Nepal World Heritage Tours - 10 Days

On arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport, you will be met by our representative and transferred to the hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure. On your arrival day, you will have a welcome dinner with typical Nepali cultural shows before embarking on your cultural tour of Nepal to explore the world heritage sites. O/N at the Hotel.

There will be a full-day world heritage sightseeing tour of Boudhanath, Pashupatinath, and Kathmandu Durbar Square.

Bouddhanath is the largest and most fascinating religious structure ever built in Nepal. This colossal Stupa is known as Boudhanath, the god of wisdom. It stands upon a massive octagonal basement. It is on various levels of terraces, painted in pastel, and adorned with prayer flags of five different colors. The area of Boudhanath is also known as Mini Tibet since you will see many monasteries, primarily constructed in Tibetan style, in the last three decades. The settlement of Boudhanath has the largest community of Tibetan refugees.

Pashupatinath: Located 5 km east of Kathmandu, Pashupatinath is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It has a two-tiered golden roof and silver door and is considered one of the holiest shrines for Hindus. Although only Hindus are allowed inside the temple, visitors can see it and the activities performed on the temple premises from the eastern bank of the Bagmati River.

Kathmandu Durbar Square is a wondrous cluster of ancient temples, palaces, courtyards, and streets. The most noteworthy are the Hanumandhoka Palace complex and the Taleju temple. To date, all central state and social ceremonies, including the solemnization of coronations, are carried out in one or the other courtyards within this complex.

The royal enclave presently houses three museums. The monuments in and around the area are so charming that each appears more wondrous than the one next to it. During this tour, you will also visit the Temple of Kumari (the Living Goddess), which represents a very ancient Hindu deity of Nepal locally known as Taleju, which is Buddhist by birth. The building has intricately carved wooden balconies and window screens. The Kumari acknowledges greetings from her balcony window. Once a year, during the Indra Jatra festival, the King of Nepal seeks the Kumari blessings. O/N at Hotel.

Today, we drive to Chitwan National Park (932 sq. km), the most famous safari destination and natural world heritage site. The park covers a unique ecosystem containing the Churia hills, oxbow lakes, and flood plains. Dominated by sal forests, it has 50 species of grasses.

The 43 species of animals include the endangered one-horned rhino and royal Bengal tiger, the Gharial crocodile, the wild elephant, the four-horned antelope, the striped hyena, the pangolin, the Gangetic dolphin, the monitor lizard, and python.

Various activities will highlight your stay in Chitwan National Park, including an Elephant back safari and Canoe ride, a village tour and jungle walk, bird watching, and Tharu cultural dance.

Full-day jungle activities including the elephant safari or Jeep drives.

Morning drive to Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha, the apostle of peace and compassion. It is a place of pilgrimage for Buddhists and reverence for peace lovers of any religious faith worldwide.

The central attraction in Lumbini is the sacred garden, which includes the Maya Devi temple depicting the birth of Lord Buddha, the Ashoka Pillar pinpointing the birthplace of Buddha, and Shakya Tank, where Maya Devi, the mother of Lord Buddha, is supposed to have taken a dip before bringing forth the baby Lord Buddha. Around this holy site are remnants of Monasteries and Chaityas built over the centuries following Buddha birth in 632 BC. O/N at hotel.

Excursion to Tilaurakot (25 km) to the west, the ancient capital of Kapilvastu, the Kingdom of the Sakya Dynasty in which Lord Buddha was born. PM tour of Monastery Zone and the Lumbini Village. O/N at Hotel.

Mountain flight to Mt. Everest (Sagarmatha).

This is the easiest and quickest way to get a close-up view of Mt. Everest (Sagarmatha 8,848), the must-see landmark of Nepal and the highest mountain in the world. Other breathtaking mountains that can be viewed at close range are Shisha Pangma, Dorje Lakpa, Gauri-Shanker, Melungtse, Numbur, Cho-Oyu, Pumori, Nuptse, Lhotse, Makalu, Ama Dablam, Thamserku, Kanchenjunga, and even glimpses of the Tibetan Plateau. Every passenger is guaranteed a window seat on our mountain flight!

PM: World Heritage tour of Changunarayan and Bhaktapur.

Changunarayan is the most ancient Hindu temple in Kathmandu valley, dedicated to Lord Vishnu. The complex was built on a peninsula not submerged in water like most of the valley.

The lavishly decorated two-tiered principal temple stands on a spacious courtyard and is literally littered with artistic and priceless statues, idols, and sculptures, some dating back to the 4th century AD.

Bhaktapur is one of three sister cities with a medieval charm. Visitors to this ancient town are treated to myriad wonders of cultural and artistic achievements.

The past glory of the Malla rulers continues to be reflected at the Durbar Square. Pottery and weaving are their traditional industries. Bhaktapur is famous for woodcarving, the Bhadgaolen top (cap), and curd. O/N at Hotel.

World Heritage Tour of Patan Durbar Square and Swayabhunath.

Patan: The ancient city of Patan, lying 5km southeast of Kathmandu, is known as the city of fine arts. It is full of Hindu temples and Buddhist monuments. The diversity of medieval culture, which allowed both Hinduism and Buddhism to flourish, has left a rich legacy of impressive sightseeing in this city for today visitors.

Swyambhunath, visible from afar on a hilltop to the west of Kathmandu, takes pride in being one of the world’s most glorious Buddhist Stupas. Its existence is linked to the creation of the Kathmandu Valley out of a primordial lake. This hill is a mosaic of small Chaityas and pagodas.

Swayambhunath is perhaps the best place to observe religious harmony in Nepal. It offers excellent views of the Kathmandu valley. PM is free. O/N at the Hotel.