04 2013 Exploreandenjoy Trip Itinerary Bhutan Nepal en

Explore & Enjoy Travels trip
to Nepal and Bhutan

Tour itinerary for Newcomers
The famous routes

From fascinating Nepal to the last
Kingdom of the Himalayas

Germany: 0049 - 151 - 562 97 844 | Nepal: 00977 - 9841 - 340 586 | mail@exploreandenjoy.com | www.exploreandenjoy.com

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18 Days

Kathmandu with Bouddhanath | Paro |
Thimpu | Punakha | Haa Valley |
Kathmandu with Pashupatinath, Patan
with Tibetan Refugee Camp | Bungamati |
Bhaktapur | Dhulikhel | Nala | Panauti |
Namobuddha | Bardia National Park |
Kathmandu with Swayambhunath

Highlights
Meditate in the famous Tiger's Nest with Buddhist monks. High up sticks this famous monastery on
the rock like a gecko on a wall. Morning mist floats over the mountains - a mystical scenario.
See where the last King of the Himalayas does his official work.
But only with an armour: learn the national sport of Bhutan - archery.
On the footsteps of the black-neck cranes: hike on the 'Gangte trail' in Bhutans mountainous region.
Visit and greet the Takin: Bhutans national animal in Motithang wildlife preserve.
Let the nature of the Himalayan Kingdom embrace you: a hike in the natural beauty of Haa Valley.
Back in Nepal: let the cosmic energy of the Hindu and Buddhist temples in the cities of Kathmandu,
Patan and Bhaktapur touch you.
Lhotse and other high peaks of the Himalayas in your reach: a sunset on the hills east of the
Kathmandu Valley.
Eat with the Newaris: try the delicious cuisine of the ethnic minority in a small traditional village.
Safari on the back of an elephant: A rendez-vous with the Bengal tigers and with river dolphins in
the Bardia National Park.

Cost - This much you pay for this unforgettable experience with Explore & Enjoy Travels and Tours

3.200 EUR p. P. in a double room. Supplement for single occupancy is 350 EUR.
All Explore & Enjoy Travel and Tours trips can be arrange for any number of persons and at your personal travel dates.
The prices for the "Tour itineraries for Newcomers - The famous routes" and Trip Modules are calculated for a minimum of
two persons.
The prices for "The unique experience - Explore & Enjoy Special Tours" count for groups of minimum six persons. In case
you want to enjoy our Special Tours with fewer people, we will send you an individual offer upon request.

Explore & Enjoy Travels trip to Nepal and Bhutan
From fascinating Nepal to the last Kingdom of the Himalayas


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Services - What Explore & Enjoy Travels and Tours provides to create an unforgettable trip for you:

Additional costs for you are:

These or similar hotels are partner of Explore & Enjoy Travels and Tours during your trip:

Organisation of your visa for Bhutan, including fees.
Airport transfers and transportation in a minibus in Nepal and in a four-wheel-drive vehicle in
Bhutan.
International flight Kathmandu Paro - Kathmandu.
Domestic flight Kathmandu - Nepalgunj Kathmandu.
Accommodation in selected hotels (middle to high standard) inclusive breakfast in Nepal and
inclusive full board in Bhutan.
Accommodation for two nights in selected hotels (middle to high standard) near Bardia National
Park inclusive full board.
Two dinners in traditional restaurants in Kathmandu.
Professional German-speaking local guide in Kathmandu and Kathmandu valley.
Professional English-speaking local guide in Nepal outside of the Kathmandu valley and in
Bhutan.
Professional English-speaking national park guide in Bardia National Park.
Organization of National Park permit at Bardia, including fees.
Entrance fees to monuments.
International airfare to Kathmandu, Nepal (depending on the season between 800 and 1,000
EUR).
Visa fee for Nepal, available on arrival: about 40 USD/~30 EUR, three passport size photos are
required.
Meals (not mentioned in the itinerary above) and drinks.
Personal expenses for souvenirs, taxi fares and free time activities not mentioned in the Explore
& Enjoy Travels program.
Services of hotels not included in accommodation rates, like spa treatments, laundry, telephone,
minibar etc..
Entry fees, and similar for any additional activities you undertake personally.
Tips (approximately 50 EUR for the whole trip).
Travel and travel health insurance.
In Kathmandu: Kantipur Temple House
In Paro: Naksel Boutique Hotel
In Thimpu: Namgay Heritage Hotel
In Punakha: Damchen Resort
In Wangdue Phodrang: Punatsanchhu Cottages
Im Haa-Tal: Home stay
In Bhaktapur: Bhadgaon Guesthouse
In Dhulikhel: Namobuddha Resort
In Bardia Nationalpark: Mr. Bs Place Hotel



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Additional Information - Good to know!

Dossier of your trip

Day 1

Departure in your home country.

Day 2
Arrival in Kathmandu
The Explore & Enjoy Travels and Tours team awaits you at Tribhuwan International
airport, takes you to the bus and cares about your luggage. The bus takes you to
your hotel. After the long journey it is time to relax. Enjoy a dinner in a traditional
Nepali restaurant.
Day 3

Onwards trip to Bhutan (Paro)
After an early breakfast you will be taken to the Tribhuwan International Airport from
where you fly to Paro. Welcome to Bhutan, the land of Thunder Dragon. On your
arrival, the local Explore & Enjoy Travels and Tours team awaits you to take you to
your hotel. The rest of the day is yours. Maybe you would like to go for a small walk
in the old town? Or you want to have a small gossip thanks to translation support
of your local guide - with the fruit seller around the corner, drinking a glass of fresh
fruit juice?

The Explore & Enjoy Travels and Tours-team needs to apply for your visa for Bhutan at least one
month before your departure. Your passport must be valid at least 6 months after returning to
your country of residence to receive a visa for Bhutan. Our partner agency in Bhutan sends the
visa confirmation after processing to Explore & Enjoy Travels and Tours. The team then forwards
it to you. Upon arrival in Bhutan you show the visa confirmation and receive a stamp in your
passport.
The dates are chosen that clear air for stunning mountain views can be expected. In the early
morning, the evening and at night it can however - especially in the mountains - cool down
considerably. Therefore, you should pack warm clothes and equip yourself with a waterproof
jacket.
The Explore & Enjoy Travels and Tours-team is doing its best to adjust travel plans to the weather
conditions. Despite that it may occasionally happen that you encounter fog and clouds at a
vantage point. Explore & Enjoy Travels and Tours cannot guarantee for good and stable weather.
Changes in the program due to local circumstances or weather conditions are always possible.
Please read the Terms and Conditions of Explore & Enjoy Travels and Tours online.



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Day 4

Exploring Paro
In the early morning your journey will lead you to the Palphug Taktsang monastery -
the famous Tigers nest. The monastery was built in the eighth century and lies 900
meters on a cliff high above the Paro Valley. It is built in such an acrobatic manner
on a vertical sloping rock on a narrow jutty that the Bhutanese say it is glued there
just like a Gecko on a wall. Especially in the morning, when fog appears around the
rocks this monastery creates its mystical face. Near the monastery are caves which
are used to meditate by the monks until today. After you have climbed the
monastery on a donkey or walking, you find yourself at an altitude of 3,120 meters.
You observe the daily rituals of the monks, praying, debating or touring the
monastery. You admire the paintings and the beautiful prayer wheels. You enjoy
the view of the pine forests in the valley and enjoy the peace and harmony spread
all around this area. The monastery is closed in the afternoon, so that the monks
can meditate without disturbance. After returning back to Paro, you visit the Paro
Dzong fortress from the 17th century. A sequence of the famous Hollywood film
"Little Buddha" was filmed here. You cross a covered wooden bridge to get into the
interior of this complex, where you see 14 shrines and chapels. A seven storied
watchtower is erected on a nearby hill and is serving now as the National Museum
of Bhutan.

Day 5

Exploring Thimphu
After breakfast you will drive
about two hours to Thimpu, the
capital of Bhutan. With less than
80,000 inhabitants, Thimpu is
proud to be one of the smallest
capitals in the world. You visit the
monastery of Tashi Chhoe
Dzong. This huge monastery
serves as seat of the Bhutanese
Government. Also the King has
his office here. Being near the
river of Wang Cho has made
Thimpu a centre for traditional production of fabrics and handmade paper already in
early history. In the Museum of Textile Art and a paper factory, you see the
craftsmanship of the Bhutanese. In the afternoon you have the opportunity of
learning the basics of the national sports of the Bhutanese. Who does not want to
be sportive can visit the national library to gaze at ancient and well-preserved
Buddhist documents or admire Denchencholing Palace and visit the residence of
the first four kings of Bhutan just seven kilometres far away from the city center.
Since the beginning of the fifth King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchucks rule,
Denchencholing is no more used as a Royal Palace. The Palace is reserved for
representative use now. The King resides in the Samteling Palace at present.



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Day 6

On the way to Punakha
Early in the morning you drive to Motithang Takin Preserve. Here you can say hello
to Bhutans national animal, the goat-antelope Takin. The area formerly used to be
a mini zoo till the King decided that the imprisonment of animals was not part of the
Buddhists believe. As letting these captured animal free on the streets of Thimpu
was also not a solution, the government decided to declare the whole area as
preserve. The Takin is best seen in the morning when the animals approach the
fence of the preserve in search of food. You continue your journey to Punakha, the
former capital of Bhutan. You visit the impressive monastery fortress of Punakha
Dzong here. The Dzong is located at the confluence of the Pho Chhu and Mo Chhu
rivers in the PunakhaWangdue valley and was the administrative centre and the
seat of the former Governments of Bhutan. On October 13, 2011 the colourful
wedding of the King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, and his fiance,
Jetsun Pema, was held here. Let the day end with a peaceful walk of about an hour
through the rice fields to Khamsum Yuelley Namgyal Chortens. This temple was
built by the Queen of Bhutan as a sign of peace and stability in our fast moving
world.

Day 7

Around Punakha
You reach the typical Bhutanese town of
Wangdue Phodrang after a 45-minute drive.
Old town and the monastery fortress lie on a
narrow ridge above the river Puna Tsang Chhu
at an altitude of 1,250 meters. After a difficult
journey through the mountains the wide u-
shaped glacial valley of Phobjika opens up,
which presents itself with its golden cornfields.
You trek east of Wangdue to visit a monastery
from the 17th century, the Gangtey Gompa.
The monastery itself differs very little from
other monastries but the location and its
surroundings make it remarkable. You pass
yak herds hiking on the famous 'Gangte Trail'
up to the monastry. Just a few kilometers
behind it lies the village of Phobjika, where the
famous black-neck cranes come in the winter
from their summer home in the Tibetan
plateau. You stay overnight in Wangdue Phodrang.



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Day 8

Excursion to Haa Valley
In the morning, you drive about two and a half hours through charming countryside
to the Haa Valley. Here you have dense coniferous forest as far as the eye
reaches. You cross the Pass Chelala. Below the pass at about 3,500 meters, the
oldest monastery in Bhutan - the Kila nunnery - sticks to the rocks, like a
honeycomb. The nuns receive visitors only rarely as the ascent and descent takes
just over two hours. Who tackles it will be rewarded by a stunning view down to the
Paro Valley and on the two seven-thousanders Jomolhari, the "Mountain of the
Goddess" and Jichu Drake. When you reach the Haa Valley its stunning natural
beauty will convince you: the valley was opened only in 2002 for tourism and still
has preserved its uniqueness.

Day 9
Paro
The day is dedicated to the
nature. Explore the various
walking and hiking routes in Haa
Valley as you return to Paro only
in the afternoon. Paro offers you
the large farm market where local
shops offer you different
Bhutanese colourful delicacies:
Chugo, dried yak cheese, white
when it is cooked and dried in the
sun, brown when smoked, pink
coloured paste of lemon juice and betel nut extract, exotic-looking ferns or dried
cow skin. Drift and explore how the Bhutanese people live their daily routines.
Day 10

Katmandu Pashupatinath
Today, you fly back to Kathmandu. With little luck once again you will have breath
taking views on the Himalayan range. You check in your luxury hotel, which
impresses its visitors with its traditional Nepali design. In the evening you visit
Pashupatinath. This temple attracts people from all over the world and is one of the
most important religious site for Hindus. This temple complex shows you the life cycle
of the human beings from birth to death. On one side you see colourful pilgrims and
local civilians exercising their religious rituals and on the other side you face the
cremations on the bank of Bagmati river. You observe young priests waving stands
full of butter lamps at the evening ceremony Aarati dedicated to the river Bagmati
Ganges. Hundreds of butter-lamps reflect in Bagmati and you can join in to sing the
mantras or clap together with the crowd.



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Day 11

Patan Bungamati Tibetan
Refugee Camp
Today you visit the neighbouring town
of Kathmandu Patan - on the other
side of the Bagmati River. In the
shadow of its impressive temples and
palaces, you taste the famous Newari
Pizza and let a local singing bowl
healer present you the power of
vibration and sound. Later you drive
to the country side and enter the
world of Newari farmers. You learn
how they survive and what they grow. On the way back you stop at the Tibetan
Refugee Camp to observe the world famous Tibetan carpet production. You learn
about the struggle of Tibetan refugees.

Day 12

Bhaktapur
After checking out from your Hotel in Kathmandu you drive approximately 45
minutes to reach Bhaktapur. It is a town like an open-air museum: Bhaktapur was
completely destroyed in 1934 because of a massive earthquake and came again
into life after Helmut Kohl, one of the former German chancellors, approved
reconstruction on behalf of the German Federal Republic. You admire the art of
wood carving at the traditional houses, temples and palaces. You visit a traditional
Thangka painting workshop. Later you observe how clay pots are made in the
century-old style till today. You stay overnight in Bhaktapur in a traditional hotel.

Day 13

Dhulikhel - Nala - Panauti- Namobuddha
Your journey takes you to Dhulikhel. The town lies on the eastern hills, which
confine the Kathmandu Valley, about 30 miles outside of Nepal's capital. Explore
the area and stroll through the two Newari villages Nala and Panauti. You enjoy the
sunset at Namobuddha Resort. If you are lucky and the view is clear, all major
mountain giants introduce themselves in front of you: the summit of Annapurna with
8,091; the Ganesh Himal with 7,472; the Langtang peaks up to 7,234; the
Gaurishanker with 7,134; and the Lhotse with 8,516 meters. In the evening, the
chef at the restaurant of your resort shows what the Nepali cuisine means.



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Day 14

Bardia National Park
Today you depart from the airport
in Kathmandu and fly about an
hour south-west. You arrive in
Nepalgunj. The city has about
60,000 inhabitants and is located
in the Terai, Nepal's lowland
which has a border with India on
the full-length. From the airport it
takes you about three hours
drive to Bardia National Park. In
the park you are between 150 meters above sea level in the Terai and 1,441
meters in the Churia hills. With its nearly 1,000 square kilometers size, Bardia is
located east of the river Karnali.
The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) could announce proudly in the summer of 2012
that the tiger population in the Park has doubled in just two years. Of course you
need to be lucky to encounter a Bengal tiger, right off the bat. But even when it is
not happening you can watch rare wild animals such as Barasingha deers, Asian
wild elephants, Blackbucks, Ganges- Gavials, Marsh Crocodiles and one-horned
Rhinoceroses. Ganges dolphins are regularly sighted in the Park. You will stay in a
jungle lodge in the vicinity of the Park.

Day 15

Bardia National Park
This day is dedicated to the animal world. You start with an elephant safari. High up
on the back of a grey pachyderm you can best observe the wildlife. Especially the
one-horned rhinos can be approached very closely like this. Later you will visit an
elephant breeding center and a sanctuary for crocodiles. In addition, you have the
opportunity to visit a traditional village of the Tharu, an indigenous group of the
Terai area. You can visit traditional houses, get to know dances and rituals and
learn about the living conditions of the Tharus.
If you like you can join a canoe tour in the afternoon and try to spot a dolphin
underway. In the late afternoon you start again for a safari, this time walking. A
professional National Park ranger and guide will draw your attention to the
extraordinarily numerous different of bird species. You stay again in a jungle lodge
near the Park overnight.

Day 16

Bardia National Park Nepalgunj Kathmandu
You also start this day with an elephant safari and hope that the fortune is with you
and you spot a tiger. Later, you leave Bardia and go back to Nepalgunj. There you
will visit the Bageshwari Temple with its beautiful sacred lake and a huge statue of
Lord Shiva. In the evening you fly back to Kathmandu.



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Day 17

Kathmandu
Today morning you visit Swayambhunath,
the monkey temple. The stupa is an
important sanctuary of the Newari
Buddhists. The complex is located on a hill
from where you can enjoy a stunning
panoramic view on the Kathmandu Valley.
On the way back to the hotel, you undertake
your last minute shopping in Nepal. Your
departure will be difficult. Therefore the
Explore & Enjoy Travels and Tours team
accompanies you to the International Airport
in Kathmandu and give you a farewell with
all due respect and a Nepalese ceremony
for your trip to your home country.

Day 18

Arrival in your home country.

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