Gurungs and Tharus Rural Life

Itinerary

• 01Namaste, welcome to Nepal Your arrival at Kathmandu airport where you will be met by an AIT representative and transfer to your hotel. In the late afternoon, your driver will take you to our office for a briefing.
  
  Meals: -
  
• 02Sightseeing of Kathmandu & food safari Culture and food are on the program today! Cuisine is culture; it is part of the customs, history and traditions of a people. You will alternate between visits to monuments, local markets and sampling the favorite snacks of local people.
  
  Today, a guide who will introduce you not only to the history of the monuments but also the city’s past will accompany you.
  Visit Pashupatinath Temple, the most important Hindu temple in Nepal consecrated to Lord Shiva. The original core dates back to the 6th century AD and is known for its architecture in the shape of a pagoda. This place, also known as Little Benares, is located along the Bagmati River; here every day funeral ceremonies take place with the corpses being burned on pyres before the scattering of the ashes on the Bagmati River.
  
  Afterwards visit the huge Boudhanath Stupa, the most important Buddhist cultural center in Kathmandu since numerous refugees from Tibet have stopped there, creating more than 50 Gompas (Tibetan monasteries). Since 1979, Boudhanath has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
  
  In the afternoon, visit another important Buddhist center, the stupa of Swayambhunath, known as the monkey temple because of the high number of monkeys living inside. This ancient religious complex is located atop a hill to the west in the Kathmandu Valley, and from here there are beautiful views of the city and the valley that surrounds it.
  
  Meals: Breakfast
  
• 03Nagarkot- Bhaktapur- Patan- Kathmandu. Depart, early in the morning, for Nagarkot (2000m), an extraordinary belvedere where you can watch the sunrise over Everest. Then a 3 hour walk to the medieval village of Changunarayan passing through several Chetri villages.
  
  Depart for a visit to Bhaktapur, inscribed as a heritage site by UNESCO, a millennium of architectural wonders through the incredible alleys where the people have preserved their ancestral traditions. Here nothing has changed for centuries, the fantastic labyrinth of temples and palaces to the subtle carved wooden facades remains intact and unreal.
  
  Then, visit of the ancient city of Patan, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Located about 5 km south of Kathmandu, Patan is one of the three royal cities in the valley. It’s a destination for art lovers. In fact, Patan is filled with sculptures made of wood and stone, metal statues, a dozen Buddhist and Hindu temples, and more than 1,200 monuments. Patan was built in the 3rd century BC by the Kirat dynasty, and was later expanded and enriched under the governments of Licchavi and Malla during the medieval period. Patan Durbar Square, like its counterpart in Kathmandu, is a fascinating mix of palaces, art classes, and elegant pagodas. The Royal Palace is the center of Patan’s social and religious life, and contains a beautiful museum inside. The temples dedicated to the Hindu God Krishna here are remarkable 16th-century monuments built entirely of stone.
  
  Meals: Breakfast
  
• 04Pokhara, the city of lakes Depart by car for Pokhara (around 6 hours) crossing the valley traversed by the Trisuli River. The valley of Pokhara is one of the most picturesque places in Nepal, and its beauty is enhanced by the enchanting lakes that originate from Annapurna.
  
  Visit Devi’s fall, a waterfall about 150 meters long, but part flows in an underground tunnel. After forming the waterfall and passing through the tunnel, the water flows into an adjacent cave, the Gupteshwor Mahadev . The cave is accessed by walking down an impressive flight of steps that is decorated with statues of Hindu gods, particularly Lord Ganesh who is the God who brings good luck. You will meet many Hindu worshippers who visit the cave, as it houses a shrine with a rock shaped by water and time that represents Lord Shiva.
  
  At sunset, go for a walk on the shores of Lake Phewa, the lakeside atmosphere is able to inspire inner peace and serenity. The reflections and colors of the many wooden boats moored along Its shores produce a distinctive ambience.You can take a boat and visit the Vahar Mandir temple, which is located on an island in the middle of the lake. This temple is the most revered in the city.
  
  Meals: Breakfast
  
• 05Ghandruk We leave for a short 2-day trek to Ghandruk. Ghandruk is the land of the Gurung people who have their own language, culture, customs and way of life. They are famous for their bravery. This short meeting is an excellent way to learn about their culture.
  
  You will sleep at a homestay
  Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
  
• 06Discover the rural life Day dedicated to discovering rural life and making an excursion to the surrounding villages.
  
  Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
  
• 07Trek to Nayapul & drive to Pokhara From Ghandruk, we will descend through a rhododendron forest and reach Birethanti from where we will descend again along the Modi Khola until we reach Nayapul from where we will take the car or jeep to reach Pokhara in an hour.
  
  Pokhara’s proximity to the Tibetan Plateau has made the city a place of refuge for numerous Tibetans who have come from the neighboring province. A district, located not far from the center, was built to accommodate them under the best conditions. Most of these people make a living from handicrafts such as weaving sheep wool carpet or carving religious objects. Another point of interest will be to visit one of the monasteries dedicated to Buddhist monks.
  
  Visit the Mountain Museum, which tells the history of the climbing of the main Himalayan peaks, from Everest to K2.
  
  At sunset, visit the Shanti Pagoda ( Stupa of Peace).The white stupa, of considerable size, was built by Buddhist monks. The temple is situated on the top of the hill that offers spectacular views of the Annapurna range, the city of Pokhara and Lake Phewa. Return to Pokhara and the rest of the day will be free.
  
  Meals: Breakfast
  
• 08Tansen Tansen is a charming historic town located in the hills a few hours drive from Pokhara. Former capital of the Magar kingdom, it was one of the most powerful kingdoms in Nepal. This small town has retained its medieval charm with its steep, cobblestone streets dotted with wooden houses in typical Newari style with fine carvings.
  
  Option: Visit the Bista coffee plantation that has been growing organic coffee beans for nearly four decades.
  
  You will stay at the Palpa Community Center
  
  Meals: breakfast & dinner
  
• 09Chitwan National Park Depart for Chitwan, in southern Nepal, close to India (6 hours). Visit the village of the Tharu people. The Tharu are an indigenous people of the Terai. They have a distinct architectural style and they make only buildings from the natural materials found in the region: thatch, wood and mud. Although to this day most Tharu people are Hindus, some vestiges of their tribal religion are still present.
  
  Enjoy the Tharu Stick Dance, a melodious tribal dance performed by men and women to the rhythm of Drums and sticks to keep rhinos and wild animals awayfrom their farms.
  
  You will stay at the Tharu Community Center
  
  Meals: Breakfast - lunch & dinner
  
• 10Canoe & Safari We leave for a canoe ride. This is the best way to discover crocodiles on the edge of the river. It is also a relaxing way to observe the different species of birds, as well as the wildlife that come to the river banks to drink water. More than 450 species of exotic birds are present and make Chitwan an uncountable place for bird watching in Asia. Our experienced guides will take you to the best points in the park.
  
  Off the canoe we will venture, by jeep, into the tropical forest for a unique view of the Chitwan jungle that is home to at least 43 species of mammals and 45 species of amphibians and reptiles. Elephants and Indian rhinos are the largest species found in the park, but there are also other herbivores, gaur, sambar, the chital deer, porcupine deer, Sumatran sirau, quadricorn antelope and wild boar. These animals are hunted by three large predators, leopards, wild dogs, and tigers and by carrion eaters such as striped hyenas.
  
  We ask you to absolutely avoid elephant back rides, which represent real mistreatment of these extraordinary animals.
  
  Late afternoon, rather than visiting the Elephant Breeding Center, a center owned by the state where elephants, kept on the chain, are bred and trained to work, we will take you to the NGO Stand Up for Elephants. SU4E aims to improve the lives of captive elephants in Nepal and help their mahouts within the community in which they work.
  
  Meals: Breakfast - lunch & dinner
  
• 11Kathmandu We will return to Kathmandu by car and the rest of the day will be at leisure for final shopping.
  
  Options: If you want to do more than taste Nepali food, you can participate in a cooking course classes by an NGO who will prepare traditional Nepalese dishes and at the same time fund the training of women in the hospitality industry.
  
  For fair shopping, we can recommend some places where women make all products here in Nepal and all profits are reinvested in women’s community projects.
  
  Meals: Breakfast
  
• 12Goodbye Transfer to the airport and end of our services.
  
  Meals: Breakfast