Package Itineary

Day03: Drive to Ghalegaon (2100m), explore Gurung culture, homestay 

Have breakfast, drive to Ghanpokhara through beautiful traditional villages, forests, ridgelines, farmlands and grasslands. On the way, we visit several beautiful traditional villages and typical lifestyle of mountain locals, beautiful farmlands, forests, thrilling Himalaya panorama and river valleys. Arrive today’s destination- a beautiful traditional village of Ghale Gurung tribes where we will be greeted with culture performance. Check in homestay. As per their community rule, guests of big groups are divided into smaller groups to keep in their traditional houses where we see and experience their classic culture and their typical lifestyle very closely. After having lunch, we visit village tour in the afternoon. This beautiful Ghalegaon provides the wonderful views of Marsyangdi River valley, villages, Annapurna, Lamjung and Manaslu ranges etc, Explore the village and typical lifestyle of Gurung tribes in the afternoon. They organize very interesting tribal culture programs in the afternoon or in the evening in the particular place. We gather there and observe their interesting tribal culture programs. While staying with the family, we have wonderful experience of their way of living. There is common toilet and bathroom outside the house in every homestay. Dinner and overnight in homestay.

After having breakfast, leave hotel, visit Bindhyabasini Bhagawati Temple premises on the way to Kalopani. It is a most important and powerful goddess, another form of Goddess Parvati. Drive to Kande ridge through river valley, farmland and settlements. You can see beautiful Pokhara valley, majestic Annapurna range, series of mountains, interesting settlements and lifestyle of mountain people along the roadside. Descend to Modi Khola valley where the trails to Annapurna Base camp and several other trekking separate. Drive continue to Maldhunga then the road to Mustang follows along the Kaligandaki River valley.

Drive to Kalopani along narrow Kaligandaki River valley through Galeshwar holy monuments, several rivulets, hot spring, Gurung and Thakali villages, beautiful waterfalls, worldÚs deepest gorge DANA (6967m from Dhaulagari peak and 6891m from Annapurna I). Wonderful view of Annapurna and Dhaulagiri range, hanging icefalls and upstream wider Kaligandaki valley is seen from Kalopani and even from the guesthouse. This place is located at the base of the two giant Himalaya ranges; Annapurna and Dhaulairi. Depending on time and guests preference, lunch can be in Tatopani (hot spring) or Dana… dinner and overnight.

Day 07: Kalopani - Jomsom (2720m) - Kagbeni (2810m), deluxe guesthouse

In the morning you can observe majestic view of the Himalaya, have breakfast, drive to Tukuche along the base of the Dhaulagiri range. There is paved road along the bank of Kaligandaki River. You can see hanging icefalls, sky soaring snowy peaks, raging waterfalls, herds of sheep and goats, typical lifestyle of mountain people along the roadside and beautiful apple gardens. The day is dedicated to the excursion to the villages of Tukuche and Marpha. Tukuche village (2,590m) grew in importance for the salt and wool trade with Tibet. There are four monasteries and some beautiful merchant houses which have now been turned into lodges. The road passing through juniper forests through small villages with white painted houses. We will visit traditional Himalayan distillery where apple and apricot brandy is produced. We drive along the Kali Gandaki River considered sacred by the locals and often could see ceremonies of cremation. It is famous for its geographic peculiarity, which flows deepest valley in the world. Along its route, it passes between the Dhaulagiri (8167m) and Annapurna (8091 m) mountains. We will visit Marpha Gomba, Himalayan distillery in Marpha, observe apple orchard, beautiful farmlands, Dhaulagiri icefall and the lifestyle of Thakali tribal people.

Located at an altitude of 2,650 meters, the village of Marpha (mar means hard work and pha people) is inhabited by the Thakali tribe, an industrious and enterprising clan and is certainly not suitable for people looking for a comfortable life. Before 1959, most of the inhabitants were engaged in the salt trade with China and Tibet. Tourism and donkey breeding were important occupations. Today, many locals are directly or indirectly engaged in apple cultivation. This is due to the foundation of the Horticultural Farm in 1966 which meant a real revolution in the region, introducing different varieties of apples and valid production methods. Marpha is now known as the "Village of Orchards". Its apples are known throughout the country for being particularly tasty. Even the brandy made from apples and apricots is famous. Marpha is also and above all a pretty village with traditional Thakali architecture with quaint houses and cobbled streets. It is dominated by the imposing Samtenling Monastery which contains images of Guru Rimpoche and Chenresig, as well as strange animal-headed deities. A Japanese monk Ekai Kawaguchi visited Marpha in 1899. Depending on the time, we will have lunch in Marpha/Tukuche or Jomsom then drive to Kagbeni. Dinner and overnight.

Day 08: Kagbeni - Muktinath(3760m), standard guesthouse

After having breakfast, drive towards Muktinath. From here it goes up to the valley of the east leading to "Jharkot", a beautiful traditional village with an interesting monastery. The landscape has changed and now the barren stony ground of the northern Mustang valleys is contrasted by the green of the Muktinah basin. The meaning of the two Sanskrit words from which the name Mukti-nath is the Place of the Lord of Liberation, while in the Tibetan language it is called the Place of the Hundred Springs. Muktinath (3810m), considered a sacred place even before the advent of Buddhism, is a very important religious centre and pilgrimage destination for Hindus and Buddhists and a starting point for some Annapurna circuits. On the way to Muktinath, we may visit Khinga and Jharkot villages. In Muktinath, there is a gompa, the temple of Vishnu and further down, in an old temple there is a sacred flame released by a natural gas which we will visit on the way back, detaches from the one that continues along the river to Kagbeni. Visit the Muktinath temple, one of the most revered in the Himalayas; the view extends to the southwest the Dhaulagiri and Tukuche. Check in hotel. Have lunch then explore the wonderful nature and classic Hindu and monastic culture in Ranipauwa, Purang and Jhong villages in the afternoon. Dinner and overnight.

Day 09: Drive to Thini (2860m), explore Bhotia Gurung and Thakali tribal culture, homestay

Day 13: Drive to Chitwan National Park (190m), hotel

After having breakfast, drive to Chitwan along the Marsyangdi and Trishuli River valley through farm fields, forests and settlements. Check in hotel, have lunch. We will go for Tharu village tour and observe their interesting culture programs like Sakhiya dance and exciting stick dance etc. We will have typical Tharu tribal dishes for dinner. We watch video on jungle activities, wildlife and wildlife tour in Chitwan National Park. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 14: Explore Chitwan National Park / wildlife safari

Have tea/coffee, we go for canoeing on Rapti River. After canoeing tour, have breakfast then jungle / wildlife experience by jeeps (or elephant back safari as per guests preference). We may have chance to see elusive  Bengal tigers, one horned rhinos, wild boar, red monkeys, deer, peacock, cranes, water love  birds, hornbills etc during the wildlife tour. Have lunch, visit elephant and crocodile breeding center, and relax in the afternoon. Dinner and overnight.

Day 16: Sightseeing and shopping in Kathmandu, hotel
Have breakfast, visit UNESCO heritage sites; Pashupatinath and bouddhanath and Swoyambhunath, have farewell lunch with host family, return to the hotel. Dinner and overnight.

Day 17: Fly back home

After breakfast, program over, transfer to airport, fly back home.