NEPAL: KATHMANDU + POKHARA + CHITWAN in Kathmandu

Facilities available

Wheelchair access

Adapted transfer

Description

8 Nights

From £1995 per person sharing ( Flights quoted separately)

If you have upper body strength, enquire about this fascinating Nepal holiday which is wheelchair accessible, including adapted hotels in Kathmandu. Explore Durbar Square, visit Bhaktapur, see the mighty Himalayas in Pokhara & enjoy a safari in Chitwan National Park. English speaking guides, all transfers, park fees & sightseeing included.

Highlights:

• Nepal holiday, Wheelchair accessible
• Bhaktapur
• Chitwan national park
• Kathmandu
• Pokhara
• Wheelchair accessible hotels
• Durbar Square
• Himalayas
• Swayambhunat stupa
• International mountain museum

Day 1

You will be met at Kathmandu Airport and transferred to your hotel in this spectacular Himalayan country that is famous for trekking and is home to the highest mountain in the world - the mighty Mount Everest.

Check into your hotel amidst the intoxicating sights and sounds of this capital city that was devastated by an earthquake in 2015, but is now slowly recovering.

Day 2

Today you will be introduced to the highlights of Kathmandu (known locally as Kantipur), as you explore its ancient UNESCO World Heritage Sites with your guide.

We start with a visit to Kathmandu Durbar Square, with its array of temples overlooked by the Hanuman Dhoka Palace - the ancient place of Nepalese royalty. This is one of Nepal's seven Monument Zones, each of which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Although many of these structures collapsed during the devastating earthquake of 2015, not all areas were affected. Most of the people living here are Hindu, but there are also many Buddhist as Lord Buddha was born in Lumbini, when Nepal was under the control of India. The true soul of this city can be found in its backstreets, where you can soak up the local cultural and artistic heritage.

Our next stop is the sacred Buddhist pilgrimage site of Swayambhunath (meaning 'sublime trees'), the oldest Buddhist stupa in the Kathmandu Valley that is said to be over 2,000 years. This perfectly proportioned monument rises up through a whitewashed dome to a gilded spire, from where four iconic faces of Lord Buddha stare out across the valley. The hill is a mosaic of small shrines and pagoda temples and, as many monkeys live here, it is also known as Monkey Temple. It is also a Monument Zone and World Heritage Site. From here you will have a perfect vantage point over the Kathmandu Valley.

After lunch (own account) we travel to Bhaktapur - an extraordinarily beautiful old city which was probably founded in the ninth century. Its ancient architecture comprises pagoda-style copper roofs set on wooden and mud-brick buildings, said to represent what Kathmandu looked like centuries ago before the arrival of the modern era. You can observe local artisans shaping pottery and tour Bhaktapur Durbar Square, another Monument Zone and World Heritage Site, with its Golden Gate and Palace of 55 Windows.

Note: Most sites are not very accessible, but your guide will do his best to give you good views.

Day 3

This morning we visit Boudhanath - a Tibetan 'stupa' (dome shaped shrine) that is the largest Buddhist temple in the world. Built by King Man Deva on the advice of the goddess Mani Jogini, its octagonal base is inset with prayer wheels. The shrine is ringed by houses of Lamas (priests), with four pairs of eyes looking in the four cardinal directions - keeping watch for righteous behaviour and human prosperity. Here you can see Tibetan monks involved in their chanting rituals and daily life. This stupa is one of the seven Monument Zones and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

After lunch (own account) we drive 3-miles (5-km) south of Kathmandu to visit Patan Durbar Square. Patan (or Lalitpur) is one of the three great cities of the Kathmandu Valley, which is the historical and cultural heart of Nepal. It is famous for its amazing collection of fantastically carved temples, palace courtyards, water spouts, public baths and houses with their equally elaborate wood, stone and metal carvings under the patronages of the Kirat, Lichivi and Malla kings. Patan has more than a 1,000 temples and monuments dedicated to the uniquely Nepali mix of Buddhist and Hindu gods. Patan Durbar Square is another of the seven Monument Zones and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

In the evening enjoy an included Nepali Cultural Show and dinner.

Day 4

Transfer to Kathmandu Airport for your light aircraft flight to Pokhara.

Check into your hotel and relax in this town that is known for its lovely lakes Phewa, Begnas and Rupa, which have their source in the glacial Annapurna Range of the Himalayas. This town is also the gateway to the famous Annapurna hiking trail.

Note: As Pokhara airport have no lifting equipment, you will need to be carried off the plane.

Day 5

Today enjoy a sightseeing tour of Pokhara.

We start with a visit to the International Mountain Museum which has a stunning collection of artefacts, original gears, stories and photographs of the mountains, their inhabitants and the explorers who have climbed some of the highest peaks in the world.

Afterwards we visit a Tibetan settlement, one of the many refugee camps that were built for the thousands of Tibetan refugees that came to settle in Nepal after the Chinese takeover. We also visit beautiful Phewa Lake and drive through the scenic Pokhara Valley to the charming Old Bazaar, which houses the Bindyabasini Temple.

Note: Not all sites are accessible, but your guide will do his best to give you good views.

Day 6

Transfer to Pokhara Airport for your light aircraft flight to Bharatpur, where you will be met and transferred 1-hour to your jungle lodge situated outside Chitwan National Park.

Chitwan National Park (meaning 'Heart of the Forest') is one of the few remaining undisturbed sections of the Terai Plains that extend along the southern foothills of the Himalayas - all the way through India, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh.

Together with the adjacent Parsa Wildlife Reserve in the east, and India's Valmiki National Park to the south, this huge protected area of grassland, marshland and subtropical forest covers an area of over 1,370 square miles (3,549 sq km) and ranges in altitude from 330 ft (100 m) in the river valleys to over 2,600 ft (800 m) in the Churia Hills.

In the afternoon you can visit a local Tharu Village to experience their culture and customs, and in the evening enjoy a short presentation on Chitwan National Park and its wildlife.

Note: As Pokhara and Bharatpur airports have no lifting equipment, you will need to be carried onto the planes.

Day 7

Today enjoy exploring the beautiful oxbow lakes, dense sal forests and grasslands of Chitwan National Park.

Chitwan was the first national park established in Nepal and its river plains and jungle provide an important sanctuary for the endangered one-horned rhinoceros. This park also protects one of the largest populations of rare Bengal tigers, fish-eating Gharial crocodiles, Asian elephants, leopards and sloth bears. 68 species of mammals have been recorded here - including deer, wild boar, bison and monkeys. However the dense jungle, tall grass and nocturnal hours kept by many of these animals make spotting wildlife difficult and be aware that tiger sightings are rare. Chitwan is also home to over 200 different bird species and bird watching is outstanding.

Activities vary by lodge, but usually include one safari per day (2 to 3 hours) - either by traditional Patela dugout canoe down the Rapti River to view aquatic birds, crocodiles and other wildlife that come down to the river to drink, or by jeep safari. A second activity is also offered each day, including guided jungle trails around the lodge, shorter canoe rides, bird watching and a visit to a Crocodile Conservation Project.

One evening enjoy a Tharu cultural dance show including traditional stick dancing, done to appease the gods during religious festivals.

Note: You need upper body strength for this safari, as you will need to be lifted into the canoe and into the front seat of the jeep safari.  Wear warm clothes, including woolly hats and gloves, to protect you from the wind chill in the early morning. Jeep safaris are prohibited during the monsoon season (June to September).

Day 8

Enjoy a short nature trail around the lodge, before your 1-hour transfer to Bharatpur Airport for your light aircraft flight to Kathmandu.

You will be met at Kathmandu Airport and transferred to your hotel.

Note: As Bharatpur airport has no lifting equipment, you will need to be carried onto the plane.

Day 9

Transfer to Kathmandu Airport for your flight home.

Information last updated: 04/12/2023 14:06:10