NEPAL: Jungle to Tibet

We take advantage of the morning and, after breakfast, head straight to one of Kathmandu’s most iconic sites, the “Monkey Temple” (Swayambhunath Stupa). It’s an easy walk of just over 2km, which allows you to see the whole city, its streets, people, smells and life up close. On the way, we stop at the Shova Bhagawati temple and pass by the Buddhist cremation area, where we can watch some of the celebrations.

Accommodation: hotel in Kathmandu
Meals: breakfast

We woke up very early, as our journey to Pokhara takes long hours. The journey along the winding roads is not easy and no matter how comfortable the transportation, it is always long. Every couple of hours, we stopped for coffee, to stretch our legs and take in the scenery.
As soon as we arrive in Pokhara, there are spectacular views of the Himalayas: Dhaulagiri, Manaslu, the “postcard” Machhapuchhare, the five peaks of Annapurna and more.
We check into our hotel, whose location next to the large Phewa Lake is perfect for helping us restore our energy and the wear and tear of the long journey.

Accommodation: hotel in Pokhara
Meals: breakfast

Pokhara is nicknamed the city of paradise and it’s no coincidence! Blessed by the Himalayas, reflected in Lake Phewa, it is a city with a mild climate all year round.
This day in Pokhara is also good for the last bit of shopping before we head up into the mountains, and to test our endurance, we visit the World Peace Pagoda to watch the sunset.
In the evening we can enjoy a movie night in the most beautiful open-air cinema in the world!

Accommodation: hotel in Pokhara
Meals: breakfast

The trip to Jomsom is a challenge. I’ve given a lot of thought to the best way to get to the top and there’s no doubt that the option I like the most is the one that most entrenches us in Nepali culture: we take a local bus, carefully decorated with hand paintings, loud music, lots of bumps and endless stops. On the way, the traffic of goats and donkeys can slow down our journey. There are times when we can even reach the dizzying speed of 5km/h.

Accommodation: hotel in Jomsom
Meals: breakfast

We passed Panga Khola, which, despite being straight ahead and in the middle of a desert, in the early afternoon has very strong winds, which make the walk frustrating and difficult. At the end of Panga Khola, the “solitary pub” Ekle Bhatti, where we can stop for tea, take photos: we’re almost in Kagbeni! When we finally see the Kali Gandaki River, we’re almost there!
Kagbeni is a historic and very important town, from the ancient trans-Himalayan salt route from Tibet via Mustang. It is here, along the Kaligandaki River – the deepest gorge in the world – that you can sometimes see Saligram, the stone that symbolises the god Vishnu, bringer of the right life, wealth, protection, health, pleasure and spiritual blessing. From here, we have privileged views of the Nilgiri, Dhaulagiri and Tukuche peaks.

Accommodation: hotel in Kagbeni
Meals: breakfast

We continue our ascent to Muktinath. We make more stops than usual, because the road is always uphill and also because we’re staying in the same place for the next two nights! Through picturesque scenery, we reach the lost villages of Lower Mustang, crossing the famous Himalayan suspension bridges.

Accommodation: hotel in Muktinath
Meals: breakfast

Having reached the highest altitude, today we will visit the villages around Muktinath, as well as its Hindo-Buddhist temple, in an intense cultural immersion of these peoples who have inhabited the Himalayas for centuries.

Accommodation: hotel in Muktinath
Meals: breakfast

A long and painful day ahead: early in the morning we catch the jeep that will take us back to Pokhara. These two journeys take all day, but we have our comfy beds and the memory of the top of the Himalayas and a new inner peace waiting for us!

Accommodation: hotel in Pokhara
Meals: breakfast

Early in the morning we take the bus to the Chitwan Reserve, Nepal’s oldest national park. We acclimatize ourselves to the new, tropical climate and hope that the next day we will be better able to live with the local animal life: tigers, rhinos, bears and elephants.
Our accommodation is a pioneer in sustainability, made entirely of natural materials, with a water reuse system and solar heating.

Accommodation: tree-houses in Chitwan
Meals: breakfast

Today is jungle day. We will do various activities throughout the day within the National Park, where we will be able to observe the splendor of the great animals in their natural habitat.

Accommodation: tree-houses in Chitwan
Meals: breakfast

Today we say goodbye to the jungle and head for Bhaktapur, the former capital of Nepal. As soon as we checked in, we took the opportunity to appreciate the splendor of the architecture and the oldest traditions of the Newari culture.

Accommodation: hotel in Bhaktapur
Meals: breakfast

Free day to explore the picturesque town of Bhaktapur. You can stay in the city or go to Nagarkot to watch the sun set on Everest.

Accommodation: hotel in Bhaktapur
Meals: breakfast

It’s time to say goodbye… We say a nostalgic farewell to Nepal, with the tranquility of a richer traveler’s spirit. May the experience of this trip and the contribution to local causes and cultures help us to contribute to a more tolerant and peaceful world!
Dhanyavād… and until the next adventure!

Accommodation: –
Meals: breakfast