Himalayan Explorer

After breakfast you begin a day’s sightseeing in Kathmandu. Exploring the old city, you’ll wander through narrow streets and alleyways, discovering hidden temples and meeting the friendly locals. Exotic produce and a bewildering mix of people are everywhere - you're likely to see Gurkhas from the area east of Pokhara, Tibetan women in their striped aprons, traders from India, and sadhus - Hindu holy men - perhaps on pilgrimage to one of the many temples and shrines of the valley. You make your way to Boudhanath Stupa, UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the largest stupas in the world that dominates the city skyline.

After time to visit the atmospheric Pashupatinath Temple and cremation site, you’ll drive to Bhaktapur - a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one time Valley capital. Still a functioning town, Bhaktapur is a superb place to spend the night; a city of potters and pagodas - this is the East as people imagine it! Guesthouse - 1 night (B)

This morning you  journey to the small village of Bandipur along a 16km stretch of rough off-road (approx 1hr drive) which is currently being rapidly tarmacked. The foothills of the Himalayas are in themselves impressive enough, but as you get closer to Bandipur you get tempting views of the high peaks. On your way there should be the opportunity, for those who wish, to embark on a thrilling white water rafting adventure on the Trisuli River (optional and subject to minimum numbers), rejoining the group later this evening in Bandipur. Arriving in Dumre you turn south, off the main highway, and continue to a ridge set at an altitude of 1050m; here lies the delightful village of Bandipur. Winding its way up and down hills, Bandipur’s main street has many three or four storey brick buildings with carved wood windows, including yours - a converted Newari house called The Old Inn. The 3 or 4 temples in the town add to the atmosphere in what is a traditional Nepali hill village; few foreigners find their way up here. You stretch your legs with a walk through the village and out into the surrounding countryside for superb views up the Marsyangdi river valley, to the Himalaya beyond. Many of the range’s giants can be seen: Langtang, Ganesh Himal, Manaslu and the distant Annapurnas amongst them.

Guesthouse (shared facilities) - 1 night (BD) Please note that single rooms may be unavailable during peak seasons due to the limited number of rooms.

Continuing your journey south, a drive of around five hours, you reach the world-famous Chitwan National Park, spread over 932 square kilometres of floodplain. The park has a wide variety of wildlife and birdlife, including the famed insignia of Chitwan, one-horned rhino, and the elusive royal Bengal tiger, of which there are believed to be around 80 roaming in the park. An experienced jungle guide will accompany you on your excursions, perhaps the most exciting of which is your safari on elephant-back, penetrating deep into the jungle - rhino, bison, deer, wild boar, monkeys, and a wide array of birds (over 400 species on record) are a common sight, and with luck on your side even the royal Bengal tiger, bear, and leopard are a possibility.

Another highlight of the trip is the canoe ride on Rapti River, which drapes the national park, the banks of which are home to sun-bathing 'mugger' crocodiles and the unique long-nosed 'gharial' crocodiles. Afterwards you walk to the elephant breeding centre. Elephants at the breeding centre are well attended to and are taken out by their mahouts (elephant drivers, whose commands they’re used to and follow) on a daily basis between the hours of 10:30am and 3pm, where they go into jungle for collecting fodder, safaris and bathing. However, please remember that elephants are naturally wild animals and their behaviour can at times be erratic and highly unpredictable, especially in the absence of their trainer and controller. Therefore in the interests of visitor safety, please be advised that elephants are chained during the centre’s opening hours. Please also keep your distance from elephants while embarking and disembarking on safari.

Keeping you engrossed and buoyed over the span of your stay will be a village tour by ox-cart, bird-watching walks, if desired, and cultural shows such as Tharu stick-dancing. Jungle Lodge - 2 nights (Bx2, Lx2, Dx2)