Search Tailor Made Destinations
Kathmandu Valley Explorer
Temples, palaces and medieval cities: the wonders of ancient Nepal brought to life.
Cultural Tour
Duration: 11 Days
Combine your itinerary with your preferred hotels or other accommodation. Take a look at the Accommodation section for ideas and inspiration.
| Day 1 | Fly to Kathmandu where you will spend the next four nights absorbing the sights, smells and sound of this frenetic Asian city. |
| Day 2 | After a morning to recuperate from your long flight, you take an afternoon walking tour of central Kathmandu with an expert, English-speaking guide. They will introduce you to the history, traditions and legends of Kathmandu and its people. The splendid royal palaces, temples and monuments of Durbar Square are amongst its most impressive sights and the bustling markets and shrines of Indra Chowk and Asan Tole are good places to stop and linger. You also visit Swayambhunath temple, better known as the Monkey Temple cue its vast troop of fearless monkeys. It's a great place to watch the sunset over Kathmandu. Your tour ends in Thamel, the tourist heart of the city crammed with tourist shops, bars and restaurants. |
| Day 3 | After a morning spent at leisure, the Hindu Temple of Pashupatinath is your first port of call and you will be able to visit several of the smaller shrines surrounding the main temple. If you want a photo of a Sadhu, this is the place, but you will need to pay for their pose. You will also see the evocative funeral ghats on the side of the Bagmati River. Later, you head to Bodhanath Stupa with its huge, gilded dome. Teeming with Buddhist pilgrims, who come to circumnavigate the dome, Bodhanath and its surrounding streets pulse with noise and life. It is particularly atmospheric at sunset. |
| Day 4 | You will spend today at Patan, one of the three royal cities of the Kathmandu Valley and just a short drive out of the city centre. Patan is filled with architectural and artistic wonders mainly concentrated around its own Durbar Square. A walking tour of around two hours should cover the important temples and shrines, but a visit to Patan Museum is also worthwhile. Patan is also a centre for artisans, and its Fair-trade emporiums are an excellent place to ethically shop for high quality, locally produced wares. |
| Days 5 - 6 | Today you head out of the city and drive to Bhaktapur, the last of the royal cities of the valley. Many would say you've kept the best to last. This once great city with its red-brick streets, open squares and towering, pagoda-style temples is a showcase for some of the finest, and best-preserved, architecture in all of Nepal. You have the day to explore the pedestrian-free streets, and an evening to wander at leisure after the day trippers have left. |
| Day 7 | There's time this morning for more personal sightseeing in Bhaktapur before you leave for Dhulikhel. Perched on a ridgetop above the Kathmandu Valley, Dhulikhel is a quiet little Newari village with a small square lined with temples. It offers fabulous Himalayan views and some delightful short walks. |
| Days 8 - 9 | The area around Dhulikhel is traditionally rural with many terraced fields and charming villages. To get a sense of the life of the local people, follow the trail out of Dhulikhel to the legendary stupa of Nammobudda, a few kilometres along the ridge. The path initially takes you up to the Kali Temple from where a breathtaking panorama unfolds of peaks above 7,000m. From there it meanders gently through villages until you reach Namobuddha. This important pilgrimage site abounds with legends and you can spend some time exploring before retiring to your nearby hotel. You regain the trail the following morning and walk to the small settlement of Balthalli where your driver will be waiting to whisk you back to Kathmandu. |
| Days 10 - 11 | If you've any last minute shopping to do, you'll have the morning free before transferring to the airport for your flight home. |
Talk to one of our
well-travelled experts
Start planning your next adventure now
- Call: +44 (0) 1453 844400
- Email: info@mountainkingdoms.com
You may also like:
View Itinerary
First Class Tour of Nepal
Cultural Tour
Take in the finest sights that Nepal has to offer, staying in stylish accommodation throughout.
View Itinerary
Annapurna & Everest Panorama Trek
Walking & Trekking
Two short tea house treks amidst the breathtaking scenery of Nepal's most celebrated mountain ranges.