Day-by-day programme of this 12-day itinerary across From the Kathmandu valley to the Annapurna and Chitwan.
Day 1 â Arrival in Kathmandu
Landing in Kathmandu, capital of Nepal, a chaotic and fascinating sacred city at the foot of the Himalayas. A first stroll in the maze of Thamel and Durbar Square.
- âïļ Kathmandu â Aeroporto di Kathmandu (KTM)
- ð Kathmandu Durbar Square â Kathmandu Durbar Square, a UNESCO site, is the ancient square of the kings: an extraordinary ensemble of pagoda temples, finely carved wooden palaces and courtyards, including the home of the Kumari, the living 'child goddess'. All around pulses life: vendors, sadhus (ascetics), rickshaws and burning incense. You lose yourself in the maze of Thamel, the travellers' district, full of craft shops, trekking gear and scents. You dine on dal bhat. Tomorrow the great temples of the valley.
- ðĻ Hotel Yambu Kathmandu â Thamel, Kathmandu
Day 2 â The temples of Kathmandu
The sacred sites of the Kathmandu valley: the Swayambhunath monkey stupa, the great Boudhanath and the Hindu Pashupatinath temple on the river.
- ð Swayambhunath â You climb the 365 steps to the Swayambhunath stupa, the 'monkey temple', one of the oldest in Nepal: the great white dome topped by the all-seeing eyes of the Buddha dominates Kathmandu, among prayer flags, wheels to spin and mischievous monkeys. Then the colossal Boudhanath stupa, one of the largest in the world and the heart of Tibetan Buddhism: pilgrims circumambulate it reciting mantras, among monasteries and the scent of incense. In the afternoon, sacred Pashupatinath.
- ð Pashupatinath â Pashupatinath is the most important Hindu temple in Nepal, dedicated to Shiva, on the banks of the sacred Bagmati river. It is an intense, spiritual place: on the ghats along the river open-air public cremations take place, according to an ancient rite, while ash-covered sadhus meditate and the faithful pray. It is a powerful encounter with the cycle of life and death, lived with naturalness. You return to Thamel moved. Tomorrow the jewel-cities of Patan and Bhaktapur.
Day 3 â Patan, Bhaktapur and Nagarkot
The two splendid medieval cities of Patan and Bhaktapur with their Durbar Squares, and the climb to Nagarkot to admire the Himalayan range.
- ð Patan Durbar Square â Patan, the ancient city of artisans, holds a Durbar Square perhaps even more beautiful than Kathmandu's: finely carved stone and brick temples, the royal palace with its museum (among the best in Asia) and bronze and copper workshops. Then you reach Bhaktapur, the best-preserved medieval city in Nepal, an open-air museum frozen in time. In the afternoon you climb to Nagarkot for sunset over the mountains.
- ð Bhaktapur â Bhaktapur is a medieval fairy tale: car-free cobbled streets, squares with pagoda temples, the Palace of 55 Windows, the Nyatapola, the tallest pagoda in Nepal, and courtyards where pottery is still made and chillies dry in the sun. You taste the famous 'juju dhau' yoghurt. It is where ancient Nepal is most alive. In the late afternoon you climb towards Nagarkot, on the edge of the valley, for the view of the Himalayas at sunset.
- ðĻ Nagarkot Resort â Nagarkot, Nepal
Day 4 â Himalayan dawn and Bandipur
The dawn over the Himalayan range from Nagarkot and the journey west to Bandipur, a pretty Newari village perched on a hill.
- ðŊ Nagarkot Sunrise â A dawn wake-up for one of the most awaited spectacles: with a clear sky, from the Nagarkot viewpoint the entire Himalayan range lights up pink and gold with the first rays, a wall of snowy peaks above the clouds, from Annapurna to Langtang and, on the clearest days, the silhouette of Everest. A magical, silent moment. After breakfast you set off west along the road that crosses terraced hills and villages, to Bandipur.
- ð Bandipur â Bandipur is a hidden gem: a Newari village perched on a ridge at 1,000 metres, with a pedestrian main street lined with traditional houses with carved wooden balconies, once a prosperous trading centre on the road to Tibet. It keeps an authentic, peaceful atmosphere, away from mass tourism, with fine mountain views. You stroll among the temples and enjoy the sunset from the Tundikhel. Tomorrow you reach Pokhara, at the foot of the Annapurna.
- ðĻ The Old Inn â Bandipur, Nepal
Day 5 â Pokhara, the lakeside city
Arrival in Pokhara, a relaxed city on Lake Phewa at the foot of the Annapurna range, the gateway to the treks and the heart of Nepal's outdoor life.
- âïļ Bandipur â Pokhara â Pokhara, Nepal
- ðĻ Hotel Mala â Lakeside, Pokhara
Day 6 â Trek towards Ghandruk
The start of a trek in the Annapurna foothills: you walk among terraced rice fields, forests and Gurung villages, to scenic Ghandruk at the foot of the peaks.
- ðŊ Ghandruk â From Pokhara you reach the start of the trail by car and set off on foot into the heart of the Annapurna Conservation Area: you walk among terraced rice fields, streams, rhododendron forests (red in spring) and stone villages, accompanied by the smiles of children and porters. The destination is Ghandruk, a beautiful village of the Gurung people, with houses of stone and slate at the foot of Annapurna South and Machapuchare, which seem within reach. You sleep in a mountain guesthouse (teahouse), with dinner by the warm stove.
- ðĻ Hotel Gurung Cottage â Guesthouse di montagna, Ghandruk
Day 7 â Dawn on the Annapurna and return
The dawn that sets the peaks of Annapurna and Machapuchare ablaze from Ghandruk, and the walk down among the villages back to Pokhara.
- ðŊ Annapurna Viewpoint â At dawn, from the village of Ghandruk, you witness the spectacle of the peaks lighting up pink and gold: Annapurna South, Hiunchuli and the unmistakable fishtail-shaped Machapuchare, under a clear sky. It is the reward of the trek. After breakfast you walk down among the terraces and villages, greeting the mountain people, to the point where you pick up the car for Pokhara. You return to the city in the afternoon, fulfilled. In the evening, a well-deserved rest by the lake.
- ðĻ Hotel Mala â Lakeside, Pokhara
Day 8 â Sarangkot and Pokhara
Dawn over the Annapurna from the Sarangkot viewpoint and a relaxed day in Pokhara, between the Peace Pagoda, the waterfalls and Lake Phewa.
- ðŊ Sarangkot â A pre-dawn wake-up to climb Sarangkot, the hill dominating Pokhara: from here you enjoy one of the most spectacular dawns in Nepal, with the sun progressively lighting the entire Annapurna range, Dhaulagiri and Machapuchare, while Lake Phewa and the valley remain wrapped in the morning haze. Those who wish can paraglide from here. The rest of the day is devoted to Pokhara: the World Peace Pagoda, the Davis Falls, the Gupteshwor cave. Tomorrow you descend into the Chitwan jungle.
Day 9 â Towards the Chitwan jungle
A descent into the Terai, the tropical southern plain, to the Chitwan National Park, a UNESCO site, realm of rhinos, tigers and elephants.
- âïļ Pokhara â Chitwan â Parco Nazionale di Chitwan, Sauraha
- ðĻ Jungle Safari Lodge â Sauraha, Chitwan
Day 10 â Safari in Chitwan
A safari day in the Chitwan National Park: by jeep and canoe, in search of rhinos, crocodiles, deer and the rare Bengal tiger.
- ðŊ Chitwan Safari â A full day of safari in the Chitwan jungle: aboard a jeep you explore the forests and grasslands in search of the one-horned Indian rhino (there are hundreds here), deer, monkeys, gaur and the elusive Bengal tiger. A placid descent by dugout canoe along the river lets you spot the slender-snouted gharial crocodiles and a myriad of birds. You also visit a crocodile breeding centre and a village of the Tharu people. It is a total immersion in Nepal's wild nature. You return to the lodge.
Day 11 â Back to Kathmandu
The journey back to Kathmandu and a last evening in the capital, among final purchases in Thamel and the flavours of Nepal.
- âïļ Chitwan â Kathmandu â Thamel, Kathmandu
- ðĻ Hotel Yambu Kathmandu â Thamel, Kathmandu
Day 12 â Departure from Kathmandu
Return flight from Kathmandu. The end of a journey among temples, stupas, Himalayan peaks, mountain villages and the Chitwan jungle.
- âïļ Kathmandu â Aeroporto di Milano Malpensa (MXP)
