The 12 days Nepal Cultural Tour Package is for those who are interested in the culture, adventure and history of Nepal but have limited time to do so. This package has been designed to give the taste of finest culture and adventure experience that Nepal has to offer. We start by taking a cultural tour of Kathmandu valley and especially visit the world heritage sites in Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur. After that you will drive to Pokhara to enjoy beautiful Himalayan peaks, lakes and caves. After visiting the beautiful city of Pokhara, you will continue your journey to Palpa. Palpa was a historical kingdom ruled by Sen dynasty until unification of Nepal happened. You will visit Sen king's palace and Ranimahal, an iconic momument built by Rana Prime Minister, Khadga Samsher Rana in memory of his beloved queen.
Afterwards you will drive to Lumbini, the birth place of Lord Buddha, the light of Asia. Lumbini is USESCO listed world heritage site having huge archaelogical importance. Recognizing the importance of Lumbini, many countries from Asia, Europe and America have built monasteries and other monuments in Lumbini. After spending 2 nights in the historical city of Lumbini, you will drive back to Kathmandu with wonderful memories. 12 days Nepa cultural tour is suitable for all age group people and possible to arrange throughout the year.
On your arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport, you will be met and welcomed by our airport representative. You will be greeted traditionally with flower garlands. The representative will then take you to your hotel where you will be served welcome drinks. In the afternoon, you can take a stroll around and visit shops, restaurants and bars. Stay overnight at the hotel.
On the second day, following morning breakfast, your tour guide will pick you up from your hotel and take you for city sightseeing. On this day you will visit popular world heritage monuments in Kathmandu including Kathmandu Durbar Square, Boudhanath, Swoyambhunath, Budanilkantha and Pashupatinath. By late afternoon you will arrive back in your hotel. Stay overnight at the hotel.
In the morning, you will do sightseeing in and around Patan. After completion of Patan sightseeing, you will drive to Nagarkot. Stay overnight at hotel in Nagarkot.
Brief description of the places:
Patan Durbar Square
Patan Durbar Square, like its counterpart in Kathmandu, is an enchanting mélange of palace buildings, artistic courtyards and graceful pagoda temples. Listed as a World Heritage Site, the former royal palace complex is the center of Patan’s religious and social life, and houses a museum containing an array of bronze statues and religious objects. One remarkable monument here is a 17th-century temple dedicated to the Hindu god Krishna, built entirely of stone.
The main attractions in Patan:
Besides above mentioned places to visit, there are other significant sites to be explored:
a) Golden Temple
b) Kumbheshwar
c) Krishna Mandir
d) Jagat Narayan
e) Mahaboudha
f) AshokanStupa
g) Machchhendranath Temple
h) Tibetan Refugee Camp
Nagarkot, (2175m) is by far one of the most popular destination. In the clear weather the Himalaya range, stretching from Dhaulagiri in the west all the way past Everest to Kanchanjunga in the east.
Early morning enjoy the sun rise view and drive to Bhaktapur via Changunarayan. Day time, you enjoy the sightseeing in and round Changunarayan and Bhaktapur and drive to Kathmandu. Stay overnight at hotel in Kathmandu.
Changunarayan is situated at the end of a long ridge which runs well into the valley. It is said to have been built in 323 AD by King HariDattaVarma. The temple is richly decorated with sculptures and carvings. It is said to be the oldest temple in the valley.
Bhaktapur (1,401m) covers an area of four square miles. Bhaktapur which means the city of devotees still retains a medieval charm and visitors to this ancient town are treated to myriad wonders of cultural and artistic achievements. The past glory of the Malla rules continues to be reflected at the Durbar Square. Pottery and waving are its traditional industries. Bhaktapur is famous for woodcarving and the traditional topi or cap. The city lies about 14 km east of Kathmandu. The places of interest include Bhaktapur Durbar Square, the National Art Gallery, Nyatapola Temple, Bhairavnath Temple, Dattatreya Temple and Dattatreya Square.
Bhaktapur Durbar Square: The main square of the city contains innumerable temples and other architectural wonders such as lion gate, the golden gate, the statue of King BhupatindraMalla, Dattatraya Temple etc.
A magnificent statue of King BhupatindraMalla in the act of worship is placed on a column facing the palace. It was listed in the UNESCO world Heritage Monument List in 1979.
Palace of 55 Windows Being built by King YakshaMalla in 1427 A.D. and remodeled by King BhupatindraMalla in the 17th century, the balcony and the windows are intricately carved is a masterpiece of wood carving.
Nyatapola Temple: This five storied Pagoda Style temple was built by King BhupatindraMalla in 1708 A.D. is well known for its massive structure and subtle workmanship. It is the tallest pagoda structure in the Kathmandu.
After early morning breakfast, our guide will pick you up from your hotel. Drive from Kathmandu to Pokhara (914m) takes about seven hours. This drive will take most of the morning, leaving much of the afternoon to explore the various sites of Pokhara.
Pokhara is a tourist's paradise with full of natural as well as cultural heritage sites such as lakes, caves, temples of Buddhist and Hindus along with mountains. You can observe views to the north across the hills and Phewa Tal (lake) to the white peaks of the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri ranges. Stay overnight at hotel in Pokhara.
Early morning, you will take a short drive to Sarangkot (1600m) for sunrise and mountain views. In the afternoon you will go sightseeing to International Mountain Museum, Mahendra Cave, Davi'sFall, BarahiMandir, Chamera (Bat) Cave and enjoy boating on Phewa Lake. Stay overnight in hotel in Pokhara.
Palpa District is located in the southwestern part of Nepal. Tansen, the capital of Palpa, is a small ancient hill town situated 1310m above sea level. Palpa is famous for handicraft, textile and coffee. The fabric called Dhaka, which is used to make the national cap of Nepal, originated in Palpa. The hill top of Tansen offers splendid views of Himalayan ranges including Dhaulagiri, Annapurna, Manaslu and Gauri Shankar. Tansen Durbar is one of the highlight of Palpa tour but unfortunately it was destroyed during Maoist insurgency. Currently the durbar is under reconstruction. Stay overnight at hotel in Palpa.
A world heritage site, Lumbini is the birthplace of Lord Buddha, the founder of Buddhism and apostle of peace. Located in south west region of Nepal in the Terai plains, Lumbini is a world heritage site and one of the world’s greatest pilgrimage centers. A trip to Lumbini is a spiritual journey to the place where Buddha spent 29 years of life before he embarked on a quest for peace. Hundreds of thousands tourists and pilgrims visit to this sacred site every year to pay their respects to Lord Buddha. Stay overnight at hotel in Lumbini.
Some of the sites you will visit include Maya Devi Temple, Puskarni Pond, Ashkoa Pillar, Peace Stupa, Buddhist Library and Museum, Crane Sanctuary and international monasteries. Stay overnight at hotel in Lumbini.
Important sites in Lumbini:
Sacred Garden: The Sacred Garden was where Buddha was born in 623 BC. The garden is marked by a marker stone, the exact spot where Buddha descended at birth.
Ashoka Pillar: This stone pillar was erected by Emperor Ashoka to marked the birth spot of Buddha, almost 800 years after Buddha was born. The pillar carries inscription in pali script.
Puskarni or Mayadevi Pond: Puskarni Pond sits right in front of Mayadevi Temple. The pond is considered to be sacred since it was here Queen Mayadevi took a bath before giving birth to Buddha.
Lumbini Museum and Lumbini Research Center: These two are located within a few meters of each other. The museum has a substantial collection of Buddhist manuscripts, sculptures and coins dating back to 4th century. The Research Center is currently being developed as a knowledge repository for the benefit of scholars, researchers, students, pilgrims as well as travelers. There are over 12,000 books on religion, philosophy, art and architecture preserved in the center.
Tilaurankot, Kudan, Gothihawa, Niglihawa, Devdaha, Sagarhawa are other important places around Lumbini.
Take an early morning drive to Kathmandu. The entire journey takes about 8-9 hours. You can enjoy the scenic ride with beautiful green hills, rivers and villages. Stay overnight at hotel in Kathmandu.
Free day in Kathmandu for shopping and recreation. Stay overnight at hotel in Kathmandu.
Depending on time of your departure flight, our representative will see you off at Kathmandu International Airport for your flight back home.
a) Kathmandu
b) Nagarkot
c) Pokhara
d) Palpa
e) Lumbini
Nepal , Cultural Tour in Nepal 4 Days
