Trekking Across the Edge of the Valley

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Trekking Across the Edge of the Valley

General Information


Image of Trekking Across the Edge of the Valley
Type:
Walking / Hiking
Price from:
199 GBP /person
Phone:
01273 322045
Payment Types:
  • No Cash
  • No Credit Card
  • No Cheque
  • No Travellers cheque
  • No Paypal
  • No Wire Transfer
Duration:
4 days
Location Start:
Kathmandu
Location Finish:
Kathmandu/Pokhara
We Speak:
English
Toursrequestform

Last updated: 02/19/2009

This trip takes you across the edge of the Kathmandu Valley and will give you a good impression of local mountain life and the history, culture and religion of this wonderful country.

Photos (click on a photo to view it)

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Itinerary

Day 1

Kathmandu - Dhulikel
This morning, you'll be picked up at your hotel by our driver. Weaving through the heavy traffic, you'll head out of the city to the quiet village of Panauti. The journey will take about 4 hours. From here, you'll continue on foot to the holy Namobuddha, which means 'Hail to the Buddha'. The name of the stupa is linked to one of the 'Jataka' legends recounting the previous lives of Buddha and it's one of the most important pilgrim sites in the valley, particularly for Tibetan buddhists. The many flags and pilgrims dressed in colourful robes form a vibrant display around the bright white dome of the stupa.

After lunch (not included) in one of the small restaurants you will set off on a hike through the countryside to Dhulikel. Passing through fields and small villages you'll get a good impression of rural life in Nepal. Dhulikel is a beautifully preserved Newari town made up of traditional stone houses reaching 4-5 storeys high. Traditionally, they're home to large families with often as many as 50 relatives all living under one roof. You'll stay in a small hotel with great views of the surrounding mountains. The view is particularly beautiful at sunrise.

Day 2

Dhulikel - Nagarkot
After a night in Dhulikel, the trek continues to the village of Nagarkot, the highest point in the Kathmandu Valley. It's a scenic walk of about 5 hours through green terraced fields and, if the weather is clear enough, fantastic views of the mountains. Nagarkot, which lies to the north-east of Bhaktapur and approx 30km to the east of Kathmandu, was once a military post but is now a popular destination for walkers and cyclists. The village has a great panoramic vista of the Himalayas. The view is particularly memorable at the end of the day, when the sun slowly sets beyond the horizon and the mountains glow in the evening light.

Day 3

Nagarkot - Bhaktapur
Today, the trek continues downhill to Bhaktapur, again passing through fields and farmland. After about four hours you will reach Bhaktapur. Here, you can have a drink and rest your feet on one of the many rooftop terraces the look out across Durbar Square before setting out to explore the town. Durbar Square is the central town square which is also where you'll find museums, temples and galleries selling traditional thankas (colourful paintings depicting the life of Buddha and other religious scenes). In the middle of the square you'll find the Nyatapola Temple. Reaching a height of over 30 metres, this is the highest temple in Nepal.

After lunch you can head out to explore the area. Bhaktapur has hardly changed since the Middle Ages. Throughout the town you'll find medieval buildings with beautiful wood carvings and, as the town is largely pedestrianised, it feels almost like a huge open air museum. We've deliberately planned an overnight stay in Bhaktapur in this itinerary so that you can explore the town outside of peak hours. With most of the tourists gone, the town suddenly becomes quiet and peaceful so you get a feel of what the place was like hundreds of years ago. Wandering through the narrow alleyways, you pass local women spinning wool behind their spinning wheel and threshing rice by hand. You'll stay in a small cosy hotel on right on Durbar Square.

Day 4

Bhaktapur - Kathmandu
After a quiet night, you can enjoy a relaxed breakfast on the rooftop terrace with views across the square, where old men shuffle by with wooden carts while little old women knit and chat on the temple steps. After breakfast, the module ends, and you can choose to head back to Kathmandu, perhaps begin short trek to Poon Hill or head on to Chitwan National Park.

Extra Information

Inclusions -
3 nights accommodation (inc breakfast), transport, English-speaking guide
Exclusions -
All other meals, admission fees for temples and squares (approx US $15)

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