Your Itinerary
Day 1 - Trip starts in the Nepalese capital Kathmandu
Our tour starts today in Kathmandu, the busy, colourful and chaotic capital city of Nepal.s
Our tour leader plans to meet everyone in the hotel reception for a welcome meeting at 5 pm. For those that wish, there is the chance to enjoy a group dinner afterwards. There are no other activities planned for today.
If you miss the welcome meeting, our tour leader will leave any essential information and details of the best time to catch up with them at the hotel reception.
If you'd like to receive an airport transfer today, you'll need to arrive into Kathmandu Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM). You should allow at least 45 minutes to reach our hotel in central Kathmandu as traffic congestion in the city can be bad.
Depending on the arrival time of your flight, if you'd like to get a head start on exploring, our hotel is located a short walk from the lively Thamel area. Home to a multitude of outdoor gear, souvenir shops, great bookshops and a huge variety of restaurants, it's a fun place to wander.
Day 2 - Guided walking tour of Kathmandu Old Town and bazaars
After breakfast this morning, we'll set out on a walking tour with a local guide, visiting the bazaar and temples of Old Kathmandu. Much of the day-to-day life of the city takes place in the local bazaar, a fascinating mix of people selling spices, rickshaw drivers honking their horns and the ever-present sacred cow wandering amongst it all.
In the afternoon, we'll visit the temple of Pashupatinath on the banks of the Bagmati River, the holiest Hindu shrine in Nepal, as well as Buddhanath, the largest stupa in the country and a destination for Buddhist pilgrims from all over Nepal.
Day 3 - Drive to the lakeside city of Pokhara; relax and prepare for the trek
We'll set off after breakfast, leaving the Kathmandu Valley behind to drive to Pokhara, a journey of around ten hours, due to ongoing road construction. We'll stop for lunch at a typical Nepali roadside cafe along the way.
Pokhara is smaller and more relaxed than Kathmandu and is beautifully situated on the banks of Lake Phewa from where, on a clear day, there are superb views of the snowcapped Annapurna range, including Machhapuchhre - the famous 'Fishtail' mountain.
In the afternoon, our tour leader will brief us on what to expect from our trek on a day-to-day basis. They'll also make sure we're all properly equipped for the days to come.
Day 4 - Drive to start of trek; hike to Sanctuary Lodge (1,150m)
This morning, we'll depart Pokhara and drive to Dhawa where the trek starts (a one-hour journey). Our walk will follow a ridgeline in the lower foothills of the Annapurna with surrounding views of the Pokhara Valley. We will be served with a hot lunch on arrival at the lodge. The route then drops to follow the Modi River Valley where the first of our comfortable Mountain lodges, Sanctuary Lodge, is located. The lodge was constructed in the traditional mountain style by local artisans and has a beautiful garden where you can enjoy magnificent views of the sacred and unclimbed peak Machhapuchhre, or Fishtail Mountain as it's more commonly known because of its shape like a fish's tail.
Today's 7-kilometre/4.4-mile walk is expected to take around three and a half hours with a total descent of 460 metres/1,509 feet.
Day 5 - Trek to Himalaya Lodge near Ghandruk (2,000m)
After breakfast, we'll leave the lodge walking out through the outlying farms following the Modi River Valley. Soon we begin to climb out of the valley and up towards the mountains. The trail passes through small hamlets, terraced rice fields and forests with spectacular views of the surrounding valley. Snacks are provided along the trail and a hot lunch is served on arrival at the lodge in the early afternoon. Himalaya Lodge affords magnificent close-up views of the surrounding Annapurna mountain range. It also overlooks the settlement of Ghandruk with its whitewashed, stone-tiled houses clustered closely together on the valley side. Populated by the Gurung ethnic group, Ghandruk is a popular recruitment location for the Gurkha soldier regiment of the British Army.
Today's 9-kilometre/5.6-mile walk is expected to take around five and a half hours with a total ascent of 850 metres/2,789 feet.
Day 6 - Trek to La Bee Lodge at Landruk (1,565m)
We'll wake up this morning for tea and coffee in the garden while we watch the sunrise over some of the highest peaks on the planet - Annapurna South, Annapurna 1, Hiunchuli, Gangapurna, and the Fishtail. After a relaxing breakfast, and soaking up the glorious views from the Himalaya Lodge, we'll start our trek to Landruk.
After leaving the village of Ghandruk, the trail descends steeply to the banks of the Modi River. We'll reach the base of the cliffs where the famed honey hunters of Nepal climb up on ropes to collect the honey from bees' nests on the cliffside. We'll then cross a strong suspension bridge to the opposite banks of the Modi. From here, it's a one-hour trek up switchbacks and steps to reach the Gurung village of Landruk which enjoys glorious views of the Annapurna range.
La Bee Lodge is small and intimate, with only 12 en-suite rooms and is exquisitely perched on a cliff edge with awesome views stretching far into the distance. After lunch on arrival, we'll set out in the afternoon to explore the village and surrounding area on a guided walk.
Today's 9-kilometre/5.6-mile walk is expected to take around five-and-a-half hours with a total ascent of 315 metres/1,034 feet and descent of 750 metres/2,461 feet.
Day 7 - Hike to Gurung Lodge at Majgaun (1,400m)
After breakfast, we'll leave the Bee Lodge and trek to our final mountain lodge of the holiday, Gurung Lodge situated close by the village of Majgaun. Today's trek contours the hillside, with small ups and downs, passing through villages and farmland. We'll reach the lodge in time for lunch with the option to join an afternoon hike through the surrounding villages.
Gurung Lodge has been built in the style of a typical timber and stone tribal house, set in lovely gardens with 11 en-suite rooms, a beautiful lounge and dining area with exposed wooden roof beams.
Today's 9-kilometre/5.6-mile walk is expected to take around five-and-a-half hours with a total ascent of 135 metres/443 feet and descent of 300 metres/984 feet.
Day 8 - Trek to Lumle; drive to Pokhara (830 m)
After breakfast, we'll set off along the ridge and descend through the wooded hillside and terraced farmland to the valley floor where we meet the road and our bus that will take us back to Pokhara.
On arrival in Pokhara, the afternoon is free to relax. You can hire a boat and spend time on the lake or explore the lakeside area where many of the souvenir and clothing shops are located. Pokhara also has a great choice of cafes and restaurants serving hungry trekkers all types of cuisine from around the world!
Today's 3-kilometre/1.9-mile walk is expected to take around 90 minutes with a total ascent of 210 metres/689 feet.
Day 9 - Drive to Chitwan National Park; briefing and village walk
Today, we'll drive to the flat lands of Nepal's Terai region where we stay just outside of Chitwan National Park. Please note, due to ongoing roadworks, the drive is taking longer than usual with an approximate drive time of up to seven hours. Once a private hunting ground, Chitwan is now a National Park with thick tree cover and tall elephant grass sheltering a wealth of animals. We'll be briefed today on the variety of activities that we can enjoy in the Park and orientate ourselves on a short walk around the village. All Park activities will be accompanied by a trained naturalist guide who will help us get the best enjoyment from these excursions.
Day 10 - Search for rhinos, walk and canoe in Chitwan National Park
Throughout your stay, you'll be kept busy except for a couple of hours around lunchtime when you can read or relax in the shade. Activities in the park include a jeep safari searching out Chitwan's famous rare one-horned rhino, bird watching, jungle walks and a dugout canoe trip along the Rapti River. Canoeing will be dependent on the water level, floating silently down the river in a traditional dugout canoe allows us to spot many varieties of water birds. On a nature walk in the company of trained native naturalists, we'll walk along trails in the less densely forested parts of the park. An early morning bird-watching walk near the river will reveal many of the 450 bird species that can be found in the park, especially the kingfisher.
Day 11 - Drive back to Kathmandu
Today we'll make the journey back to Kathmandu.
Please note, due to ongoing roadworks, the drive is taking longer than usual and could be up to eight hours.
Day 12 - Trip ends today in Kathmandu
The trip ends after breakfast at our hotel in Kathmandu.
There are no activities planned today, so you're free to depart from Kathmandu at any time. If your flight is departing later in the day, luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel.
If you'd like an airport transfer today, you'll need to depart from Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM).
