Remote Lands

Nepal

Suggested Itinerary

Day 1 – Kathmandu

After arriving in Asia via Delhi, fly to Kathmandu. Check in to the lovely Dwarika's Shangri-la Resort, located just outside Kathmandu city near Pashupatinath, Nepal's most sacred mountain. With a stunning interior of traditionally carved wood, Dwarika's is the recipient of a prestigious World Heritage Award given for outstanding historical preservation. The 74 guest rooms and suites are decorated with intricate carved wood and terracotta work in the traditional Newari style.

Wander the narrow streets and alleyways of the old quarter of Kathmandu, with its myriad of tiny stalls and colorful street life. Visit the many different markets including the famous bead market and the Indrachowk carpet and textile market (but beware of the fake pashmina sellers).

Visit the Swayambhunath Stupa, also known as the Monkey Temple, a complex of monasteries of all faiths started in 460 AD by King Mana Devi of the Licchavi era, on the western fringes of the city. The imposing structure is recognized as a major landmark of Kathmandu and is distinguished by its population of freely roaming monkeys.

Have dinner, sitting cross-legged on the floor in the traditional manner, and sample local Nepalese delicacies such as dahl bat (lentils and rice) that are generally accompanied by vegetable curries. You will be joined for dinner by special guests from the diplomatic or business community.

Day 2 – Kathmandu

Visit the center of Kathmandu, Durbar Square, with its amazing complex of temples and monuments that have witnessed the ascent and decline of several dynasties, including the Licchavi, Mala and finally the most recent Shah dynasty. The Hanuman Dhoka Palace is the old royal palace and was the Nepalese monarch's residence until the 19th century. Until very recently, major celebrations such as the coronation of the King still took place in the imposing white European-style structure.

There are many stunning temples on Durbar Square including the Bhagwati temple, the Kal Bhairab shrine, dedicated to the six-armed god of destruction, and the most magnifi cent of them all, the temple of the mother goddess Taleju Bhawani. Built in the 15th century and supported by 12 plinths, Taleju is off-limits to all but the royal family and a few select priests.

Nearby to Durbar Square is Kumari Bahal, the royal residence of the Living Goddess. In a tradition that has continued up to the present, a young girl from the Newar community incarnates the role of the Virgin Goddess, from whom the King of Nepal would seek blessings each year.

Have tea with a family living in one of the historic bahals around a common courtyard in the old part of town. Here you will have the opportunity to chat with your hosts about their lives and livelihoods, and to hear about a way of life very different from your own.

For dinner, try the award-winning Krishnarpan at your hotel. Krishnarpan serves elegant Nepali food in 6-, 9-, 12-, and 16-course meals. The six-course meal consists of three starters, a soup, lentils, vegetables, and pickles, plus dessert. The 16-course meal is an event in itself, with a seemingly endless variety of dishes served over four hours.

Day 3 – Kathmandu Valley

Set out for a day of exploring the riches of the Kathmandu Valley, with the omnipresent peaks of the Himalayas for a backdrop. The political and cultural center of Nepal, the valley was a natural crossroads for the ancient civilizations of the Himalayas. There are several important cities, a plethora of pilgrimage sites sacred to both Buddhists and Hindus, and seven UNESCO World Heritage sites grouped into a designation encompassing the whole valley.

Also known as Lalitpur, the ancient city of Patan, on a plateau overlooking the Bagmati River, was once a separate Kingdom. It is famed for the beauty of its elegant Newari architecture, which is on prominent display in the the central (Durbar) square, one of the valley's seven Heritage sites.

Visit Patan's Durbar, fronted by an amazing assortment of buildings and the ancient Royal Palace. Explore the gracefully carved and ornamented chowks (courtyards) of the palace, and its temples, including the Krishna Mandir, the only temple in Nepal with 21 shrines, which is built entirely of stone.

Have lunch at one of the many small cafés surrounding the Durbar and take in the passing scene of travelers, vendors and pilgrims, accompanied by a a cup of hot chia — tea with milk, much like Indian chai.

Bhaktapur, like Kathmandu and Patan, has a landmarked Durbar fronted by a former palace, but few cars are allowed into the city, and the streets are mostly free for pedestrians, providing an interesting contrast to the relative hubbub of Kathmandu.

The palace has been converted into the National Art Gallery, which has the world's finest collection of Nepali art. Wander its galleries, illuminated by 55 windows, and take in the collections of ancient manuscripts, religious paintings, and sculptures of Hindu and Buddhist deities.

Bhaktapur is best known for its pottery, which you will notice in abundance as you wander the narrow streets. In Potters Square, dozens of artisans work outdoors on giant traditional wheels, spinning and shaping the numerous rows of clay vessels set out to dry.

In the evening, return to Kathmandu and try the cosmopolitan Café Mitra for dinner. In the bustling Thamel neighborhood, Mitra serves a fusion of Asian and western cuisines in a stylish room decorated with contemporary art.

Day 4 — Kathmandu Valley/ Pokhara

The Boudhanath Temple (another of the Valley's Heritage sites) is one of the holiest Buddhist sites in Nepal. Located about seven miles from the center of Kathmandu, the stupa of Boudhanath dominates the skyline. Its vast circular base is topped with a tower draped with lines of prayer flags, and painted on each side with a huge pair of eyes, symbolizing the all-seeing powers of the divine. Throughout the day pilgrims circumambulate the stupa chanting mantras, some prostrating themselves at each step. Anyone is free to join in, but remember to walk around the stupa and to spin the prayer wheels in a clockwise direction.

The influx of Tibetan refugees from China has seen the construction of over 50 Tibetan gompas (monasteries) around Boudhanath. The area is now a center of the Tibetan community in exile, and the streets are filled with stores selling Tibetan goods. Have a lunch of momos (savory dumplings filled with potatoes, vegetables or meat), thupka (a hearty noodle stew) and butter tea in one of the cafés nearby with a view of the kaleidoscopic whirl surrounding the stupa.

The Pashupatinah Temple is as sacred to Hindus as Boudanath is to Buddhists. On the banks of the Bagmati River, the temple is similar to Varanasi in India — the Bagmati flows into the sacred Ganges, and people flock here to purify themselves in its waters and to guarantee their relatives immortality through cremation on the burning ghats. The main temple is off-limits to non-Hindus, but you can wander the tranquil grounds and observe the activities of the temple from across the river.

Return to the hotel, check out, and take a short, 40-minute flight to the small city of Pokhara, to the west of Kathmandu. Pokhara is the base for most treks near Annapurna: a 34-mile-long massif whose highest point, Annapurna I, stands at 26,538 feet and is the 10th-highest summit in the world. A lower mountain in the ridge, Machapuchare, has earned the name "the Matterhorn of Nepal" for its striking, sharp peak that splits into two parts (its Nepalese name means "Fish Tail"). Machapuchare is a sacred mountain and its summit has never been climbed.

Check in to the Tiger Mountain Lodge, perched on a hill with dramatic views of Annapurna. The boutique property has only 19 rooms in a collection of private stone bungalows, and allows you to enjoy this remarkable setting in total privacy and comfort. The restaurant serves gourmet continental meals using organically grown produce from the lodge's own gardens.

Have an alfresco dinner and take in the sunset views, then retire to the library for drinks or coffee and peruse their collection of papers and photographs collected by the late Col. J.O.M. Roberts, the father of trekking in Nepal.

Day 5 — Pokhara

Get up early to see the sun rise over the Himalayas, before setting out on your own mini-trek (4-6 hours). The Annapurna circuit is renowned as one of the great walks of the world. While the full circuit, a challenging 21- to 23-day hike, is strictly for the adventurous, the Annapurna area offers a multitude of shorter treks ranging from day hikes to short treks of three or four days to week-long excursions.

Spend the day climbing the hills around Pokhara to a mountaintop viewpoint with a fabulous view of Annapurna and Lake Fewa. Along the way you will pass through montane forests home to hundreds of species of birds and other wildlife. Your route will also take you past several local temples and through villages. Stop and have lunch in the home of a village family and learn about how they live and earn their keep in this striking landscape.

Have dinner in Pokhara at Bistro Caroline, a sister property of Kathmandu's best French restaurant, which offers excellent fare and a lengthy wine list in a lovely setting on the shore of the lake.

Day 6 – Pokhara

Plan another day hike in the Pohkara region with your guide, or spend the day mountain biking or exploring the hills immediate to the lodge with trails that start right from the property.

You can also hire a boat for an afternoon cruising Fewa Lake. The hotel will pack a gourmet picnic lunch for you to enjoy along the way.

Return to the hotel for a dip in their infinity-edge pool overlooking the peaks and a relaxing gourmet dinner.

Day 7 – Royal Chitwan National Park

Even though most people think of snow-capped mountains when they think of Nepal, nearly half of the population lives in the hot, jungle-covered lowlands known as the Terai. Dense with rivers, trees and animals, the Terai offers one of the best wildlife experiences in Asia. Preserving the best of this unique landscape, Royal Chitwan National Park — a UNESCO World Heritage site — is home to endangered populations of the Asian one-horned rhinoceros and the Bengal tiger.

After a short, 30-minute flight to a private airstrip in the jungle, you will be met by drivers and Land Rovers from the Tiger Tops Jungle Lodge, deep within the heart of the park, for a one-hour drive to the hotel. Designed to harmonize with its surroundings, Tiger Tops is set in the canopy above the forest floor, and is built entirely from local materials. Each room has solar-powered reading lamps and fans, and a solar-heated shower; the lodge itself is powered by the largest solar array in Nepal.

Have lunch at the lodge, before setting out with one of their expertly trained naturalists for an afternoon of watching rare birds and learning about the medicinal and culinary uses of the local flora and fauna.

In the evening, have a cocktail in the lodge's central Gol Ghar bar and restaurant, which has a huge domed roof and open fireplace, before a meal of local specialties made from organic produce grown in the lodge's gardens.

Day 8 – Royal Chitwan National Park

On your second day at Tiger Tops, venture even further into the rich landscape of Chitwan as you travel by elephant.

The park encompasses not only dense forests, but flood plains and grasslands, where the grasses can sometimes reach 20 feet in height, dwarfing even your mount for the morning. On this ride, you will have the opportunity to spot a diversity of species such as leopards, sloth bears, spotted deer, monkeys and flying squirrels, in addition to rhinos and tigers.

In the afternoon, relax at the lodge, or raft down the park's Narayani River, spotting wildlife coming to the river to drink, and keeping an eye out for gharials, a local species of crocodile.

Day 9 – Nagarkot

Return to Kathmandu and then drive one-hour into the countryside to the charming hill station of Nagarkot. This small town, perched at 7,000 feet on the ridge enclosing the Kathmandu Valley, is reputed to have some of the best vistas of the Himalayas in Nepal.

Check in to the Club Himalaya, a small, comfortable but basic hotel, with 360-degree views. Each room has a balcony and a dramatic view of the mountains. Weather permitting, you might be able to see the sun rise and set over the towering peak of Everest.

Explore the town and have lunch at a small local café, then spend the afternoon hiking or pony-trekking in the forests and hills that surround the town, accompanied along the way by the beautiful views.

Return to the hotel for tea in their cozy teahouse and dinner.

Day 10 – Mt. Everest

Drive back to Kathmandu where you will meet your private Sherpa guides and helicopter for what's sure to be the highlight of your journey in Nepal, a flight right into the heart of the Everest region.

Fly several hours through dramatic mountain scenery, drawing closer to the snow-capped peaks of the highest Himalayas. At an elevation of 12,700 feet, touch down at the remote Tengboche Monastery, set high above the confluence of the Dudh Kosi and the Imja Khola rivers, with a clear view of the towering mountains in the near distance. It is one of the most important pilgrimage sites for Sherpa culture, with over 50 resident monks. Tengboche is surrounded by ancient stones inscribed with the mantra, "Om Mani Padme Hum" — intended to invoke the bodhisattva of compassion, surely a useful ally in this harsh climate — and prayer flags fluttering in the constant mountain breeze.

Have tea with the monastery's abbot in his quarters, learn about his life and beliefs, and receive a special blessing. Wander the grounds, observing the monks at work with their simple tasks and at afternoon prayers, and light a butter lamp before departing for the return flight to Kathmandu.

Check in to Dwarika's for your last night in Nepal, and unwind with a massage from the hotel's in-house therapists trained in a variety of techniques, including the ancient Indian discipline of Ayurvedic massage, and the traditional Newari style.

Toast the end of your journey over a celebratory, multi-course meal at Krishnarpan.

Day 11

Depart for home.

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