14 Day Wilderness and Wellness Tour in Nepal with Sightseeing, Ayurveda, and More

Day 1: Kathmandu Arrival (1,350 m / 4,430 ft)

After arriving at Kathmandu International Airport, you will be met and welcomed with a khada (silk scarf blessed by a Buddhist monk). You will be escorted by Alpine Holidays' representative to the hotel. In the evening, they will organize a welcome dinner at a traditional Nepalese restaurant, where you will enjoy a Nepalese cultural program as well as a fine local Nepali meal.

• Accommodation: Overnight at a hotel in Kathmandu
• Meal: D

Day 2: Visit Kathmandu Durbar Square, Boudhanath Stupa, and Pashupatinath Temple

In the morning, you will join a yoga class at the hotel. After breakfast, you will visit Old Kathmandu, with its quaint marketplace selling beads, bangles, and spices. Also visit the Temple of the Living Goddess - “Kumari, Virgin Goddess” - who is considered to be the incarnation of the “Goddess Taleju."

The temples, shrines, and different sections of the palace are contributions of various dynasties over centuries and epitomize the religious and cultural heritage of the people. The old Durbar Square consists of the old Hanuman Dhoka palace, the Kal Bhairav temple, the Taleju Bhawani temple, and the innumerable temples of various architectural styles.

All around the splendor of historical monuments is the hustle and bustle of the marketplace. Walk through the stone-paved lanes to the Ason Bazaar, where you can see vendors selling vegetables and old shops selling spices and groceries.

In the afternoon, go on a spiritual journey to explore Bodhnath Stupa. This area is also known as Little Tibet because of the Tibetan pilgrims who inhabit there. It is the biggest stupa in Nepal and is located on a flat land in the shape of an octagon. This stupa, set in a pattern of a "mandala," is encircled by houses and monasteries where Rinpoche (Buddhist monks) reside.

Around the base of this strikingly enormous and simple stupa, there is a ring of 108 images of the Buddha and 147 insets containing prayer wheels. See the afternoon prayer rituals in one of the nearby monasteries.

Later on, you'll proceed to Pashupatinath, the holiest of Hindu shrines in Nepal. The temple of Lord Shiva, Pashupatinath, with a tiered golden roof and massive silver doors, is famous for its superb architecture. The best view of the temple is from the terrace on the wooded hill across the river.

The Bagmati River is lined with dharmasalas where the “sadhus” (holy men) live and cremate ghats. In the evening, participate in the arati (multiple lamps) ceremony on the banks of the holy Bagmati River.

• Accommodation: Overnight at a hotel in Kathmandu
• Meal: B

Day 3: Visit Bungmati, Khokana, and Patan Durbar Square

In the morning, you will join a yoga class at the hotel. After breakfast, you'll drive to Bungamati and visit the old Newari twin villages of Bungamati and Khokana, which date from the 16th century and are located south of Kathmandu, down a rutty road dotted with chaityas.

Bungamati is the winter home of Lord Rato Machhendranath, the protector god of Patan City. The shrine of Karya Binayak is located between the two villages. In Khokana, ancient oil presses can be seen at work in village houses.

In the afternoon, you will visit Lalitpur, the city of fine arts. Lalitpur, also known as Patan, is well known for its intricately carved temples, narrow lanes, and quaint shops. Visit the intricately stone-carved Krishna Temple, Patan Durbar Square, and the Hiranyavarna Mahavihar (Golden Temple).

Walk through the city’s old marketplace selling brass and copperware. There are also workshops of stone carvers and statue makers. Patan is a great center, both of Newari Buddhist religion and of traditional arts and crafts, with 136 bahals and 55 major temples.

• Accommodation: Overnight at a hotel in Kathmandu.
• Meal: B

Day 4: Drive to Chitwan (180 km / five hours)

In the morning, you will join a yoga class at the hotel. After breakfast, you will drive south to Chitwan, which is around 180 km from Kathmandu and usually takes five to six hours as you'll need to drive along a small and hilly highway. Upon arrival in Chitwan, you will be welcomed by a naturalist and enjoy a delicious lunch.

The group will be guided there with the naturalist who will give information on Chitwan, the indigenous Tharu people and their lifestyle, the National Park, flora and fauna, climate, and many more.

In the evening, you will visit Tharu Village and enjoy the sunset over the Rapti River. There will also be a Tharu Cultural Program with an information session. Participate in the dance program with local Tharu dancers.

• Accommodation: Overnight at a lodge / resort in Chitwan
• Meals: B, L, D

Day 5: Full day jungle activities

In the morning, you will join a yoga class at the hotel. After breakfast, the group will go canoeing (wooden dugout boat) on the Rapti River, where they can see riverside scenery and many species of birds. Also, participants will encounter two types of crocodiles - gharial and mugger - as well as many aquatic creatures. There will also be a high chance of witnessing the one-horned rhinos.

After the canoe ride, you will enjoy a jungle walk and visit the Elephant Breeding Centre, which is one of its kind in this part of the world. Then, you will drive back to the lodge for lunch and rest. In the evening, you will enjoy a jungle safari to see one-horned rhinos, deer, birds, and sometimes, if you are lucky enough, you might encounter the Bengali Tiger.

• Accommodation: Overnight at a lodge / resort in Chitwan
• Meals: B, L, D,

Day 6: Drive to Pokhara (170 km / four hours)

In the morning, you will join a yoga class at the hotel. After breakfast, you will drive on a scenic mountain highway to Pokhara, famous for its snow-clad mountains, lush green vegetation, and its spring-fed lakes. 10 kilometers before reaching Pokhara town, you will take the diversion to Begnas Bazaar.

From the boat station, you will be transferred to Begnas Lake Resort on a shikara boat (25-minute ride).

• Accommodation: Overnight at Begnas Lake Resort in Pokhara
• Meals: B, L, D

Day 7 to Day 12: Practice Ayurveda, yoga, and meditation

After breakfast, visit the Himalayan Nature Spa for consultation with the Ayurveda doctors. After assessing the status of your 'doshas,’ they will help structure a wellness regime of various Ayurvedic treatment therapies, which will also include your special dietary requirements and a schedule of yogic exercises and meditation to bring about a holistic change for a healthier and rejuvenated you.

During this period, you will be assigned to a professional personal therapist who will administer all the prescribed Ayurvedic massages and treatments, which will be supervised by the Ayurveda physicians.

Yoga and meditation classes will be conducted daily at 06:00 - 08:00 and 16:00 - 18:00 by Alpine Holidays' yogacharyas. Morning sessions will be mostly dedicated to simple stretching and breathing exercises such as pranayam and kapalbhaati, and different techniques of meditation to help you increase self-awareness and concentration power. Evening yoga classes will be more technical, following the Iyengar school of yoga.

Generally, there will be no dietary restrictions, except that you may be advised to stay off certain types of vegetables or fruits that do not suit your body type. All three meals - breakfast, lunch, and dinner - will be Ayurvedic vegetarian food specially cooked to order from Alpine Holidays' extensive vegetarian menu by their Ayurveda chef.

Free cooking classes will be conducted regularly by the Ayurveda chef to explain the basic concepts of Ayurveda cooking and the importance of fresh organic inputs from their own vegetable garden.

Since most of your wellness sessions will be in the morning, in the afternoon, you can explore or hike the surrounding hills with its ethnic hill tribe villages, organic farms, and the village school supported by the resort. On one of the days, you may consider going for a day tour of Pokhara City.

• Accommodation: Overnight at Begnas Lake Resort in Pokhara
• Meals: B, L, D

Day 13: Fly back to Kathmandu (30 minutes) and drive to Bhaktapur (45 minutes)

After breakfast, you'll drive to Pokhara Airport, fly back to Kathmandu, and drive to Bhaktapur. In the afternoon, the group will go on a tour of the ancient city of Bhaktapur, famed for its picturesque Durbar Square. Entering the Durbar Square (palace square) through the Royal Gate, the sparseness of the temples will be immediately apparent.

The main square contains temples and other architectural showpieces, such as the Lion Gate, the statue of King Bhupatindra Malla, the Palace of 55 Windows, the Bell of the Barking Dogs, the Batsala Temple, the Nyatapola Temple, and the replica of Pashupatinath Temple.

Walk through the narrow lanes, visiting the various temple squares as well as the potters' square, where you may see potters busy making different types of clay pots with their hands. After sightseeing, you will drive back to Kathmandu. In the evening, Alpine Holidays will organize a farewell dinner to celebrate the grand success of your Nepal trip.

• Accommodation: Overnight at a hotel in Kathmandu
• Meal: B, D

Day 14: Departure from Kathmandu

In the morning, you will join yoga class at the hotel. After breakfast at the hotel, Alpine Holidays will drop you off at the airport three hours ahead of your flight time.

• Meal: B