NEPAL PANORAMIC DOSSIER

Days: 14

Trekking days: 4

Maximum altitude:2000m

Trek grade: easy

This easy trek is designed to provide a taste of Nepal and combines sightseeing of the Kathmandu Valley with a short trek amidst spectacular mountain scenery and a visit to the Chitwan National Park.

There is much to see and do in Kathmandu. The many temples and bazaars can be explored at your own pace in the company of our knowledgable guides. The three cities of the Valley, Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur each have a colourful history and a distinct atmosphere. Patan is the city of artisans and is famous for its high quality metalwork and rich thanka paintings. Bhaktapur has a more medieval character with narrow cobbled streets and row upon row of clay pots drying in the sun. Each city has its own Durbar Square surrounded by temples and inner courtyards guarded by gilded statues and intricate wooden carvings.

We fly to Pokhara and begin what has become known as the Royal Trek after H.R.H Prince Charles walked these trails. It is a trek of much cultural interest through villages that receive few tourists compared to the main Annapurna area. The trekking is on well maintained and graded trails between villages, a large part of which is on ridges, and our camps provide brethtaking views of the Annapurna Massif and the beautiful Fishtail Mountain of Machapuchare.

Upon completion of the trek we drive to Chitwan National Park, which is widely acknowledged as one of the best national parks in Asia. Here we have the opportunity to ride elephants on a wildlife safari, take a guided walk through the forest and enjoy a boat ride on the Rapti River. All tours are accompanied by an experienced field guide or naturalist. There is the possibility of seeing both the Gharial and Marsh Mugger crocodiles, tigers, rhinos, leopard, spotted deer, wild boar, sloth bear and many species of birdlife. We stay in the Island Jungle Resort which is situated in an excellent location in Bandarjhoola which is one of the biggest islands in Nepal, and is only accessible by boat. Surrounded by the Narayani River, this unique island consists of riverine forest, tall grassland, marshland, numerous inlets and oxbow lakes which provide numerous habitats for wildlife.

Our tour finishes with an overnight stay at the luxurious Dhulikel Mountain Resort. From October to March the soaring peaks of the north-eastern Himalayas are almost always visible from the resorts unique vantage point and form a dramatic backdrop to the individual bungalows constructed from traditional red brick with thatched roofs.

A tour of variety that provides a gentle introduction to the delights of trekking and the beauty of Nepal. An excellent trek without getting too high or too far!

Itinerary

Day 1. Arrive Kathmandu where you will be met by our representative and transferred to your hotel.

Day 2 & 3. Guided sightseeing of Kathmandu to include the Hindu temple complex at Pashupatinath; one of the largest Buddhist stupas in the world at Bodnath, and the ancient city of Patan. A highlight of the tour is the visit to the ‘Golden Temple’. Here gilded statues and shrines are enclosed within a courtyard ringed by prayer wheels and butter lamps. We will visit Durbar Square and maybe see ‘the Living Goddess’ before visiting the famous ‘monkey temple’ of Swayambhunath. From here there are extensive views across the Kathmandu Valley to the snow capped Langtang Himal. There will be ample time to wander through the bazaars of Thamel and explore the many restaurants and shops.

Day 4. Fly to Pokhara and begin the Royal Trek with a 20min drive to the trailhead at Bijaypur Khola (stream). The trail climbs stadily for approx 3-4hrs through picturesque Brahmin and Chhetri villages to a ridge top camp at Kalikastan (1370m). From this vantage point there is a spectacular mountain panorama from Annapurna South to Lamjung Himal with the towering delight of Machhapuchare in the foreground.

Day 5. Shaklung (1730m). Today we follow a winding trail eastwards that stays high above the waters of Begnas Tal, (lake). The trail passes through forest and the incredible terraced farmland of the Himalayan foothills. There is a short steep climb beyond the village of Lipyani to reach the Gurung village of Shaklung by mid afternoon.

Day 6. Chisapani (2000m). A rather steep descent, is followed by a gentle climb winding up to camp. This is a relatively short day that gives us time to explore the Gurung village of Chisapani or to climb above the village to a small temple on Chisapani Danda (ridge), from where there are outstanding mountain views.

Day 7. Pokhara. We descend steeply for over an hour to reach the valley bottom at the head of Rupa Tal. Walking through paddy fields a short climb takes us onto the ridge separating the Rupa Tal and Begnas Tal where we stop for lunch. We descend on a wide path to the roadhead at Begnas Tal for the 30min drive to Pokhara.

Day 8. Pokhara. A chance to relax by the lake of Phewa Tal, hire a row boat amidst the panoramic backdrop of the Annapurna range or explore the bazaars of Pokhara.

Day 9.  Drive to Chitwan National Park and the Machan Wildlife resort where there will be an introductory talk and a chance to meet your guide. Activities will take place during the afternoon. There are elephant safaris, crocodile walks, bird watching, boat rides, jungle walks. The exact schedule and timing of activities is arranged upon arrival. However, the viewing of wildlife is best in the early mornings and late afternoons which dictates the timing of activities.

Day 10. Full day of activities within the National Park. All jungle excursions are accompanied by an expert naturalist.

Wildlife in Chitwan includes the Greater One-Horned rhinoceros, spotted deer, hog deer, sambar deer and barking deer as well as a wide variety of birdlife. With a bit of luck, there is always the chance of glimpsing the leopard, sloth bear and Royal Bengal tiger.

Day 11. Morning activities before the 5-6 hr drive to Kathmandu. We drive along the Kathmandu - Narayanghat Highway alongside the Trisuli River that offers a changing landscape from the plains of the Terai to the mountains of the Himalaya.

Day 12. Today we visit the third city of the Kathmandu Valley, Bhaktapur. Also known as the ‘city of devotees’ it has a wealth of temples and architectural wonders. The entrance to the main courtyard of the Palace of 55 Windows is through the magnificent Golden Gate which is embellished with beautiful carvings. Pottery and weaving are the traditional industries whilst there are some wonderful hand made puppets for sale. The city is closed to traffic which makes it a particularly pleasant place to visit. In the afternoon we drive to the temple of Changu Narayan which is situated at the end of a long ridge that affords beautiful views of the countryside of the Kathmandu Valley. Built in 323AD the temple is the oldest in the Valley and is richly decorated with sculptures and carvings.

A short distance up the valley is the Maya Resort at Dhulikel. Here luxury and service are combined with wonderful mountain panoramas. Your bungalow is situated in twenty acres of land with beautiful gardens and mountain views from the windows. The resort has all modern amenities and an excellent restaurant serving a variety of Nepali, Continental, Indian and Tibeto-Chinese food. The resort is a truly wonderful place to stay at the end of your tour.

Day 13. Drive to Kathmandu with time to purchase those last minute souvenirs.

Day 14. Transfer to airport.

Tailormade departures can be made for a minimum of two people at no extra cost.It is possible to raft to Chitwan National Park and spend less time sightseeing in Kathmandu. Special itineraries can be arranged for a minimum of 2 persons. Please call if you would be interested in this option.

GENERAL INFORMATION

A typical trekking day

The day begins early with a wake-up cup of tea and bowl of warm washing water. Kitbags are packed and made ready for the porters who leave before breakfast. Meanwhile breakfast is served in the dining tent and consists of porridge or muesli, omelette, fried or boiled egg and chapatti, parantha, or the delicious Tibetan bread.The mornings walk lasts for 3-4 hours with a hot lunch served en route. The afternoons walk is generally shorter and allows time to relax in camp or explore the surroundings. Dinner is taken at around 7.00pm and consists of soup,followed by a pasta, rice or potato based dish, and dessert. Catering for vegetarians is no problem.

Equipment

A detailed kit list will be provided on confirmation of your booking. Essential items include a sleeping bag liner, lightweight leather or synthetic waterproof boots, torch and a warm fleece jacket. We provide sleeping bags and a kitbag in which to store your gear. Remember you only need to carry a daysack whilst on trek.

Located just outside the tropics, the days in Chitwan are generally warm for most of the year and require only light clothing. However, from November to February the early mornings and evenings can be very chilly, requiring a warm sweater or jacket. Early morning elephant rides can be particularly cold before the sun rises and warms the air enough to dispel the damp morning mist.

Light - weight, loose-fitting trousers and long-sleeved shirts are recommended for elephant riding as they give protection from cuts and scratches while moving through the tall grass and forests. Canvas shoes or lightweight boots are ideal for walking or elephant riding as they give protection from thorny vines, insects and prickles. Bright colors are very conspicuous in the jungle and we advise that you wear neutral-colored clothing. A sunhat or light neck scarf and suncream are necessary for preventing sunburn and perhaps insect repellent for use out of doors in the evening. A pair of binoculars can be useful for wildlife viewing.

Weather

Temperatures during the day are very pleasant and can range from 6 - 30 degrees centigrade at Pokhara.. However in the mountain environment this may not always be the case. At higher elevations night time temperatures can very occasionally drop close to freezing in Dec/Jan. The skies are usually clear with excellent visibility, the best time for photography being in the morning.

Trekking staff

The trek will be led by an experienced English speaking Sherpa Guide, supported by a well trained team of Sherpas and porters. The cook will have successfully completed courses in Cook Training conducted by the Hotel Management Training Centre in Kathmandu and the cookcrew are all experienced in meeting the needs of trekkers. All our staff pay strict attention to matters of hygiene at all times. In Chitwan you will be accompanied by fully trained field guides and/or naturalists who know the Park intimately. All sightseeing will be accompanied by an officially appointed guide.  

Health and Hygiene

Detailed advice on health matters and vaccination requirements will be sent upon confirmation of your booking however, you will need to be protected against Hepatitis A, Typhoid,polio,tetanus,and Meningitus. In addition you should take malaria  prophylactic pills during your trek and for four weeks after leaving Nepal. Please consult your doctor for up to date advice. We recommend that each person carries a basic first aid kit and a list of suggested contents will be sent to you at the time of booking.

Visas

Single entry visas cost $30 are valid for 60 days, and cover all our Nepal only treks. Full details of application procedure and a visa application form will be sent to you at the time of booking.

Extra expenses

Our treks and tours include all the services/facilities as stated in our brochure. Where hotel accommodation is on a B&B basis you should allow at the most $15 - 20 per day to cover meals, allow $16 for Kathmandu Airport Departure Tax and approximately $25 -30 for trek crew tips. The amount of extra money you bring is a matter of personal choice but $200 should be more than sufficient to cover monastery donations, the purchase of soft drinks on trek and most souvenirs

Accommodation

In Kathmandu we stay in either the Hotel Marshyangdi or Manang. Both are rated 3 star and are situated on the edge of Thamel within walking distance of the bazaars and restaurants. In Pokhara we stay in the Hotel Snowland or equivalent in the Lakeside area close to shops and restaurants. Accommodation is on a twin share basis and includes breakfast. Single rooms are available upon request and payment of a single supplement as quoted in our price list. At Dhulikel we stay in the luxurious Dhulikel Mountain Resort. In Chitwan we stay in the Machan Wildlife Resort.

On trek our camping departures use two person tents with sewn in groundsheets and separate flysheets. Dining tent, toilet tent, table and camp stools are provided. Single tents are available but are subject to availability and payment of a supplement as stated in the price list.

Transport

All sightseeing tours and transfers are by private minibus. Internal flights to Pokhara are on the scheduled services of one of the airlines operating within Nepal.

Flights

Flights to Kathmandu are often booked up months in advance; we strongly advise booking early to avoid disappointment.

For flight information and fares to and from the USA contact Cheapfares from the Destination Resources on our website at

http://www.goldenhilltravel.co.uk

You can also contact Lida Behnam at Lida Travel

E-mail Address(es): lida@erols.com

Tel 888-719-9191 who specialises in arranging flights to Asia from the US.

How to book

Before booking, please read the brochure description, and booking conditions carefully. We accept payment by International bank transfer  to Golden Hill Travel Trust Account.

Account No 7623498

Sort Code 30-98-45

SWIST CODE LOYDGB2L

Lloyds Bank, Taunton Branch, 31 Fore Street, Taunton, Somerset, TA1 1HN, England

Alternatively you can pay by Visa, or Mastercard directly into our Trust Account. We do NOT add a surcharge to your invoice if you pay with a credit card or charge card.  We also offer the option of a no surcharge guarantee if payment is made in full at the time of booking. Please complete the booking form and enclose a deposit of £200 or approx $320 per person.

Please indicate on the booking form any extensions or equipment hire requirements. On receipt of your booking, we will send your confirmation together with an information pack that includes details of:

- visa requirements

- vaccinations

- local customs

- equipment

Late bookings

If you book within eight weeks of departure the full amount is payable upon booking.

If you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact us. We look forward to making your holiday a memorable and rewarding experience.

The information above is given on good faith and reflects an average range of conditions. Mountain weather is unpredictable and conditions may necessitate a change in the itinerary which should be viewed as a statement of intent and not as a contractual obligation on behalf of GHT. The group leader will make any changes that are necessary after consultation with the group. A flexible open minded approach is essential to gain maximum enjoyment from adventure travel.

Recommended reading

Trekking in the Nepal Himalaya             Stan Armington

Trekking in Nepal                                 Stephen Bezruchka

The Trekkers Handbook                       Tom Gilchrist

Trekking in Nepal,West Tibet & Bhutan    Hugh Swift

Nepal                                                 Nelles Guides

South Asian Handbook                        Trade & Travel

Footloose in the Himalaya                   Mike Harding

Royal Chitwan National Park                Prakash A. Raj

FINANCIAL PROTECTION

Golden Hill Travel is an approved member of the Travel Trust Association, TTA Number R4164. By booking with Golden Hill Travel you can be sure that your travel plans are totally secure