Today we wake up very early, and after a cup of tea, climb the well trodden stony steps up to Poon Hill. It takes us about 1 hour to reach the top and from here we get spectacular sunrise views of the Annapurnas and Dhaulagiri. After spending about an hour here we go back down to Ghorepani. There is no Yoga practice this morning as we do want to reach our destination in daylight so after packing your bags, we eat breakfast and hit the trail. From Ghorepani we retrace our steps back to Tadopani, along the ridges, stony steps and through dense forest. It is a beautiful and tranquil walk.

Trek to Ghandruk: 6 kms, 3 hours approx.
Elevation of Ghandruk: 1950m

After breakfast we begin our walk along the ridge and through a rhododendron forest. The walk is fairly easy and very beautiful with little streams and a whole new feel to the trek. It is one of the
most peaceful days of walking and after a couple of hours through the forest we reach Kymrong Danda. There are a few lodges here and we have lunch. From here we descend to Ghandruk an
ethnic Gurung Village. We settle into our accommodation and the afternoon is free with lot’s to do and see. The carpet and handicraft factory, run by the Ama’s group (mother’s self-help
group) is worth visiting. The ACAP headquarters show a documentary about the Annapurna area and issues regarding local conservation, which is also worth viewing.

Trek to Khimche: 2 kms, 45 mins approx.
Drive to Pokhara: 50 kms

From Ghandruk the trail and descends about 300 m on stone staircase to Khimche. From here we will take a jeep to Nayapul which is an off road road drive for 7 kms. At Nayapul, our van will be waiting for us to drive us to Pokhara.

Upon arrival at Pokhara, we will check in to our hotel. The rest of the afternoon is free for you to explore Pokhara at leisure.

Flight Pokhara to Kathmandu: 30 mins

We will fly to Kathmandu in the morning. Upon arrival to Kathmandu we will check in to our hotel.  After lunch we will have a sightseeing tour around the city.

Places you will visit:

Boudhanath Stupa: It is the largest stupa in Nepal and the holiest Tibetan Buddhist temple outside Tibet.

Kathmandu Durbar Square: Commonly called Basantapur Darbar  is one of three Durbar (royal palace) Squares in the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal, all of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Durbar Square was surrounded with spectacular architecture that showed the skills of the Newar artists and craftsmen over several centuries, but several buildings in the Square collapsed due to a major earthquake on 25 April 2015.

Flight Kathmandu to Paro: 1 hour 10 mins
Elevation of Paro: 2200m

The flight from Kathmandu to Paro is exceptionally beautiful flight. We fly parallel to the Himalaya passing 5 of the world's 6 highest mountains- Mt. Everest 8848m (highest), Mt. Kanchendzonga 8586m (3rd highest), Mt. Lhotse 8510m (4th highest), Mt. Makalu 8467m (5th highest) and Mt. Cho Oyu 8210m (6th highest) along with scores of 7000m peaks.

Upon arrival at Paro, you will be received by our representative at the airport and driven to your hotel. After a short break we visit the Ta Dzong or National Museum, rated among the best natural history museums in Asia. The Ta Dzong offers a unique and varied collection of Thangkas, handicrafts, stuffed animals, masks, costumes and amour and it gives a good idea of the culture and traditions of Bhutan. On the way you will also get to explore the weekend Market of Paro Valley. Later we visit, Kyichu Lhakhang, one of the oldest and most scared monastery in the country. It was built by the first Buddhist King of Tibet Songtsen Gampo in the 7th century. Then you will be driven to the ruins of Drukgyal Dzong or “fortress of the victorious Drukpas” was built in 1649. In fine weather, the towering peak of Mount Jumolhari, (7,314 m / 24,000 ft) appears as a backdrop. You will then be driven to the hotel.

In the evening we will go to farmhouse for a local welcome dinner with traditional dance shows.

Trek distance: 4 ½ kms one way
Trek: 5 hours both ways
Elevation of Tiger's Nest: 3200m

Today we hike to the most famous Taktshang, popularly known as the Tiger‟s Nest, built amazingly on a steep cliff. According to legend, Guru Padmasambhava flew here on a flying Tigress and meditated there for three months in the 8th century. It was from there, he propagated the Vajrayana- Mahayana Buddhism (Larger Wheel) that was prophesied by the Buddha at the time of attaining Nirvana. The walk uphill takes you a little more than 300m above the Paro valley. It is a great pilgrimage destination for devout Buddhists. The main deity of Taktsang is Dorji Drolo, the wrathful form of Guru Rinpoche, (the precious teacher). There are 13 sacred sites at Taktsang, and several meditation caves in the cliffs above. Many saints are said to have meditated here. The return walking time is approximately one hour. Towards evening after the hike we will enjoy the Bhutanese Traditional Hot Stone Bath which uses river rocks that therapists place in water where they crack and steam, releasing key minerals and relieving deep-set aches) followed by dinner which in a local farm house with local family where they will serve typical Bhutanese dishes.

Tiger's Nest Monastery

Distance: 126 kms
Drive: 4 hours
Elevation of Punakha: 1242m

After breakfast, drive to Punakha. The road climbs from Thimphu to Dochula pass and descends through ever changing forests into the semi-tropical valley of Punakha and Wangdi at around 1200m. En-route stop at Dochula pass (3050m) where you can view the eastern Himalayas, including Bhutan’s highest mountain, Gangkar Punsum (7,550m).

Punakha is located at about 1,250m with pleasant winters. Cactuses, Oranges, bananas and sub-tropical plants are found here. Punakha was once the winter capital of Bhutan, the tradition that is still held by the Central Monastic body.

Upon arrival, we visit Punakha Dzong, “Palace of Great Happiness”, which is located on the confluence of two rivers; Pho and Mochu was built in 1637 by Shubdrung Nawang Namgyal. It serves as winter residence for the Central Monastic body, which migrate from Thimphu to Punakha in the winter. It is also the venue for Punakha Festival held in February or March.

Fertility Temple (Chimi Lhakhang): a monastery and fertility temple dedicated to Lama Drukpa Kuenley, a Tibetan Buddhist saint known popularly as “the divine madman” and considered a folk hero in Bhutan for his unconventional ways. Drukpa Kuenley originally built a chorten on the site in the 14th century, on which a temple was later built in 15th century. The temple, flanked by nearly 100 tall prayer flags, sits atop a picturesque hill. It has long been a pilgrimage site for childless couples. This easy walk takes about ½ hour each way.

Distance: 85 Kms
Drive:  2 ½ hours
Elevation of Thimpu: 2335m

Thimpu is the capital city of Bhutan, and is home to approximately 100,000 inhabitants including the Royal family. This bustling little city is the main centre of commerce, religion and government in the country. Thimphu is a modern city with an abundance of restaurants, internet cafes, nightclubs and shopping centres. However, it still retains its’ cultural identity and values amidst the signs of modernization.
The subtle combination of ancient tradition and modernity make Thimphu the ideal location for visitors to break away from their tour itinerary to immerse themselves in the contemporary Bhutanese lifestyle.

Today you all will enjoy full day Local sightseeing at Thimphu includes visit to the National Memorial Chorten, (a stupa dedicated to world peace), a shrine built in 1974 in memory of the Third King of Bhutan dedicated for world peace and prosperity followed by the visit to the School of Arts and Crafts (National Institute of Zorig Chusum) where students undergo training course in Bhutan’s 13 traditional arts and crafts; the National Institute of Traditional Medicine where Bhutan’s famed traditional medicines are compounded and dispensed; the Folk Heritage Museum which will provide an insight into traditional Bhutanese farm house and rural past through exhibits and documentation of rural life.
After lunch, visit the Textile Museum to see a range of beautiful Bhutanese textiles and then Changangkha Lhakhang, a fortress like temple which lies perched on a ridge above Thimphu; Takin Preserve to see the rare national animal of Bhutan. This animal is chosen as the national animal of Bhutan for its uniqueness and its association with the country’s religious history and mythology. A further drive towards the BBS Tower will provide a bird eye view of the capital. Also visit a small family-run enterprise which manufactures paper and paper products using traditional methods followed by visit to Tashichhodzong or the “fortress of the glorious religion” which is Bhutan’s administrative and religious centre and houses the throne room of His Majesty the King of Bhutan, other Government offices. It is also the summer residence of Je Khenpo or Chief Abbot.

Your guide in Bhutan at the Buddha point, Thimpu.

Distance Thimpu to Paro: 50 kms
Drive: 1 hour 15 mins
Flight Paro to Kathmandu: 1 hour 10 mins

Early morning drive to Paro airport and fly to Kathmandu. Upon arrival at Kathmandu we will check in to our hotel. The rest of the afternoon is free to explore Kathmandu at leisure.

We will drive you to Tribhuwan International airport about 3 ½ hours before your departure time.