Buddhist Pilgrims with Pokhara Tour

Welcome to Kathmandu! After your arrival at the airport, our representative will welcomess and transfer you to your hotel in the heart of the city. On your first day, you can explore the vibrant streets and the winding allies while discovering numerous restaurants, cafes and stores in the shopping area Thamel. The evening is yours to settle down after your long journey.

Today you will visit three famous spiritual sites in the Kathmandu valley: Boudhanath, Pashupatinath and Namo Buddha. Boudhanath, the world’s largest stupa with 36 meters, lies about 6 km east of the center of Kathmandu. The design of the stupa is really fascinating, with hundreds of prayer wheels and 108 small images of Buddha all around. As you enter from the hustling main street, you will feel the peace and spiritual energy of this place. It is surrounded by numerous rooftop restaurants so enjoy you lunch while having an astonishing view over the stupa.

The world heritage site Pashupatinath is one of the most famous Hindu temples in the world. Dedicated to Lord Shiva with its golden pagoda style roofing and richly carved silver doors, and situated on the bank of the holy Bagmati River, cremation processes of the Hindu body are happening regularly. This is a very emotional procedure, yet it offers another perspective on the cycle of life.

The pilgrimage site Namo Buddha is situated about forty kilometers from Boudhanath. Located on a slightly elevated land, it is a pleasant and serene place. In this wide panorama, some mountains glisten white like a conch shell or a crystal. From here you can also see forests that seem to gleam with emerald and turquoise jewels.

Free time in Namo Buddha and drive back to Kathmandu

Today you will leave early in the morning from Namo Buddha and fly to the birthplace of Lord Buddha “Lumbini”. Situated in the Terai region, this place is one of greatest pilgrimage sites for Buddhists.

More than 400,000 Buddhists and non-Buddhists visit Lumbini every year. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site and holds immense archeological and religious importance.

The next day holds the opportunity to further explore this city.

Early in the morning, after breakfast, you will head to Pokhara, the lake city, which is the third largest city of Nepal. It takes around 6 hours by bus to get there. Pokhara offers a variety of different trekking and other activities and is famous for its stunning view over the Himalayan range and gorgeous lakes. It is also famous for activities like boating, trekking, rafting and thrilling adventurous sports like Paragliding or Zip Lining.

Early in the morning your guide will lead you to Sarangkot, a village situated on the top of a hill just north of the Phewa Lake where you can experience the reflection of the rising sun on the mountains. On a clear day, the panoramic ranges of Annapurna, Dhaulagiri, Machhapuchhre and Ganesh Himal can be seen. You will have a stunning 360 degrees view: in the other direction, the vast Phewa Lake opens up before you.

In the afternoon you will hike to the Peace Pagoda for watching the sunset. The Peace Pagoda in Pokhara is the first World Peace Pagoda in Nepal and the seventy-first pagoda built by Nipponzan-Myōhōji in the world. The white pagoda has two tiers for tourists and religious people alike to walk around it, from where you will have stunning views over the Himalayan Range as well as the Phewa Lake.

Pokhara truly offers an all-round package for travelers, since it’s full of leisure and adventure activities. There are lot more things you can explore in Pokhara such as the Devi’s Dall, Mahendra Cave, Bat cave, a Tibetan refugee camp or a museum. Your Guide will organize all those sightseeing tours to you.

Optionally, being an adventure city, you can go paragliding above the city, traveling 160km per hour in a Zip flyer or if you are daring and love adventure, Skydiving was recently added to the list. Mountain biking is another thing you can do in this tranquil city.

Today you will visit Pharping, an ancient city situated in Southern region of Kathmandu. It was popular with the name “Shikharapuri Mahanagari” (Metropolitan City) which was recognized as an independent state with 48000 people in ancient time. Shikharapur was once an independent Newari State. It also holds great religious importance as the great Guru Padmasambhava got enlightened at Asura Cave, Gorakhanath and Sheshnarayan Cave at Pharping.

Major attractions in Pharping are the Goddess Dakshinkali Temple, Asura Cave, Gorakhanath, Sheshnayan Temple, Hyanglashi, Gopaleshwor, Bajrayogini, and numerous monasteries (or gumbas).

Afterwards you will visit Swayambhunath or the Monkey Temple, atop a hill, overlooking most parts of the valley. It is not only home to troops of monkeys but also the perfect example for the religious harmony between Hinduism and Buddhism in Nepal, since large numbers of Buddhists and Hindus alike visit Swayambhunath throughout the day. 365 stone steps lead up to Nepal’s oldest stupa, from where you will have magnificent panoramic views over the city. The site itself has stood as a hallmark of faith and harmony for centuries. The glory of the Kathmandu Valley is said to have started from this point.

Today is the day to say goodbye to Nepal. We will transfer you to the Airport for your flight back home. We hope you will reminisce in sweet memories of Nepal, it’s temples, mountains, nature, people and their smile.