Soft Himalayan Tour

Breakfast at the hotel and drive to Pashupatinath Temple. A pagoda Hindu temple with gilt roofs, carved with silver doors dedicated to Lord Shiva, situated at the bank of the holy Bagmati River, and regarded as among the most sacred temples of the Hindu religion, Pashupatinath is the focus of pilgrimages culminating on the day of Shiva Ratri (the marriage anniversary of Lord Shiva and the goddess Parvati). Pashupati is also the cremation ground in the ghats (cremation group) along the bank of the River Bagmati, where the recently deceased Hindus of the Valley are cremated.

Then take a 13-kilometre drive to Bhaktapur, east of Kathmandu. Its original name is Bhadgaon, or the village of Devotees, which is one of the living museums of Kathmandu Valley. Bhaktapur is filled with the 55-windowed Royal Palace, the Palace of the Kumari, the temple of Taleju, the temple of Pashupati, the main square of Taumadhi Tole, Nyatapola Temple (the most imposing and tallest such architecture in all of Nepal), the temple of Akash Bhairab (the second most important temple of Bhadgaon), the Dha Hateya and the Square of the Potters. UNESCO recognises Bhaktapur as a World Heritage Site.

After the visit and lunch, leave by road toward Nagarkot, at an altitude of 2,099m and 32km east of Kathmandu or 19 kilometers northeast of Bhaktapur. Nagarkot is one of the most beautiful hill resort areas to enjoy sunrises and Mountain Range views, from the Langtang to Mount Everest.

140 km – 4hrs drive.

Sunrise view tour. Breakfast at the hotel, then departure by road to Gorkha, located 143 kilometres west of Kathmandu (170 km from Nagarkot). The 5-hour sightseeing drive takes about 5 hours. On the way to Gorkha, visit a Hindu temple called Manakamana Mandir (Manakamana Temple). Stop the car and take a cable car that arrives directly at the temple’s gate. The visit and the return to the car take at least 2 hours. The

Manakamana temple is 12 kilometres south of the historic town of Gorkha on a prominent hill at an altitude of 1,310 meters above sea level, overlooking the Trisuli (south) and Marsyangdi (west) river valleys. Hindu devotees gather at this temple from all over the world, believing that the Devi (goddess) Manakamana (mental wish), a wish-fulfilling goddess, fulfils the wishes of the devotees, thus called the wish-fulfilling deity. Visit the temple, return to the car, and drive to the River Spring Resort for lunch. After lunch, drive to Gorkha.

Gorkha was the ancestral birthplace and residence of Shah King Prithvi Narayan Shah, who successfully conquered the Kathmandu Valley and founded the current kingdom of Nepal. Gorkhas also gave their name to the soldiers who fought under King Prithvi Narayan Shah. The so-called “Gorkhas” would become a legend and later be recruited from all over the country, not just in Gorkha. The Gorkhas also served in the British and Indian armies, reconfirming their reputation as brave and tough men. The Gorkhas also intervened in the two World Wars and many other global conflicts, and always lived up to their reputation. The most famous of the last episodes was during the Falklands War between Argentina and the United Kingdom. Arrive at Gorkha and check into the hotel. In the evening, stroll through the local bazaar for dinner and overnight.

Have breakfast and walk up to the castle or the Gorkha Durbar, from where King Prithivi Narayan Shah began his campaign to expand the current Nepal, which once extended to Kolkata of present India and near Kashmir. The fort-like royal palace, called Gorkha Durbar, lies high above a hilltop like an eagle’s nest above the town in an invincible defensive position – with excellent views of valleys that stretch many meters below and the impressive Himalayas.

Visit the palace, walk to the hotel, and drive 61 kilometres to Bandipur. Bandipur is located at an altitude of 1030 metres, 143 km west of Kathmandu, 77 km southeast of Pokhara, and 7 km south of Dumre Bazar. Bandipur, a hilltop settlement of a Newari community, still lives with its age-old customs and traditions and invites travellers to experience its rich hilly culture, mountain views, and side-village hiking.

Early morning hike for stunning sunrise views from Gurungche Hill (Bandipur Viewpoint) to see the grand and beautiful views of the Himalayas, including Langtang, Ganesh Himal Range, Manaslu, Himlung, Lamjung and Annapurna, standing in one place. To the southwest are vast valleys and hills.

After breakfast and take a short 77-kilometre thrilling drive to Pokhara. The driving takes you through an exciting highway of the country overlooking mountains and hills and scattered villages until we reach Pokhara. Pokhara is one of the most attractive cities in Nepal. Touring this city lets you experience the incredible scenery, a unique combination of snow-capped mountains, green hills, valleys, rivers, beautiful lakes, deep gorges, etc

Breakfast at the hotel and transfer 13-kilometres to Pumdikot, a strategic hill with an ancient fort in ruins and recently converted into a Shiva temple; it is a beautiful viewpoint. The views of Annapurna, Pokhara and the peace stupa are beyond description. From Pumdikot, we take a scenic drive to Peace Stupa, enjoying magnificent views of Phewa Lake, the Himalayas, Pokhara City and its surroundings. The Peace Stupa site is equally beautiful, with splendid views.

The World Peace Stupa stands gloriously on a hill saddle above Phewa Lake and Pokhara City from where you get panoramic views of Phewa Lake, the city of Pokhara and Mount Annapurna and Lamjung (on a clear day). A Peace Stupa is a Buddhist monument to inspire peace in all races and creeds and to help unite them in their quest for world peace. Most of them were built after World War II under the direction of Nichidatsu Fujii (1885-1985), a Buddhist monk from Japan and founder of the Nipponzan-Myohoji Buddhist Order. In 1947, he started the construction of peace pagodas as world peace shrines, and in the year 2000, there were eighty Peace Pagodas built around the world between Europe, Asia and the United States.

Enjoy the landscapes of the site, visit the stupa, explore, go down to the lakeshore, cross the lake by little boat, have a late lunch and visit the International Mountain Museum in Pokhara, where we will see and better understand the history of the mountain and mountaineering on the highest peaks in the world. We will understand the importance of the Himalayas of Nepal and the benefits that the Himalayas give to the millions of people and their natural habitat. After the visit, return to the shore of the lake for free time.

In the morning, drive to K.I. Sing bridge, constructed to link tunnels transporting water for irrigation and hydropower. The bridge was named after Dr Kunwar Indraji Singh (K.I. Singh), who rode on horseback and crossed the Seti River Gorge to escape a pursuit by the police of the Rana Regime.

Visit the KI Sing Bridge and step into an experiential journey through Pokhara, feeling old-time Pokhara, untouched by traffic, chaos, and tourist establishments. The old town, nestled north of the bustling Mahendra Pul, offers a unique journey best explored on foot.

Yur journey commences at the Nepal Telecom building in Mahendra Pul, then leads us northwest along Tersapati. En route, you will encounter a myriad of religious shops, each a window into the vibrant Hindu and Buddhist culture. At the intersection with Nala Mukh, visit and appreciate the Newari houses, renowned for their intricate brickwork and exquisitely carved wooden windows, which are part of the local architectural heritage.

Continuing our journey north on Bhairab Tole, we reach the 200-year-old Temple of Bhimsen, the trade and commerce deity of the Newari people, adorned with intriguing erotic carvings. The surrounding square is a bustling hub of shops selling baskets and ceramics, adding to the vibrant cultural atmosphere.

Continuing further 200m north, you will reach the 17th-century Bindya Basini Temple located at the base of the Sarangkot Hill. The shrine is dedicated to Goddess Durga, the warlike incarnation of Parvati, worshipped here in the form of a saligram.

Early in the morning, a sunrise view tour to the Sarangkot viewpoint. Sarangkot, the most famous lookout in Pokhara, offers a grand panorama of the Annapurna ranges, Machhapuchhre, Manaslu, Lamjung Himal, and the Dhaulagiri range. From the Sarangkot lookout, you can also enjoy beautiful views of the Pokhara valley and its unique landscapes, including Lake Phewa, Lake Begnas, and Lake Rupa. A short 25-minute drive from the hotel in Pokhara Lakeside takes you to Sarangkot, which offers a striking view of sunrise and a platform for Paragliding. Finalise the tour and drive back to the hotel for breakfast.

After breakfast, drive to the airport for a 25-minute flight to Kathmandu. Upon arrival at Kathmandu airport, you will be greeted by our local agent representative and driven to your hotel in Thamel, which may take 20 to 40 minutes, depending on traffic. The rest of the afternoon is free.

Early in the morning, take a scenic mountain flight to enjoy the views and panorama of a 360-degree wide range of Himalayan peaks from Manaslu, Ganesh, Langtang, Jugal Himal, Pumori, Lhotse, Nuptse, Mt. Everest and as far towards Mt. Makalu and Kanchenjunga towards the far east. Most mountain flights operate early in the morning from 6:30 a.m. to 9 a.m with window seats and last for an hour. You can observe a mighty chain of Himalayan peaks both ways on the flight, never missing the core and highlight of the mountain flight. Get landed back at the airport and get escorted back to the hotel. The rest of the day is free for you to spend as you wish.

After breakfast, visit Swayambhunath, located on a lovely little hill to the northwest of the city centre, which is the most sacred Buddhist site. The self-originated shrine is believed to have been built in its current form around 250 B.C. The stupa, painted with a pair of the Buddha’s all-seeing eyes, stands on a lotus mandala base on all four sides. The site offers a complete view of Kathmandu Valley, its surroundings, and the Himalayas to the northeast.

In continuation, drive to Patan, one of the three medieval cities of Kathmandu valley and one of the World Heritage sites among the seven World Heritage sites of Kathmandu valley, located 7 kilometres south-west of Kathmandu. The city of Lalitpur, the City of Arts, was a renowned Buddhist centre in Asia, with four Ashok-built stupas and a multitude of miniature stupas, monasteries, viharas, and temples. At Patan, we visit its Durbar Square, the Golden Temple, Thousand Buddha, and its museum, among other sites, which explain Buddhism and Hinduism in extensive labels within the living traditions and context.

In the evening, visit Durbar Square in Kathmandu, an example of the urban architecture of the Malla dynasty, with 19-storey buildings, temples and palaces, and the residence of the living goddess Kumari. Kathmandu Durbar Square, the old palace complex that houses a mass of temples and palaces, including the Gaddi Baithak Durbar, constructed in 1908; the Basantapur Durbar, or the old Royal Palace; and the Kumari Chowk, the residence of the Living Goddess. Basantapur is amongst the most attractive sites in the bustling centre of Kathmandu, and a western traveller around two hundred years ago wrote that there were more temples than houses and idols than people in its city. Lying at the heart of Kathmandu, Durbar Square is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a must-see. The individual buildings, palaces, and temples feature intricately carved doors, lattice windows, and struts adorned with mythic and erotic figures.

Finalise with a tour and a rickshaw ride through the old city market centre, the Ason Bazaar, seeing what the Nepalese people buy and sell in their daily lives.

Breakfast and the rest of the day are leisure on your own. The Representative of Happy Feet Mountaineers will arrive at your hotel with transport three hours before your departure flight time. Get escorted from the hotel to the International Departure Terminal, complete the formalities, and go through immigration and departure.