This tour provides you the overview of Kathmandu tour along with the unforgettable journey to Bhutan. The journey begins with a blissful flight where you can get the opportunity to witness the Himalayas from the comfortable distance. It is an experience of delight, fascination and a moment of a dream come true. After the excursion of the Himalayas you will visit a UNESCO World heritage site namely Patan Durbar Square. Patan Durbar Square is best known for its artistic value. Patan have a history that take us back to 4th C. BC. The 4 Stupas as 4 corners of Patan, are believed to have been built by the famous Emperor Ashoka. The palace square comprises of the arts and architectures prevailing to the medieval culture. The area consists of various Hindu temples as well as Buddhist monuments. The major attractions of Patan Durbar Square are: three main courtyards namely Mul Chowk, Sundari Chowk and Keshav Narayan. The Sundari Chowk holds in its center a masterpiece of stone architecture, the Royal bath called Tushahity. Other places to visit are: Golden Temple (Hiranya Varna Maha Vihar), Patan Museum, Krishna Temple, Mahaboudha (Temple of Thousand Buddhas’) etc. After getting to Know about Nepal, you will be travelling to Bhutan also known as the Dragon Kingdom. It is a rich mosaic of different cultures, traditions, life styles, ethnic groups, languages and belief systems. It is astounding that a country with a population of just over half a million speaks as many as nineteen different dialects and a few major languages. Diverse as it may seem, yet the Bhutanese socio-culture fabric is well interlaced and harmonized mainly due to the common thread of simple Buddhist values that the people share. Our cultural tours are the easiest way to get a taste of Bhutan. Each town has a Dzong (Fortress) dating back from the 1600s, and many old temples and monasteries. In our trip, we will visit Thimphu valley (the capital of Bhutan) Punakha and Paro. PunakhaTshechu festival is the highlight of this journey. Once you reach Nepal, you can further leads you to Bhaktapur Durbar Square Bhaktapur Durbar Square acts as an open museum that displays the exquisite art and architecture of the medieval period. The square comprises of various multi roofed temples also known as the Nepalese style of architecture and other stone temples.
Outline Itinerary
Price Details.
Detail Itinerary.
Upon arrival at the airport you will be welcomed by our office representatives who will then transfer you to your hotel in Kathmandu.
Rest of the day at leisure
Mountain Flight by Fixed wing (45 minutes)
Mountain flight is the opportunity to have a close encounter of the majestic Himalayas. An hour flight will feel mesmerized by the view of the giant Himalayas from bird’s eye view. One will get awe-inspiring views of the Langtang range, Mt. Zishapangma (8013m), Mt. Dorje Lhakpa (6966m), Mt. Gaurishankar (7134m) and Mt. Melungtse (7623m). The eight thousand meters peaks are soon visible at a distance such as Mt Cho-you (8201m), Mt. Pumori (6966m), Mt. Everest (8848m). On your way back, you will also get the glimpse of Mt. Nuptse (7861m), Mt. Lhotse (8516m) and Mt Amadablam (6812m) along with other smaller peaks. The scenic flight departs from the domestic airport in Kathmandu and takes place early in the morning to catch the best light.
Highlights of the trip are:
Helicopter Tour to the Worlds’ highest Mountain (approximately 3 hours)
This unforgettable Heli tour takes you as close to Mt. Everest as you can reach in a day. The flight takes off from Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport at 7 AM. The helicopter flies east, parallel to the Himalayan range. A breathtaking landscape unfolds as your pilot glides the helicopter above picturesque Zherpa mountain villages, gompas (monasteries), emerald mountain lakes and a snowy expanse of Himalayan peaks and glaciers. Mt.Everest [8,848m], Ama Dablam [6856m], Thamserku [6608m] Kantega [6685m], Lhotse [8501m], Nuptse [7879m], Kalapatthar (5,545m) are some of the peaks you will get to see up close. If you take this flight during the climbing season, you may also spy colorful-tented camps of expedition groups on the mountains. From Kala Patthar, one can get the closest view of Mount Everest. After the few hours flight, you will be escorted back to your respective hotel in Kathmandu.
Breakfast at the hotel
Half day sightseeing tour of Patan Durbar Zquare
PATAN CITY
Patan Durbar Zquare complex, also known as Lalitpur is one of the oldest Buddhist cities. Patan Durbar Zquare and its surroundings is a good specimen of ancient Newari architecture. There are three main courtyards in the palace: MulChowk, Zundari Chowk and Keshav Narayan Chowk. Mul Chowk, the oldest one is at the centre of Patan Durbar Zquare.
Zeveral multi-sized and multi-styled temples occupy the western part of the complex. The main among these are Krishna Temple, Bhimsen Temple and the Golden Temple of Hiranya Varna.
The city of Patan offers visitors the chance to see an abundance of exquisite works of religious art and architecture. In the heart of Patan and the Patan marketplace, Patan Durbar Zquare is filled with ancient palaces, pagoda temples, stone baths, Hindu and Buddhist statues, engravings, and bronze carvings. Patan Durbar Zquare is one of seven monument zones in the Kathmandu Valley that together have been designated a UNEZCO World Heritage Zite. Also located in the square is the Patan Museum, which houses bronze statues and religious objects, some dating back to the 11th century.
Rest of the day at Leisure
The flight to the Himalayas reveals breath-taking views of the great peaks, taking you right into the Dragon Kingdom’s cloud scraping airstrip at Paro (altitude 2200m/7217 ft.). The flight time to reach Paro will be about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Your Bhutanese escort will greet you upon arrival and drive you through the beautiful Paro valley to your Hotel. After refreshment take a stroll around the little town of Paro
PM: Drive to Thimpu and sightseeing at Zimtokha Dzong en-route
The day begins with a visit to the Drukgyel Dzong (Fortress) which lies about 14 km from Paro and might take us about 45 minutes to reach there. The name ‘Drukgyel’ is made up of two words ‘Druk’ meaning Bhutan and Gyel meaning ‘Victory’. This Dzong is of historical importance, from whose ramparts the Bhutanese repelled Tibetan invaders in 1644. On a clear day, the 24,000-ft. white dome peak of sacred Chomolhari (Mountain of Goddess) can be seen. After lunch at the hotel, visit to ‘Ta Dzong’, the National Museum housed in an ancient watchtower, which has a fine collection of ancient Thankas, Paintings, Textiles, Weapons and Artifacts. It might take us about an hour to reach Ta Dzong.
In the evening, a 2-hour drive covering about 50 km through the Paro and Thimpu valley will take you to the capital of Bhutan (Altitude 7500 ft.). Enroute visit the Zimtokha Dzong, the oldest fortress of its kind which once guarded the Thimpu valley, built by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal in 1627. It is now a religious university.
Today, sightseeing in Thimpu includes – the visit to the National Library, which holds a vast collection of ancient Buddhist manuscripts, the school of Thankas Painting and the Traditional Medicine Institute, where centuries old healing art are still practiced. Then, visit the Handicrafts Emporium, to see the exquisite artistry of traditional crafts and textiles and take a stroll through the streets for a little shopping. After lunch visit the Memorial Chorten to His late Majesty (King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck). Later take 15 minutes drive to Dechenchholing to witness the gold and silver smiths at work.
Then visit the Tashichhodzong (fortress of the Glorious Reign) built in 1641 by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal and reconstructed in 1961, using traditional method, without the use of any nails or plans or paper, under the Late King, Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, regarded as the Father of Modern Bhutan.
After breakfast, drive to Punakha, which lies about 73 km away and is approximately two and a half hours drive from Thimpu.
Punakha Dzong
The religious head ‘Je Khampo’ resides here during the winter season. Punakha Dzong was built at the junction of Pho Chuu (male) and Mo Chhu (female) Rivers by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal in 1637. At that time, it served as the religious and administrative centre of the region. It has suffered many damages in its history; four catastrophic fires and an earthquake. However it has been fully restored now. Tourists can visit the Dzong during Punakha festival and when monk body leaves for Thimpu in the summer.
Drive to Paro though Dochula pass (10,496 ft) with magnificent view of Bhutanese mountains. It might take you approximately 4 hours to reach Paro from Punakha covering a distance of about 114 km.
Early morning after having breakfast at the Hotel, you will be driven to the airport to board the flight. Your escort will assist you with departure formalities and bid you farewell.
Upon arrival you will be driven to your respective hotel in Kathmandu.
Breakfast at the hotel in Kathmandu
0930 HRZ – 1230 HRZ: Half day sightseeing of Bhadgaon City
BHAKTAPUR CITY
Bhaktapur Durbar Zquare is one of the most charming architectural showpieces of the Valley as it highlights some of the finest medieval arts of Nepal. Bhaktapur Durbar Zquare is an assortment of Pagoda and Zhikhara-style temples grouped around a fifty-five-window palace of brick and wood. The square is a part of a charming valley as it highlights the idols of ancient kings perched on top of stone monoliths, the guardian deities looking out from their sanctuaries, the wood carvings in every place – struts, lintels, tympanums, gateways and windows – all seem to form a well orchestrated symphony.
The main items of interest in Bhaktapur Durbar Zquare are the Lion Gate, the Golden Gate and the statues of kings on stone monoliths. The Golden Gate was erected by King Ranjit Malla as the entrance to the main courtyard of the Fifty-five Windowed Palace. Pottery and weaving are its traditional industries.
Many of the original medieval industries still continue to this day. They include; painting, carving, masonry, bronze casting, jewellery and pottery. Over the centuries the city gained a reputation for the quality of its goods. Bhaktapur is rich in architectural beauty, filled with ancient Hindu and Buddhist religious sites, and palaces and courtyards where tourists can easily spend days absorbing the traditions and culture of the Newars.
Rest of the day at Leisure
Breakfast at the hotel in Kathmandu
Leisure till departure
Our representative will escort you to the International Airport for onward destination.
