In today’s modern world, you are often caught in the compulsions of a stress-inducing lifestyle, resulting in the existence or the lack of certain physical and mental conditions or diseases. It very often takes a breakdown in your physical and emotional health to make you seek intervention. Yoga is believed to calm the nervous system and balance the body, mind, and spirit.
Yoga dates back to over 5,000 years and is a form of spiritual practice in India and Nepal. In recent years, the benefits of yoga on the human body have been approved by modern medical science and have been used for treating various health-related problems - to lower blood pressure, reduce stress, improve coordination, flexibility, concentration, sleep, and digestion, to name a few. What makes this trip special are:
- Yoga sessions to rejuvenate and cleanse the body
- Meditation sessions to calm the mind and improve focus
- Spa treatments to rejuvenate the body and remove toxins
- Nourishing, organic vegetarian food to detoxify and heal the body
- The majestic Himalayan environment, which allows you to benefit from the positive energy it literally emits
- Community service to experience the joy of giving
Itinerary
Day 1 - Arrival in Kathmandu / transfer to Hotel Yak and Yeti / welcome dinner
Once you reach Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM) and finish with the immigration and customs formalities, be prepared to confront the confusion outside the airport which is common in most South Asian countries. As you walk out of the exit door into the passenger pick-up area, you will see hundreds of people with different signboards in their hands, taxi drivers looking for fares, hotel touts looking for customers, and porters trying to help with the luggage for tips.
Please remain calm and do not walk out of the restricted area into the crowd straight away. Remain there and try to find the “Hi On Life” signboard. Once you spot it, walk straight to the signboard and identify yourself. From here, Hi On Life Adventures will take care of you. When you arrive at your hotel, you will be briefed about your activities and “do’s and don’ts” while your stay in Kathmandu. Some documents will also be collected from you. Please have the following things handy when arriving:
- Travel / medical insurance (photocopy)
- 2 passport-size photos
- Photocopy of your passport
In the evening, you will go for a traditional Nepali dinner at Kathmandu’s finest Nepali restaurant.
Day 2 - City tour and trek briefing
Today, you explore and experience the grandeur of the ancient Hindu and Buddhist culture and architecture, and the finesse of the ancient traditional Newari craftsmanship in their temples. This guided tour is focused on presenting you with the history and culture of the Kathmandu Valley. After breakfast, you have a half-day guided city tour around the valley, where you will visit Boudhanath Stupa and Kathmandu Durbar Square.
You will end your sightseeing with lunch at OR2K, an organic vegetarian restaurant. After your lunch, you will return to the hotel and your group leader will give you your trip briefing and issue you your ‘travel pack’ consisting of a duffle bag, Hi On Life Adventures t-shirt, microfleece pullover which is perfect while doing yoga in the early morning chills, and down jacket. Your afternoon is free for you to do your packing and purchase your last-minute items for your trip.
Day 3 - Morning visit to Bhaktapur and drive to Namo Buddha / afternoon - head and shoulder massage / overnight at Namo Buddha Resort
After breakfast, you will drive 45 minutes to the old city of Bhaktapur. You will eat lunch at Bhaktapur and continue to drive to Namo Buddha, which takes about 45 minutes. On arrival, you will check in to Namo Buddha Resort. It is famous for its Namo Buddha Monastery which is regarded as a sacred Buddhist pilgrimage place. The resort is built on a hilltop with magnificent mountain views. You can stroll around the property of the resort or walk down to the local village.
In the afternoon, you will then be treated with a deeply relaxing head and shoulder massage by your experts. An evening meal made of freshly picked vegetables from the organic garden of the resort and the peace and quietness away from the bustles of the city makes it a relaxing way to end the day.
Day 4 - Yoga / meditation at the monastery / exploration at leisure/overnight at Namo Buddha Resort
You will begin your day at sunrise with Surya Namaskaram (salutation to the sun), followed by other yoga under the instruction of a qualified yoga instructor. Breakfast is served at the common hall of the resort. The mornings are always the best time of the day for mountain views. You can have a relaxing morning, exploring the village, or within the resort enjoying the mountain views and the beautiful landscape.
Depending on the timing of the monastery, which is either in the morning or in the afternoon, you go to the monastery to participate in the meditation with the monks. Evenings are usually spent sharing experiences and problems with the yoga instructor who is also a qualified Reiki healing practitioner.
Day 5 - Drive to Bandipur / relaxing afternoon - explore old ethnic town / afternoon - deep tissue therapy/overnight at Hotel Old Inn
To avoid the traffic, you will be going in the early morning from Namo Buddha. It is 190 kilometers from Namo Buddha to Bandipur which takes about six hours on a normal traffic day. You will drive into the Kathmandu Valley from the east and again drive out of the valley at Thankot in the west. The road follows alongside the Trishuli River and then the Marshyandi River. There are interesting views of the paddy fields and villages and Nepali landscapes of undulating hills and valleys as you cross from one valley unto the next. At Dumre, you leave the national highway and drive seven kilometers on a picturesque windy road to Bandipur.
Upon arrival, you will check in to the Old Inn, the finest hotel at Bandipur known for its old Newari architectural building, comfortable stay, beautiful surroundings, and mountain views. The afternoon is free to explore the old ethnic town, which is known for its old Newari architecture, you will meet others for tea in the late afternoon; after which you will be treated with deep tissue massage therapy by experts (you will enjoy this after the long drive).
Day 6 - Sunrise view from Tundikhel / yoga / hike to Siddha Cave / afternoon - reflexology/overnight at Hotel Old Inn
You will walk to Tundikhel which is the vantage point for sunrise in the Himalayan range. After sunrise viewing, you will begin your morning yoga session followed by breakfast. There are several options for short hikes in Bandipur, the hike to the Siddha Cave being one of them. Siddha Cave is the second largest cave in Asia. You can also just relax and walk through the old town absorbing the relaxing 18th-century ambiance.
Siddha Cave is a must-see destination in Bandipur, discovered only in 1987. Rich in stalactites and stalagmites, it is said to be the largest cave in the Himalayan region. You can come back to the hotel later for lunch. The afternoon is free for you to have time on your own. You will meet others for tea in the late afternoon, after which you will be treated with reflexology by experts!
Day 7 - Yoga / drive to Pokhara / free day - explore town / afternoon - trekkers’ massage / overnight at Temple Tree Resort & Spa
You will participate in a yoga session in the morning followed by breakfast, then after you drive to Pokhara which is 80 kilometers from Bandipur and takes about two and a half hours. The lakeside, where your hotel is located, is a chilled-out and charming town stretching along the shore of a tranquil lake with bobbing paddle boats. On arrival to Pokhara, you will check in to the Temple Tree resort.
In the afternoon, you will have a session of trekker’s massage which is a mixture of Thai and Ayurvedic massage. It is a perfect relaxation after trekking or long drives. In the evening, you can eat at the restaurants along the lakeside where you can meet travelers from around the world. Recommended restaurants are The Olive Café, Moondance, OR2K, Roadhouse Café, etc. Your group leader will arrange a dinner at one of these fantastic restaurants.
Day 8 - Yoga / free day / afternoon - the Serenity Spa / overnight at Temple Tree Resort & Spa
Early morning yoga will be held either in the hotel garden or at the Peace Stupa which is a short drive from the hotel. After breakfast, you will have a free morning. You can walk along the lakeside, hire a bike and ride around the town, go shopping, or simply go to a restaurant facing the lakeside where you can get a hammock, order a smoothie, and read your book. There are several restaurants to choose from for your lunch.
You will meet the group at the hotel at 15:00 for a pampering session - the Serenity Spa package. The Serenity Spa package includes body scrub, facial, manicure, and pedicure. Dinner at the OR2K restaurant is a perfect end to this pampering and relaxing day.
Day 9 - Yoga/drive to Naudanda and trek to Sarangkot / afternoon - meditation/overnight at Bhanjyang Village Lodge
Today, you will have an early start. After breakfast, you will drive along the Seti River and windy climb to Naudanda, the starting point of your trek. It takes about an hour to drive here. The view of the Annapurna range dominated by Fishtail Mountain is just fabulous. The trek follows the north side of the Phewa Lake passing beautiful villages and terraced farms.
You will reach Sarangkot early in the afternoon and check in to Bhanjyang Village Lodge upon arrival. The afternoon is free to explore the small bustling village or just enjoy the serene sunset view from the lodge or from the viewpoint 20 minutes’ walk up from the lodge. After sunset, you will go into meditation to relax and cleanse your mind. Dinner will be served at the lodge.
Day 10 - Sunrise view from Sarangkot / yoga / paraglide to Pokhara / afternoon - the Ayurvedic package / overnight at Temple Tree Resort & Spa
The lodge provides a brilliant place for a yoga session in the front yard before breakfast. After breakfast, your belongings will be taken to Pokhara in a car and you can get ready for your amazing experience in paragliding. Paragliding from Sarangkot is regarded as the most scenic paragliding in the world. The take-off point is a grassy meadow which is a short walk from the lodge. You will have experienced pilots, both local and foreigners, who will be flying your tandem paraglide.
You will be airborne for 30 to 40 minutes depending on the thermals. You will fly above the Phewa Lake with a bird’s eye view of the lake and Pokhara City with amazing views of the Annapurna range towards the north. You will land on the banks of the lake and then drive to your hotel. In the afternoon, you will be pampered with another half-day spa, the Ayurvedic package (PICU treatment, Shirodhara, body massage, and reflexology)
Day 11 - Morning - fly to Kathmandu / afternoon at leisure/shopping / overnight at Hotel Yak and Yeti
The final session of yoga will also include a meditation reconfirming all the benefits of this physical and spiritual journey this trip has made. After breakfast, you will be taken to the airport and fly to Kathmandu which is a 30-minute scenic mountain flight flying parallel to the Himalayas. On arrival, you will check in to Hotel Yak and Yeti. The rest of the afternoon is free until the evening when you will go for a nice farewell dinner, a perfect way to end this trip of a lifetime!
Day 12 - Trip ends / final departure
Hi On Life Adventures will give you transportation to the airport according to your flight times. You need to check out of the hotel at 12:30, but you can organize to store your luggage if you have a late evening flight and you wish to take a walk into the town.
