Nepal & Bhutan Holiday Tour Package

Your Nepal and Bhutan holiday tour starts in Nepal. Upon your arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport at Kathmandu, one of our representatives from Aarya Village Travel shall meet, assist and transfer you to your hotel. As you enjoy the welcome drinks, you shall be briefed about the scheduled tour while the rest of the day shall be at your leisure.

After Breakfast, start a sightseeing tour at UNESCO Heritage Sites.

Sightseeing at Patan Durbar Square can be a very unique experience for visitors as they can witness a distinct place for arts and architecture that is reflected on each temple, monument, and palace building that were mostly built during the Malla period between the 16th to 18th centuries. We will explore its unique Durbar Squares. In every corner & alley of Patan, you can see Thanka painters, filling color to ancient Gods and Goddess on canvases, fine metal shops that offer Buddha's exotic, handmade brass sculpture at very reasonable prices. You can taste local cuisine as well in Patan's alleys.

Then onward, the tour is headed towards Swayambhunath- A Monkey Temple from where you can see the magnificent views of Kathmandu Valley. The stupa, a tribute to Buddhism, consists of a dome at the base representing the entire world. The painted eyes of Buddha represent wisdom and compassion. A curly symbol, symbolizing the nose represents the unity of all things existing in the world. Prayer wheels surround the whole dome. The evening views of Kathmandu valley and sunset from the hilltop will be a memorable experience for you.

Bouddhanath Stupa- From there, the tour is directed towards Boudhanath. This is one of the UNESCO World Heritage sites and is one of the most imposing landmarks in Kathmandu. It is the largest stupa in the Kathmandu Valley. The 36-meter-high stupa of Boudha is massive and dominates the skyline in the area, it is one of the largest unique structures in the world. With countless monasteries around it, Boudha is the center of Tibetan Buddhism in Nepal. From above, Boudhanath Stupa looks like a giant mandala or diagram of the Buddhist cosmos and as in all Tibetan mandalas, four of the Dhyani Buddhas mark the cardinal points, with the fifth, Vairocana, enshrined in the center (in the white hemisphere of the stupa).

Pashupatinath Temple, drive to Pashupatinath Temple, a famous, sacred Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva is located on the banks of the Bagmati River. Dating back to the 5th century. While the main temple interior is off-limits to non-Hindus there is a lot to experience in the surrounding area. Legend says that whoever comes here to worship Shiva will be reborn as an animal. Pashupatinath is a considerable complex of temples, ashrams, with images and inscriptions dating back centuries.

In the evening observe an Aarati (celebration with lights) at the Bank of Bagmati River. The "Aarati" at the banks of Bagmati River on the eastern side of the temple draws people in hordes. This evening ritual with chanting of Vedic mantras, ringing of bells, burning of incense, and lighting of oil lamps, a band singing hymns in praise of god, playing of classical instruments, keep the people spellbound throughout the celebration.

After Breakfast drive to Pokhara right after the breakfast which may take approximately 6 hours of drive. Located 210 km west of Kathmandu, this beautiful lakeside city is a prime tourism destination in Nepal offering with spellbinding and hypnotic natural beauty, stunning panoramic views of Himalayan peaks and of course, with all the modern day amenities. The drive on the way itself is going to be amazingly unique experience as you travel besides the mighty river with some strong current almost throughout your journey with scenic greenery on both sides of the road along with human settlements thick and thin at different places. As you reach there you check in to your hotel, get yourself refreshed and have some rest. During the evening you might enjoy walking along the bank of Phewa Lake, admiring the stunning reflection of the Fish Tail Peak over the bluish Phewa Lake water

After Breakfast drive to World Peace Pagoda which takes around 25 minutes. Enjoy beautiful views of Pokhara city, Sarangkot hills, and the Himalayas from Stupa. Shanti Stupa, as it is also known, was built as a symbol of peace. It is the first World Peace Pagoda in Nepal. The pagoda is 115 feet tall and 344 feet in diameter. The white pagoda has two tiers for tourists and religious visitors to circumambulate.

After a short excursion at Peace Pagoda, we start hiking to Kalabang. The quaint location offers an alternative to the crowded viewpoint at Sarangkot, with spectacular panoramic views of the Annapurna Range. Fewa Tall's waters stretch out disappearing into the surrounding hills. In certain seasons the horizon is blurred between the sky and the lake.

Here we will have lunch hosted by a local family and later, escorted by a local, we will visit Pumdi village. Drive to the lakeside. Rest of the day is free on your own.

During the morning, enjoy an hour boating on Phewa Lake & visit Barahi Temple on an island in the middle of the lake. Later visit Bindhyabasini Temple, Gupteshower Cave- popular for the different natural forms made from limestone deposits and Devi's Fall - which comes to its gushing best just before disappearing underground.

After a short visit to Pokhara city, drive to Tibetan Refugee Camp on the road to Baglung 5 km northwest of Hyangja. Jangchub Choeling Gompa situated in the middle of the village reminds one of Tibet with its prayer flags flapping in the wind. There are 200 Tibetan monks residing here and the appropriate time to visit is around at 3:30 to 5:00 pm for you to experience the deep rumbling of monks chanting and blowing of horns during their prayer sessions, which shall give you an awe-inspiring experience.

After breakfast drive to Chitwan for around 4-5 hours. After checking in to the hotel and getting refreshed you will be briefed about full nature programs by our naturalist guide. Then we head on for activities:
• Guided tour to Tharu village (around an hour or depending on your interest)
• Walk on the bank of Rapti river
• Sundowner
• Tharu cultural dance performance by villagers (one hour)

Wake up call with cup of hot tea/coffee. After breakfast on your choice go for:
• Bird watching with naturalist guide (around an hour or depends on your interest)
• Canoe ride (half an hour), an opportunity to see 2 rare species of crocodiles; the Marsh Mugger and the only fish eating Gharial
• Jeep safari at National Park/Community forest (3-4 hours), you will have an opportunity to see four different kinds of deer, rhinoceros, monkeys, leopard, sloth bear, and the Royal Bengal Tiger
• Nature walk to see different floras and faunas in the National Park (around an hour or depending on your interest)
• Slide show presentation by an expert

After Breakfast drive back to Kathmandu for around 5-6 hours (depending on traffic). Check-in hotel where you will be offered refreshments and can rest.

Experience and discover Kathmandu and its culture like a local on a Rickshaw ride. Our guide will meet you to begin your rickshaw ride tour through the busy streets of the Thamel area. We will pass through handicrafts shops like pashmina shawls, Nepali carpets, etc and merge onto a market full of local shops called Ason Bazaar, a popular vegetable and spice market and the oldest in Kathmandu, around 1000 years old, and finally arrive at Durbar Square, filled with centuries-old temples, palaces, and shrines that are sure to enchant you. Walk the square on foot and our guide will take you to the house of Living Goddess, Hanuman Dhoka Palace, you will also explore or hang out in one of the hippie-era shops on Freak Street. After your time here we will ride back to the hotel by Rickshaw by way of Indrachowk where you can drink a cold fresh Lassi.

Continuing your Nepal and Bhutan holiday tour, now we will take a flight to Paro by Bhutan Airline or Druk Air. The flight offers you a view of mountains and landscapes. Upon arrival at Paro meet & assist by our representative at the airport. Visit the fascinating Rinpung Dzong meaning ‘fortress of the heap of jewels, which is the Seat of the Paro district built-in 1645 by Shadrung Ngawang Namgyal.

Drive to Thimphu, the small and charming capital city of Bhutan. The journey will take 1 & ½ hours. On the way, visit Tachog Lhakhang (temple), this 14th-century temple located on the base of a mountain across the Pa chu on the Paro-Thimphu highway, it is a must-visit temple in the Paro valley. Built by the great master architect Thangtong Gyalpo, the temple houses some unique statues. To get to the temple one may actually walk over the iron chain suspension bridge that spans over the Paro Chu (River). After crossing Chunzom which is a confluence of the Paro and Thimphu rivers, the drive will take you along the Wangchu ( Thimphu River) to the Thimphu valley

After checking into Hotel Visit:
Kuenselphodrang: Where you can witness a gigantic 169 feet tall statue of Buddha Dordema Overlooking the southern approach to Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan.

Thimphu Trashi Chho Dzong: is a Buddhist monastery and fortress on the northern edge of the city of Thimphu in Bhutan, on the western bank of the Wang Chu. It has traditionally been the seat of the Druk Desi (or "Dharma Raja"), the head of Bhutan's civil government, an office that has been combined with the kingship since the creation of the monarchy in 1907, and the summer capital of the country. Presently the seat of the present king of Bhutan.

Welcome dinner at SIMPLY BHUTAN, a living museum with a live cultural show. You will also have a photo session wearing traditional Bhutanese dresses.

Drive over the DochuLa pass (3140m) in the morning. In clear weather, we can see about 200 miles of Himalayan summits bordering northern Bhutan. You will also visit Druk Wangyal Lhakhang (monastery) which was built by Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck (the Queen Mother of Bhutan) as a tribute to His Majesty the fourth King of Bhutan, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, and armed forces after His Majesty led a successful operation against Indian militants who had occupied certain areas of Bhutan. The gallery of the Druk Wangyal Lhakhang has beautiful murals depicting some of the important events in the reigns of the Kings of Bhutan. This is a unique feature of this monastery that no other monastery in Bhutan has. As we descend from the pass, we will notice that the vegetation changes from sub-alpine to Sub-tropical. At the lower elevation, we can see banana plants, cactus, and other semi-tropical plants, and the green terraced rice fields of Punakha

On the way, stop for lunch at Metsina village and then hike to the Devine Madman's Monastery-Chhimi Lhakhang, famously known for its fertility shrine, where one can receive a special fertility blessing. "Divine Madman" is known for his outrageous behavior

We begin our explorations of Punakha valley with a visit to Punakha Dzong, located between two rivers. It serves as the winter residence for the central monastic body. Punakha has been inextricably linked to some of the most momentous events in Bhutanese history and deserves its reputation as one of the most beautiful and significant regions at the heart of Bhutanese culture. Punakha had served as the capital of Bhutan from 1637 till 1907 and the 1st National Assembly was held there. The dzong is historically important and stands as the symbol for a unified Bhutan.

After breakfast drive towards Paro via Thimphu. Visit:
1. Traditional Handmade Paper Factory
2. Handicraft Emporium
3. Memorial Chorten
4. Buddha Point

On arriving Paro visit Kyichu Lhakhang, one of the two oldest monasteries built in Bhutan by the King of Tibet, Songtsen Gampo in the 7th century and the most sacred monasteries of Bhutan. Then, we drive towards the north to see the Drukgyel Dzong, in ruins. It was built by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyel in 1649 to commemorate a victory over the Tibetan forces. Unfortunately, the fortress was destroyed by fire and was never rebuilt. On clear weather, we will be able to see Mt. Chomolhari from the Drukgyal Dzong.

Further, you can experience a medicinal Hot stone Bath

Paro is a valley of religion and myth. The most famous landmark, the Taktsang Monastery (Tiger's Nest), stands on a granite cliff about 800m above the valley. Legend has it that Guru Rinpoche, a famous Buddhist saint, flew to Paro on a tigress and meditated at Taktsang. The monastery is considered a national treasure of Bhutan. The hike to Taktsang would take us around two and half hours. To reach a cafeteria, a point from which one can enjoy a great view of the monastery is more than an hour's walk from the road-head uphill. Those interested can walk further 45 minutes uphill to get a closer view of the monastery and return to the cafeteria for lunch. The journey downward to the road-head would take us less than one and half hours.

After breakfast, fly back to Kathmandu. Meet and transfer to Dwarika's Hotel: an exquisite boutique hotel in Nepal. Welcome drinks on arrival and briefing of the tour program, Relax at the end of the day with a book from the library. Delve into Nepali culture and history. Or you can swim like a king in a pool reminiscent of the 12th century Malla Dynasty.

Enjoy a 6-course dinner at Krishnarpan at The Dwarika's Hotel in the country's most exquisite architectural ambiance while enjoying a unique gastronomical experience of typical Nepali food.

Approximately 3 hours before your scheduled flight a representative from Aarya Village Travel will transfer you to the airport for final departure for your onward journey. Thus we will end your Nepal and Bhutan tour itinerary.