THE BEST OF NEPAL TOUR

On arrival at Kathmandu and Nepal’s international airport, received by Vertex Holiday staff and guide, with a warm welcome and then transfer to respective hotels in the heart of Kathmandu city. At the hotel, the guide will provide a briefing regarding the tour around Kathmandu and beyond. Evening a group welcome dinner in typical Nepalese restaurants, a good way introducing to Nepalese foods and culture, with live cultural programs of Nepali folk songs and dances.

Kathmandu, also known as the city of thousands of gods and goddesses, wherever you walk will come across small shrines and temples. Enjoy the morning guided tour visiting places of great historical, religious and cultural interest. Tour takes you to Durbar Square, an old and former palace of past royals from Malla to the late Shah Regime.  An exciting tour around the main Durbar or palace square visits the famous Living Goddess residence and its beautiful surroundings.

Tour extends to the west of the city at old Swayambhunath Stupa, of more than 2,500 years old Buddhist monuments, the famous landmark of Nepal. From Swayambhunath a short drive to holy Pashupatinath temple the main heart of Hindu religion, dedicated to Lord Shiva. A temple of a golden roofed pagoda with four cardinal silver doors, after an interesting tour, visit Bouddhanath a place with the largest Stupa of Asia. Fascinating Buddhist huge dome stupa surrounded by monasteries, the monument with mystical eyes of Lord Buddha on the four corners on of the Stupa. An enjoyable and impressive site, after a great tour of the day, retire back to the hotel, and then a few hour drives take you beyond Kathmandu city to the northeastern of the valley rim to a high scenic hill at Nagarkot.

Nagarkot is a famous tourist spot for its pristine green environment as well as for stunning sunrise and sunset views. From Nagarkot capture the wide panorama of Central, Western and Eastern Himalaya range as far towards Everest.

Nagarkot offers excellent hotels, lodges, and resorts where rooms face grand views of beautiful landscapes with snow-capped peaks.

With a stunning view of sunrise over the Himalayas in the morning, the tour proceeds towards the ancient city of Bhaktapur after breakfast. This medieval-era town showcases the unique arts and architecture of different time periods in history. Among which the Palace Square, Temples, and Courtyards are the major highlights.

Inhabited by the majority of the Newar community, Bhaktapur has some of the best wooden carvings on the Monuments. Enlisted in the World Heritage Site by UNESCO, this city houses some of the masterpieces like Nyatpola Temple, 55 windowed palaces, Taleju Bhawani Temple and many others.

After completion of the sightseeing around Bhaktapur, the tour then continues to Sauraha located near the Chitwan National Park, where most nice hotels and resorts are located. The naturalist and jungle guide will provide a briefing regarding the programs of nature and jungle activities.

After checking into your nice rooms, time permitting a short nature walks or visiting the local Tharu village the indigenous tribes of low land Terai. The evening is reserved for a dinner program with local Tharu folk cultural show.

The program begins after morning breakfast, either elephant safari, bird-watching, or nature walks for a few hours. Chances of spotting wild animals like rhinoceros, leopard, sloth bear, and four species of deer which are barking, Sambar, or spotted deer with many species of bird-life. Includes more than 600 different species of exotic birds with peacocks and jungle fowls.

After a morning program back to the hotel, and having rest for an hour or more, then getting ready for other exciting activities either float on a dug-out canoe at Rapti River or elephant bathing and briefing. Back to hotel for lunch and then late afternoon join in for elephant safari or jungle drive or hike.

Evening at the lodge for buffet dinner entertains you with Tharu folk programs or a slide show of the park and its existing wildlife.   

At Lumbini, our expert guide shows you around the famous historical and sacred sites, the exact spot of Buddha’s birthplace. The holy pond and the great pillar erected by Indian emperor Asoka of Magadha Kingdom visited the site in the 3^rd Century BC the historical pillar with an inscription declaring ‘Lord Buddha was born in Lumbini. Other areas of interest are various beautiful monasteries of different nations and the flame of peace. After an interesting tour head back to the hotel, evening browse around the streets of Lumbini town and witness local culture.

After an interesting time at Lumbini, our exciting tour continues heading back to mid-green hills on leaving the low southwest flat land of Nepal. Drive heads uphill on winding road past city of Butwal and town of Syanja then reaching famous and renowned scenic city of Pokhara. Visitors get fascinated with the close looks of the massive Annapurna Himalaya with majestic Machhapuchare Himal the famous Fish-Tail peak. On arrival transfer to a lovely hotel close to the beautiful serene Phewa Lake.

Early morning starts to catch stunning sunrise views reflecting over an array of white Himalayan peaks. Less an hour drive uphill to Sarankot at 1,600 m high, enjoy the sunrise with a panorama of the Himalayan range, includes Dhaulagiri, Annapurna with Lamjung and Manaslu Himal peaks. Facing wide scenery of Pokhara valley and the city with Lake Phewa down below.

Sarankot Hill, a popular spot for gran views as well for various adventure sports like Paragliding and Zip-Flyer. From Sarankot back to the hotel for breakfast, and then take a boat across the Lake Phewa and hike for an hour uphill to Peace / Shanti Stupa, located in southern hills of Pokhara facing a super panorama of Annapurna range. From the top head downhill south to David’s Waterfall also called Pathelo Chhago, a nice small park with a garden within a gorge with a super view of torrential waterfalls, from here walk across to Gupteshwor Mahadev huge cave with a shrine of Lord Shiva. After a wonderful morning tour, drive to the main local areas of Pokhara, and visit the interesting International Mountain Museum, the first of its kind in Nepal. Established by Nepal Mountaineering Association, on completing the day tour of Pokhara within beautiful natural surroundings, drive back to hotel and free afternoon at leisure for individual activities.

After a fabulous and exciting visit around the best parts of Nepal, head back to Kathmandu from Pokhara on a scenic and interesting highway. Drive leads through many towns and villages within vast farmland and then following the Trisuli River upstream for a few hours. On leaving the Trisuli River, drive leads on winding uphill to enter Kathmandu valley and into the city area, then transfer to your hotel.

Rest of the afternoon is free for individual activities or shopping souvenirs of Nepal.

Last day in Nepal the land of amazing landscapes and the high Himalayas with fascinating cultures, steeped with world heritage sites. As per the flight time, our staff transfers you for the short drive to Kathmandu-Nepal International Airport for final departure homeward bound, after a marvelous holiday on Best of Nepal Tour.