This is the youngest trekking route and was a hidden
treasure in the region which is popular for its marvelous close up views of
picturesque Annapurna Range within couple of days’ trek. Although the food and
accommodation on the route has minimum choice, Mardi Himal Base Camp Trek is least
crowded even in the peak trekking season which makes its best for the peace
lover and which also requires little efforts. The trek takes us through the
beautiful pristine Rhododendron and Oak forest trail in the hilly terrain,
Rocky Mountains, stunning landscape, astonishing waterfalls and finally shows
us outstanding panoramic views of mountains like Annapurna South, Hiunchuli,
Annapurna Fang, Annapurna I, Mardi Himal and Machhapuchhre (Fishtail) through
the long rising ridge at different base camps. As the trail mostly stays along
the ridge it offers spectacular sunrise and sunset views, whereas we gain
altitude gradually. The trek will also make a small circuit from some point and
the highest altitude will be at Mardi Himal Base Camp (West) 4120m however, the
highest overnight stay would be at High Camp (Kew) 3600m only. Basically Mardi
Himal Trek is a secret asset of Annapurna Region. Be warned, this short trek is unlikely to
satisfy your enjoyment of this magnificent corner of the world – you are bound
to return for longer treks in the future.
Arrive at Kathmandu Airport with the
beautiful views of the valley, Himalaya and the terraced fields below. Meet
& be greeted by Donkeys Adventures’ (DA) airport
representative in the arrival section who will be holding the name card of the
group leader. He / She will guide you through the initial cultural shock of
Kathmandu narrow streets, cultures, people around and transfer to hotel. Then
DA will organize to meet in a
traditional Nepalese restaurant for a welcome dinner where we will have
introduction to DA staffs who will be directly involve during your stay in
Nepal. For the late night arrivals, we will either meet in the hotel lobby or
during lunch the next day. Overnight in the hotel.
Meals: D
After breakfast, drive to the golden spire of
the 5th-century Swayambhunath Stupa which is adorned
with a colorful fluttering of prayer flags; it crowns a hill overlooking the
Kathmandu Valley and offers fantastic views over the city of Kathmandu. The
stupa consists of a dome at the base which represent the entire world, above
which is a cubical structure painted with eyes of Buddha looking in all four
directions and between them, the number one in Nepali is painted in the fashion
of a nose which meant to be unity. Swayambhunath is also known commonly as the Monkey
Temple as there are holy monkeys living in the north-west parts of the
temple. The
Swayambhunath Stupa is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of
the holiest Buddhist sites in Nepal.
Then, drive to Patan Durbar Square one of the three royal cities in the
Kathmandu Valley which has a rich cultural heritage known for its fine crafts,
evident in the elaborate architecture, stone carvings, and metal statues found
all over the city. A center of both Buddhist and Hindu culture, Patan is home
to more than 1,200 monuments. One of the most stunning is the Krishna Mandir, a
stone temple with magnificent friezes built in the 16th century. Patan Durbar
Square is also a good place to see beautiful examples of palaces, temples and
shrines, and the stunning stone carvings in the Sundari Courtyards. Nearby is the Patan
Museum which displays the traditional sacred arts of Nepal in an
illustrious architectural setting. Its home is an old residential court of
Patan Durbar, one of the royal palaces of former Malla Kings of the Kathmandu
Valley. Its gilded door and window face one of the most beautiful squares in
the world. The Museum’s exhibits cover
along span of Nepal’s cultural history and some rare objects are among its
treasures. Their meaning and context within the living traditions of Hinduism and Buddhism are explained. The entire city of Patan was designated a UNESCO
World Heritage Site in 1979.
After lunch, drive to Pashupatinath which is one of
the most significant Hindu Temple of Lord Shiva in the world, located on the
banks of the Bagmati River in the eastern part of Kathmandu. Pashupatinath
Temple is the oldest Hindu temple in Kathmandu its existence dates back to 400
B.C. One of the major Festivals of the
temple is Maha Shivaratri on which day over 800,000 devotees
visit here. Open air cremation is
done in the holy Bagmati River at Pashupatinath area. The temple is
listed in UNESCO World Heritage Sites list. Drive back to hotel.
Overnight in the hotel.
Meals: B
Early morning after breakfast, check-out from
the hotel and drive towards Sauraha, Chitwan National
Park – 180 Km from Kathmandu. We will stop on the way at Charaudi
after 85 km where a crowd of friendly local people will be eagerly waiting to
watch the proceedings. The Crew Prepares the rafts, after which all head
towards the brief river safety talk and lessons on how to use paddles. Trishuli River (Grade III)
includes the scenery of small gorges and numerous rapids as the name of Snail’s
nose, Teendevi, Malekhu rapid, Monkey rapid, Upset, Surprise, Monsoon, Cotton
Pony, Ladies Delight, S-Bend, Highway, Monsoon and Pinball Rapid. After the
glimpse of the cable car leading to the famous Hindu Temple of Manakamana
in Kuringhat, we will end our raft to have lunch and continue our drive to Chitwan. Upon arrival our representative will meet
and transfer you to resort. On reaching resort, our guest relations officer
will brief the guest to give some information about jungle activities and then
Check-in at hotel. We will get ready for one of the following jungle activities
either Elephant Back Safari or Nature Walk through jungle to observation
tower or Dugout Canoe Ride in Rapti River or 2 hours Jeep Safari. 70%
of the vegetation is sal tree where more than 700 species wildlife is
accommodated, 19 species of snakes, 113 species of fishes and crocodile, 543
species of birds, 68 species of mammals including Bengal Tiger, clouded
leopard, sloth bears, golden jackals, leopard cats, one horn rhinoceros, wild
elephant, sambar deer, hog deer, four horned antelopes and langurs can be encountered
at any time We
will return passing through the Tharu Village also famous as Tharu
Cultural Tour, along the River Side Sunset View and finally
enjoy Tharu Stick Dance Show followed by dinner. Overnight in the
hotel.
Meals: B / L / D
We will enjoy our breakfast with beautiful birds
crippling in the surrounding then check out from the hotel, we will still have
some time if we have missed the jungle activities previous day or if we want to
add some more Jungle activities as we will be driving further west for almost 3
hours and reach Lumbini – birth place of Lord Buddha. En route we will pass by Shashwat Dham, a
destination for all to attain spiritual strength, get exposed to the eternal
knowledge passed over generations through saints and sages of Vedic times and
experience the true nature of our inner being which is love and joy. We will
further continue west and reach Ramagrama, the relic stupa of Lord
Buddha which is the only undisturbed original stupa containing relics of Lord
Buddha among the 4 parts. It was built in 6th century and enlarged
by being enveloped with bricks subsequently. The site includes adjacent
monasteries. We will continue our drive
from there and finally reach Lumbini (150m) hotel and
check-in.
Overnight in the hotel.
Meals: B
After breakfast explores Lumbini for a whole day, it is popular among Buddhist pilgrimage in Nepal. Lumbini (The birthplace of Gautam Buddha) is not only famous for Buddhist pilgrimage travelers alone but also popular for having views of the beautiful architecture namely of Maya Devi temple, Ashok stupa, Sacred Garden, Peace flame, Museum, Thailand Temple, Myanmar Temple, Chinese Temple, Wall Carvings, Buddha Stupa and Chinese Buddhism culture and other breathtaking places. Buddha is known as the light of Asia. Lumbini is listed in the World Heritage Monument List by UNESCO. Lumbini is divided into a ratio of 1:3 which means it is 3 km long for every 1 km wide. In total its 2 km by 6 km. The holy site of Lumbini is bordered by a large monastic zone in which only monasteries can be built, no shops, hotels or restaurants. It is separated into an eastern and western monastic zone, the eastern having the Theravadin monasteries, the western having Mahayana and Vajrayana monasteries. The holy site of Lumbini has ruins of ancient monasteries, a sacred Bodhi tree, an ancient bathing pond, the Ashok pillar and the Maya Devi temple, where the precise place of birth of Buddha is located. From early morning to early evening, pilgrims from various countries perform chanting and meditation at the site. Overnight in the hotel.
Meals: B
After breakfast we will drive to Kande (1770m), first on Siddhartha
Highway for almost 6 hours and then for an hour on Baglung Highway. From there
we will begin our trek starting with slow upward trail inside the quite, lush
green forest and then a bit steeper climb on the stone paved trail for an hour
and half to reach the ridge of Australian Camp (2060m) through
colorful rhododendron and other sub alpine flowers during spring. It is a
clearing in the forest with lodge settlement where Australian used to camp in
the early 60s during Annapurna summit. The place is scenic with magnificent
view of Annapurna Range, Machhapuchre (Fishtail) to the north and head of Fewa
lake with Pokhara valley on the north. Overnight in the lodge.
Meals: B / L / D
After breakfast we will start our easy leveled trek through
the rhododendron forest where some path is paved with stone. Within half an
hour we will reach a beautiful village of Pothana (2100m) where will pass
through ACAP / TIMS check post and entry our permits. From there we will trek
through another Jungle gradually upwards for almost 2 hours until Pitam
Deurali (2100m) and take a short break for lunch. We will leave the ABC
trail from there and take a right hand side trail again in the green lush
jungle with no human settlement but much chances to see water buffalo. First we
will climb on the top of the ridge and then after dropping steeply down we will
slowly gain height onto the ridge of Forest Camp (2600m) also known as
Kokar which is basically a clearing of the forest for camp site and now with
limited choices of lodges. Overnight in the lodge.
Meals: B / L / D
After breakfast we will begin our trek uphill again inside
the forest admiring its rich biodiversity, the trail is quite steep in the
beginning and within an hour it gets less steep as we get on the Rest Camp (2700m) ridge again. Then we
gradually take a height with occasional glimpses of Annapurna South and finally
reach Low camp (2970m). This is again a clearing of the forest camp
with few lodges with basic amenities, we will have our much waited lunch there.
After lunch we will further climb up gradually through the rhododendron forest
following the ridge to Badal Danda (Cloud Hill) which have
a couple of lodges. As we climb up to the ridge the trees get shorter and
thinner where the trail breaks out to alpine zone and we will be walking
completely on a grassland. We will be rewarded with majestic vistas of
Machhapuchare (Fishtail), Annapurna South and Hiunchuli, if we are lucky enough
we might also have a sight of Daphne (Pheasant) national bird of Nepal, and
other wild animals like Himalayan Thar, Mask deer, Spotted Deer, Barking Deer
or even Snow Leopard. We will further climb for couple of hours for even
spectacular closer views of snowcapped peaks from High Camp (3600m) where
sunset and sunrise might be extraordinary according to the season. It is
basically a beautiful and small pasture land with limited no of adorable lodges
with hospitable owners. Overnight in the lodge.
Meals: B / L / D
We will wake up early in the morning pack our breakfast and
lunch then we will hike for couple of hours steep up along a narrow, uneven and
tough rocky mountain trails with continuous mountain views and reach the ridge
of Upper
Viewpoint (4400m). We will enjoy the sunrise view. The trail might be
challenging but the amazing view all around will definitely motivate you to
climb where we will see Mardi Himal (5587m),
Machhapuchare (6993m), Annapurna south (7219m), Hiunchuli (6441m), Annapurna I
(8091m), Baraha Shikhar (Annapurna Fang) (7647m), Tent Peak (5695m),
Singhuchuli (6501m) and more others. We will be entertained with a hot cup of
tea or coffee at the upper viewpoint. We will further take a height for an hour
to Mardi
Himal Base Camp (4500m) to see the gorgeous close-up Machhapuchare,
Hiunchuli and Mardi Himal right above your head and others at distance. We will
spend some time at our final destination, take pictures and then descend
downhill tracing back to our footprint to reach High Camp (3600m) for late Lunch. We will have another chance to
see sunset in the evening before dinner. Overnight in the lodge.
Meals: B / L / D
Today we will have another chance to enjoy our breakfast
with beautiful sunrise then we will begin to descent through the steep and
slippery forest trail. We will pass by Low Camp (2970m), where we will
derail the trail from where we climbed couple of days ago and lead to left hand
side through the harsh trail which will take us to a beautiful traditional
village of Sidhing (1700m). We will take our lunch there and witness the
wonderful cultural experience which is a quiet place as it is tucked away from
other busier trail. After lunch we will take a jeep and drive all the way to
Pokhara and check-in in the hotel. Overnight in the hotel.
Meals: B / L / D
Wake up early in the morning around 4:00 am
and get ready to drive 5 km away and hike for half an hour to Sarangkot Hill (1592m). Within a moment we
will have great view of Pokhara Valley. Sarangkot is the small hilltop
which is famous for its breath taking view of sunrise and Annapurna
range with Fishtail (Virgin Mountain). From here, we can see a
panoramic sweep of Himalayan peaks, from Dhaulagiri (8167m) in the west to the
perfect pyramid that is Machhapuchare (6997m) and the rounded peak of Annapurna
II (7937m) in the east. Most people come here at dawn, when the sun picks out
the peaks in brilliant colors. Sarangkot is the highest view point for a
sunrise and it is just 1592m high. Drive back to hotel.
After breakfast, we will take a wooden
boat and visit island temple Barahi Temple
which is island itself in the middle of Fewa Lake.
This temple is the most important religious monuments in Pokhara. The Barahi
Devi is considered as the protector Goddess representing the female force. The
peaceful surrounding or typical structure of the temple does attract everyone
towards the temple. The temple is worth visiting for both spiritualist and
materialist. One can observe the Nepali culture, art and architecture and
spiritualist can satisfy their inner feeling and belief praying to Devi.
From there we will cross the
lake and hike for an hour and half to World Peace Pagoda which is also locally
know as Shanti Stupa. It was built by Nipponzan-Myōhōji
monk Morioka Sonin with local supporters under the guidance of Nichidatsu Fujii,
a Buddhist monk and the founder of Nipponzan-Myōhōji. Shanti is a Sanskrit word
meaning peace, also widely used in Nepali and Hindi language, and Shanti Stupa
means Peace Pagoda. Shanti Stupa is the shrine build as symbol of peace. The
spot situated at the height of 1100 meters on the Ananda Hill was chosen by Nichidatsu
Fujii and he laid the foundation stone as well with the relics of Buddha on the
hilltop on 12 September 1973. Nepal has two of the eighty peace pagodas in the
world: Shanti Stupa in Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha and Shanti Stupa in Pokhara.
Shanti Stupa in Pokhara has also become a tourist attraction. It provides a
panoramic view of the Annapurna range, Pokhara city and the Fewa Lake.
After Lunch, we will drive to David’s Fall also known as Patale
Chango in Nepali. Patale Chango (Hell's fall), more commonly called
"Devi's or David's Falls" for the tourist with some melodramatic
story behind it. The water from this falls comes from the Fewa Lake flowing to
the Seti. The water plunges into a hole and disappears! In monsoon this sight
is most spectacular. The scenic and natural beauty near the falls is extremely
impressive.
Nearby, across the street of Davi’s fall is a
cave called Gupteshwor Cave. This
venerated cave contains a huge stalagmite worshipped as a Shiva lingam. It allows
you to clamber through a tunnel behind the shrine, emerging in a damp cavern
adjacent to the thundering waters of Devi’s fall. It has some big hall-size rooms and some
passages where you have to crawl on all fours. This cave holds special value
for Hindus since a phallic symbol of Lord Shiva is preserved here in the
condition it was discovered.
Than we will drive to International
Mountain Museum which was established to record document
and chronicle, past and present development of mountaineering activities in the
world in general and to preserve the saga of the momentous feats in the history
of mountaineering in the Himalayan peaks in particular. The foundation stone of
IMM was laid on 1 Dec, 1995. The soft opening of IMM took place on 29 May, 2002
where it was officially opened on 5 Feb, 2004. Drive back to hotel and
overnight in the hotel.
Meals: B
After breakfast check out from the hotel and get ready to
drive back to Kathmandu. Check in in the hotel get fresh and hang around the
narrow bending streets of Thamel for shopping, night life and spend some
leisure time in dining around the touristic place near by your hotel.
Meals: B
After
breakfast, we will drive to Boudhanath
Stupa, which is the largest stupa in Nepal and the holiest Tibetan
Buddhist temple outside Tibet. The stupa is located in the town of Boudha, located about 11 km from the center and
northeastern outskirts of Boudhanath is a stupa. Boudhanath was probably built in the 14th
century after the Mughal invasions; various interesting legends are told
regarding the reasons for its construction. After the arrival of thousands of
Tibetans following the 1959 Chinese invasion, the temple has become one of the
most important centers of Tibetan Buddhism. It was declared World Heritage
Site by UNESCO since 1979. The Stupa is said to entomb the remains of Kassapa
Buddha.
From above, Bodnath Stupa looks
like a giant mandala, or diagram of the Buddhist cosmos. There
are other symbolic numbers here as well: the nine levels of Boudhanath Stupa
represent the mythical Mt. Meru, center of the cosmos; and the 13
rings from the base to the pinnacle symbolize the path to enlightenment,
or "Bodhi" — hence the stupa's name. At the bottom, the stupa is
surrounded by an irregular 16-sided wall, with frescoes in the niches. The
mantra of Avalokiteshvara - Om Mani Padme Hum - is carved on the prayer
wheels beside the images of Avalokiteshvara around the base of
the stupa. The base of the stupa consists of three large platforms, decreasing
in size. As at Swayambhunath, Bodnath is topped with a square tower bearing the
omnipresent Buddha eyes on all four sides. Instead of a
nose is a question-mark-type symbol that is actually the Nepali character for
the number 1, symbolizing unity and the one way to reach
enlightenment—through the Buddha's teachings. Above this is the third eye,
symbolizing the wisdom of the Buddha. The square tower is topped by a pyramid
with 13 steps, representing the ladder to enlightenment.
Than we will drive 14 km east of Kathmandu and explore the Bhaktapur
Valley. The valley is said to be
founded by King Ananda Deva in 889 AD. It is an inhabited museum of medieval
charm as it retains past glories and structures of the Malla rulers. Throughout
the city there are glorious examples of temples and pagodas dedicated to gods
and goddesses plus palaces, monuments, woodcarvings, sculptures and pottery.
The central area and main attraction is Bhaktapur Durbar
Square featuring The Lion Gate (1696 A.D.) guarded by two enormous stone lions.
Then, visit to The Golden Gate, also said to be the most beautiful and richly
crafted specimen of its kind in the entire world; some have said it's the
loveliest work of art in the whole Kingdom. The Palace of Fifty-five Windows built
in 1427 of brick displays a balcony containing fifty-five windows, each a
masterpiece of woodcarving. An amazing five-storied pagoda, Nyatapola
Temple built in 1702, 108 ft., dominates the Square. It is the tallest temple
in Kathmandu Valley and stands on a series of five terraces. Likewise, visit
another two temples in Durbar Square:
the three-storied Bhairab Nath Temple and the Temple
of Dattatraya. Dattatraya temple is believed, originally was carved out of the
trunk of a tree and subsequently renovated in 1458. Many temples, bahals
(monastery courtyards), and residences, the city is still a living proof of the
highest craft standards in this part of the world. As the visitor wanders
through narrow brick paved streets, many alleys will show hidden shrines and
statues. Clay craftsmanship as well as cloth weaving is still practiced here
very much as in the past. Fourteen kilometers east of Kathmandu, this peaceful,
conservative town stands in sharp contrast to the bustle of its two adjacent
cities.
After lunch, we will drive back to Kathmandu Durbar Square,
while browse around Kathmandu
Durbar Square you will visit Hanuman Dhoka, the old and historic
palace of Kathmandu named after monkey God, Hanuman, a historic seat of
royalty. The Kings of Nepal are crowned and their coronations also held inside
the court yard here. There is a statue of King Pratap Mall sitting on the stone
pillar in the front and temple of Jagannath from mediaeval period. Within the
walking distance you will find the tall temple of Taleju from 1549 AD, the
large stone statue of Kal Bhairav, the God of destruction. The Big Bell
and Big Drum and Hindu Lord Shiva and his consort Parvati peeping from window.
Visit the temple of Kumari, the residence of Living Goddess
within the vicinity. Kumari means the virgin girl. The girl is selected from
Newar Buddhist family. The building has profusely carved wooden balconies and
window screen.
Meals: B
Today will be the last day of
our Nepal visit and we will spend today packing
and maybe catching up on some last-minute souvenir shopping for your family,
relatives and friends back home. Check out from the hotel. Meet DA airport representative for farewell
and then drop to Airport for onward journey, with the last minute mountain
views from the sky.
Meals: B
Package Types | 1 PAX | 2-3 PAX | 4-6 PAX | 7-12 PAX | 13-20 PAX | 21-35 PAX |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Diamond | $ 5,935.14 | $ 3,537.02 | $ 2,947.60 | $ 2,660.96 | $ 2,463.22 | $ 2,339.38 |
Gold | $ 4,510.64 | $ 2,701.02 | $ 2,133.60 | $ 1,868.96 | $ 1,693.22 | $ 1,591.38 |
Silver | $ 3,766.01 | $ 2,264.02 | $ 1,708.10 | $ 1,454.96 | $ 1,290.72 | $ 1,200.38 |
Note:
Above prices are valid to book your holiday package until one year from the date of booking only.
Full board complementary for one Group Leader for 16 and above group.
The prices are net and all the applicable taxes are included in the above price (local taxes in Nepal).
All the above prices are subjected to change with prior notice.
Package Types:
Diamond 5 star hotels in cities like - Kathmandu / Pokhara / Chitwan / Lumbini
Gold 3 star hotels in cities like - Kathmandu / Pokhara / Chitwan / Lumbini
Silver Budget tourist standard hotels in cities like - Kathmandu / Pokhara / Chitwan / Lumbini
Pashupatinath / Swayambhunath / Boudhanath / Bhaktapur Durbar Square / Patan Durbar Square / Sarangkot / Fewa Lake / International Mountain Museum / David's Fall / World Peace Pagoda / Chitwan National Park / Lumbini / Australian Camp / Kathmandu Durbar Square / Mardi Himal Base Camp /