Nepal Discovery

Grade 1 2 3 4 5
Grade 1 – Easy
Tours in the foothills staying below 6,500'/ 2,000m. Roads are relatively good, and average driving is 2-3 hours a day.

Click here for a full explanation of Trip Difficulty Grading

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Tour Difficulty Grading

Our Nepal and Bhutan tours are graded easy to moderate, involving activities such as driving, sightseeing, short walks, boating, canoe and elephant rides. They take you to the foothills of the Himalaya, well below 10,000'/ 3,000m, or further down to the lowlands. Where long overland drives are involved, we use 4WD Toyota Land Cruiser jeeps for smaller groups and Toyota Coaster minibuses for larger groups. For overland trips between Kathmandu, Pokhara, and Chitwan, we use deluxe tourist bus services. The roads may take us up a Himalayan gorge or through the open plains of the Terai. Wherever they take you to, the views are breathtaking; driving through the land offers spectacular pictures of Nepal's diverse landscapes. Tours are graded on the basis of altitude, road condition, driving hours per day, and length of trip.

Grade 1 – Easy
Tours in the foothills staying below 6,500'/ 2,000m. Roads are relatively good, and average driving is 2-3 hours a day.
Grade 2 – Moderate
Tours in the foothills and the lower middle-hills going up to 10,000'/ 3,000m. Roads are generally good, but at times may involve short "off-road" stretches. Average driving is 3-5 hours a day.
Grade 3 – Challenging
Fairly demanding tours, usually in the high Himalaya, going up to 13,000'/ 4,000m. Roads can be unpaved and bumpy, and will usually take you into uninhabited or sparsely inhabited areas. Average driving is 5-6 hours a day.
Grade 4 – Demanding
These trips require participants to be in good health. All of them take you into the high Himalaya, altitudes ranging from 9,000'/ 2,800m to often in excess of 16,500'/ 5,000m. Roads venture into sparsely populated or uninhabited high-mountain wilderness. Average driving is 6-9 hours a day.
Note on altitudes
The altitude definitions indicate elevations through the major part of the tour. Tours usually involve side-trips into elevations exceeding the altitude ranges defined for their grades. Grade 3 & 4 tour itineraries are designed to allow proper acclimatization, with acclimatization days when we take exploratory trips to higher elevations.

 

8 days - Kathmandu valley, Pokhara, & Chitwan wildlife safari
  • Visit the major shrines and destinations of the Kathmandu valley
  • Discover the serene lake-valley of Pokhara nestled in the lap of the Annapurna Himal range
  • Scenic mountain flight from Kathmandu to Pokhara
  • Explore the lowland jungles of the Chitwan National Park riding elephants, on canoes, and on foot
mountain-river-180x270This comprehensive tour offers a complete picture of Nepal’s glorious heritage. You discover the exotic cultural melting pot that is the Kathmandu Valley, fall under the magical spell of the beautiful summits of the Annapurna Himal, towering 8,000m / 26,000′ above the Pokhara valley, and explore the rich flora & fauna of the Chitwan National Park on an exhilarating wildlife safari.

After exploring the shrines and bazaars of Kathmandu, you take a scenic flight to the enchanting valley of Pokhara. The snow-clad summits of the Annapurna Himal rise spectacularly high above the valley’s lakes and waterfalls; you enjoy the dawn panorama from the vantage point of Sarangkot. From Pokhara, you drive down to the lowland jungles of Chitwan for an exciting wildlife safari. Staying in comfortable resorts in the heart of the jungle, you explore the wild on elephant-back, on canoes, and on foot, accompanied by experienced naturalists and guides. Upon your return to Kathmandu, you visit the fabled medieval town of Bhaktapur. You may conclude your trip with the famous mountain flight along the Central Nepal Himalaya to Everest.

Trip Itinerary

Day 1  Arrival. Afternoon walking tour of old Kathmandu.
Day 2  Morning tour of and Swayambhunath stupa and Patan. Afternoon flight to Pokhara.
Day 3  Early morning drive to Sarangkot viewpoint to watch sunrise over the Annapurna Himal. Morning sightseeing tour of Pokhara valley. Afternoon at leisure.
Day 4  Early morning drive to Chitwan. Afternoon wildlife safari activity.
Day 5  Wildlife safari activities in the Chitwan National Park.
Day 6  Morning flight to Kathmandu. Afternoon tour of Pashupatinath temple and Boudhanath stupa.
Day 7  Morning tour of  Bhaktapur. Afternoon at leisure.
Day 8  Depart for onward destination.

Dates and Pricing
We can operate this tour from October through May for a party of two or more. Best seasons are fall (October - November) and spring (March - April), with warm, clear days and cool mornings and evenings.
  Standard HotelsSuperior HotelsDeluxe Hotels
2 - 4 personsUS$ 733US$ 910US$ 1304
5 or more personsUS$ 659US$ 836US$ 1230
Single room supplement US$ 193US$ 391US$ 668
Airfare Kathmandu - Pokhara; Bharatpur - KathmanduUS$ 240
Cost Information
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Cost Information

The tour cost quoted is the cost per person, and includes:

  • Hotels: Accommodations in Kathmandu and Nagarkot on twin / triple room-sharing basis with breakfast.
  • Tours: All sightseeing tours with a certified English-speaking guide.
  • Transfers: All land transfers by car (Toyota Corolla or similar) or van (Toyota Hiace or similar).
  • Permits, Fees, & Taxes: All applicable permits, entry fees, and taxes.
  • Tour leader: We provide a tour leader on groups of six or more. A tour leader can be provided upon request for smaller groups, upon additional cost.

Not included in the cost are:

  • Meals other than indicated on itinerary.
  • Personal clothing & equipment (upon confirmation you’ll receive a clothing & necessity checklist of items we recommend you bring, items you can hire / purchase locally are indicated).
  • Personal expenses, bottled / alcoholic beverages, and tips to crew.
  • Insurance: We strongly recommend that all trip participants be covered by their own personal insurance that also covers emergency evacuation.
  • Other unforeseeable expenses that may arise due to factors beyond our control, like bad weather or flight cancellations.
  • Nepal visa fee.

 
  Standard HotelsSuperior HotelsDeluxe Hotels
KathmanduNirvana Garden HotelHotel Royal SingiHotel Yak & Yeti
PokharaSampada InnTemple Tree ResortFish Tail Lodge
ChitwanJungle Villa ResortTigerland Safari ResortKasara Resort
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