Nepal Bhutan Tour - 14 days

Set off your Bhutan Nepal overland tour with a scenic flight over the land of Himalayas. Nepal is known world-wide as the birth country of Buddha and also the country having the tallest mountain in the world i.e. Mount Everest. Fly from you hometown to Kathmandu, capital of Nepal. Upon your arrival at Tribhuvan International airport, complete the clearance of customs and luggage’s and exist from the Airport Departure lounge. As soon as you exist, you can see number of peoples outside holding a placard. Among them one of the representative of Nature Trail Travels & Tours, Trekking & Expedition will be holing a placard with your name in it. So, closely look at them. He will then transfer you to your respective hotels. Or else, you can visit our office and after full description about your trip, you will be driven to your hotel. You will stay overnight at hotel in Kathmandu.

On the following day after breakfast, you will have a private vehicle and a professional tour guide at your disposal. After breakfast, get on with today’s sightseeing tour which includes: Pashupatinath Temple, Boudhanath Stupa and Bhaktapur Durbar Square.

Pashupatinath Temple, Boudhanath Stupa and Bhaktapur Durbar Square are the most famous pilgrimage sites of Kathmandu. Pashupatinath Temple, being one of the most important Hindu Pilgrimage site stands as a symbol of faith, religion, culture and tradition. It is one of the most sacred Hindu Lord Shiva shrines in the world and is situated 5 kilometer east of Kathmandu heart, on the banks of sacred Bagmati River. Hindus are only allowed to enter this temple. Non-Hindus can admire the beauty of the temple from the other side of the Bagmati River, on the banks of which Pashupatinath Temple stands. Boudhanath Stupa is the largest stupa in Nepal and the holiest Tibetan Buddhist temple outside Tibet which is said to be 2500 years old. It is the center of Tibetan culture in Kathmandu and rich in Buddhist symbolism. Bhaktapur Durbar Square is a collection of pagoda and shikhara – style temples grouped around a fifty-five-window palace of brick and wood. The Square contains innumerable temples and other architectural showpieces like the Lion Gate, the statue of King Bhupatindra Malla, the Picture Gallery, the Golden Gate, the palaces of 55 windows, the Batsala temple and the bell of barking dog etc. After sightseeing, return back to the hotel and then take some rest. You will stay overnight at hotel in Kathmandu.

On the following day, we will have our breakfast on the camp and set out for a scenic drive towards Royal Chitwan National Park. You will enjoy the views of enormous plains of the Terai region while driving towards Chitwan. Chitwan National Park is declared as World Heritage Site under the category of Natural Sites by UNESCO. Chitwan is one of Asia’s best’s wildlife – viewing spots and the place to don your safari togs, clamber atop a lumbering elephant and head into the dawn mist in search of rhinos and tiger. 8% of the world bird species, rare mammals including one horned rhinoceros and the Bengal tiger makes it exclusive. Once reaching your destination, you will be briefed about the elephant activities and Jungle Safari. You can later enjoy the sunset in Rapti River, elephant back safari and stroll around the Tharu villages. Once the night falls down, we entertain you with cultural performances including bonfire before getting in bed. You will stay overnight in one of the resort in Chitwan.

With a wakeup call along with tea or coffee, we have the great time to witness the wildlife at its best in Royal National Park. This includes Bird watching, Nature Walk, Elephant briefing and bathing, Canoeing and visit to elephant breeding center. You can see different species of birds migrating from the different country and place. After doing bird watching activities your delicious breakfasts will be waiting for you. We will then head to the grasslands and forests near the Narayani River. If you are lucky, you will see many amazing creatures that you spend most time to looking for; rhinoceroses, Chitwan’s royal Bengal tigers, leopards, monkeys, many types of deer and reptiles. Check your camera gear – preferably with a telephoto lens and you will not miss any shots. In later afternoon, a traditional dug-out canoe takes you on a silent trip down the Rapti River to view aquatic birds and the crocodile along the river banks. Elephant briefing: to learn more about the life of these fascinating animals during a visit to our elephant stables. We will also go to the observation tower, then later in the evening head back to the resort for dinner.

After breakfast we will leave the plain of Chitwan and drive north towards mountains again. Vantage points on this section of highway offers picturesque view of Himalayan peaks atop verdant hills drained by cascading white water. Pokhara appears as amphitheater of mountains with lofty snow peaks towards north. Later we will explore Phewa Lake, the biggest of three lakes in pokhara.

Early in the morning we will drive to Sarangkot hill for viewing sunrise and stunning snowcapped mountain ranges. There’s a non-descript village just before the view point. The village is located on Sarangkot mountain at an altitude of 1600m and is renowned for its panoramic Himalayan view: Dhaulagiri, Annapurna and Manaslu as well as down on the city of Pokhara and Phewa lake. In recent years, Sarangkot has become a hotspot for Paragliding, Zip-flyer, Ultra-light, Bungee jump etc. While you are in Sarangkot, you can enjoy these activities. After sunrise view, we proceed for the sightseeing tour of some famous places of Pokhara; Davi’s fall, Gupteswor cave, Mahendra Cave, Bats Cave, Bindhyabasini Temple, Barahi Temple and Seti George.

Davi’s fall is a waterfall. On 31 July 1961, a Swiss couple Davi went swimming but the woman drowned in a pit because of the overflow. Her body was recovered 3 days later in river Phusre with great effort. Her father wished to name it “Davi’s falls” after her. Its Nepali name is Patale Chango, which means “underworld waterfall”. The waterfall during the monsoon season provides you with a natural effect.

Gupteswor Cave is a city shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is a world-famous pilgrim site. It is a limestone cave discovered some time ago and has a number of scenic spots around. The main attraction is the gigantic Shiva Linga which is said to be increasing in size. Gupteswor cave is special for the underground water. It is really worth seeing. It is a natural cave with Stalagmites. One has to reach the end to view the superb scene. The shrine is called “Gupteswor” which means the “Hidden God”. It is so named because it was lying hidden in the cave for a very long period. People suffering from incurable diseases come here to worship the God and remain here for months in the hope of getting cured.

Mahendra Cave is a cave located close to the Seti River. It is a rare example of a cave system in Nepal containing stalagmites and stalactites. A statue of Hindu lord Shiva can be found inside the cave. The cave gets its name from former King, Mahendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev. This cave was discovered in the late 1950s by young shepherds of Pokhara. Since then it has remained one of the most visited places in Pokhara. The canal is completely dark with continuously dripping water overhead. The cave is full of limestone, which falls to the ground and continuously forms electrical sparks. Due to the darkness, artificial lighting is provided inside the cave.

Bat Cave, which is also known as the natural habitat of bats, is also worth of visiting, and is, located a ten-minute walk away from Mahendra Cave. It is 150 m long and 25 ft. high. The main entrance of this cave is quite narrow but the inner part is wide enough. The main specialty of this cave is that there are more than 15 thousand bats of different species. Images of elephant tusks, gods, and goddesses can be observed in the inner walls of the cave.

Bindhyabasini temple is the center of religious activity situated in the small hill-lock in between the main old bazaar and Bagar area at an elevation of 3000 feet above sea level. It is one of the oldest temples in the Pokhara valley and has an immense cultural value dedicated to Goddess Bhagawati. This temple is considered as one of the main and foremost Shaktipiths of western Nepal. It is heard to have been expressed that one can materialize the wishes whatever one wishes by worshiping the Devi. Built in a Shikhar Shailee (Shikhar style) the temple has an Idol of Bhagawati having 8 Bhujas (hands).

Seti George is also known as Seti Khola, where “Seti” means “White” and “Khola” means “River”. This is the holiest river of western Nepal, which is fed by snow of Machapuchare and Annapurna mountains. It rises from the base of the Annapurna massive, and passes through the limestone gorge of beautiful Pokhara valley and Damauli to join the Trishuli River near Devghat. It makes more excitement for those who look down to the Seti George from the top of the cliff. It is also famous for rafting and has unspoiled greenish jungle scenery, excellent bird watching site, local cultural heritage and beautiful clean beaches, many small and undemanding rapids. This is one of the additional sites that makes natural environment of Nepal more beautiful. White water running down this George makes you click random shots.

After sightseeing tour of these famous places of Pokhara, transfer to the hotel for overnight stay.

You will have to make a decision for today’s journey. Either you could fly out of Pokhara or take a road transport to Kathmandu. Both of these journeys are equally adventurous. The drive from Pokhara to Kathmandu usually takes about 6/7 hours whereas by flight it only takes 30 minutes to reach Kathmandu from Pokhara. After your arrival at Kathmandu, you will be escorted to one of the hotel in Thamel.

As our flight nears Bhutan we can enjoy amazing views of the Himalayas including the sacred Chomolhari and Jichu Drake peaks. At the airport, we will be greeted by a representative from Himalayan Glacier who will take us to our hotel. After lunch, we visit Rinpung Dzong, meaning ‘fortress of the heap of jewels’. Next, visit Kichu Lhakhang, the oldest temple in the country. From here we will be taken to the Drugyal Dzong (Bhutan Victory Fort), which was built in 1646 to commemorate Bhutan’s victory over Tibetan invaders during the 1600s. On a clear day we can see Mount Chomolhari, Bhutan’s second-highest mountain, at 7,314meters.

After breakfast, we hike for around 4 -5 hours to Taktsang (Tiger’s Nest) Monastery, which is Bhutan’s most famous monastery situated at 3,180 meters. Guru Rinpoche (spiritual master) is said to have flown on the back of a tigress to meditate in a cave where Taktsang Monastery now stands. Lunch will be served in the Cafeteria Restaurant, located about halfway up on the mountain. The monastery is perched on the edge of a steep cliff, about 900 meters above Paro Valley. After having explored the monastery, we hike down to the valley floor and leave for Thimphu. 

After appetizing breakfast, proceed for full day sightseeing tour in Thimphu. Initially, we start our sightseeing tour with a visit to National Memorial Chorten. This temple was first initiated by the Third King as a protection from the negative elements of modernization, and as a monument to world peace. The Royal Queen Mother completed it as a memorial Stupa for the Third King who passed away in 1972. Then we will continue our visit to 12th century Changangkha Temple and Drubthob monastery housing the Zilukha Nunnery. If you want to see Takin, the national animal of Bhutan then you can proceed onto mini-zoo. The Takin (a goat-antelope) was declared the national animal of Bhutan because it is strongly associated with the country’s religious history and mythology. After sightseeing of these sites, if you still have some time left then you can visit to National Library, the priceless collection of Buddhist manuscripts and few English version books; Folk and Heritage Museum, which displays day to day livelihood of typical Bhutanese farmers in medieval period and their accessories; Late King’s Memorial Stupa, built for the world peace and Traditional Handmade Paper Factory; Painting School, which preserves our traditional paintings, sculpturing and wood curving and National Handicraft Emporium, the best place to look for souvenir from Bhutan. You can also visit the Rinpung Dzong, meaning ‘fortress of the heap of jewels’ to see the painting of the great saint Milarepa, considered as the master of meditation by the Bhutanese and believed to have attained enlightenment in a lifetime. The Dzong is now used as an administration center and school for monks. Dzong’s are large monasteries and district administrative centers, which were once strategic forts. Some of the landmarks are closed on the weekend (Saturdays and Sundays). Therefore, if your visit to Thimphu coincides with the weekend, you can walk through the Thimphu Market to see the variety of food of Bhutan, including basket upon basket of fiery chilies, cheese and a variety of greens. (This market is open only from Friday-Sunday).

Drive for about half an hour in order to reach Wangdue. Wangdue Phodrang Dzong is perched on a spur at the confluence of two rivers. It represents an important gateway to Eastern Bhutan. High on a promontory overlooking the river, this Dzong, founded in 1639, controlled the routes to Trongsa, Punakha, Dagana, and Thimphu. The position of the Dzong is remarkable as it completely covers the spur and commands an impressive view over both the north-south and east-west roads. Punakha and Wangdue Phodrang are administrative centers of their respective Dzong khang or districts. Compared to Thimphu or Paro, the valley is at much lower elevation at about 1250 meter above sea level. Therefore it enjoys subtropical climate with warm summer and pleasant winter. The valley boasts at least two crops a year and subtropical plants like Cactuses, Mandarin, and Bananas grow here. The town of Punakha was relocated recently to Khuruthang from its location near Punakha Dzong. Punakha was former winter capital of Bhutan, the tradition that is still kept by the monastic body, who moves their capital to Thimphu in the summer and return to Punakha Dzong in the winter. It is around half hour drive between Punakha and Wangdue Phodrang. The small township of Wangdue with clusters of small shops tightly packed together, surrounding a truck stop is quite interesting to visit. Across the river, on the opposite ridge is the village of Richen gang, known for cluster of houses connected to one another. If time permits, the journey can be broken with a visit to Tamchhu Lhakhang built by Than tong Gyalpo, the so-called Iron Bridge Builder. You can continue down the winding pass to the town of Wang due Phodrang.

At dawn, we drive 12 km north of Punakha and begin our 2-hour hike to Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten. It is located on a beautiful hillock called Ngezergang and contains elaborate paintings dedicated to the old sect of Buddhism. We hike further towards Punakha. On the way back, we visit the Punakha Dzong which was built in 1637. It is also the second oldest and the second largest Dzong in Bhutan. In the afternoon, we drive to Paro and spend the night there.

Upon our arrival in Kathmandu, a Nature Trail representative will pick us up from the airport. We will then be transferred to our hotel. After freshening up we begin our sightseeing tour of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Patan Durbar Square is rich in ancient arts and architecture while Bhakatpur is an irresistible city with an authentic local lifestyle preserved over centuries of isolation from the hustle and bustle of Kathmandu. While in the city square of Bhaktapur, we get to admire the Nyata-Pola Temple, the Golden Gate, water spouts and the 55 Window Palace which merge together to provide an ambiance of a magical outdoor theater to its visitors. We also immerse ourselves in the authentic delicacy of the locals in Bhaktapur. Then we drive to Thamel Hotel.

Ending our trip, you will be transferred to the airport for your flight back to home.