Temples & Tigers: A Discovery of Nepal and Bhutan
$0.00
per item
Highlights:
- Discover the lesser known countries of Nepal and Bhutan and learn about their culture, faith and history.
- Along the way you will have the chance to see Mount Everest from the air and ride elephants in search of Tigers.
- Spend some time in Kathmandu and Thimbu the respective Capitals of Nepal and Bhutan. And stand in awe of the “Tiger’s Nest” Monastery perched on a Cliffside 3,000 feet above the valley floor.
SKU:
Explore: NEPAL AND BHUTAN
Customizable Itinerary - 14 Days (from $6,750 / person)
Day 1: Depart USA
This evening you board your aircraft for the overnight flight to Asia and the beginning of your elegant custom experience in the Himalayas.
Day 2: Welcome to the Roof of the World
In the afternoon you arrive in Kathmandu where one of our guides will meet you and escort you to your hotel. To walk off the flights, take a stroll among the mélange of the traditional old city and modern buildings.
Day 3: Everest option and the key Highlights of Kathmandu
If you have opted for the Everest program you will be picked up at the hotel early in the morning for a flight to view Everest as the sun rises. At 26,644 feet it is the world’s tallest but there are others in the area in excess of 21,000 feet. Return to the airport where you will be taken back to the hotel for breakfast. Meet your guide for a tour of the main sights of Kathmandu starting with Durbar Square. Durbar means palace and this is where kings were once crowned. The entire square is a UNESCO World Heritage Site which is being rebuilt following the 2015 earthquake. You will visit Swayambhunath one of the holiest shrines whose white dome, perched on a conical hill is visible all over the city. You will also visit Freak Street, named for the hippies who descended on the city during the ‘flower power” days. In the afternoon you travel just outside the city to Patan, the city of artistry and one of three Royal cities in the valley. Return to your hotel for dinner.
Breakfast and Dinner
Day 4: Chitwan National Park
After breakfast you will be transferred to the airport for a flight to Bharatpur. Upon arrival you are met and taken to your elegant lodge located in proximity to the Chitwan National Park. Covering 354 square miles this World Heritage Site is located in the subtropical inner Terai lowland of south-central Nepal. It ranges in altitude from 300 feet in the river valleys to up to 2,600 feet on Churia Hill. It’s home to over 650 species of mammals, amphibians and birds including the one-horned Asian Rhino, Gaur, wild Bison, sloth, bear, four different species of deer, the Rhesus Monkey and the black-faced Languor, the spotted Leopard, Royal Bengal Tiger, the fish eating Gharial, the flesh-eating marsh Crocodile and Gangetic Dolphin among many others. After lunch you may want to join a ranger for a nature walk or birding. A canoe ride is also an option.
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Days 5 & 6: Elegant Adventures at Chitwan
You have two full days to fully explore the wonders of the Park. Early morning guests will be mounted on elephant back and taken for a jungle safari penetrating through dense grasslands to view wildlife in their natural habitat. This grass, commonly known as elephant grass, is dense and grows to a height of 20 feet. It is the favorite habitat for rhinoceros and other mammals. Upon your return you can visit the elephant stables where a senior naturalist briefs you about the interesting habits of the elephants. You will also enjoy seeing them get their bath. In the afternoons, relax at the resort or more birding, nature walks or canoeing.
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 7: Return to Kathmandu
After another morning’s activities you are transferred back to Bharatpur for a flight back to Kathmandu. After checking in, enjoy dinner at the hotel.
Breakfast and Dinner
Day 8: The Scenic Flight to Paro
This morning you are transferred to the airport for the flight to Paro which is the only airport in Bhutan. Your journey begins with the most spectacular mountain flight with views of major Himalayan peaks including Kanchenjunga, Makalu and Everest. On the final approach you see Bhutan’s own snowy peaks as you fly over the southern hills known a ‘dwars’. Upon arrival on Paro you are met by your guide and driven to Thimphu, the modern capital of Bhutan and an exciting blend of tradition and modernity. The city is a most unusual capital city. It is home to Bhutan’s Royal Family, the civil service and foreign missions. After checking into your hotels you have some free time to get to know the city.
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 9: Interesting Sights and People in Thimphu
After breakfast you will meet your guide for a visit to some interesting aspects of Thimphu starting with a visit to Buddha Dordenma, one of the tallest in Asia which offers unobstructed views over the capitol. You then visit the Gagyel Lhundrup Weaving Centre. Normally a woman’s domain in Bhutan, this weaving centre is owned and run by Mr. Kesang who creates new and unique patterns which are very much in demand. You’ll stop for lunch at a local restaurant and then visit Zorig Chosum (also known as the painting school) which offers a six year course in the 13 traditional arts and crafts of Bhutan. The process starts with drawing and progresses through painting, woodcarving, embroidery and sculpture. Finish with a visit to a traditional paper factory where paper is made from bark of the black Daphne tree. The thicker paper is used for scriptures and the thinner ones used for wrapping gifts. Take some home with you as gifts.
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 10: The Pass to Punakha
Today your guide will be waiting to take you to Punakha which was the country’s capitol until it was moved to Thimphu in 1955. You will drive over the high mountain pass of Dochu La which peaks at 9,000 feet. From the peak there are panoramic views of the Himalayan peaks covered with snow. As you descend however you enter a sub-tropical valley with warm summers and pleasant winters. On arrival you will visit Chhimi Lhakhang temple where you enjoy a gradual walk through a village and paddy fields to reach the temple. You then visit Punakha Dzong a fortress strategically built at the intersection of two major rivers. Check in to your Boutique Resort where a swim might be in order followed by an elegant meal.
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 11: Punakha to Paro
After breakfast you will once again enjoy the scenery as you cross back over the Dochu la Pass to Paro. This beautiful valley encapsulates a rich culture, scenic beauty and hundreds of myths and legends. It is home to many of Bhutan’s oldest temples and monasteries. Mount Jhomolhari at 22,000 feet reigns in white glory at the northern end of the valley, its glacial waters plunging through deep gorges to form the Paro River. The Paro valley is one of the kingdom’s most fertile, producing the bulk of Bhutan’s famous red rice from its terraced fields. You will visit the National Museum and finish up the afternoon with a visit to a farmhouse to share a cup of traditional butter tea with the family.
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 12: Hike to Tiger’s Nest
You will finish up your trip as you ascend to the famous “Tiger’s Nest” monastery spectacularly located on the side of a cliff 2,700 feet above the valley floor. The principle temple dates back to 1692 but a fire in 1998 caused tremendous damage which has now fully been restored. After your visit you have the chance to relax at your resort.
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 13: Return to USA
Today you are transferred to Paro International airport for your flight that will connect you back to the USA.
Breakfast
Day 14: Arrive in USA
You arrive back home in the morning.
This evening you board your aircraft for the overnight flight to Asia and the beginning of your elegant custom experience in the Himalayas.
Day 2: Welcome to the Roof of the World
In the afternoon you arrive in Kathmandu where one of our guides will meet you and escort you to your hotel. To walk off the flights, take a stroll among the mélange of the traditional old city and modern buildings.
Day 3: Everest option and the key Highlights of Kathmandu
If you have opted for the Everest program you will be picked up at the hotel early in the morning for a flight to view Everest as the sun rises. At 26,644 feet it is the world’s tallest but there are others in the area in excess of 21,000 feet. Return to the airport where you will be taken back to the hotel for breakfast. Meet your guide for a tour of the main sights of Kathmandu starting with Durbar Square. Durbar means palace and this is where kings were once crowned. The entire square is a UNESCO World Heritage Site which is being rebuilt following the 2015 earthquake. You will visit Swayambhunath one of the holiest shrines whose white dome, perched on a conical hill is visible all over the city. You will also visit Freak Street, named for the hippies who descended on the city during the ‘flower power” days. In the afternoon you travel just outside the city to Patan, the city of artistry and one of three Royal cities in the valley. Return to your hotel for dinner.
Breakfast and Dinner
Day 4: Chitwan National Park
After breakfast you will be transferred to the airport for a flight to Bharatpur. Upon arrival you are met and taken to your elegant lodge located in proximity to the Chitwan National Park. Covering 354 square miles this World Heritage Site is located in the subtropical inner Terai lowland of south-central Nepal. It ranges in altitude from 300 feet in the river valleys to up to 2,600 feet on Churia Hill. It’s home to over 650 species of mammals, amphibians and birds including the one-horned Asian Rhino, Gaur, wild Bison, sloth, bear, four different species of deer, the Rhesus Monkey and the black-faced Languor, the spotted Leopard, Royal Bengal Tiger, the fish eating Gharial, the flesh-eating marsh Crocodile and Gangetic Dolphin among many others. After lunch you may want to join a ranger for a nature walk or birding. A canoe ride is also an option.
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Days 5 & 6: Elegant Adventures at Chitwan
You have two full days to fully explore the wonders of the Park. Early morning guests will be mounted on elephant back and taken for a jungle safari penetrating through dense grasslands to view wildlife in their natural habitat. This grass, commonly known as elephant grass, is dense and grows to a height of 20 feet. It is the favorite habitat for rhinoceros and other mammals. Upon your return you can visit the elephant stables where a senior naturalist briefs you about the interesting habits of the elephants. You will also enjoy seeing them get their bath. In the afternoons, relax at the resort or more birding, nature walks or canoeing.
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 7: Return to Kathmandu
After another morning’s activities you are transferred back to Bharatpur for a flight back to Kathmandu. After checking in, enjoy dinner at the hotel.
Breakfast and Dinner
Day 8: The Scenic Flight to Paro
This morning you are transferred to the airport for the flight to Paro which is the only airport in Bhutan. Your journey begins with the most spectacular mountain flight with views of major Himalayan peaks including Kanchenjunga, Makalu and Everest. On the final approach you see Bhutan’s own snowy peaks as you fly over the southern hills known a ‘dwars’. Upon arrival on Paro you are met by your guide and driven to Thimphu, the modern capital of Bhutan and an exciting blend of tradition and modernity. The city is a most unusual capital city. It is home to Bhutan’s Royal Family, the civil service and foreign missions. After checking into your hotels you have some free time to get to know the city.
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 9: Interesting Sights and People in Thimphu
After breakfast you will meet your guide for a visit to some interesting aspects of Thimphu starting with a visit to Buddha Dordenma, one of the tallest in Asia which offers unobstructed views over the capitol. You then visit the Gagyel Lhundrup Weaving Centre. Normally a woman’s domain in Bhutan, this weaving centre is owned and run by Mr. Kesang who creates new and unique patterns which are very much in demand. You’ll stop for lunch at a local restaurant and then visit Zorig Chosum (also known as the painting school) which offers a six year course in the 13 traditional arts and crafts of Bhutan. The process starts with drawing and progresses through painting, woodcarving, embroidery and sculpture. Finish with a visit to a traditional paper factory where paper is made from bark of the black Daphne tree. The thicker paper is used for scriptures and the thinner ones used for wrapping gifts. Take some home with you as gifts.
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 10: The Pass to Punakha
Today your guide will be waiting to take you to Punakha which was the country’s capitol until it was moved to Thimphu in 1955. You will drive over the high mountain pass of Dochu La which peaks at 9,000 feet. From the peak there are panoramic views of the Himalayan peaks covered with snow. As you descend however you enter a sub-tropical valley with warm summers and pleasant winters. On arrival you will visit Chhimi Lhakhang temple where you enjoy a gradual walk through a village and paddy fields to reach the temple. You then visit Punakha Dzong a fortress strategically built at the intersection of two major rivers. Check in to your Boutique Resort where a swim might be in order followed by an elegant meal.
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 11: Punakha to Paro
After breakfast you will once again enjoy the scenery as you cross back over the Dochu la Pass to Paro. This beautiful valley encapsulates a rich culture, scenic beauty and hundreds of myths and legends. It is home to many of Bhutan’s oldest temples and monasteries. Mount Jhomolhari at 22,000 feet reigns in white glory at the northern end of the valley, its glacial waters plunging through deep gorges to form the Paro River. The Paro valley is one of the kingdom’s most fertile, producing the bulk of Bhutan’s famous red rice from its terraced fields. You will visit the National Museum and finish up the afternoon with a visit to a farmhouse to share a cup of traditional butter tea with the family.
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 12: Hike to Tiger’s Nest
You will finish up your trip as you ascend to the famous “Tiger’s Nest” monastery spectacularly located on the side of a cliff 2,700 feet above the valley floor. The principle temple dates back to 1692 but a fire in 1998 caused tremendous damage which has now fully been restored. After your visit you have the chance to relax at your resort.
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 13: Return to USA
Today you are transferred to Paro International airport for your flight that will connect you back to the USA.
Breakfast
Day 14: Arrive in USA
You arrive back home in the morning.
