Learn about Nepal's rich cultural, natural, and spiritual heritage on this 10-day highlight tour of Nepal. Start your journey in Kathmandu, a bustling city with numerous UNESCO-listed landmarks. Explore the intricate stupas, historic temples, and thriving markets. From Kathmandu, travel to Pokhara, a haven of tranquility and the gateway to the legendary Annapurna trekking circuit. Take a short, easy hike through thriving villages and oak and rhododendron forests. See the spectacular views of Annapurna South and Machapuchre Peaks. Experience Gurung culture and tradition in Ghadruk and taste authentic Nepali cuisine with cultural dances from different ethnic groups. Interact with local people and learn about culture and history; discover the old local markets in your secret exploration.
Highlights
Discover Kathmandu's UNESCO Heritage sites
Wander through ancient temples and bustling bazaars
Travel to Pokhara, gateway to Annapurna trekking circuit
See how serene Phewa Lake mirrors the surrounding peaks
Taste local Nepali cuisine with cultural dances from different ethnicities
Observe the Gurung culture and tradition in Ghandruk
Moderately active but not overly strenuous. This level includes activities like casual cycling, yoga, or excursions/activities that typically last 3-5 hours total each day.
Welcome to the Himalayan country of Nepal! Upon your arrival at the Tribhuvan International Airport, a representative will welcome you and assist you in transferring to your Hotel in Kathmandu. After some time to rest in the evening, you will be transferred to a traditional Nepalese restaurant in the heart of Kathmandu for a welcome dinner, a trip briefing, and an overnight stay at the hotel.
After breakfast, head to Pashupatinath temple, known as the largest Hindu religious complex in Nepal. This complex is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is significant from a spiritual, historical, artistic, and cultural perspective. After lunch, you will travel to Patan Durbar Square, which was located in the medieval royal palace of Patan until the mid-19th century. The area is surrounded by beautiful, imposing monuments that tell stories that recount fascinating, esoteric legends and fascinating historical events. Finally, you will visit the stupa of Swayambhunath, situated at a vantage point that gives you a good view of the valley. From there, you will have a beautiful view of Kathmandu.
After breakfast, an early morning drive by tourist bus to Pokhara through the beautiful Nepalese countryside. Once you reach the Pokhara lakeside and transfer to the hotel, take the rest of the time to explore the surrounding lakeside areas and overnight at the hotel.
Today, after breakfast, your trekking guide will take you for an hour's drive to Naya Pul and start your trek to Birethanti, a large and prosperous town beside the Modi River. You will head up the main trail to Sudami, where you climb gradually up the side of the valley, reaching Hile (1495m) before pushing on to Tikhe Dhunga.
Overnight at a local mountain lodge
Elevation: 1,577 m / 5,173 ft Distance: 1 hr drive and approximately 4 hrs walk
After breakfast, prepare for a long uphill with steep stone steps to Ulleri village and its incredible landscape and Himalayan scenery. You will spend a pleasant day trekking through rhododendron and oak forests. The view will give you the inner power to climb up these steps and encourage you to walk more! After a few hours of walking with several breaks in between, you can enjoy the fantastic views of the Dhaulagiri and Annapurna Himalayan ranges.
Overnight at a local mountain lodge
Elevation: 2,850 m / 9,350 ft Distance: Approximately5- 6 hrs walk
Today, start very early in the morning for a 40-minute hike up to Poon Hill. A brilliant viewpoint provides you with an unobstructed sunrise over the high Himalayas and a wide range of panoramic scenery from the far western Himalayas of Dolpo, Mt. Dhaulagiri, and Annapurna, including Mt. Machhapuchre (Fish Tail) and Manasalu. After a fun morning of hiking and spectacular views, head back to Ghorepani for breakfast before continuing to Tadapani for the night.
Overnight at a local mountain lodge
Elevation: 2,540 m / 8,332 ft Distance: Approximately 6 - 7 hrs walk
After breakfast, you will trek to Ghandruk, a traditional Gurung village in the foothills of Annapurna. Here you will observe the Gurung tradition and lifestyle, unique to the mountainous people of Nepal.
Your journey will end here, and you will travel to Pokhara to spend the night. Enjoy the evening to rest and relax, or head out for Pokhara's nightlife.
After breakfast, drive through the picturesque Nepali countryside in the early morning to get to Kathmandu. The guide will take you to your hotel after you arrive in Kathmandu, where you can rest or explore for the rest of the day.
Day 10: Return Home
1 Breakfast
Today is free for you to do any last-minute shopping for gifts or souvenirs for your loved ones before your departure flight. Drive to start any additional trips or activities you may have scheduled. If you are leaving, you will transfer to the international airport to catch your flight to your next destination.
Apologies for the inconvenience. Prices for not yet published. Below per person rate based on previous season. Contact us to confirm upcoming season pricing.
Prices for are estimated based on inflation. Contact us to confirm pricing and availability for your desired departure date.
Initial deposit is 35%, and most travelers will call our office and pay the deposit with a credit card.
Final payment is due 70 days (10 weeks) prior to departure by bank transfer, check, or credit card. All final payments by credit card may be subject to a surcharge and a maximum of $20,000 charge
The trip was terrific with great planning on your part. Most of the adventures were not mainstream and somewhat off the beaten path which made it especially enjoyable!! We felt taken care of and you all were readily available to respond to questions and issues. I would highly recommend your company and friends have already expressed interest based on our pictures and excitement.
Gale Cantor
TrustScore 4.8 | 254 reviews
TrustScore 4.8 of 5
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1 day ago
The holiday of a lifetime. The company is Alaksa-owned and thhat makes a big difference to the experineces you get i.e. meet genuine First Nations tribes people. The amount of wildlife was beyond my expectation, and seeing everything on sucha small, intimate boat made it even more spoecial and unique.
Liz O
1 day ago
Adventure Life covered all the details in planning our trip to Ireland. Any questions we had were answered immediately. Any trip glitches, which always happen when traveling, were resolved immediately. There were no worries, just fun!
Kathleen Weller
1 day ago
It was an outstanding, up-close, educational vacation of nature, culture, history, animals and geology! It was everything they promised! Binoculars were plentiful on the boat, but I'm glad I brought my own. Food was excellent. Rooms had black-out shades. Pack/wear multiple layers of clothing (I carried a small backpack when off the ship). Crew were delightful and very accommodating! Remember to jump FEET FIRST first when taking the optional polar plunge! Spend as much time outdoors as you are able and ENJOY!!!
Janet Dutton
6 days ago
Excellent travel advice and service
This is my second experience working with Adventure Life. I’m sold. Jess Heuermann is an experienced traveler and provides a lot of useful information when planning a trip. These are the questions I like to ask at the outset - What’s it like to go here, there, what would you suggest, what do people report, can we add any additional side trips? Jess took the time to answer my questions and seek additional information to share with me. Petchie Colina is outstanding in helping with travel logistics and final preparations. Adventure Life has excellent guides and offers private guides and small group adventures. We enjoyed the opportunity to talk with the guides and drivers to learn more about their countries, cultures and histories. A highlight was having the guides pick local restaurants where we could share meals together. Highly recommend.
Claire Cordon
1 week ago
Our six-day tour in Iceland went smoothly with one exception. We had asked for two rooms each night. Somehow we were booked with one room with three beds. It could not be fixed at the first hotel in Reykjavik because the hotel was fully booked. Once informed of the problem, however, Adventure Life rebooked for two rooms for the remainder of the trip. As an 85-year-old traveler, I appreciated that one could participate at different physical levels at many of the stops. Iceland is a great place to visit but on the expensive side.