Kathmandu Valley and Bardia National Park Tour

- 8 Days

Upon our arrival in the Tribhuwan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu, we will be greeted by a representative from Himalayan Glacier who will drop us off at our hotel. After checking in, we take a rest or visit Himalayan Glacier’s office. In the evening, there will be a welcome dinner hosted by Himalayan Glacier. For dinner, you will be served excellent authentic Nepalese cuisine which will introduce you to the Nepalese food culture.

Today, after breakfast, we start a guided tour to four of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Kathmandu.  Kathmandu Durbar Square holds the palaces of the ancient kings who ruled over the then Kathmandu Kingdom. Pashupatinath Temple is one of the most sacred pilgrimage sites for Hindus all over the world. We also visit popular Buddhist stupas in Kathmandu. Swayambhunath, is located in the heart of the city and is also called Monkey Temple by the tourists owing to the large number of monkeys in the temple area. Bouddhanath is one of the largest stupas in the world, and one of the holiest Buddhist pilgrimage and tourist destinations in Kathmandu. The area of Boudhnath is also famous for over 50 Tibetan gompas or monasteries.  Overnight in Kathmandu.

Listed in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Patan Durbar Square is rich in ancient arts and architecture. We also visit Bhakatpur, 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, 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 Nagarkot, a village renowned for its sunrise and sunset views of the Himalayas and enjoy spectacular sunset views amidst the Himalayas. Overnight in Nagarkot.

Early in the morning, we enjoy amazing views of the sunrise amidst the Himalayas. After breakfast we drive to the Tribhuwan International Airport in Kathmandu and fly to Nepalgunj, located in western Nepal. From here, we drive to the Bardia National Park and check-in to our resort. After lunch, we take a tour of an authentic Tharu village. The Tharus are believed to be the original inhabitants of the local jungle area. We will also visit the Bardia National Park visitor center and tour its crocodile farm. Overnight in Bardia National Park.

After breakfast we embark deep into the woods on foot. We will be accompanied by a nature guide and porter. The steamy jungles of Bardia is home to a number of wild animals including Asian elephant, one horn rhinoceros, spotted deer, hog deer, barking deer, samber, swamp deer, black buck, wild boar, royal Bengal tiger, leopard, golden jackal, striped hyena and others. There are also towers (Machan) at different places within the jungle where we can wait for unsuspecting wild-lives to pass us by. Our experienced nature guide will help us track the wildlife. After the jungle tour we return back to our resort and enjoy dinner and take part in the traditional Tharu dance. Overnight at the National Park.

After breakfast, we drive for an hour to Chisapani, a village located over the Karnali River.  We embark on our wildlife discovery tour on a Safari float which is a pleasant way to experience the rivers and wildlife of western Nepal. We will be accompanied by a trained guide, well suited for maneuvering the river which does not have any rapids. Throughout the journey we get to admire the beautiful sub-tropical landscape along with the plentiful wildlife. Catching glimpses of wild animals quenching their thirst in the vast Karnali River will be an amazing experience! If you must know we would not be the only ones floating in the Karnali River as the river is home to endangered Gharial crocodile, marsh mugger and gangetic dolphins. Furthermore, this trip is also good for bird-watching as there are quite a number of resident and migratory birds in the Bardia National Park. We end the day with another Tharu cultural dance program. Overnight in Bardia National Park.

After breakfast we set forth on an interesting elephant-back safari. Apart from the fun, another benefit of elephant-back safari is that there is a better chance of seeing wild animals, since the wild animals are less scared when you’re on the top of their mammoth friend. Moreover, riding the elephant also saves us from any potential attacks by the wild animals.  The elephants usually head northwest and we may see deer, langoor monkeys, rhinos and boars. After the safari, we drive back to Nepalgunj and fly to Kathmandu. Overnight in Kathmandu.

Our adventure in Nepal comes to an end today! A representative from Himalayan Glacier will take us to the airport approximately 3 hours before the scheduled flight.