Nepal

Starting Price:	£1,511.00
Trip Length:	7 days
Includes airfare allowance from London (UK)

Interests:

Soft/Multi Adventure
Walking/Hiking

Swayambhunath

Kathmandu Valley

Durbar Square

Kathmandu City and 3-Day Valley Trek

Description Pricing Itinerary Hotels

A spiritual center for Hindus and Buddhists alike, Kathmandu is an intensely urban area woven with narrow alleys, colorful markets and countless temples and shrines. After seeing the sites of the city, escape to the great outdoors for a three day trek through the Kathmandu Valley. These rarely trekked and underrated hills offer a fine mixture of Nepalese culture, village life and beautiful landscapes.

The village houses are usually small basic lodges offering accommodation and food for travelers. The treks rely on these village houses for food and shelter and thus require minimal equipment. Your experienced guides will select the best accommodation in the villages, and if required, will go ahead to find shelter for clients. Tea houses are also a meeting point for trekkers from various parts of the world.

The village houses are lodges run by local people. The basic rooms are clean and comfortable with attached western style bathroom. They are well stocked for trekkers offering a staple diet of eggs, porridge, custard, chocolate and muesli amongst other foods. Local dishes of rice and lentils, meat or vegetarian curries, packet noodles and seasonal vegetables are readily available

A trek day starts with your guide knocking at your door in a village house at around 6:00 am in the morning. The breakfast is usually served at 7:00 am allowing you enough time to wash-up and pack. The trek normally starts at 8:00 am. You will be accompanied by your guide and a porter. On average, 3 hours of walking is covered before lunch. After lunch, normally 3 more hours are covered before reaching the destination of the day. At the destination the guide selects an ideal village house and allocates a room/s for you. Dinner is around 7:00 pm before retiring for the night.

Our trekking packages are supported by highly experienced trek guides, escort guides and reliable porters. Please note that treks do not operate during the months of June, July, and August and require a minimum of two people to operate.

This trip can be customized to fit your individual travel dates and any specific requests you may have. Your travel consultant will prepare a customized itinerary for you. We offer a choice of 4 star, 5 star and Deluxe hotels in Kathmandu.

This tour includes airfare allowance from London (UK), on non-holiday dates. You do not need to fly via London; Yampu will fly you the most direct way to your city of destination. Depending on your travel dates and proximity of travel, we will quote you the most economical surcharge from your city or country of origin.

Additional information on this trip:

Days of Week the Trip can Start:
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Visited Cities:
Kathmandu

Day 1

Overnight international flight to Kathmandu.

Day 2

Upon arrival in Kathmandu, airport reception and transfer to your hotel. Depending on your arrival time, you are free to spend the rest of the day at leisure.

Day 3

Enjoy a guided tour of Kathmandu City beginning with Kumari Ghar – home to Nepal’s most important living goddess, and the Hanuman Dhoka Palace. Then, enjoy a brief visit to Kasthamandap, a medieval temple said to be built from a single piece of wood, which also gives Kathmandu its name. Proceed to the Kal Brairab shrine, a colorful memorial to the Hindu God of destruction, followed by a visit to Taleju Temple, the city’s most magnificent temple.

Afterwards, embark on a sightseeing tour of the Swoyambhunath Stupa. Celebrated as one of the oldest Buddhist stupas in the world, this majestic structure sits highly on a nearby hilltop overlooking Kathmandu Valley. In the afternoon, travel through Patan, the “City of Fine Arts”. Stroll through the famous Durbar Square, where you can see Krishna Mandir, a temple built in honor of Lord Krishna that is considered to be the world’s finest example of stone architecture. As you walk around, you can enjoy the many traditional artists and sculptors throughout the streets.

Note: Yampu recommends an optional one hour mountain flight for unforgettable aerial views of the Himalayas. Experience the thrill of seeing Mount Everest up close, as the plane flies two aeronautical miles in front of the Natural Wonder. Please inquire with a Yampu travel consultant for more details.

Day 4

Morning visit to Pashupatinath, Nepal’s oldest and most holy Hindu temple. Situated upon the banks of the Bagmati River, this is an important ritual and cremation site, as the water flows into the Ganges. Proceed to Boudhanath, one of Asia’s largest stupas that has earned the nickname of “Little Tibet”, as it has become a focal point of Tibetan Buddhism. Standing tall at thirty-six meters (118 ft), this white mandala-shaped structure is a symbol of the universe that facilitates meditation for the local Tibetan Buddhists.

In the afternoon, go on an excursion to the medieval city of Bhaktapur, located about an hour’s drive outside of Kathmandu. In this “City of Devotees”, wander through the winding lanes lined with old homes and temples that date back to the 13th century. Beginning in the city’s Durbar Square, you will be able to marvel at the intricately carved deities and monsters of the richly molded Golden Gate before entering the Palace of 55 Windows that incorporates exquisite wood carvings into its medieval design.

Then, see the Lion’s Gate, with its huge guarding lion statues, before continuing to the Nyatpola Temple, a beautiful five-storied, 17th century pagoda. The last stop of the day will bring you to the splendorous Bhairab Temple, which is dedicated to the Lord Buddha. Before returning to Kathmandu, take some time to watch the skill of the traditional potters as they work at the Pottery Centre and the Dattratraya Temple.

Day 5

Kathmandu – Chauki Bhanjyang (1950 m, total 2-3 hour walk)

Transfer from your hotel in Kathmandhu to the trailhead (approximately 1.5 hours). The trek start point heads out past the city of Bhaktapur and then leads up to the ridgeline at Nagarkot and the starting point near the school house and old cheese factory. During the initial few minutes, you pass many village houses and lodges before dropping off the ridge on the Kathmandu valley side where you can enjoy the mountain views which includes Melungtse (7,131m) and Gauri Shanker (7,146m), with the Jugal himal - Ganchempa (6,397m), Dorje Lhakpa (6,980), and Phurbi Ghyanchu (6,722m) and further to the north lies the Bhairavkund and Gosainkund lakes area, behind which rises Langtang Lirung (7,245m). The vegetation here is somewhat scarce but reforestation efforts in recent years has begun to produce a positive impact. After a steep climb away from the village, you will earn good views of the valley and the still almost medieval town of Shanku nestling at the east end of the Kathmandu valley.

A series of dwellings, mostly inhabited by Tamangs, lead to the village of Chauki Bhanjyang (1,950m). During the winter months, when the weather is clear, the mountain views are superb. Immediately to the north lies the valley of the Indrawati River with the ridge to the east leading from Chatara to the Panch Pokhari (five lakes) area below Tilmans Col which crosses into Langtang and beyond. Overnight at a village house.

Day 6

Chauki Bhanjyang – Buring Bhanjyang (2438 m, total 6-7 hour walk)

The trail climbs west up the line of the Manichaur Danda (ridge) for about an hour and then drops onto the north side of the ridge, following the well-defined path besides a strong rock wall which aims to protect or define the higher slopes of the hill.

Another half hour on, the trail leads the wall and enters more broken jungle country. Stop for lunch at a beautiful natural campsite. In spring, wild yellow raspberry bushes offer refreshment and on a clear day, the mountain views are some of the best available. Tamang settlements are scattered across the terraced hillsides, with the Sindhu Khola (river) valley immediately below.

Another 2 to 2.5 hours walk along the flank of the hill leads to Chisapani (2, 194m) and the meeting with the main route from Sundarijal to Helambu. Climb steeply up the north slope, past Chepu Bhanjyang to Buring (2,438m) where a couple of houses offer tea amidst beech and rhododendron forests. Overnight at a village house.

Day 7

Buring Bhanjyang – Shivapuri (2560 m, total 5-6 hour walk) - Kathmandu

The route leads west through woods on the south side of the ridge, with fine views across the Kathmandu valley. After half an hour, a Bhanjyang (crossing point) is reached in an open area, with a Chautara on which are two Churungs (small Buddhist chortens). Another half hour of easy walking is followed by a steep ascent through oak and rhododendron. The climb eases and with no human habitation on this stretch, the forest is thick and lush with rhododendron in bloom up to late April. A natural well near a clearing in the forest makes an ideal lunch stop.

The route continues to climb up the ridgeline with dwarf bamboo giving thick ground cover. The flat open area of Shivapuri with its chortens and prayer flags is reached in about half an hour and offers spectacular views all round. From here the road head at Budhnilkhanta can be reached in about three hours. Nainki gompa (monastery) lies about two hours down the route - inhabited mostly by female monks.

Transport awaits you at Budhnilkhanta. Drive back to Kathmandu (approximately 30 minutes) for your flight home or continue with the Yampu Tours add-on of your choice.

Occupancy Type	4-Star	5-Star	Deluxe
Double	£1511	£1552	£1761

Yampu Tours is a trading name of Yampu Tours & Travel Ltd – Registered in England, Company No: 6054303 ATOL Number: 9522 VAT Number 919 1679 90 – 0800 011 2424 – Email Us

Kathmandu
4-star	Hotel Himalaya - Standard Room or similar
5-star	Hotel Yak & Yeti - Standard Hotel or similar
Deluxe	Hotel Dwarika - Heritage Room or similar