Nepal Florid treks(p.)ltd

Day 01

Arrival at Kathmandu International Airport and transfer to hotel. Stay overnight at hotel in Kathmandu.

Day 02

Sightseeing tour of Pashupatinath, Boudhanath, Swayambhunath and Patan. Stay overnight at hotel in Kathmandu.

Pashupatinath Temple
Situated 5 kilometers east of Kathmandu City, Pashupatinath temple is one of the holiest temples dedicated to Lord Shiva. Situated amidst a lush green natural setting on the bank of the sacred Bagmati river, the temple built in pagoda style has jilted roof and richly carved silver doors. Visitors will be permitted to view the temple from the east bank of Bagmati River, entrance in the temple being strictly forbidden to all non Hindus. Pashupatinath is the centre of annual pilgrimage on the day of shivaratri which falls in the month of February/March. Behind the temple are the cremation grounds.

Boudhanath Stupa
This Stupa, 8 kilometers east of Kathmandu City, is one of the biggest in the world of its kind. It stands with four pairs of eyes in the four cardinal direction keeping watch for righteous behaviour and human prosperity. This Buddhis Stupa was built by King Man Deva at the advice of the Goddess Mani Jogini. It is built on an octagonal base inset with prayer wheels. The shrine is ringed by houses of Lamas or Buddhist priest.

Swayambhunath Stupa
Swayambhunath is located approximately 4 kilometers and this Buddhist Stupa is said to be 2000 years old. The Stupa which forms the main structure is composed of a solid hemisphere of brick and earth supporting a lofty conical spire capped by a pinnacle of copper gilt. Painted on the four sided base of the spire are the all seeing eyes of Lord Buddha. This hill is a mosaic of small Chaityas and Pagoda temples.

Patan Durbar Square
Patan Durbar Square, like its counterpart in Kathmandu, is an enchanting mélange of palace buildings, artistic courtyards and graceful pagoda temples. Listed as a World Heritage Site, the former royal palace complex is the center of Patan’s religious and social life, and houses a museum containing an array of bronze statues and religious objects. One remarkable monument here is a 17th-century temple dedicated to the Hindu god Krishna, built entirely of stone

The main attractions in Patan
Beside above mentioned places to visit there are other significant sites to be visited:
1. Golden Temple
2. Kumbheshwar
3. Krishna Mandir
4. Jagat Narayan
5. Mahaboudha
6. Ashokan Stupa
7. Machchhendranath Temple
8. The Tibetan Camp

Day 03

Sightseeing tour of Bhaktapur and drive to Nagarkot for sunset and sunrise view. Stay overnight at hotel in Nagarkot.

Bhaktapur (1,401m) covers an area of four square miles. Bhaktapur or the city of devotees still retains a medieval charm and visitors to this ancient town are treated to myriad wonders of cultural and artistic achievements. The past glory of the Malla rules continues to be reflected at the Darbar Square. Pottery and waving are its traditional industries. Bhaktapur is famous for woodcarving and the traditional topi or cap. The city lies about 14 km east of Kathmandu. The places of interest include Bhaktapur Darbar Square, the National Art Gallery, Nyatapola Temple, Bhairavnath Temple, Dattatreya Temple and Dattatreya Square.

Bhaktapur Durbar SquareThe main square of the city contains innumerable temples and other architectural showpieces such as lion gate, the golden gate, the statue of King Bhupatindra Malla, Dattatraya Temple etc.

A magnificent statue of King Bhupatindra Malla in the act of worship is placed on a column facing the palace. It was listed in the UNESCO world Heritage Monument List in 1979.

Palace of 55 WindowsBeing built by King Yaksha Mall in 1427 A.D. and remodeled by King Bhupatindra Malla in 17th Century, the balcony and the windows are intricately carved is a masterpiece of wood carving.

Nyatapola Temple This five storied Pagoda Style temple was built by King Bhupatindra Malla in 1708 A.D. well known for its massive structure and subtle workmanship. It is the tallest pagoda structure in the Kathmandu valley.

Nagarkot is a famous place to see the mountain ranges and sunrise. It lies at an altitude of 2211m and is located 30 km north east of Kathmandu. If weather is good, one can see great views of Himalayas including Annapurna, Langtang, Dorje Lakpa and Gauri Shanker, Ganesh Himala. The mountain flight that goes each day to show Everest and other Himalayas from Kathmandu goes via the Nagarkot route.

Many visitors go to Nagarkot to see sunrise. Once the sun begins to rise from behind the Himalayas, it looks spectacular as mountain changes its color. However to see the sunrise, visitors has to go to Nagarkot 4 o’clock in the morning.

Day 04

After sunrise view you depart to Kathmandu via Changunarayan. Stay overnight at hotel in Kathmandu. Changunarayan is situated at the end of a long ridge which runs well into the valley, it is said to have been built in 323 AD by King Hari Datta Varma. The temple is richly decorated with sculptures and carvings. It is said to be the oldest temple in the valley.

Day 05

Drive from Kathmandu to Chitwan and it takes five hours. Stay overnight in Chitwan. You enjoy some of the jungle activities. The Chitwan National Park is the lush valley of Chitwan situated in the foothills of Churia ranges which houses the first National Park of the Kingdom. This National Park is famous for its variety of wildlife especially the Great Indian One Horned Rhinoceros and the elusive Royal Bengal Tiger.

Day 06

At Chitwan National Park. Stay overnight in Chitwan. The National Chitwan Park is widely acknowledged as one of the best national parks in Asia, it lies in the Terai region of southern Nepal. Diverse combination of nature is found here in Royal National Chitwan Park providing a perfect habitat of wildlife. It harbors many globally threatened species including the Royal Bengal Tiger, great one-horned Rhino, Gharial crocodile, Asian Elephant, Sloth bear, Leopard etc.

During your stay in National Chitwan Park you are going to come through various nature and cultural program such as:

Canoe Trip: You can enjoy canoe trip on either The Rapti River or The Budhi Rapti River which border the National Park. You can see two types of crocodiles, the Gharial and Mugger basking on the river bank.

Bird Watching: For the bird watchers, it is Paradise Island with over 450 species of exotic birds of domestic as well as migratory birds. Many are threatened, e.g. the Great pied hornbill, Bengal Florican, Peregrine falcon, lesser adjutant storks, etc. A bird watching trip will be a memorable experience.

Jungle Drive: A tour by four wheel drive in the less distributed areas of the park to track the rarer species. You will visit Ox-bow Lake and museum of historic interest relating to the park. However during this period we will visit 20,000 areas which afford a varied experience of birds and mammals.

Nature Walk: Our experienced naturalists will accompany you to the more specialized habitats. This is the ideal opportunity to explore and experience at closer quarters and beauty of the flora and fauna. The authority of the naturalist must be closely observed to obviate any risks from wildlife attacks.

Elephant Breeding Centre: This is the first Elephant breeding centre in Asia. You can see baby elephants socializing with their parents and other babies. This centre is government owned and its purpose is to raise the young elephants, and to train them to convey tourist around the region.

Village tour: Excursion in Tharu village will grant you an exhilarating experience. Tharus are the indigenous inhabitant of the Terai. We offer guided cultural tours to meet the people and experience their traditional self-sufficient way of life.

Cultural Program: In the evening you will get an opportunity to be a part of Tharu folk dance. The drummers and symbolic stick dancers perform traditional movements and invite guests to join them in this rhythmic display. Such cultural shows performed by Tharus will be an unforgettable experience. The Tharus in traditional colorful costumes, unique in their disparity with the common mode of dress all over Nepal, are sure to captivate you.

Elephant safari: On elephant back you can view the wild life of the area in their natural habitat.

Elephant Bathing: Your guide will take you to the specific place where you can observe elephant bathing.

Crocodile Walk: One more option is to go for crocodile walk. It goes through grassland and forest along the bank of Rapti / Narayani river.

Day 07

Drive from Chitwan to Lumbini which takes approximately four hours. Stay overnight at hotel in Lumbini.

Lumbini is the birth place of Lord Buddha. The broken Ashoka Pillar, remnants of old monastery, images of Buddha's mother Maya Devi, are still preserved here. The Buddha himself proclaimed Lumbini as one of the foremost pilgrimage sites among the famous Chatumahasthana (the four great places of Birth, Enlightenment, Sermon and Mahaparinirvana).

Lumbini hosts variety of religious groups of people. It is home of Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims and Christians. The Lumbini area is located in southwest of Rupandehi. The population of Lumbini is segmented in several cultural communities. The major cultures here are Bhojpuri and Tharu.

The major cultural sub groups are Biraha, Tharu, Jhumada and segmented Bhojpuri culture as well. The cultural communities follow their own tradition of costume, make up, entertainment performance and also their own language.

Day 08

Sightseeing tour of Lumbini. Stay overnight at hotel in Lumbini. The main attraction is the Sacred Garden spread over 8 square kilometers and possessing all the treasure of the historic area. The Sacred Garden where Buddha was born converges on the Ashoka pillar, which carries an inscription identifying the spot as the birthplace of Buddha. Maya Devi, mother of Buddha, was on her way to her parent's home in Devadaha. While taking rest in Lumbini under a Sal tree and admiring the beauty of the region, she felt labor pains. She gave birth to the child while holding a drooping branch of a Sal tree.

The Mayadevi templeis the main attraction for pilgrims. The temple of Maya Devi contains a stone relief depicting the birth scene of Lord Buddha. The bas-relief shows Maya Devi supporting herself by holding on to a branch of a sal tree, and the newborn infant Buddha standing upright on a lotus pedestal. Two celestial figures are engaged in the act of pouring water and lotuses from the heaven, indicated in the sculpture by a delineation of clouds. The Maya Devi shrine has been worshipped by both Hindus and Buddhists since the beginning of the Christian era and is believed to have been built over the foundation of at least one earlier temple or stupa.

Lumbini is so important that the world community, particularly the United Nations and the Government of Nepal, has launched a master plan for the maintenance and preservation of Lumbini.

Ramagrama is a brick mound on the bank of the Jharahi River. It is a 7 meter high brick stupa containing one of the eight Astha Dhatu (relics) of Lord Buddha. The king of Ramagrama, the eighth king to obtain the Buddha's relics, built the stupa. History says that Emperor Ashoka wanted to open it to multiply into eight four thousand stupa. However, the Dragon King of Ramagrama stupa did not permit.

Devadaha, 54 kilometers east of Lumbini across the Rohini River, is the ancient capital of the Koliya kingdom. It is the maternal hometown of Queen Maya Devi, Prince Siddhartha's mother, Prajapati Gautam, his stepmother, and Princess Yasodhara, his consort. This is where Prince Siddhartha spent his childhood. Seven years after his Enlightenment, Lord Buddha visited Devdaha and ordained the followers of Jain Sadhu Nirgrantha Nathputra. There are several other sites around Devdaha such as Kumarbarti, Khayardanda, Bairimai / Kanyamai, Bhabanipur / Devidamar, Mathagadi (ancient weapons).

Day 09

Drive from Lumbini to Palpa Tansen. Stay overnight at hotel in Tansen. In the evening you can enjoy half day tour of Palpa Tansen. Situated on the slopes of a hill called Shreengar Danda, Tansen is a bright Himalayan Town. It is also the most popular summer resort of western Nepal on account of its position and climate. It has perhaps Nepal's most far stretching views of the country's chief attraction - The Himalayas; from Dhaulagiri in the west to Gauri Shanker in the north east.

Day 10

Drive from Palpa to Pokhara which takes about three hours. Stay overnight at hotel in Pokhara. The rare combination of snow clad peaks, snow fed lakes and rivers has helped to make the Valley of Pokhara (210 km./131 miles from Kathmandu) one of the most picturesque natural attractions in the Kingdom.

Day 11

Excursion in and around Pokhara. Stay overnight at hotel in Pokhara. The sight seeing trip includes visits to all these exotic places. You can go for boating on these famous lakes. Phewa Lake is the center of all attraction in Pokhara. It is the largest and most enchanting of three lakes that add to the resplendence of Pokhara. Here, one can sail or row a hired boat across the water of the lake or visit the island temple in the middle of the lake, the eastern shore, popularly know as Lakeside or Baidam, is the favorite haunt of all travelers’ restaurants, handicraft shops and other tourist facilities are located.

Begnas Lake is situated in the eastern part of Pokhara valley, at a distance of 15 km from Pokhara. Tourist can relax in the lodges and resorts situated alongside the lake.

Yet another popular lake of Pokhara is the Rupa Lake. It is separated from Begnas Lake by a bridge known as Pachabhaiya. The lakes offer the prefect nature retreat because of their relative’s seclusion and opportunities for boating and fishing.

Exploring the deep-seated mysteries of intriguing caves like Mahendra Gupha will further heighten your adventure spirit. Another of nature’s wonders in Pokhara is the Mahendra Gupha. This large limestone cave is locally known as the House of Bats an apt name for it. A two- hour’s walk to the north of Pokhara, it is best to bring your own torch to see the stalactites and stalagmites, as well as the local winged residents.

The Devil's Fall, the gorge of the Seti River and Tibetan refugee camp are the other dotted places which are worth visiting.

Day 12

Drive from Pokhara to Sarangkot for sunrise view. And finally drive from Pokahra to Kathmandu. Stay overnight at hotel in Kathmandu. Early morning, you will go to Sarangkot for sunrise view. On a clear weather morning, the view of the Western Range of Himalayas is just superb. Return to Pokhara, have lunch and proceed to Kathmandu.