Package Itineary

Detailed itinerary: 5 days trek plus driving tour

Day 01: Arrive Lumbini (105m), hotel

Arrive Lumbini, transfer to hotel. Visit World Peace Pagoda and traditional villages. Dinner and overnight.

Day 02: Explore 6th Century BC monument, drive to Kohalpur, 245km, approx. 6/7 hour, hotel

After breakfast, drive to Tilaurakot. Visit 6th century BC ruined monuments of Shakya dynasty where Lord Buddha spent his life as a prince. Then drive to Kohalpur through towns, villages, farmlands, hills and hillocks, forests, river valleys and Banke National Park. Lunch on the way. Check in hotel. Dinner and overnight. 

Day 03: Kohalpur to Dhangadhi, 165km approx. 4/5 hour, hotel. 

Have breakfast, drive to Chisapani through farmlands, settlements, Bardia National Park, cross the longest river of Nepal Karnali then visit Katharia Tharu village, observe their typical culture programs, lifestyle, their way of cooking typical dishes. We can taste their organic dishes for lunch. Visit Ghodaghodi Lake, the region’s biggest lake and Lord Shiva temple premises where we may have chance to observe typical wedding ceremonies. Drive to Dhangadhi. Dinner and overnight in hotel. 

Day 04: Drive to Dadeldhura (1710m), 145km, approx. 5 hour, camp/tent

After having breakfast, drive to Sahukharka forested mountain through the biggest forest Tele Lekh in Far West Nepal, where can have pure fresh rice pudding and lunch. We can also observe wonderful Saipal-Surma-Shankhamala-Kanjirowa Himalaya panorama, beautiful mountain range and Seti River valley from there. Drive to Dadeldhura, camp at hostel ground by the old airport. We can visit historical place Amargadhi and Ugratara temple. Dinner and overnight.

Day 05: Dadeldhura - Sirkholisain - Silgadhi (1345m)  / approx 4/5 hours, camp/tent

After breakfast, drive to Silgadhi through beautiful fertile farmlands, village settlements and Bandugrisain valley. It is a exciting driving tour with picturesque nature scenery, beautiful landscape, traditional houses, hundreds of beautiful hay stock in the farmland along the river valley and people working in the field. On the way, you will have enough time to take pictures of women carrying compost fertilizer in bamboo baskets, men ploughing field and sowing wheat/barley, piles of rice straw, meandering Seti River and unique landscape etc. Crossing a suspension bridge over Seti River, we visit Sirkholisain traditional village then we will have pack lunch by the bridge. Drive to Silgadhi, camp at Tundikhel ground just below Shaileshwari Temple. Visit traditional Newari mountain village of Silgadhi. Today is the last camp of the trip. Dinner & overnight.

Day 06: Silgadhi – Jhingrana - trek to Bichpani (3020m) / trek, stay in tent

Drive to Baglekh (1800m) then drive/hike to Jhinrana (2250m). Khaptad National park starts from here. After registering permits then hike up to Bichpani through the beautiful forests of rhododendron, oak, wild berries and special mountain bamboo only found in this park. During Spring (March-May), blooming rhododendron adds more beauty in nature. We camp in Bichpani; a beautiful meadow. Dinner and overnight.

Day 07: Trek to Khaptad National Park (3060m) /trek, stay in tent

Hike to Khaptad National Park through beautiful forests, grasslands and hills and hillocks. We camp by the Park headquarters. Have lunch then visit the Khaptad Baba hermitage.

 
Day 08: Explore the rolling plateau / trek, stay in tent

Visit the holy sites Nagdhunga Sahashralinga and Triveni where the Ganga Dashara religious fair/festival is celebrated with lots of interesting activities during May-June. Many pilgrims from surrounding territories come here to celebrate it. Nowadays foreign visitors are also joining the festival. Then we also visit Ghoda Hauna Patan, Khapare Lake and the view point. We can visit this wonderful land throughout the year. Different time of the year gives us different experience of nature and culture aspects. 

Day 09: Trek down to Devisthan (1600m) / trek, camp

Hike down to Naini valley through dense forest, lush green valleys and beautiful settlements. we see mountain people grazing cattle, collecting grass and firewood, working in steep terraced fields and at houses. In a clear day, we see Kajirowa and Api Saipal range from this south eastern edge of the park. It is a long descend today. Dinner and overnight. 

Day 10: Devisthan-Baidhanath, Sanfebagar-Panchadewal (1440m), 80km, 6/7 hour trek & drive

Hike/drive down to Sanfebagar, Visit Baidhanath, one of the most important temples of Lord Shiva. We may also visit traditional watermill Ghatta, beautiful traditional villages near Baidhanath Dham. Beautiful settlements and terraced field along the river valley is really heart alluring. It is a wonderful landscape here. Drive to Bannigadhi and Panchadewal. Observe interesting artistic ancient stone monuments there. Camp. 

Day 11: Drive to Kohalpur, 215km, approx. 7 hour, hotel

Drive to Rakam Karnali through beautiful villages, farmlands, series of mountains and valleys, then drive to Kohalpur. It is a scenic drive along Karnali River valley. Depending on time, you can visit Deuti Bajei temple, Bulbule Lake park and 8th century interesting monument Kakrebihar in Surkhet. You will drive through beautiful Bheri and Babai River valleys, Sal forests, Siwalik hills, Bardia National Park and settlements. Dinner and overnight. 

Day 12: Drive to Lumbini (190m) / 250km, approx. 7 hour, hotel

Have breakfast, drive to Lumbini through beautiful river valleys, Siwalik hills, forests, Bardia and Banke National Park, cultivated fields and settlements. We will have great experience of various activities of the people along the roadside and farm fields. Check in hotel, dinner and overnight. 

Day 13: Explore Lumbini - Lord Buddha’s birthplace (world heritage site)

After having breakfast, visit the center of Lumbini ‘Maya Devi Temple’ which marks the exact spot where Queen Maya Devi of Kapilavastu gave birth to Siddharta Gautam. Around the temple there is a sacred garden with Ashoka column and the remains of the foundations of dozens of 6th to 3rd century BC ancient stupas and monasteries. After taking off your shoes, you can walk among the archaeological remains passing over an elevated wooden walkway. The interest of the pilgrims is mainly directed towards a sandstone sculpture, depicting the birth of the Buddha who is said to have been placed here at the command of King Ripu Malla in the 14th century, when Maya Devi was honored as the incarnation of the Hindu mother goddess. The sculpture has been almost completely eroded by centuries of worship, but the shape of Maya Devi can still be distinguished clinging to a branch of sal, while giving birth to the Buddha under the gaze of Lord Indra and Brahma. It is said that the pond next to the temple knows the one in which the queen immersed herself before giving birth to Buddha. Around the garden extends for kilometers a vast park, called Lumbini Development Zone, designed in 1978 by the Japanese architect Professor Kenzo Tange. In front of the Maya Devi temple, there are two small monasteries: the Dharma Swami Maharaj Buddha Vihar, built by Mustang pilgrims and the Nepal Buddha Vihara erected by the Indian monks of Bihar. Rediscovered by the governor of Palpa in 1896, the column, 6m high, was relocated to its original site, in front of the Maya Devi temple. Monasteries within the boundary of UNESCO culture heritage site scattered both side of the canal are interesting and takes long time to see all of them but we visit some ideal ones like Nepal Gompa, Gautami nunnery, German monastery, Chinese monastery, Cambodian monastery, Myanmar Golden Temple and Thai monastery. Return to hotel for lunch. Visit Japanese white stupa ‘World Peace Pagoda’ next to the hotel. Dinner and overnight.

Day 14: Fly back home or open for next program

Have breakfast, transfer to airport, fly back home.