Family Holiday in Nepal (Annapurna)

A black diamond representative makes an arrangement for your transfer to the hotel from TIA in Kathmandu. You will meet the group at a hotel. Depending on arrival times you will be able to have a rest and freshen up before meeting with the guide in the late afternoon. When you are ready for the outing, we’ll drive you to Swayambhunath Stupa (Monkey Temple) to watch the first Nepali sunset over the Kathmandu Valley. Swayambhunath,being one of the oldest stupas in Nepal, is an important centre for Buddhism. Adorned with prayer flags, it offers you an opportunity to view the whole Kathmandu valley. Afterwards, you will have dinner at a traditional local restaurant where they serve classic Nepali food and during dinner you get entertained by smiling dancers in their traditional attire. It’s a great start and introduction to your family holiday in Nepal.

Dinner

This morning you will learn about two major religions of Nepal: Hinduism and Buddhism. We visit the two most important heritage sites of Kathmandu, the Pashupatinath Temple, which is famous amongst Hindus and the Boudhanath stupa, famous amongst Buddhists. It is a very interesting morning and gives us a deeper understanding about the people of Nepal. This afternoon we have a briefing about our trek, as well as some free time when we can relax in the peaceful gardens of our hotel.

Kathmandu Valley has been a tourist dreamland for centuries and on this full-day sightseeing tour you will learn about its long history of Buddhist and Hindu cultures. As its political, commercial and cultural hub, Kathmandu City is the first stop for the majority of visitors to Nepal, providing the gateway to the great treks of the Himalayas and the Valley. Once a separate kingdom in itself, the Valley contains three fabled cities – Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur. Out of 10 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Nepal, 7 are located in the Valley. The history of the Valley begins with the Buddhist saint Manjushree who slashed a passage through the surrounding hills to drain out the primordial waters and make it inhabitable. Over the centuries, a refined urban civilization emerged, built on a unique synthesis of Hinduism and Buddhism. This tour will take you on a fascinating journey that combines history with the unique world of present day Kathmandu. You will have the services of an English and multi languages speaking guide and travel by air-conditioned vehicle as you explore sights such as Durbar Square, with its array of temples overlooked by the ancient palace of Nepalese Royalty.

Breakfast

The journey today is also full of excitement as you will travel to the town of Thimi in Bhaktapur (approximately 1 hr drive) where we meet the carvers who make the traditional wooden masks. They will show us the workshops and the techniques that they use for making a Nepali Mask. We then choose our mask and spend a few peaceful hours painting our mask under the expert advice of the carver. We have lunch here and finish our masks before driving back to the hotel. We take our masks with us, which makes an excellent personalised souvenir to take home with us.

The powerful and characteristic style of traditional Himalayan Masks is drawn from diverse cultures: from shamanism and village myths to the classical traditions of Buddhism and Hinduism. Tibetan and Nepalese Masks depict numerous Buddhist and Hindu deities in a style characterized by elaborate symbolic decorations and ornaments. All the Nepalese Hindu and Buddhist Masks are hand made by Master wood-carvers in their workshops and follow the rules of ancient Buddhist and Hindu iconography. Soft wood is used to carve the masks and they are much lighter than you would expect. The Masks can be placed on external or interior walls, above or beside doors and windows, to invoke the aid of popular Hindu and Buddhist deities. Carved from a single piece of wood, these masks symbolize prosperity and good fortune. Today, you will learn how these masks are made. You can also have an option to draw and design your own mask the way you want it to look. The master carver will be at your side to guide you step by step in the carving process. After the carving is done, you will paint your mask on your own.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today your adventure begins with a short early morning flight to Pokhara. This fabulous town has much more to offer us and we will explore it only after we complete our trek. One of our drivers will be waiting to receive us at Pokhara Airport and we head to Galeshwor (1500m) that offers us a scenic journey of approximately 4-5 hours. We will be driven around the edge of the Annapurna Conservation Area having sights of impressive and stunning 8000m peaks. The true rural Nepali life can be oberseved in this area. The start of our linear trek is in the small village of Galeshwor on the Jomsom Road. This village lies on the bank of the mighty Kali Gandaki River and is surrounded by the foothills of the mountain giants, which are covered in forest or terraced for the village farmers. We arrive in the afternoon and have some time to explore.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

The first day trek begins this morning. We meet our porters and support crew who are going to walk with us for the next 6 days. When everyone is ready, we start our trek. Compared to your speed, you may often notice that the porters usually have faster gait and they arrive at the night’s stop before us. We only have a short walk today but it’s mostly uphill as we ascend into the mountains. The route is well marked and maintained, and will be a combination of steps and rocky paths. We have plenty of time so can stop for photos and breaks. Depending on the group, we have lunch either along the way or when we arrive at the village of Banskharka,where we spend the night.

This section of our trek is away from the main tourist routes, which makes it delightfully rural and remote. We stay with a family in a homestay which is fun and exciting. There will be lots of people and family members to meet and greet, and we will experience a lot of smiles and generosity from these beautiful and humble people. These are truly special moments to share with your family, opening our children’s eyes to the world and how people live in these remote communities.

Banskharka is a beautiful Magar village. It has a history of oranges, mandarins and honey production. You will have an opportunity to share and learn about the orange farms and bee-keeping projects. On top of that, you will have an organic taste of the oranges and honey. You will have your dinner at the villagers’ houses as part of a homestay program. We will manage that all for you. There may be a possibility of using a free WiFi if there is no power cut.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today, we continue our trek eastwards. We share the trail with the locals going about their daily lives. It is normal to see porters carrying bulky loads on their heads or their backs up to the villages. Both the locals and the porters are found to be carrying building materials such as wooden Planks and timber for the construction of houses, cables for bridges and grass or hay for the animals from the fields. This is a normal business of the day for the local people along the trails.

Our walk today is up hill again as we slowly gain a little more altitude. As we move upwards, we feel so exciting as the scenery changes to a different beauty as we take turn at every bend. The small community at the village of Nagi will give us a warm welcome. Tonight we stay at the community lodge belonging to the village as there are not enough tourists to have private tea houses such as those we find along the main routes. Views from Nagi are pretty amazing – and you will really feel like you are immersed in the Himalayas now with views of distant snow-capped mountains. We have time to explore the village of Nagi and meet some of the local people.

Nagi village is the birth place of Mahabir Pun who is a social entrepreneur and an activist popularly known for his extensive work in applying wireless technologies to develop remote areas of the Himalayas through his Nepal Wireless Networking Project. This village has launched different Community Projects to generate income for community support and environment preservation like Fish Farming, promotion of Community based school, Shiitake mushroom farming, Handmade Lokta paper Making Project, Women’s clinic and Forestry nursery. You will have an opportunity to learn and participate in one or all of these projects should you desire to. Hot shower is provided at the lodge. Free WiFi is also available at the Community Lodge if there is power.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

The awesome views of the 8000m peaks behind the layers of foothills makes the path out of Nagi fantastic. We gain some altitude and this becomes the longest walking day taking for around 5-6 hours. Nevertheless, we should be suitably accustomed to hiking by now. Views of the deep valley carved by the Kali Gandaki River are clearly visible today. We head up to the Hampal Pass (3008m) meeting the ridge which we follow along to Mohare Danda. We walk not only through rhododendron forests which are at their most magnificent in the Spring but also go across flower filled alpine meadows. We finally arrive at our destination and a truly spectacular viewpoint – Mohare Danda located at 3300m. This is our highest point of the trip. We stay overnight here in the community lodge which is perched on the very top of Mohare Danda where we can sit at the window and enjoy the mighty Himalayan vista of the Annapurnas, Machhapuchhre (fishtail mountain), Dhaulagiri, Tukche and many more. We can also sometimes see right down to Phewa Lake next to Pokhara.

We are close to the famous Poon Hill from here, which is also in sight. But at Mohare Danda we are slightly higher, and there are not the hundreds of people that are found at Poon Hill for sunrise. However, the mesmerizing sunrise and sunset is brilliant. The community lodge serve us meals from the productive vegetable garden tended by our hosts. 24-hour Free WiFi facility is also avialable depending on the continuty of the power supply.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This morning we can watch the mesmerizing sunrise either by climbing out of our sleeping bags in the lodge or from the viewpoint outside built here at Mohare Danda. Having taken some memorable pictures, and soaked up with this magical and tranquil atmosphere, we go back into the lodge for some breakfast and pack up for our walk today. We walk along the ridge, the southern section of the Khopra Danda ridge trail. This walk can offer breathtaking views, with wisps of clouds swirling around and we might see some gigantic vultures and eagles circling above us.

All along the ridge we have Dhaulagiri in the line of sight as we descend onto Poon Hill (3210m) where we enjoy the famous views before descending down to the small town/village of Ghorepani (2874m). We stay overnight in Ghorepani, which is on the main Annapurna trekking routes. We have the opportunity to see and purchase the colourful knits that the locals are selling including hats, belts, gloves, cardigans and blankets etc. It’s is also fun to be with other trekkers and hear their stories and tales of their adventures.

You will have an outstanding view of the Himalayas including Mount Dhaulagiri, Annapurna South, Machhapuchchhre (fishtail), Nilgiri and many other snow-capped mountains and hills. Another attraction of this trek is to witness the holy Khair Lake (Khayer Tal). However, please be informed that you require a little experience of high attitude because it is situated at 4600 meters from the sea level. Nevertheless, this can be an extended trip as we need to reach Ghorepani to stay overnight. You will pass through thick pine, oak, rhododendron and bamboo woods along with exquisite vistas, crossing delightful ethnic tribes of Magar, Gurung, Kami, Damai, Chhetri and Brahmin villages which profoundly own terraced cultivating terrains.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today, we head towards Tirkhedhunga, which is pretty much all downhill from Ghorepani. The path is wide and well-built as we descend. There are some areas with many stone steps to go down. Rhododendron forests also feature this area. They are enormous and exceptionally beautiful with pinks and reds in the spring. We pass by numerous small villages and houses as we make our way down. It gets a little warmer as well. We stay overnight in the village of Tirkhedhunga. It is a joyful walk as we are still feeling excited about our achievements of our trek up on the Mohare Danda ridge.

We come across a 3200 step stairs while trekking from Ghorepani to Tirkhedhunga, which hopefully every trekker enjoys at his or her best. Descending towards Tirkhedhunga, you will have an opportunity to sightsee the valley downwards along with the natural landscape of the area. Interestingly, you can also observe the clouds dance upon mountain tops and the sun casts its light to various effect throughout the day. There are so many wonderful views that you could easily take hundreds of photos. Tikhedunga is a small village with a few Guest Houses for travellers.

The Guest Houses are all blue and can be seen from a distance. When we arrive at a guest house the guide will place a food order and you will be relaxing. This allows for the kitchen to prepare everything for the time the group has specified to eat. The food at these Guest Houses is something very wonderful and home cooked. The guest houses are run by families who do everything. Tonight, we will stay in one of the best guest houses here. Please be reminded that the accommodations in these routes are sparse but comfortable which is all you need.

There are showers available but a thing to be aware of is that most of the hot water is generated by wood fire, and as such should be used sparingly. An alternative to using the showers while trekking, or if you are trekking and don’t have access to shower facilities, is to use Baby Wipes to clean your pits and bits because in all likelihood, regardless of how much you shower you will still smell by the end of the trip. Using Baby Wipes will allow you to sanitise the areas that need it and will generally have a lower environmental impact.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

The last day of our trekking takes us out to the road heading to Nayapul. The walking is either flat or downhill and the path turns into a dirt track road sometime before the main town. When we arrive in Nayapul it is suddenly odd to see cars driving along the roads because we’ve not seen any for a whole week. Here we say goodbye to our trekking team who have looked after us over the past week and board our vehicle back to Pokhara. Our drive is 1-2 hrs back to Pokhara and it gives us time to reflect on the wonderful walk that we have completed and the memories we have taken with us. In Pokhara, we check into our hotel for a well-deserved shower, possibly a swim in the pool and dinner before a nice soft bed!

Being a small village, we don’t need much time to spend to understand and sightsee the view of Tirkhedhunga. Therefore, we start our trip towards Nayapul today. During the walk, you will see the natural landscape along with the views of mountains and hills. Nayapul is also a small village near the river. From Nayapul, you will be transferred to Pokhara by a reserved transportation.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We have a free day today for you to relax and ‘do your own thing’. The hotel has a swimming pool, bar and restaurant – you can spend your time here, or you can explore the laid-back town of Pokhara. It has many nice cafés, restaurants and optional activities that we can do if we have some energy. We can arrange hire bikes or a boat trip on the Phewa lake.

Today is a free day for you. You can either relax the whole day. However, we suggest you should take advantage of sightseeing Pokhara, the second largest city. You can go boating in Phewa lake or visit Bindhyabasini temple, Mahendra cave, Patale cave and many other interesting temples, shrines Old Bazaar, Tibetan Refugee Camp, international mountain museum, Gurkha memorial museum and monasteries. You require an extension should you be interested in excavating Pokhara. Your guide will usher you towards some interesting places as per your demand provided that time allows you to complete the sightseeing in a day. Overnight, you will be ushered to one of the hotels with all the faciilities you require.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

A relaxed morning today in Pokhara before our flight back to Kathmandu at around lunchtime. We then transfer back to our hotel in Kathmandu, which is nice and familiar now. Here we can swim in the pool or relax in the gardens, or explore Kathmandu for some last minute souvenirs. This evening we enjoy a farewell celebratory dinner with our new friends.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Depending on our flight times today we might be able to take part in the optional ‘cooking like a local’ experience. This is a morning session which finishes after lunch, so flights should not be booked before 1600 if you wish to take part. This is payable locally. Our specialist guide takes us to the bazaar in Kathmandu to source fresh ingredients, which we then take use to cook a classic Nepali dishes such as Mo Mo, Dal Bhat or Allo Paratha, which we then eat all up for lunch! Airport transfers are included for all flights on this day.

This will be your final day in Nepal. However, since your flight is at night, you have the day with you and you can utilize this time in ‘cooking like a local’ in one of our hotels. You can learn to prepare Nepali food items. In the evening, you will be transferred to TIA for your departure.

Breakfast