Kathmandu and Pokhara valley sightseeing tour

The Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal Area:  1,47,181 sq km Elevation: 60m to 8,848m above the sea level Natural divisions: Terai region (Plains), Elevated Flatlands and Hills and Mountain region Capital: Kathmandu           Population: 27 million (more than 91 ethnic groups and 70 different languages) Language: Nepali (native as well as official) and English Currency: Rupees         National flower, bird and animal: Rhododendron, Lhophophorous (Danphe) and Cow Neighboring countries: Republic of India (east, south, west) and Peoples’ Republic of China (north) Popular tourist destinations: Kathmandu, Patan, Bhaktapur, Pokhara, Lumbini, Chitwan, Janakpur, and Gorkha Destinations listed under UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Pashupatinath, Swayambhunath, Boudhanath, Kathmandu Durbar Square, Bhaktapur Durbar Square, Patan Durbar Square, Lumbini, Chitwan National Park and Sagarmatha National Park. Mountains: 8 out of world’s 10 tallest mountains including Mt. Everest. 240 peaks over 20,000ft Best travel seasons: Spring (March, April, and May) and autumn (September, October, November) are the best seasons; however, Nepal can be travelled any time of the year. Climate: The climate of Nepal varies according to the elevation. The humid, tropical Terai receives the most monsoonal rain and records the country’s highest temperature. The lower hills (900-2,700meters), including Kathmandu Valley are sub-tropical, with hot summer and moderate winters with only the occasional frost. The higher hills (2,700-4,000 meters) are temperate as the hills get plenty of rain, fog and frost. Above 4,000meters, the mountains have cooler, drier alpine climate and daily temperatures vary wildly depending on sunshine, wind and altitude. Flora: 6,000 species of plants (out of which 245 species are only found in Nepal), 118 ecosystems, 75 vegetation, 35 forest types, 319 species of orchid, 50 different species of grasses, 30 species of Rhododendron Fauna: Over 500 species of butterflies, 850 species of birds,185 species of mammals Boudhanath: Located in the northeastern outskirt of the Kathmandu Valley, Boudhanath, another UNESCO World Heritage site in Nepal, is one of the largest spherical stupas in Nepal and one of the largest stupas in the world. This Stupa is an important holiest Tibetan site located outside Tibet. The Stupa is said to entomb the remains of Kassapa Buddha. With a diameter exceeding 100 meters, the area of the Boudha is almost equal to the size of a football field. The monument rises 36 meters above the street. The portion like the pinnacle, spire, square harmika, dome and the base represent the five elements and the 13 tires of the spire symbolize the stages to enlightenment. The umbrella on the top symbolizes the royalty. Along with Swayambhunath, the stupa of Boudhanath is one of the major tourist drawcard of Nepal. Other attractions include Ajima Shrine, Guru Rinpoche Shrine, Gelug Gompa, Kargyu Gompa and Shakya Gompa. Boudhanath is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Nepal. Swayambhunath: Swayambhunath, also known as the Monkey Temple is one of the most sacred Buddhist Pilgrimage sites located in the Kathmandu Valley. The Swyambhunath complex is made up of the main Stupa, a variety of shrines and temples, some dating back to the Lichchhavi period, a Tibetan monastery, museum, and library. This hilltop Stupa has two entrance points: east and southwest. If you choose eastern entrance, you will have to climb up the staircase containing 365 steps; however, if you choose to enter via the southwestern entrance you can hire a car. This complex is an important site for Newar Buddhists as well as Hindus in Nepal. It is one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Nepal. Pashupatinath: Located on the bank of the Bagmati River, 5 Km northeast of the Kathmandu Valley, Pashupatinath is a sacred Hindu temple, where the Hindu pilgrims, yogis, priests and devotees come to worship Lord Shiva in his form of Pashupatinath, “Lord of the Beasts” and the divine guardian of the country. Homage max out on full-moon days and during festivals like Magh Shakranti, Teej, Bala Chaturdasi and Shiva Ratri. It is the largest temple complex in Nepal. Although, the main temple is only open for the Hindu people, the wooded ground offers a number of other attractions and can be visited by anyone.  Moreover, the temple can be viewed from the west, east and north. If you want a view of 9m long 1.5m tall bull made of 100 kilograms of gold, established in the 18the century, choose the west end. To view the trident of Lord Shiva, choose north side and for the panoramic view of the temple, choose the east end. Early morning and evening, the prime Puja hours are the best time to visit the temple. Other attractions of the complex include Mother Teresa Charitable Trust, in which are 5 temples designed in Rajasthani style in the 18th century; 11 queen temple made up of historical and ancient rocks from the mountains above 5330m, Shadhus, Deer Park, Gorakhnath temple, Vishwarup temple, Rama temple, Laxmi-Narayan temple, Raja Rajeshwori temple, and Parvati temple. The most important attraction of this area is the cremation site. It’s a must-visit site in Nepal.   Kathmandu Durbar Square: Kathmandu Durbar Square or Hanuman Dhoka is Kathmandu’s old Durbar Square and is also a major tourist drawcard. This area exhibits over 50 monuments that date back to the 12th century. Most of the temples inside the area are the legacy of Malla Kings and are a mere 3 or 4 centuries old. The total area can be divided into three squares: the south square, the main square and the north square. The South Square: This Square starts at the west of New Road. The South Square consists of Basantapur, Kumari Bahal, Kasthamandap and Maru Hiti. The area of Basantapur starts, where the pavement starting from the west end of New Road ends and the ancient flagstone beings. The first wing we see on our right hand side is the red brick and the dark wood of the Royal Palace. Then comes the nine-storied, four-roofed Bashantapur Tower. The tower looks down on red-bricked Basantapur Square that is filled with souvenir vendors. The street running south alongside it is the Freak Street. The west end of the Square is Kumari Bahal, the home of the living goddess ‘Kumari’ (18th century building). A large Vishu temple lies beyond the Kumari Temple, to your left. On its western side, a finely sculpted big stone statue of Garuda can be seen. Just beyond the statue lies the broad-roofed Kasthamandap, “Pavilion of Wood” (12th century building, built from the wood of a single magical tree). The old Pie Alley (Maru Tol) runs downhill along the north side of Kasthamandap, where one can spot 18the century sunken tap of Maru Hiti. At the top of the street is Ashok Binayak, a very popular shrine of Ganesh. The Main Square: The main square consists of important architectures likes the Maju Deval temple, Shiva and Parvati temple, Gaddi Baitak (a Rana addition to the royal palace, modeled after the National Gallery in London that served as an official hall of state in the early part of the century); the Hanuman Dhoka area that consists of Seto Bhairab, a memorial statue of King Pratap Malla, Degu Taleju temple and the actual Hanuman Dhoka. The door provides an access to the old Royal Palace, in which attractions like Nassal Chowk (coronation courtyard), Basantapur Tower, Lohan Chowk, Mul Chowk, Sleeping Vishnu and the three memorial museums are worth your time and effort. The North Square: The north square  is made up of interesting architectures like 14th –century Jagannath temple,  Krishna temple,  a pair of giant drums dedicated to goddess Taleju, Kaalo Bhairab-a huge bas-relief festooned with six arms and a garland of human head, Taleju temple –one of the largest (40 meter high and surrounded by 16 small symmetrical pagodas) temples in the valley, dedicated to the royal family’s patron deity Taleju Bhawani, Indrapur temple, Narayan Temple, Kotelingesvara Temple, Kagesvara Temple and Mahendresvara Temple.  Also, an old courtyard called Kot, a place of bloody massacre that brought Junga Bahadur Rana to power lies at the northern-western end of the North Square. The Kathmandu Durbar Square is a perfect place to enjoy the ancient art and architecture and the brave history of the city. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Nepal. Bhaktapur Durbar Square: Located 13 km west of Kathmandu, Bhaktapur Durbar Square is a square in front of the royal palace of old Bhaktapur Kingdom. Inside the complex are four distinct squares, namely Durbar Square, Taumadhi Square, Dattatreya Square and Pottery Square. The major attractions of this Square include 55 Window Palace, The Golden Gate, Lion’s Gate, Statue of Bhupatindra Malla and Hanuman and temples like, the Mini Pashupatinath, Batsala, Nyatapola, Bhairava Nath, Erotic Elephant , Ugrachandi and Ugrabhairab, Rameshwar, Badrinath, Kedarnth and the Vatsala Devi. The Durbar Square area is the exhibition of spectacular architecture and skills of the Newari artists and craftsmen over several centuries. It is one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Nepal. Nagarkot: Located 32 km east of Kathmandu, Nagarkot is a hilltop village set on a ridge northeast of Bhaktapur. Situated 200m above the sea level, this hill station is a famous viewpoint of sunrise and sunset over the Annapurna, Manaslu, Ganesh, Langtang, Jugal, Rolwaling, Everest and Nambur range in Nepal. One can also enjoy the picturesque view of the Kathmandu valley and the Shivapuri National Park. Pokhara: Pokhara is another valley and one of the major cities of Nepal situated 200 kms west of the Kathmandu Valley. The valley lies in the center of Kaski District (Gandaki Zone) of Nepal and is one of the major tourist drawcards of Nepal. Pokhara is a gateway to Annapurna trekking. Mountains like Dhaulagiri, Annapurna I and Manaslu, which are 3 out of the 10 highest mountains in the world are within 30 miles of the city. Machhapuchhre is situated closest to the city. Naturally rich Pokhara offers a number of attractions that draws tourists from around the world. Along with the mountain views, one can enjoy a number of temples and monasteries like Taal Barahi, Bindhyabasini, Sitaladevi, Mudula Karki Kulayan Mandir, Sunpadeli, Bhadrakali, Kumari, Akalaa, Kedareshwar Mahadev Mani, Matepani as well as the World Peace Pagoda, Lakes like Phewa Lake, Rupa Lake, Gude Lake, Neurani Lake, Deepang Lake, Maidi Lake, Khastey Lake and Begnas Tal, waterfall like Devi’s Fall,  Caves like Mahendra cave, Crystal cave, Bat cave, Museums like Gurkha Museum, International Mountain Museum, Pokhara Regional Museum, view points like Sarangkot and Naudanda and other activities like cycling & mountain biking, kayaking & rafting, Meditation & yoga, paragliding & microlight flights, motorcycling and swimming. In fact a single day is not enough to enjoy all the attractions of Pokhara. Communication Facilities: Postal, Freight and Cargo Services: The Central Post office is located in Kathmandu near Dharahara Tower. It is open Monday to Friday. The opening and closing time from Monday to Thurday is 10:00 am and 5:00 pm respectively; however, on Friday the office is closed after 3:00 pm. Stamps, aerograms and postcards can be purchased from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm. You can enjoy the services like registration and insurance of mail and packages and IRCs exchange. Large parcels are handled by the Foreign Post Office, which is open Monday to Friday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Express Mail Service (EMS) is available at GPO and at Thamel, Bashantapur and airport postal counters. Postal counters are also situated at the airport in Kathmandu. Telephone Services: Both landline and mobile phone services are available in Nepal. Nepal Telecommunication Corporation located at Tripureshwor is a national service provider that provides telephone, fax, telex, STD, ISD and telegraph services. Some private sectors also provide telephone services. Network coverage is good throughout Nepal except in some rural Himalayan places. Almost all the hotels and private communication sectors provide long distance telephone and fax facilities. During your stay in Nepal, you can buy and use a local SIM card, that is prepaid phone cards (requires 2 passport size photos and passport visa copy to purchase the SIM). The country code for Nepal is 00977 and the area code of Kathmandu is 01. For other inquiries regarding the telephone number 197 can be used. Long distance call rates can be quite expensive, therefore, it is best to use the internet phone. Internet phones are easily accessible in the major cities of Nepal. Internet Services: Email and Internet services are very popular in most part of the country these days. All you need to do is find an internet café. Most of the hotels in the major cities of Nepal provide internet service for the convenience of their guests. The rates in the cities are much lesser compared to the rates in the rural areas. Most of these internet cafes also provide fax, photocopy, and scanning services. Medical Facilities: It is very easy to find a hospital or a private clinic  in the Kathmandu Valley. In fact, Nepal’s top general hospitals and private clinics are located in Kathmandu. These hospitals and private clinics provide top quality service. Other major cities also have a good number of general hospitals. However, in the rural areas of Nepal, health posts have been set up by the government to provide health and medical facilities for both local and visitors. All kinds of medicines are available in Kathmandu.  For the reduction of deaths among trekkers, an association named Himalayan Rescue Association (HRA) was founded in the year 1973. The head office of HRA is located in Lazimpat near the north gate of the Palace Museum. During peak season, it operates aid posts in Pheriche (Khumbu region)  and Manang (Annapurna region) managed by expatriate physicians. However, its main job is to provide free advices to trekkers on altitude sickness, equipments and the condition of trekking routes. Travel Insurance: If you are planning this trip in Nepal, a travel insurance policy that covers all the added expenses that might result due to various health issues, injuries or accidents is a must. Moreover, it should also cover death, misplaced luggage, theft and liability, cancellations, medical treatment (including hospital charges, cost of medicine, doctor’s fees) as well as repatriation cost.  It is also necessary to ensure that the insurance policy covers all extra activities that you are planning to accomplish, throughout your stay in Nepal.  Food and Accommodation: We always make sure that our customers get the right value for their money. Therefore, we always attempt to make some of the best arrangements for our customers. To ensure a comfortable stay, your accommodation is arranged in a tourist standard hotel, both in Pokhara and Kathmandu. Normally, the rooms are twin share, where you will have to share your room with another member of your group. However, this totally depends on the size of your group and the availability of rooms in the hotel. On request, triple share can also be arranged. However, extra charges will be applicable for a single supplement. Breakfast will be provided in the accommodation itself. Vaccination and Medicines: Although you will be consulting your doctor before planning the trip, we highly recommend you to get few vaccinations like Hepatitis A, Japanese Encephalitis, Polio, Rabies, Tetanus, Typhoid and Malaria before planning your trip to Nepal. Moreover, we also recommend your to carry few medicines like Aspirin or Panadol –for pain and fever; Antihistamine – as a decongestant for cold allergies and to prevent motion sickness; Antibiotics, Kaolin preparation (Pepto-Bismol), Imodium or Lomotil – for upset stomach; Rehydration mixture- for the treatment of severe diarrhea; Antiseptic, Mercurochrome and antibiotic powder or similar dry spray – for cuts and grazes; Calamine lotion for irritation from bites or stings; bandages, band aids, a pair of scissors, tweezers - for minor injuries; insect repellent, sun block lotion, lip balms, water purification tablets, throat lozenges, moleskin, Sulamyd 10% eye drops, and Acetaminophen (Paracetamol, Antacid tablets) in your personal first aid kit.  Why choose Amigo Treks and Expedition as your next travel partner? Amigo Treks and Expedition  presents a wonderful opportunity to help you visit those areas, culture and traditions of Nepal that have seldom been explored before.The trip itineraries are fully customized to meet each customer’s requirements, needs and interest. We also partner with local people to help you explore more unseen places of the region you choose to travel. We are highly dedicated and offer years of experience to plan an outstanding adventure trip for you. Nevertheless, customer service is our top priority, therefore, we cater to every possible need of yours during your stay in Nepal, be it the food, accommodation, varied destination  or your communication needs. We highly believe in responsible tourism and also dedicate our service for the development and betterment of the community.  Despite all these facilities, our best packages are offered at very competitive rates with special group discounts. When should I plan this trip? This trip in Nepal can be planned any time of the year. What should I wear? From May through October, lightweight clothing is recommended; however, warm garments are required if you are planning your trip sometime in between October and March. An umbrella or a raincoat is a must during the rainy season (June-August). Your pack list should contain following items: Head:  Hat (with a wide brim), Sunglasses with UV protection, Sunscreen lotion, Lip balm Feet: Thin, light wear inner socks, walking shoes (sneakers and/or sandals) Accessories: Basic first aid kit, water bottles, ear plugs. Toiletries: Soap, shampoo, toothbrush, small wash towel Extras: Camera with extra batteries and cards/films, Binoculars, Reading bok, Journal & Pen.  Our legal documents: Registered under the government of Nepal, Amigo Treks & Expedition is a fully licensed and certified company. Therefore, this company holds complete authority to operate treks, tours, expedition, hiking and many other tourism related services in the Nepal, Tibet and Bhutan. In addition to this, we are also a very active member of the following organizations. Nepal Tourism board (NTB) Trekking Agents Association of Nepal (TAAN) Kathmandu Environment Education Project (KEEP) Ministry of Finance, Department of Taxation Company Registration Office, Pvt. Ltd. Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation, Department of Tourism Industry Passport and Visa Information: It is very easy to obtain Nepal’s visa. You may either apply for a visa at your nearest Nepalese Embassy/Consulate or Mission offices in your own country or you can buy this upon your arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu. To apply for a visa, you need 2 passport size photographs, Visa fees in US dollars and your passport that is valid for at least 6 months before the trip. However, nationals of SAARC countries (India, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Maldives and Afghanistan) and China do not require any visa to visit Nepal. Transit visa for foreign nationalities is only provided for 3 days. Therefore, visa is required for longer stays. However, for the convenience or foreign nationals, a visa is also provided from the borders listed below: Tribhuvan International Airport (Kathmandu) Kakarvitta, Jhapa (Eastern Nepal) Birgunj, Parsa (Central Nepal) Kodari, Sindhupalchowk (Northern Border of Nepal) Belhiya, Bhairahawa (Western Nepal) Jamuna, Nepalgunj (Mid Western Nepal) Mohana, Dhangadhi (Far Western Nepal) Gaddachauki, Mahendranagar (Far Western Nepal) Tourist Visa Fees: Transit visa (3 days) – Free of cost Multiple entry (15 days) – 25 USD or equivalent convertible currency Multiple entry (30 days) – 40 USD or equivalent convertible currency Multiple entry (90 days) – 100 USD or equivalent convertible currency