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Treks and Tours in 2007 A Taste of Nepal for
a printable version...click here women only April 20
(depart Edmonton) – May
4 (finish in Kathmandu) 2007 Escorted
- by Wanda Vivequin Do you dream of walking in a faraway land? Do you want to taste a little bit of culture and adventure in land far away? Do you ever think about visiting a country so beautiful it is sure to change you forever? Then come
and visit Nepal with me in April 2007 for the trip of a lifetime
that gives you an all round introduction to this
fascinating
country. The final cost
will include: Itinerary This will be the
ninth trip I have run in Nepal which has sort of become my second home. **please note we may not stick hard and fast to this itinerary and if there are times when you don't want to do something and would rather relax then that is okay too. Remember you are on holiday. I will do my very best to answer any question I can and where I don't know something will endeavor to find out promptly. There are plenty of options for things Day 01 (April 20) departure from Edmonton escorted by tour leader Wanda Vivequin. Day 02 (April 21) in transit to Nepal Day 03 (April 22) Arrival into Kathmandu We are collected at the airport (arrival AM) and transferred to our hotel in Kathmandu. It’s a long flight from Canada so after a rest we will undertake a short orientation of the tourist area of Thamel where we change money and acquaint ourselves with this frenetic city. Please note breakfast is included in the cost of the trip and unless indicated lunch and dinner are at your own expense. Day 04 (April 23) A day in Patan. (overnight in Chobar) Day 05 (April
24) We leave early for the morning to drive (about 1 hour) to Boudhanath,
the most holy place for Buddhists in Nepal. Going
in the morning is a wonderful time to see the hundreds and hundreds
of Buddhists walking in a clockwise direction around a magnificent
white stupa (religious structure) saying their prayers. We will find
somewhere to have brunch in this most interesting area and about
mid morning head back to Chobar stopping on the way to visit the
Association
for Craft Producers (ACP) the first Fair Trade production organization
in Nepal. Day 06 (April 25) Bhaktapur. After breakfast (supplied) we take a minivan and head to Bhaktapur (about 45 minutes drive) where we spend a couple of days enjoying this beautiful town. We will stay at Bhaktapur or Bhadgaon Guest House. The accommodation in Bhaktapur is a little more basic than in other places but still clean and comfortable. We should reach there by mid-morning in time to unpack and have lunch before heading into the town for a little shopping and looking around (optional). Bhaktapur is a world heritage site and a feast for all the senses. Day 07 (April 26) Bhaktapur. In the morning we take a minivan to Nagarkot on the valley rim for a view of the mountains and a leisurely walk to the Nagarkot Farmhouse for a cup of tea. Those of you keen can walk down to Sankhu (about four hours conservatively down hill and on the flat) where we are picked up and returned to Bhaktapur. The others will walk back to Nagarkot (about one hour) and take a ride down in the van. Day 08 (April 27) Begnas Tal. We leave the morning free for you to enjoy Bhaktapur and then head to the domestic airport for our flight to Pokhara (about 180km west) from where we transfer by bus then boat to Begnas Tal Resort, a tranquil oasis located next to a peaceful lake which will be our base for the next three nights. Day 09 (April 28) Begnas Tal This morning we sleep in a little and then offer up a selection of things to do including a visit to the local school, countryside walk, yoga and meditation or just relaxation. We overnight in Begnas Tal again Your breakfast is supplied but lunch and dinner are at your own expense
(about US$20). Day 10 (April 29) Begnas Tal Those of you who would like to head into Pokhara for a bit of shopping and sight seeing today is the day. Pokhara is a bustling little city with everything on offer so let me know early on whether you want to do this and I will arrange transportation. Those of you staying, once again I will arrange a walk in the countryside. Day 11 (April 30) Kathmandu This morning early we bid farewell to Begnas and glide back across the lake to our waiting bus which will carry us back to Kathmandu. It will be an-day drive (5-8 hours depending on road conditions with lots of check points) but with plenty of opportunities to enjoy the incredible countryside. We will stop at a typical roadside turnout for a lunch of dal bhat (the Nepali staple – supplied). We should reach Kathmandu before 4pm where we overnight in Summerhill Guest House in Patan. Day 12 (May 1) We don’t venture too far today, heading to what must certainly be the most beautiful spot in the entire Kathmandu Valley. We leave early and head to Khopasi via the back roads (it might be a little bumpy). Khopasi is a typical dusty road head town (read: not very pleasant) From Khopasi our gear will be transferred to Balthali and we make the approx 2-3 hour walk to our accommodation. We aim to reach there before midday. There is uphill walking involved in getting to Balthali including a half an hour steep climb at the end so be warned. Unspoiled by the effects of modernization, Balthali Village Resort
sits atop a hill overlooking stunning fields and the Langtang/Helambu
Himal in the distance. There are numerous short or longer walks to
be done from this place into forests or fields or you can relax and
enjoy the view and read a book. Breakfast/Lunch and dinner are provided
as part of our stay at Balthali Day 13 (May 2) In Balthali we are able to visit the village and meet some of the locals or you can just relax and enjoy the surroundings with a book. Tonight we will invite some local school children and a fabulous singer to come along and entertain us with their repertoire. Day 14 (May 3) We leave in the morning for the walk back to Khopasi where our bus is waiting to take us back to Kathmandu. We overnight at Dwarikas Hotel, certainly the most beautiful hotel in the country and also considered a heritage site. Dwarikas is located near Pashputinath (the most holy site for Hindus in Nepal) and we can walk here in the afternoon or just relax and enjoy the surroundings. For those of you who would like to stay longer at this incredible place I have access to good rates. We will enjoy our final night dinner together here. Day 15
(May 4) trip officially finishes although there are plenty
of extension options I would encourage you to consider that I
can organize. My Philosophy |
