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Sunrise Swyambunath © Henrik Rasmussen
The Boudhanath Stupa© Suman Thapa
Sadhus at Pashupatinath © Elisabeth Hellenes
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HomeCultural Tours Essence of the Kathmandu Valley
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Nepal Family Adventure

Essence of the Kathmandu Valley

This tour is designed for those who have limited time but appreciate a quality experience. The Kathmandu Valley is home to 7 UNESCO World Heritage Sites and while your time may be limited, we will ensure that you experience the best of the Kathmandu Valley - the heritage, the sights, the sounds and, of course, the incredible mountain views!

  • Starts In: Kathmandu
  • Duration: 4 Days
  • Difficulty Grade: Easy

Itinerary

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Day 01: Arrival and Patan Heritage

We will welcome you at the international airport and guide you through the initial culture shock of Kathmandu’s narrow, winding streets to get you settled into your hotel.

In the afternoon (depending on your arrival time) we can take you on a bazaar walk exploring the secret alleys and courtyards of old Patan that most visitors don’t get to experience. (Note: this is a walking tour). Your knowledgeable local guide will take you through the ancient courtyards where Newar artisans live, where we will learn about about the design and unique culture of this ancient city and gain rare insights into the lives of artisans and their craft. We will meet and learn about the highly skilled metalwork artisans who make the stunning brass statues we see on display, as well as learning about the ancient skill of thangka painting by meeting the artists themselves. We will gain appreciation of the work and significance of skills such as woodcarving and stonecarving to the heritage and daily life of this fascinating city as well as the design and planning of the city structure and how this is inseparable from the daily life and truly unique culture of the Newar people.

Accommodation: Swotha

You welcome committee © Rocky Prajapati

Day 02: Explore Kathmandu - Swoyambhunath, Bouddhanath and Pashupatinath, Drive to Lakuri Bhanjyang

After breakfast, today, get set for an unforgettable day being chauffeured to the must-see sites of the Kathmandu Valley.

First, we make our way to the Swoyambhunath Temple. Also known as the Monkey Temple for the many resident monkeys that scamper around the myriad of small shrines and temples, this ancient Buddhist Stupa is perched on a hilltop overlooking the valley and is sacred to both Hindus and Buddhists.

From here we drive through Kathmandu and across it to the Boudhanath Stupa, 8 km east of Kathmandu City, is one of the biggest in the world. It stands with four pairs of eyes in the four cardinal directions keeping watch for righteous behaviour and human prosperity. This Buddhist Stupa was built by King Man Deva on the advice of the Goddess Mani Jogini. Boudanath is part of the shared history of Nepal and Tibet, with Tibet having held ruling privileges over the site until the last century. It is built on an octagonal base inset with prayer wheels and the stupa is ringed by houses of Lamas or Buddhist priests, monasteries and shops.

Your last exploration takes you to Pashupatinath temple, one of the holiest temples in the Hindu religion. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva, one of the three main gods in Hinduism, as his birthplace. Situated on the banks of the sacred Bagmati River, Pashupatinath is the main cremation site for Hindus in the Kathmandu Valley, with cremation ghats lining the Bagmati River below the temple. It is such an important pilgrimage site that any Hindu should visit it once in their life and there is a constant stream of sadhus coming and going from Nepal and India.

From here you continue on to Lakuri Bhanjyang a beautiful spot overlooking the entire Kathmandu valley. Here we will stay at The Terraces a modern resort where we can enjoy being back close to Kathmandu.

Accommodation: The Terrace Resort & Spa
Meals included: Breakfast

Painting the Stupa © Dan Barham

Day 03: Morning Hike and Bhaktapur Sightseeing

This morning after breakfast your guide will meet you and we will walk along the ridge towards Bhaktapur. This is a great way to get a feel for the Kathmandu valley rim, the lungs of Kathmandu. Up hear in the forest above the city it is a completely different world than down in the chaos of the city. At Ranikot still high above the valley floor we will meet our car and drive 10 min down to Bhaktapur, one of the three ancient cities within the Kathmandu Valley. It is also known as Bhadgaun, meaning the city of devotees and is the home of true medieval art and architecture in the Valley. Lying 14 km east of Kathmandu city, Bhaktapur was founded in the 9th century and is shaped like a conch shell. Not only because of its famous carved peacock windows but also due to its museum, Bhaktapur is the centre of traditional Nepalese wood carving. Compared to other royal cities in Patan and Kathmandu, Bhaktapur is the most original and is without a doubt the most historically authentic as it is literally a living museum where farmers dry their harvest, potters turn their wheel and people go about live as they have done for so long. We will have lunch here overlooking a classic ancient town square and then continue our exploring.

Note: For those who like mountain biking, it is an option to mountain biking along the valley rim and ends up in Bhaktapur instead of the walk. Talk to us if you would like to plan this option instead of walking.

Another Note: It is also possible to have a helicopter pick you up at the hotel for a sightseeing flight up over Everest BC and have breakfast at the famous Everest View Hotel before returning to Kathmandu.er Note: It is also possible to have a helicopter pick you up at the hotel for a sightseeing flight up over Everest BC and have breakfast at the famous Everest View Hotel before returning to Kathman

Accommodation: Milla Guest House
Meals included: Breakfast

KTM Valley and mountain © Mads Mathiasen

Day 04: Morning in Bhaktapur and then Depart

Enjoy your last moments in Bhaktapur with breakfast in a café, a city stroll, and/or souvenir shopping. A representative will meet you at your hotel and drive you to the airport for your return flight home. It’s good to be at the airport at least 2 hours prior to departure.

From Bhaktapur, the drive back to Kathmandu is approximately half an hour.

Meals included: Breakfast
Bhairabnath temple © Rocky Prajapati
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Gallery

The colourful bazaar in old Kathmandu, Nepal Tourist descending from the Swayambunath Stupa in the Kathmandu valley, Nepal Tibetan pilgrim at the Boudhanath stupa in the Kathmandu valley, Nepal Tibetan pilgrim at the Boudhanath stupa in the Kathmandu valley, Nepal

Included In Price

  • Hotel nights in the hotels specified in the itinerary; based on standard rooms on twin share with bed and breakfast plan
  • Transfers as per the itinerary include private transport
  • Your city guide for sightseeing days including private transport, all entrance fees to the sites listed
  • Everest Mountain flights including transfers and taxes

Not Included In Price

  • Services and activities not mentioned in the detailed itinerary
  • Any gear or equipment that you may need to rent/buy – please ask us if you would like any advice about gear to bring/buy/rent
  • International flights to and from Kathmandu
  • Nepal visa fees and international airport taxes
  • Any excess baggage charges
  • Comprehensive travel insurance that includes trip cancellation and rescue evacuation should this be required for any reason (we require this as the minimum insurance cover)
  • Additional nights, optional trips and sightseeing tours outside the detailed itineraries above
    Single supplement
  • Personal expenses (eg mineral water/soft drinks/bar bills, entrance/photography fees at monasteries, laundry, telephone calls, postage, donations, extra snacks, etc)
  • Any extra charge that tea house owners may levy for single rooms, attached bathrooms, or hot showers (if these facilities are available) and charging of batteries
  • Tips for your trekking crew, city guide, drivers, hotels, restaurants, etc (please ask if you would like guidance about appropriate tips)
  • Costs incurred due to changes in programs and reservations due to unforeseen events (eg landslides, strikes, fuel shortages, etc)
Adventure travel: Every effort will be made to keep to the above itinerary, but as this is Adventure Travel in the mountains, we cannot guarantee it. Weather conditions, road conditions, vehicle breakdowns and the health of fellow travelers can all contribute to changes. We will try to ensure that the trip runs according to plan, but an easy- going nature will be an asset!

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Google reviews

Highly recommended! Hiked to BC, followed by an epic 3-High-Passes trek. This was the third time I travelled with the Himalayan Trails team. Mads, the backoffice team, guides (Tendu) and porters always go above and beyond to make this it memorable experience! This time - despite adverse weather conditions - (we've lost 4 days at the beginning of the trip) they somehow managed to get us to the end without missing out on anything. I will be back, for sure!

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thumb Felix Haslimeier
07.02.2020

We travelled on an itinerary organised by Mads, Raj and Co in Nov/Dec 19. Our brief was a short trek and lots of culture. And culture we got! Our pickup was from Chitwan , and stayed a night in Bandipur. This was our introduction to the wonderful "hobbit houses" of Nepal, with its amazing woodwork. Then to a trek spread over 4 days , walking village to village, enjoying the terrace of a thousand of agriculture and the hospitality of locals. Then Lumbini, visiting Buddha's birthplace, Bandia to see hippos and tiger, and then to the personalised tour of the world heritage sites of the Kathmandu valley.
Every facet of the trip worked seamlessly, with drivers always ready, the guides expert, and the sites amazing. The standard of accommodation was always comfortable. In Kathmandu, the fabulous Hotel Manuslu, and a jazz club located around the corner. The hot shower at Sikles village, and the bottle of Gurka, after a 1600m ascent, was so welcome.
I recommend these guys to all.
And we are going back, ready for a trek through the flowering rhododendron forests and into the alpine areas

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thumb Peter Brookhouse
01.06.2020

From the outset Himalayan Trails were nothing but efficient helping us to plan exactly what we wanted from our trip. Amanda was quick to respond to any queries and provided lots of additional useful information to ensure we were well prepared in advance. The accommodation we had was full of character and in traditional Nepali style rather than anonymous chain hotels, every pick up or meeting happened on time, Amanda even managed to find us last minute accommodation when one of our guest houses had overbooked. Our trekking guide, Mindu, kept us safe, fed and watered and motivated when we needed it - his cheerful singing and whistling along with his infectious laugh kept us entertained for 4 days on the Muldai Trek. Our city guide, Subash, was always on hand to answer our endless questions and was great company painting pictures of the sights we visited with lots of stories. He soon joined in our teasing and banter (and gave as good as he got!). We had a fabulous trip but it was the people we met who made it so special.I struggled to say goodbye to both our guides but know we have made some new friends for life. We have fallen in love with Nepal and will definitely be back and will not hesitate to use Himalayan Trails again. Thank you everyone - you did an amazing job!

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thumb Cheryl Robins
01.06.2020

Tailor Made

Looking for something you don’t see yet? Get a trip that‘s customized just for you! (And actually, this is where our best work happens.)
Ask us about:

  • Off the beaten path trekking
  • Photography trips
  • Food and cooking
  • Cities of Nepal
  • Yoga and meditation trekking
  • Buddhism, Hinduism and other religions
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  • Tiger tracking and bird watching
  • Multi-sport (bike, hike, raft)
  • Adrenaline adventures (paraglide, bungee jump)
  • Weddings and honeymoons
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  • Mountain vistas without trekking
  • And more!

We couldn’t possibly fit all our trips, options and ideas on the website, so for a personalized deep-dive into our archives, get in touch here!

customise my tour
We escaped the madness and got into the mountains! We escaped the madness and got into the mountains! Sad that people are missing out this season because of the coronavirus and travel restrictions. It was glorious up there! The autumn months are gonna be magic too... just sayin 😊 ⛰ 🥾 💖 #nepaltrekking
Illuminated snaps from our guest/ friend Corinna a Illuminated snaps from our guest/ friend Corinna and guide Pasang on the Manaslu Circuit trek. They’re having a Great time! Thanks for sharing!! #nepaltrekking #manaslu #manaslucircuit @himalayantrails
Hello from our intrepid trekkers’ early morning Hello from our intrepid trekkers’ early morning jaunt to Thronga La. As you do at the end of an almost outer-worldly trek through Upper Mustang, if you’re as ambitious as Georgina and Claire! 🏔 🇳🇵 #uppermustang #nepaltrekking
They got big air in very thin air! Spectacular sho They got big air in very thin air! Spectacular shots from @bjpartyof3 ! Thanks for posting such gorgeous, and athletic, shots from your trek with Chiring! 😊💥 -check out their feed, it’s inspirational and beautiful! #treknepal #gokyolakestrek #ebc
Happy Birthday Raj! Raj is the powerhouse behind t Happy Birthday Raj! Raj is the powerhouse behind the scenes, making HT Treks and Awesome Expeditions run smoothly. He got about 10 mins to celebrate today, with the rest of the operations staff, because we have a ton of adventurers arriving and on trail. He’s thinking of moving his birthday until July 🤣 Cheers Raj!! #lovethefireworkcandles! #treknepal
These guests weren’t up for trekking but wanted These guests weren’t up for trekking but wanted to see the tallest mountains in the world. The peaks were  so close you could almost touch them. This was our heli ride to Lukla, then a jaw dropping photo stop at Kala Patar, followed by a bit of brekkie with views of the tallest mountain in the world, and then back to the Kathmandu valley. Not bad for a Monday morning. #nepal #everestandfriends #areyoukiddingme! #windyheli 🤣
Awe man, this adventure is happening Now! Our gues Awe man, this adventure is happening Now! Our guests, guide, and porter trekking to Everest Base camp and and Gokyo Ri. Absolutely gorgeous! #nepal #trekking #gokyovalleytrek #ebc
Exploring Phaplu and Junbesi in the summertime wit Exploring Phaplu and Junbesi in the summertime with @delecca and the Puppies!
Well he’s a tad older than the 2 ‘candles’/ Well he’s a tad older than the 2 ‘candles’/ cake-fireworks suggest; he’s 100! Happy Birthday Mads! @himalayantrails #happynepalinewyear #2076!
Out for a little ride.... Out for a little ride....
Who’s the mystery man contemplating the view in Who’s the mystery man contemplating the view in Panchase? Loving the uncrowded short treks in Nepal- let’s keep this amongst ourselves ... 🤫. #nepaltrekking #trekkinginnepal #stopandsmellthemountains ...but if u want to make this happen we will.. discreetly.
Not many other souls in sight while revisiting the Not many other souls in sight while revisiting these trails that haven’t seen much traffic for years. #whereisthis?#nepaltrekking #trekking #camping #sunrise #himalayas #thatsenoughclues.
Lazimpath, Kathmandu, Nepal
Phone: +977 1 4410661
Email: info@himalayan-trails.com
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