7 nights/8 days

Tour as planned

1. Day

Kathmandu - Park Village Resort

Arrival at the airport in the early morning. Transfer to the Park Village Resort (about 15 minutes). Welcome-drink. Check-in into your room. Possibility to refresh or to rest at the spa of the resort.

Lunch at the Earthwatch Restaurant overlooking the mountains of Shivapuri National Park. You get the chance to stroll and watch birds and butterflies in the six acres of the hotels' private jungle.

The Park Village Resort is a four star category eco-friendly resort. It is situated on the foothills of Shivapuri National Park, which is the only National Park in the world close to a capital and its international airport. The hotel is located nine kilometres from the airport and seven kilometres from the core city area. The resort has nine forest bungalows and self-contained apartments that offer 64 rooms with all modern amenities including separate living room and two private verandas, one viewing the valley south of the hotel and the other the mountains north of the complex. After a strenuous walk, the elaborated health club of the Park Village Resort is a perfect place to have a complete physical and spiritual retreat by swimming, enjoying the sauna, the steam bath or an Ayurveda massage.

In the early evening you are invited to watch a presentation on nepalese wildlife, nature and culture given by a naturalist. Dinner and overnight stay at the Park Village Resort.

2. Day

Swajambhunath, Kathmandu Durbar Square and Patan Durbar Square

After breakfast we drive to Swajambhunath (commonly known as the ‘Monkey Temple’), an ancient Buddhist Stupa. It is suited on the top of a hill in the western part of Kathmandu, one of the most popular and instantly recognizable symbol of the city. The roving monkeys of the temple quickly snatch up any offerings of food made by devotees and will just as quickly grab anything you are carrying.

By the 13^th century the Stupa was an important centre for Buddhists. The improvements and the stairway to the Stupa were constructed by King Pratap Malla in the 17^th century. Although you can get to the temple by car, the long climb up the eastern stairway is by far the best way of approaching Swajambhunath. After reaching the top of the stairs you can see a pair of shikharas and lions carved from stone. Apart from that the dorje catches our eyes. („Dorje“ is the Tibetan word for the thunderbolt symbol. In Sanskrit it is called „vajra“.). From the top of the hill you have a fantastic view of the Kathmandu valley. At the top of the Stupa, there is a gold coloured square block with the watchful eyes of Buddha gazing out across the valley in every direction. Around the central base of the Stupa is a continuous series of prayer wheels, which pilgrims keep turning while passing by. Each prayer wheel carries the mantra om mane padme hum.

In the north of the pilgrim shelter is the Harati (Ajima) temple with a beautiful image of Harati, the goddess of smallpox. The temple looks like a pagoda.

Afterwards we pay a visit to the Natural History Museum which lies below Swajambhunath. It harbours a large collection of butterflies, fish, reptiles, birds and other animals. About 800 metres south of Swajambhunath, the National Museum has a fine collection of religious art and is worth a visit.

After a break for lunch we proceed towards Patan. Patan is separated from the Kathmandu valley by the Baghmati river. It is the second largest town in the valley. In the past it was known as Yala and Lalitpur, the latter of which means ‘city of beauty’. Nepal’s' only zoo is in the south western part of Patan, just north of Jawlakhel. It is a town where you can visit various ancient temples and the old Patan Durbar Square. Numerous temples of widely diverse styles as well as many bahals (Buddhist monasteries) are scattered around the fascinating old town.

The Durbar Square forms the heart of Patan and constitutes the focus of attraction for tourists. The square is full of ancient palaces, temples and shrines, known for exquite carvings. It consists of three main courtyards, the Central Mul Chowk, the Sundari Chowk and the Kheshar Narayan Chowk. The Sundari Chowk harbours in its centre a masterpiece of stone architecture: the royal bath called Tushahity which is listed in the UNESCO World Heritage Monument List since 1979. North of Durbar Square we have the possibility to visit the Golden Temple, the Kumbeshwar Temple and the Uma Maheshwar Temple. Late afternoon and the evening are on your hands.

Overnight stay at the Park Village Resort.

3. Day

Kathmandu - Park Village Resort – Shivapuri National Park

After a rich breakfast with lots of fruits at the Farm House Café of the Park Village Resort we walk to Budhanilkantha, a small vibrant village. We visit the huge statue of a sleeping Vishnu carved from a single monolith. From there we proceed to the entrance gate of the Shivapuri National Park.

We stop for birding at Pani Muhan, the reservoir of the National Park. Around 1820, Dr. Francis Hamilton did the first planned expedition to the Shivapuri region. The vegetation mainly consists of alder woods, schima-castanopsis and mixed oak-laurel forest and shrubs like wild yellow raspberry, barberry, gaultheria and many other small plants. The world’s famous ornithologist Brian Hodgson has extensively studied and collected bird specimen that live here. There are 311 species of birds that live in and around Shivapuri National Park. It is an excellent place to watch fork-tails, redstarts, kingfishers, blackbirds and many other birds. The forest is also home to many butterflies, for example the common grass yellow, the tortoise shell, the grass blue, the cabbage white, the chocolate pansy, the peacock pansy, the evening brown, the Indian fritillary, the common crow, the striped blue crow, the common tiger, the plain tiger and the glassy tiger. Rare and uncommon are the following: Krishna peacock, oak leaf, ypthima sps, dodona spp, pappillio, blue bottles, common mormon and red helen.

Whilst watching birds, butterflies and orchids, we climb towards Nagi Gompa, a large nunnery and Buddhist monastery. We have a picnic lunch at Nagi Gompa overlooking the Kathmandu valley from a birds-eye perspective.

The Shivapuri National Park harbours even more wildlife. Wild boars, barking deer, serows, the Himalayan black bear, civet cats, golden jackals, yellow-throated martens and flying squirrels are found here. The biggest attraction is the population of leopards. There is even a record of black leopards living in Shivapuri. Endangered birds still living here include the kalij pheasant, the common hill partridge, the booted eagle, the black eagle, the steppe eagle, the crested serpent eagle, laughing thrushes, sunbirds and tits.

We return to the Park Village Resort. Relax or have a foot message at the Park Health Club. Dinner and overnight stay at the Park Village Resort.

4. Day

Bodhnath, Pashupati, Bhaktapur, Changu Narayan

The huge Stupa of Bodhnath lies on the eastern side of Kathmandu, around six kilometres away from Thamel. It is the largest Stupa of Nepal and one of the largest in the world. We have time for sightseeing, lightning butter lamps and visiting the Gompa. Afterwards we proceed to Pashupatinath. Pashupatinath is one of the most important Hinduisten shrines in Nepal. The main temple complex is off-limits to non-Hindus. The bank of Baghmati river which goes through the temple site, is a sacred place for bathing and for cremating dead Hindus.

From there, we drive to Bhaktapur, also known as Bhadgaon in Nepali or Khwopa (City of Devotees) in Newari. It is the third major town of the Kathmandu valley. Foreigners visiting the town are charged a fee of US $ 10. The oldest part of the town is suited around Tachupal Tole, to the east. The town is traffic-free and the cobblestone streets link a string of temples, monasteries, courtyards and monumental squares. Shrines, wells and water tanks are placed at every corner. Enjoy the pleasure of walking through the stone paved roads and the vibrant cultural life of the town with its different communities of potters, woodcavers and weavers.

Afterwards we proceed towards Changu Narayan Temple. It is one of the oldest temple about ten kilometres from Bhaktapur.

Dinner and overnight stay at the Park Village Resort.

5. Day

Khokana and Chapagaon

Khokana is a newari village where mostly farmers live. They are popular in extracting mustard oil using the traditional methods. The houses are mostly built in the style of the old architecture.

Chapagaon is a prosperous village with a number of shops, temples and shrines. Near the entrance gate is a small shrine of Ganesh. You find a Bhairab shrine at the top end of the village. The main attraction of Chapagaon is the Vajra Varahi Temple. It is an important tantric site that lies about 500 metres east of the main road. The temple is surrounded by a beautiful forest that is popular with wedding parties and picnickers. Another attraction of Chapagaon is the peaceful, beautiful Lele Valley. It seems to be a million miles away from the hustle and bustle of Kathmandu and is in many ways untouched by the 21^st century.

Dinner and overnight stay at the Park Village Resort.

6. Day

A walk from Kwohity to Thahity, a cultural journey of the medieval Kathmandu

After breakfast we start to discover the medieval Kathmandu. This eye-opening tour takes you through Kathmandu from downtown Kwoneya to uptown Thaneya marked by their respective stone waterspouts popularly known as Kwohities (downtown water spouts) and Thahities (uptown water spouts). This tour provides an opportunity to observe the unique traditional architecture and at the same time to experience and understand the cultural living of the modern Nepalese society against the background of its history.

On the way we have several opportunities to eat, drink a Nepal tea, take photographs and be part of the Nepalese culture.

Dinner and overnight stay at the Park Village Resort. If you like you can go out for dinner on your own.

7. Day

Kathmandu – Park Village Resort

Optional for shopping, relaxation, yoga or meditation, massage at the spa or another visit to one of the sights.

Dinner and overnight stay at the Park Village Resort.

8. Day

Flight back to Germany in the early morning or subsequent journey to further destinations in Nepal (i.e. a trekking trip into the Himalaya).