Kathmandu and outskirts Tour with Hiking

Welcome to the land of Himalaya! On arrival in Kathmandu Airport, you will be met by our representative who will be waiting with an Icicles Adventure sign. Upon meeting our company’s representative at arrival terminal at the airport, you will be transferred to your respective hotel in our private comfortable vehicle. Accommodation: Kathmandu Hotel. Included Meal: B

In the early morning we will go for a scenic Mount Everest flight. This amazing experience will take you over Sagarmatha National Park, over some of the highest peaks in the world, climaxing with getting up close to Mount Everest. Late in the morning, we start a guided tour to four of the historical and spiritual sites in Kathmandu which are also listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites to provide you an insight on the history, religious significance, architecture, and culture of prosperous Kathmandu. Major sites we visit are Pashupatinath, Swoyambhunath, Bouddhanath and Durbar Square.

Pashupatinath, scared Hindu Temple of Pashupatinath dates back many hundreds of years and makes it one of the most important Shiva locations across the Indian subcontinent. Besides being a place of worship, it is also the most important cremation site for the Hindus in Nepal. Here you will see Hindu holy men (sadhus) meditating, pilgrims bathing, and occasionally funeral pyres burning on the ghats.

Durbar Square is a complex of historic palaces, courtyards and temples, built between the 12th and 18th centuries, used to be the seat of the ancient Malla kings of Kathmandu. An intriguing piece here is the 17th century stone inscription set into the wall of the palace with writings in 15 languages.

Next we will visit Swoyambhunath Stupa, popularly known as Monkey temple due to abundance of monkey found in the shrine area is a 2000 years old stupa situated on a hillock. It is world’s most glorious Buddhist shrine and its main temple is capped by a pinnacle of copper gilt and is painted on the four sides with all seeing eyes of Lord Buddha.

Next come Bouddhanath which is a Buddhist shrine and one of the large Stupas in the world.  You will visit Bodhnath Stupa, one of the biggest Buddhist shrines in the world, where you can observe Buddhist monks in prayer in the monasteries surrounding the stupa. The shrine has unique octagonal Mandala design with hundreds of prayer wheels and the 108 images of the Buddha are set into the niches around the huge structure.  The area of Bouddhanath is also famous for over 50 Tibetan monasteries, thus the area is also known as ‘Little Tibet’. As you wander round the shops surrounding the stupa, you will find yourself interacting with monks in their maroon and saffron robes, and traditionally dressed Tibetan refugees who live here at the religious center for Himalayan Buddhists. You can join the locals to circumambulate the stupa, bargain for handicrafts in the shops or sit on a rooftop restaurant and absorb the atmosphere. Accommodation: Kathmandu Hotel. Included Meal: B

After breakfast you will drive on to Bhaktapur, which was once the capital of Nepal and the Great Malla Kingdom during the 15th century. Its rich heritage, inspiring temples and artisanal history played a big part in Bhaktapur being named a UNESCO World Heritage site. Spend the day exploring Bhaktapur’s famous temples, starting at Durbar Square, which is reputed to be the most beautiful piece of art in Nepal. Durbar Square is home to the majestic Lion Gate and Golden Gate. You will also visit Patan Durbar square at the center of Latitpur city which is a marvel of Newari ancient architecture. Temple of Krishna, Golden Temple, Bhimsen Temple, Vishwanath Temple, etc. Patan is famous for arts and craftsmanship, so you might buy some beautiful souvenir from this city of artist. We drive to Nagarkot for overnight stay. Nagarkot is a beautiful hill station popular for sunrise and sunset views. Accommodation: Kathmandu Hotel. Included Meal: B

After breakfast we start our hike. We hike through the panoramic hills, forests enjoying the Himalayan vistas. The trek gives us chance to witness interesting traditional practices, lush vegetation and rich birdlife. The small town of Dhulikhel  at 1450m is a historical. The Newari inhabitants who are generically and artistic have made Dhulikhel a charming place. Streets are lined with brick houses, carved wooden windows, sloping roofs, pagoda temples and sacred statues everywhere. The major places to visit are the Narayan and Harisiddhi temples which are adorned with profuse wood carvings. The Gokhureswar Mahadev temple, a  30 minutes walk to the eastern part of town, is a peaceful and scenic spot. The Bhagawati temple is situated at a height in the western part of Dhulikhel and dominates the skyline. From here, you can get a beautiful vista of the town and surrounding areas. 7 hrs. Accommodation: City Hotel. Included Meal: Breakfast

We start early for a hike to Namobuddha. From Dhulikhel, the trail climbs up to the Kali Mandir, a temple dedicated to Goddess Kali. From there the trail drops down to the village of Kavre and past a line of shops and tea houses. It then climbs again through pine woods past Phulbari and up and down a couple of more hills before you reach the hill of NamoBuddha. Namobouddha situated at an elevation of 1750m is very important Buddhist Pilgrimage located in Kavre District about 38 km east of Kathmandu. The Stupa and shrines built in this lovely little hill mark a very ancient holy site where a legendary prince named Mahasattva offered himself to a starving Tigress with several underfed cubs. This legendary episode is depicted in a stone slab and placed right next to a holy Stupa. After spending some time at Namobuddha we drive back to Kathmandu.

Today your cultural and wildlife tour in Nepal with Trekking experience ends. If you have late flight you may explore around Kathmandu yourself or spend time shopping and strolling around the Thamel area. Finally, you will be transferred to International airport 3 hours prior to your flight time.