Kathmandu Valley and Chitwan National Park Tour Package (5 days, 4 nights)

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1 Temples and Tigers Kathmandu Valley and Chitwan National Park Tour Package (5 days, 4 nights) Introduction Blessed with the densest concentration of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the Kathmandu Valley is a treasure trove of religious, cultural, and architectural heritage. It s pagoda roofed temples, squares choking with sculptures, sites that are holy to both Hindus and Buddhists, and countless festivals evoke Rudyard Kipling s famous line, The strangest dreams of Kew are the facts of Kathmandu. Walk into the Kumari Temple in Kathmandu, and the dream of seeing a living goddess comes true. Day 1: Arrival in Kathmandu Assistance at the airport upon arrival and transfer to hotel Day 2: Visits to Kathmandu City, Swayambhunath, and Patan City Breakfast at hotel. Full day sight-seeing of Kathmandu City, Swayambhunath, and Patan City. Kathmandu City Three dynasties, a century-long oligarchy, and hordes of hippies have at one time or another occupied the center of old Kathmandu, the Basantapur Durbar Square. Kumari, the living goddess, lives here. In this one square are the wonders, eccentricities, and diversity of Nepali temples. Enter the Hanuman Dhoka Palace and go back in time. Inside are the residential quarters of the kings of the Malla Dynasty ( A.D.) and the square where Nepal s kings were crowned, and temples whose interiors have never been seen by anyone except the priests. Swayambhunath The stone stairs leading up to the Swayambhunath stupa are dauntingly steep. The allseeing eyes on the stupa beckon you. Huffing and puffing you clamber to the top, where a breeze cools your sweat-drenched body. Swayambhu, or the Self-Born, is the oldest religious structure in Kathmandu. It is also one of the best places to view the Kathmandu 1

2 Valley from. Om Mani Padme Hum, the unofficial soundtrack of Swayambhu, drifts to your ears, and for a few blissful moments your world is composed entirely of prayer wheels, butter lamps, monkeys, mutts, and Buddha sculptures. Kathmandu feels like another world. Patan Merger is the theme in Patan. Chaityas are fused with Shiva-Lingam, a medieval palace serves as a museum, livings are made by fashioning gods, festivals are held in the same courtyards where at other times children play football. In the Patan Durbar Square you will find the equivalent of mall rats, whiling away time in this timeless location. Enter the Golden Temple to watch a boy of six or seven, clad in an old dress, perform the daily rituals. Above all, don t miss the opportunity to enter the low, anonymous doorways. Losing your way is often a means to finding something in Patan. Day 3: Fly by Buddha Air to Chitwan Breakfast at hotel. Fly to Chitwan and transfer to hotel in Chitwan. Lunch, followed by a visit to the Tharu Cultural Museum. Evening walk around Sauraha followed by sunset viewing. Tharu cultural show at the hotel in the evening. Chitwan National Park The guide leading you stops suddenly. Without turning around, he motions to you to stop, and points his finger at a huge One-horned Rhinoceros browsing on a patch of grassland. You can hear the sound of the rhino s chewing, fearing at the same time that it might hear your pounding heartbeat. Or a tiger might saunter across the jeep track mere meters from you. But Chitwan offers no guarantees. Sometimes all you hear is crashing sounds, highpitched calls, bird songs, deep silence, and all you see is a tiger s claw marks on a tree trunk. Tharu Cultural Museum The Tharu Cultural Museum is a collection of evidences of the Tharus ingenuity in utilizing jungle resources. Their craftsmanship makes the inhospitable jungle look like a hardware store. Pots, traditional dresses, murals, and items of daily use are on display. Steer your wives away from the Tharu jewelry section; they might develop a hankering for them. Sauraha Sauraha looks like it sprouted from a Thamel seed. The electronic music from the restaurants could disgust you, but that is forgotten as the sun begins to set at Sauraha. The sight feels more than just the end of a day; it feels like a bewitching film ending, leaving you both delighted and wishing it could have lasted a little longer. 2

3 Tharu Cultural Show The Tharu Cultural Show usually involves traditional Tharu songs and dances, including the stick dance. Try to learn the steps of the dances, for the beautiful Tharu girl might pull you up to dance with her. Don t be fooled by her amazingly colorful and patterned traditional attire; the prima ballerina in many Tharu dances is a man dressed as a woman! Day 4: Full day jungle activities Early morning breakfast at hotel. Canoeing or jungle walk. Visit to the elephant breeding center. Lunch at the hotel. Elephant back jungle safari or jeep safari. Evening walk in and around a Tharu village and Sauraha. Canoeing The second day in Chitwan begins with a canoe ride down the Rapti River. Wisps of mist rise from the water surface, creating a dramatic effect, as your canoe glides deeper into the wilderness. A log on the river bank moves. You peek through your binoculars and realize it s a mugger crocodile or a gharial, warming its body in the sun. Jungle Walks Perhaps the mouth is the only part of the body that gets a rest during jungle walks. Fingers point frantically, eyes widen, necks turn and crane, and, occasionally, much to the chagrin of the guide, a loud phrase of joy escapes your lips. The presence of over 50 mammal species in the park make jungle walks an exciting as well as potentially dangerous activity the combination that all adventures are made of. Elephant Breeding Center A visit to the Elephant Breeding Center is similar to watching a reality show about Chitwan s giants. You can watch them devour rugby-ball-sized capsules of wheat grains and sugar wrapped in grass, sprinkle dust on their bodies, and use bamboo sticks to scratch their backs. You can also play with the adorable baby elephants. Elephant Safari Riding an elephant provides a lofty perch from which to cover the rivers, grasslands, and Sal forests of Chitwan. It is also safer than jungle safaris or walks. When you are on an elephant, imagine yourself in one of the many royal hunting trips that were regularly held here in the past, on some of which British kings and queens have joined. You can shoot, too with cameras. 3

4 Jeep Safari Too large an area to cover, too little time to do it in. Jeep safaris are the quickest way to see the jungle, although they are also the noisiest. Going on a jeep safari allows you to visit the deeper areas of the park, where, owing to the seclusion, the chances of seeing the larger animals increase. Tharu Villages A Tharu village is as eco-friendly a place as you will ever see. From the jungle s elephant grass alone they make roofs, ropes, and mats. Their ability to make objects out of the simplest materials makes a visitor feel wasteful. Body art is an age old custom among the Tharus. Ask them to show you their tattoos; new ideas may emerge from the Tharu motifs. Day 5: Bird watching tour and departure for Kathmandu Early morning bird watching tour. Breakfast at hotel. Departure by Buddha Air to Kathmandu. In Kathmandu, transfer to International Airport for departure. Bird watching in Chitwan In Chitwan, a bird watching tour guide moves his hands as if he were shooting at a circle of enemies. Eyes and hands need to move fast in a place that has 450 species of birds. Aerial duels between birds of prey, serpent eagles with a snake in its talons, Ruddy Shelducks gliding on the water surface like two ice skaters in love, kingfishers plunging into the water and emerging with a glistening fish in its beak. Even after such sights guides are often apologetic, saying that you ought to have seen more! Package Includes: Airport pick-up and drop Sight-seeing Hotel accommodation in Kathmandu (Hotel with B&B Basis) Chitwan (Hotel with Full Board Basis) All activities in Chitwan Entrance fee for: Kathmandu, Swayambhunath, Patan, and Chitwan National Park 4

5 Package Excludes: Transportation (Arrangement of transportation via air or road can be done as per client s request) Visa fee at the International Airport Laundry Personal expenses FAQs: The best time to visit? February March and then September to early November are the best times to visit. Attire Kathmandu is hot from March to May. September is cool with chances of rain, so carrying umbrellas is wise. Avoid dresses that reveal too much of your body. October onwards, warm clothes are needed for Chitwan s chilly mornings and evenings. Visa The minimum duration of a tourist visa to Nepal is fifteen days and costs $25. What to do when inside temples and monasteries? When inside or near temples and monasteries do not act in any way excessive photography, talking loudly, wearing shoes into prayer rooms that impinges on the activities of the priests or devotees. Are Jungle Walks Safe? Yes, provided you follow the safety measures. Explain to your guide that you would be happy to spot animals, but do not want to flout safety rules to do so. It s good to carry a strong stick for protection against animals. Necessary Items Sunscreen, insect repellent, hats and sunglasses, binoculars, Swiss army knife, book on Nepal s birds. 5