Arrive in Kathmandu

If you are arriving on this day, our representative will be there to greet you, assist with your luggage, and transfer you to your hotel.

The rest of the day is free for you to rest and settle in.

Overnight Baber Mahal Villas (Traditional Suite Room)
Meals: Dinner

Kathmandu/Exploration Day

If you are arriving this morning, you will have time to settle in at the hotel and rest for a bit. Your optional sightseeing excursions will begin after lunchtime.

Morning at leisure.

Lunch at Hotel Heritage in Bhaktapur

Optional afternoon activity: Bhaktapur city and Changunarayan Temple

Bhaktapur, founded in the ninth century, is shaped like a snail shell. The city has a number of temples, overlooked by a palace with 55 windows, built by King Bhupatindra Malla. Bhakatapur is the best preserved of the three original cities of the Kathmandu Valley — the other two being Kathmandu and Patan. We will also get to see the best example of a pagoda in the Nyatapola temple style.

Changunarayan is the oldest temple in Kathmandu valley, and its existence dates back to the 4th century. This temple is dedicated to God Narayan, or Vishnu — the preserver of creation to Hindus. The temple is full of magnificent artwork of metal, stone, and wood and is a great example of Nepalese architecture. The site is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Official welcome dinner at Baber Mahal Villas.

Overnight Baber Mahal Villas (Traditional Suite Room)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Welcome Dinner 

Kathmandu / Nepal Youth Foundation

Optional morning activity: Patan City

Patan City, the city of arts and architecture, was founded in 250 A.D. and is known as “Lalitpur.” It is renowned for its fine works in bronze, silver, and copper. Visit Durbar Square, the Royal Baths, Mahaboudha, Krishna Mandir, and Hiranya Verna Mahabihar (the golden temple). A visit to the new Patan Museum is a must. The museum faces Durbar Square and is housed in a beautifully restored and renovated former Malla residential palace. The collection spans much of Nepal’s cultural history, primarily exhibiting metalwork sculptures from Hindu and Buddhist deities, typical of Patan’s tradition in craftsmanship. Written commentary explains their significance to Nepal’s art history, spiritualism, cultural heritage, and contemporary life.

Lunch at Swotha.

Afternoon visit – 2:30 PM – 5:00 PM: Nepal Youth Foundation

We wil arrive Olgapuri at 2:30 PM, and the Director of the Nepal Youth Foundation will give us a tour of Olgapuri village, which includes a visit of the children’s home section, vocational school, and farm. After the tour, we will assemble at the Nepal Youth Foundation meeting hall and enjoy a short presentation on NYF’s different works.

Dinner at Baithak.

Overnight Baber Mahal Villas (Traditional Suite Room)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner 

Kathmandu / Budhanilkantha – Shivapuri – Nagi Goempa Hike

Trek Start / End: Budhanilkanth
Grade: Easy
Highest Elevation: 2563 m/8408 ft.
Best time: All season (Except Monsoon): Day hiking
Trek Duration: About 5 hours

We will drive for about 45 minutes to Budhanikantha Temple which lies at the foothills of the Shivapuri hills, 8 km north of Kathmandu city. The large granite figure of Lord Vishnu, reclining on a bed of serpents known as “Nagas,” appears to be floating in the water. This stone statue of Lord Vishnu also represents profound serenity and utmost piece of mind.

From Budhanilkantha, we will walk up to the Shivapuri – Nagarjun National Park entrance at the southern boundary of the area where the army check post is located. Begin the hike towards Baghdwar, which is believed to be the source of the holy river Bagmati. The hiking trail takes you through the dense forest protected by the government, where over 500 species of vegetation can be found. After about 3 hours’ walk, we will arrive at Baghdwar, which is also the biggest water supply to the Kathmandu valley. A further half hour’s walk will lead us to the Shivapuri danda. Shivapuri is situated at an altitude of 2,563 m north of Kathmandu. It is the second highest hill around Kathmandu valley, after the famous Phulchowki hill.

Stroll around for some time, after which we hike to Nagi Goempa, a Buddhist monastery where about 200 nuns practice Buddhism.

After approximately two hours of a steep downhill hike through a narrow and dusty trail, you will reach Budhanilkantha, where your vehicle will be waiting to drive you back to Kathmandu.

Lunch: Picnic.

Dinner at Baber Mahal.

Overnight Baber Mahal Villas (Traditional Suite Room)
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Kathmandu / Blessed Hope

11:00 AM – 3:00 PM: Blessed Hope.

Lunch at Blessed Hope.

Afternoon Activity: Visit Boudnath Stupa (with the Blessed Hope team) and Pashupatinath (with guide)

Boudhnath stupa sits on the old trade route from Tibet and continues to the smaller stupa of Chabahil, named Charumati Stupa (often called “Little Boudhanath”). Tibetan merchants have rested and offered prayers at Boudha Stupa for many centuries. When refugees entered Nepal from Tibet in the 1950s, many decided to live around Boudhanath.

Pashupatinath, the most sacred of all Hindu temples in Nepal, is situated on the banks of the holy Bagmati River. Non-Hindus are not allowed to enter the temple precincts but may look into premises from the opposite bank. It draws tens of thousands of pilgrims and devotees from Nepal and India during the festival of Mahashivaratri (the night of Lord Shiva).

Dinner at Tukche Thakali.

Overnight Baber Mahal Villas (Traditional Suite Room)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Kathmandu / Local Women’s Handicrafts and Day of Exploring

Morning visit: Local Women’s Handicrafts

Your meeting with Sahin and her team at Local Women’s Handicrafts is scheduled for the morning of this day.

Local Women’s Handicrafts will pick everyone up from the hotel at 11:00 AM.

You will visit and tour their center at 11:30 AM, and lunch will be provided.

Together with their team, you’ll experience making bracelets from 1-2:00 PM. You are invited to hear the women’s stories, ask questions about Nepali women’s lives, and drink Nepali tea.

Lunch at Nepali Ghar.

Optional afternoon activities: Kathmandu City and Swoyambhunath

Optional activity 1: Kathmandu City. Take a rickshaw ride to visit Kathmandu’s Durbar Square. We will depart in rickshaws from Thamel for a 15-20 minute ride. The city’s rich and varied cultural legacy began during the 14th century under the Malla Dynasty. Patronized by the nobility, Newar artisans constructed temples, monasteries, and elaborate courtyards, which are a fascinating architectural history of the city. Visit Durbar Square and Taleju Temple, with its gilded roofs. Stop at the House of the Living Goddess (Kumari).

Optional activity 2: Swoyambhunath. This is the oldest shrine in the world, established more than 2,500 years ago. It is situated on top of a high hill, where legend says that Manjushri discovered a lotus growing in the ancient Kathmandu Valley Lake. Swayambhunath commands a superb view of the valley below. The four sides of this ancient structure are painted with the compassionate eyes of Buddha. Between the eyes is a mystical third eye symbolizing true wisdom. The nose, appearing as an incomplete question mark, is the Nepalese number of one — a symbol of unity.

Dinner at Le Sherpa.

Overnight Baber Mahal Villas (Traditional Suite Room)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Reflection Day

Today you will be on your own as a group to reflect together on the experiences you had throughout the week.

Though no sightseeing excursions have been planned, your lunch and dinner will be provided.

Overnight Baber Mahal Villas (Traditional Suite Room)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Full-day visit to Kirtipur, Bungmati, and Khokana village

Today you will head out again for one last excursion into the communities outside of Kathmandu.

Kirtipur is located about 30 minutes from Kathmandu on a ridge 8 kilometers southwest of the city. Kirtipur, an ancient Newar town, is a little hill town with paved streets lined by typical red-brick houses and tiled roofs, as well as temple squares. An experience in itself, its age-old traditional Newari buildings blending with the new is a sight you wouldn’t want to miss.

The Chilamchu Stupa and the Bagh Bhairab Temple are the main lures here. Bagh Bhairab is without a doubt the most well-known temple with Gurkha weapons on display.

Nepal’s oldest university Tribhuvan University is in the foothills of Kirtipur.

Bungamati is a typical medieval Newari village perched near the Bagmati River, 10 km north from the capital city Kathmandu. Less influenced by modern life and abiding by its old culture and civilization, Bungamati exemplifies true beauty.

A tour through the village of Bungamati gives a clear picture of the primitive lifestyle of the Newari community. The village streets have quite a few woodcarving shops and once on the streets, one can see the local Newari people busy working intricate designs on wood or stone. Most of the people in the village make their living through woodcarving, an art that has been passed down through generations.

Some buildings in Bungamati have suffered damage from the April 2015 earthquake and renovation is underway.

Khokana is a small Newari village located about 8 km from the Kathmandu city. A village of its own, Khokana is unique in many ways. Khokana has its own history and over the years it is less affected by modern civilization and has managed to retain its own culture and tradition.

The village is famous for its unusual mustard-oil harvesting process which till date is done in a traditional way using a heavy wooden beam to crush the mustard seeds in order to extract the oil. This oil is rich in therapeutic benefits.

Khokana is the first habitation to be electrified, even before the Kathmandu city. Nominated to be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Khokana represents itself as a vernacular village and for its industrial heritage of mustard-oil seed.

In the evening, you will have some time back at the hotel to have a final dinner, take a shower and pack everything up. You will be transported back to Kathmandu airport at around 10:00pm this evening.

Dinner at Mulchowk (just a few minute’s walk from the hotel).

Overnight Baber Mahal Villas (Traditional Suite Room)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Departure

Upon checking out of your hotel, our representative or guide will accompany you on your transfer to the airport, which will be scheduled according to your departure time.

If you will require a room beyond the afternoon/evening, please contact Bethany (bethany@elevatedestinations.com) to make arrangements.

If you would like to extend your travels in the region, please check out Extend your Travel for some ideas!