9-Day Nepal Highlights Premium Tour

Nine Days of Culture, Wildlife, and Mountains

Days 1 to 2 | Kathmandu Valley

Arrive in Kathmandu and start with the city’s most important sites. Swayambhunath, the hilltop stupa known as the Monkey Temple, gives you a first view over the valley from above the western edge of the city. Patan Durbar Square, a medieval royal court built in the Newari tradition, is one of the best surviving examples of the craftsmanship behind the stone carvings, gilt rooftops, and intricate timber facades of the valley’s temples. Kathmandu’s Durbar Square in the old city includes the Kumari Ghar, the residence of the living goddess, and the medieval temples and palaces of the former royal quarter. The optional Everest Mountain Flight on the morning of Day 2 flies past the high Himalaya in a small aircraft, for those who want to see the peaks before the mountain sections of the trip.

Day 3 | Bhaktapur and Dhulikhel

On Day 3 you head east from Kathmandu to Bhaktapur and then Dhulikhel. Bhaktapur is the most intact of the three medieval cities and the best one for slow walking: the lanes of the old city are car-free, and the Newari architecture along them is better preserved than in the other two valley cities. The Golden Gate at the entrance to the Palace of Fifty-Five Windows is the best-known piece of gilt repousse metalwork in Nepal. Dhulikhel, at 1,550 meters on the valley rim above the city, looks out on the Himalayan chain: on a clear evening you can see the range from Ganesh Himal in the west to Numbur in the east as a continuous wall of snow.

Days 4 to 5 | Chitwan National Park

The drive south to Chitwan takes the Mahendra Highway through the Terai, the subtropical lowland at the foot of the Siwalik hills. Chitwan National Park protects 952 square kilometers of sal forest, grassland, and river habitat and is the main stronghold of the greater one-horned rhinoceros in Nepal. The jeep safari takes you deep into the grassland and forest where rhinos, deer, and birds feed. The canoe trip on the Rapti River is quieter: the dugout drifts past mugger crocodiles on the sandbars and gharials in the deeper channels, with birds on both banks and the forest reflected in the still water. Professional naturalists from the park lead every activity.

Days 6 to 7 | Pokhara and Sarangkot

The drive west to Pokhara follows the Prithvi Highway through the middle hills, and the Annapurna range appears above the valley rim as you near the lake city. Pokhara sits closer to the high Himalaya than almost any other town its size in Nepal: the south face of the massif rises directly above the northern shore of Phewa Lake and is visible from the city streets. The predawn drive to Sarangkot at 1,592 meters reaches the viewpoint in time for sunrise, when the Annapurna range from Dhaulagiri in the west to Lamjung Himal in the east catches the first light while the land around you is still in shadow. The rest of the day is at lake level: a boat ride on Phewa Lake, the Barahi Temple on its island in the lake, and David’s Fall nearby.

Days 8 to 9 | Boudhanath, Pashupatinath, and Farewell

Back in Kathmandu, the last days cover the two sacred sites the first days did not. Boudhanath, one of the largest stupas in the world, is the center of the Tibetan Buddhist community in Kathmandu, where monks, nuns, and lay people walk the circle around the dome and turn the prayer wheels at all hours of the day. Pashupatinath on the Bagmati River is the most sacred Hindu site in Nepal, and its cremation ghats, sadhus in ochre robes, and constant activity are worth an unhurried visit. That evening, a farewell dinner with traditional Newari food and folk dancing ends the trip.

Day by Day

Days 1 to 2 Kathmandu The Ancient Valley

Arrive at Tribhuvan International Airport and transfer to the boutique hotel for a welcome and a first introduction to the Kathmandu Valley. The city, at 1,400 meters, sits in a bowl of forested hills, and the valley floor is filled with medieval cities, sacred sites, and neighborhoods built up over two thousand years of continuous settlement. The briefing that first evening covers the full nine-day itinerary: the route from the valley to Chitwan and Pokhara and back, the activities at each stop, the hotels, and the practical details.

On the morning of Day 1 you climb the 365 steps of the eastern staircase to Swayambhunath, past prayer wheels and stone carvings worn smooth over the centuries. The stupa at the top, with its painted eyes and layers of Buddhist symbolism, stood above the valley before the medieval cities were built below it. The site is called the Self-Existent because tradition holds that the lotus it grew from rose out of the valley lake on its own, without human hands. Patan Durbar Square in the afternoon has the richest temple architecture of the three valley squares: stone courtyards, gilt rooftops, and the Krishna Mandir, a seventeenth-century temple built entirely of stone in a style more common in northern India than in Nepal, a sign of how widely the Malla kings of Patan drew on other artistic traditions.

Kathmandu Durbar Square, on Day 2, includes the Kumari Ghar, home of the Kumari, a young girl chosen through a strict process to serve as the living embodiment of the goddess Taleju until puberty. The tradition of the living goddess belongs to the Newar culture of the Kathmandu Valley. The square also holds the Hanuman Dhoka palace complex, the royal residence of the Shah kings until they moved to the Narayanhiti Palace in the nineteenth century; its courtyards and museum give the most detailed account of Kathmandu’s royal history in the city. If you take the optional Everest Mountain Flight this morning, it leaves the domestic terminal at sunrise and flies east along the Himalayan chain, with peaks from Everest (8,849 meters) to Kanchenjunga (8,586 meters) visible through the aircraft windows in a single morning.

Stay: Luxury Boutique Hotel in Kathmandu

Day 3 Bhaktapur and Dhulikhel Newari Craft and Mountain Views

Bhaktapur, the easternmost of the three medieval cities, is forty minutes by road from Kathmandu. It was the capital of the Malla kingdom from the twelfth to the fifteenth centuries, and its historic core has been looked after with more care than the other two cities have always managed: the lanes of the old town are free of motor traffic, the facades are maintained, and there is so much Newari stone and timber work that the city still feels medieval. The Golden Gate at the entrance to the Palace of Fifty-Five Windows is one of the most cited works of art in Nepal, a gilt repousse doorway whose detail has led it to be described as the most beautiful example of its kind in the world. The Peacock Window nearby, a carved wooden lattice of peacock feathers worked by generations of artisans, shows the woodcarving tradition at its peak.

Dhulikhel, at 1,550 meters, is a short drive east of Bhaktapur on the Arniko Highway, the road to the Chinese border, just over the valley rim in the middle hills. It is a quiet Newari town, and most visitors come for the view from its eastern ridge: the Himalayan chain from Ganesh Himal in the west to the Numbur group in the east, a continuous wall of snow above the lower ridges when the air is clear. In the late afternoon and at sunset the light on the peaks moves from gold to orange to pink to gray, and the hilltop resorts above town have one of the best Himalayan views you can reach by road. The evening is quieter than Kathmandu, a good last night before heading south.

Stay: Panoramic Hillside Resort in Dhulikhel

Days 4 to 5 Chitwan National Park Jungle and Wildlife

The drive south from Dhulikhel to Chitwan drops through a series of ecological zones, more than 1,000 meters of altitude in a single drive: the middle hills, the Siwalik foothills, and then the flat subtropical lowland of the Rapti valley where the park begins. Chitwan is Nepal’s first national park, established in 1973 and declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984. It protects 952 square kilometers of sal forest, river grassland, and wetland, the main habitat of the greater one-horned rhinoceros in Nepal. The population has grown from fewer than 100 in the 1960s to nearly 700 today, one of the most successful large-mammal conservation stories in Asia, and the park staff who led the recovery still work here.

The jeep safari on Day 4 goes into the grassland and sal forest in the morning, when wildlife is most active. The naturalists who lead the safari identify and explain everything you come across: birds, deer, signs of tiger, and the rhinos themselves. The canoe trip on the Rapti River the next morning is quieter. The dugout drifts past crocodiles on the sandbars and gharials in the deeper channels, the birding is excellent at that hour, and the forest on both banks is reflected in the still water before the morning wind picks up.

In the evenings the naturalist team gives talks at the jungle lodge on the park’s ecology, its conservation history, and the wildlife you are most likely to see. The lodge sits on the park boundary, with forest in view from the rooms and jungle sounds at night. All meals at Chitwan are served at the lodge on a full-board basis, since there is no practical way to eat out in the park.

Stay: Premium Jungle Lodge in Chitwan

Days 6 to 7 Pokhara and Sarangkot Lake and Mountains

The drive west from Chitwan to Pokhara follows the Prithvi Highway along the base of the Himalayan foothills, with the mountains visible above on the right for much of the way. Pokhara, at 800 meters, is Nepal’s second city and its most visited tourist destination, because it pairs a pleasant lake city and a warm subtropical climate with a major Himalayan massif directly above. The Annapurna range rises above the northern shore of Phewa Lake and on clear days is visible from the city streets, with Machhapuchhre, the sacred unclimbed peak whose double summit gives it the local name Fishtail, in the center of the view.

On the morning of Day 7 you leave before 5am for Sarangkot, driving up the hillside above Pokhara in the dark to reach the viewpoint at 1,592 meters before first light. Sarangkot is one of the most visited mountain viewpoints in Nepal. At sunrise the full Annapurna range, from Dhaulagiri in the west through Annapurna I, Annapurna South, Hiunchuli, Machhapuchhre, and the Annapurna II and IV group to Lamjung Himal in the east, catches the light while the hills around you are still dark, and the color moves across the peaks as the sun clears the eastern ridge. After breakfast, a boat ride on Phewa Lake shows the same peaks reflected in the still morning water from a lower angle. The Barahi Temple, on its small island in the lake, is reached by rowboat; it is an active Hindu temple, and from the island you have mountains on all sides.

Stay: Luxury Lakeside Hotel in Pokhara

Days 8 to 9 Kathmandu Boudhanath, Pashupatinath, and Farewell

You return to Kathmandu by road, which is included, or by a short flight at extra cost, whichever you prefer. The flight passes the Manaslu and Ganesh Himal groups on the eastern approach, clear in the morning air. The last days in Kathmandu cover the two sacred sites the first days did not include. Boudhanath, one of the largest stupas in the world, was built in the eighth century at a crossroads on the old trade route between Nepal and Tibet and has been in continuous use since. Since 1959 the Tibetan Buddhist community has made the neighborhood its center and built monasteries on all four sides of the dome. Monks, nuns, and lay people walk around it from early morning until late evening, and that constant activity says more about Boudhanath than a description of the building can.

Pashupatinath on the Bagmati River is the most sacred Hindu site in Nepal and one of the most important Shiva temples in the world. Only Hindus may enter the main temple, but the ghats, the courtyards, the sadhus who receive visitors in the open areas, and the cremation fires on the riverbank can all be seen from the eastern bank, and they deserve unhurried attention. The cremations, the rituals, the sadhus, and the pilgrims are all part of daily worship here. That evening, a farewell dinner at a traditional Newari restaurant, with the full menu of Newar cooking and the folk dancing that goes with it, closes a trip that began in the medieval streets of the same valley nine days earlier.

Stay: Luxury Boutique Hotel in Kathmandu

The Sherpa Standard

Every SherpaHolidays trip is fully supported from arrival to departure. Here is what that means on this one.

Accommodation and Meals

• Boutique Hotels: A luxury boutique hotel in Kathmandu on arrival and return, a panoramic hillside resort in Dhulikhel, and a luxury lakeside hotel in Pokhara.
• Jungle Lodge: Two nights at a premium jungle lodge on the edge of Chitwan National Park.
• Daily Breakfast: Gourmet breakfast at all city and resort hotels for all nine days.
• Full Board at Chitwan: All meals during the two-night stay at the Chitwan jungle lodge: breakfast, lunch, dinner, and afternoon refreshments.
• Farewell Dinner: A farewell dinner on the last evening in Kathmandu with traditional Newari food and a folk dance program.

Leadership and Support

• City and Heritage Guide: A dedicated, professional English-speaking local guide for all sightseeing in the Kathmandu Valley, Bhaktapur, and Pokhara.
• Wildlife Naturalists: Experienced naturalists and park rangers at Chitwan to lead the jeep safari, canoe trip, and nature walks, with talks on the park’s ecology and wildlife.
• Orientation Briefings: An arrival briefing and daily talks on local culture, heritage, and wildlife at each stop.

Transport and Access

• Private Transfers: All ground transportation by private, air-conditioned vehicle for the full nine days, including airport pickup, all drives between cities, and all sightseeing transfers.
• Heritage Access: All entrance fees for UNESCO World Heritage Sites, national park entry fees, temples, and monuments.
• Airport Service: Private airport pickup on arrival and drop-off on departure, timed to your flights.

What Is Not Included

• International airfare to and from Kathmandu and Nepal entry visa fees
• Lunch and dinner in Kathmandu and Pokhara, except the farewell dinner
• Optional activities: the Everest Mountain Flight, paragliding from Sarangkot, white-water rafting, or zip-lining above Pokhara
• Comprehensive travel insurance, which is a condition of every booking. Your policy must cover emergency medical treatment, emergency evacuation, trip cancellation and interruption, and repatriation.
• Tips for guides and naturalists, beverages, laundry, and personal shopping
• Single supplement (for those taking a private room)

Five Highlights

The Annapurna Reflection

Pokhara sits closer to a major Himalayan massif than almost any other city its size in the world. In the early morning, before the afternoon wind ruffles the surface, Phewa Lake reflects the full southern face of the Annapurna range and the sacred pyramid of Machhapuchhre directly above the far shore. The predawn drive to Sarangkot (1,592 meters) reaches the viewpoint before first light. From the ridge, sunrise shows the full panorama from Dhaulagiri in the west to Lamjung Himal in the east: the Annapurna massif catches the light while the hills around you are still dark, and the color moves across the peaks as the sun clears the eastern ridge. It is one of the most visited mountain viewpoints in Nepal, and for good reason.

Medieval Bhaktapur

Bhaktapur is the most intact of the three medieval cities of the Kathmandu Valley. The lanes of the historic core are car-free, and the Newari buildings along them are so well preserved that the city still feels medieval. The Golden Gate at the entrance to the Palace of Fifty-Five Windows is the best-known example of gilt repousse metalwork in Nepal, a doorway whose detail has been described as the finest of its kind in the world. The Peacock Window nearby, a latticed wood carving of peacock feathers worked by generations of artisans, shows the woodcarving tradition at its height. This trip gives you time to walk the lanes slowly instead of covering the square in an hour.

The Wildlife of Chitwan

Chitwan National Park is the main stronghold of the greater one-horned rhinoceros in Nepal. Thanks to one of the most successful large-mammal conservation programs in Asia, the population has grown from fewer than 100 in the 1960s to nearly 700 today. The jeep safari goes into the tall grass and sal forest where rhinos feed. The canoe trip on the Rapti River is quieter: the dugout drifts past mugger crocodiles and gharials on the sandbars, with birds close by on both banks. Professional naturalists from the park lead every activity and explain what you are seeing.

Boudhanath and Pashupatinath

The two sacred sites of the last days represent the two great religious traditions that Nepal holds side by side. Boudhanath, one of the largest stupas in the world, has been the center of Tibetan Buddhist practice in Kathmandu since the community arrived in exile in 1959, and monks, nuns, and lay people walk around the dome at all hours. Pashupatinath on the Bagmati River is the most sacred Hindu site in Nepal, and its ghats, sadhus, and cremation fires belong to a religious practice that has continued without a break. Both are still used for what they were built for.

Seven UNESCO-Listed Places in One Trip

Nepal has four UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and this nine-day trip covers seven listed places in two of them: Swayambhunath, Kathmandu Durbar Square, Patan Durbar Square, Bhaktapur Durbar Square, Boudhanath, Pashupatinath, and Chitwan National Park. Each shows a different side of what Nepal has preserved: the Buddhist hilltop stupa, the three medieval royal cities of the valley, the two sacred river and mountain sites, and the subtropical wildlife reserve at the foot of the hills. With a well-planned route and private transport, you see all seven in nine days without rushing any of them.