Advice for 8 days in Nepal
 

Traveling to Nepal end of May.
Day 1 - arrive in the afternoon Katmandu sight seeing
Day 2 - Everest flight in the morning then Katmandu sightseeing
Day 3 - Leave to Chitwan pm safari
Day 4 - Chitwan am safari and leave to pokhara
Day 5 - Pokhara - sunrise, mahendra caves, waterfalls
Day 6 - Fly to Jomsom and drive to Muktinath
Day 7 - Fly back to Katmandu Drive to Bhaktipur
Day 8 - Nagarkot Sunrise
Day 9 - leave katmandu in the afternoon

2 adults traveling

Is the above possible?
Any suggestions for jeep companies to Chitwan and Pokhara from Katmandu? How much does it cost per day or is it per trip? Any good companies.
Or is it better to do buses? Do they have luxury buses.
Looking at Budha air for everest experience? Is it worth it for the hour flight to spend $200
How do i book the safaris at Chitwan and what is the price for the safaris? (elephant and jeep)
we have not looked at hotels to stay yet? Any suggestions are appreciated. Not looking for 5 star accommodation but something reasonable with a private bathroom. Will be out most of the day so just to crash for the night.
lastly, is there a weight restriction on baggage from pokhara to jomsom and back to katmandu. Planning on traveling with a suitcase and backpack.

Thank You in advance for your help
Kirthi

As an independent traveller doing what you want to do in such a short time You really need to look at the Trip Advisor forum for all the up-to-date information and what options are available...

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowFo...243-Nepal.html

On the basis that you normally get what you pay for, then don't go for the cheapest tours available.

The drive along the Prithvi Highway out to both Chitwan and Pokhara is fun, and seriously focuses your mind. Personally I would't fancy doing it in a jeep. The bigger the vehicle the safer you should feel. Have a look at Greenline...

http://www.greenline.com.np/intro.php

...but there are plenty of other bus companies. Most set off from the same place in Kathmandu at about 0730.

Catching the sunrise views from Nargakot is a bit hit and miss. Often the visibility is v.poor and all you'll see is a closed grey curtain.

Thank You. I will look at the websites provided.

I think you are trying to cover too much in too little time. You've left no time to see/do/experience and I expect you may spend much of your time being stressed about getting to the next place. Travel delays are to be expected in Nepal.

What are your interests in Nepal? You are all over the map, so it is hard to tell what is important to you. For instance, you have perhaps half a day of sightseeing in Kathmandu, with its many World Heritage sights and you have perhaps half a day for Bhaktapur. Be aware that any time you take a flight it is likely to be delayed - anywhere from an hour to half a day.

I'd certainly cut out Nagarkot since the changes that you'll actually see the sunrise from there are low. You will have done the Everest flight which will give you the best views, and just touring around the Kathmandu Valley will give you opportunities to see the mountains.

Slow down and enjoy this remarkable country.

Photos - mostly of the world heritage sites: www.marlandc.com/Nepal-2008

Kathie,
I did not factor in the delays. after reading your post i realized that if we are late getting into chitwan we will miss out on the safari. Can you suggest a doable trip. This is my first time to Nepal and i think i was being over zealous and trying to do everything i saw that looked nice. I am originally from India so the culture is similar to nepal. Is there a trip report that you have done for these places.

Looking at doing the greenline buses. Seriously contemplating to remove Jomsom/muktinath on this trip.

Please advice. Thank you for your help.
Kirthi

If it was me - and it isn't - I'd cut Chitwan, Pokara and Jomson, spending the full 8 days in the Kathmandu Valley. But my interests are in the World Heritage sites.

When I took the Everest flight many years ago, we booked the first flight in the morning and didn't get off the ground until mid-afternoon, so just that took a whole day. And these kinds of delays are common.

I do have a trip report here - you can find it by clicking on my name and looking under trip reports (I have a lot of them) or you can go to the photo link above and there is a link to my trip report here.

Kirthi. You might find parts of this interesting...

http://www.fodors.com/community/asia/nepal-522531-2.cfm

This was our experience of the bus journey from Kathmandui to Pokhara...

http://www.fodors.com/community/asia...d-bandipur.cfm

Like Kathie mentioned, getting around the country is very weather dependent. In the time you've got you might find that less = more. But if you want to see snow covered mountains I reckon you'll have to travel away from the Kathmandu Valley, or do the Everest flight.

If you do decide to stay in Kathmandu and Kathmandu Valley for the duration, then these are some of the places that should be on your to-do list...

- Swayambhu [Monkey temple]

- Boudhanath Stupa [dawn and dusk are very atmospheric, several excellent restaurants and guesthouse attached to monasteries].

- Pashupatinath [daily cremations, holy Hindu site]

- Durbar Square

- Thamel [guesthouses, restaurants, bars, souvenirs]

- Garden of Dreams [but not if rain is forecast]

- Patan Square [Cafe du Patan is a lovely restaurant opposite the square]

- Bhaktapur [worth staying at least one night, we stayed for a week]. The Heart of Bhaktapur is a v.pleasant B&B, with superb near distance views from the roof breakfast terrace.

- Nargakot [for sunrise, but you need to check the weather forecast. it's also a nice busride to and from there from Bhaktipur]

- Dhulikel [about 90 minutes by bus from Ratna Park bus station in Kathmandu. Not quite as far if you go there from Bhaktapur. The bus passes countless Brick Factories in the Kathmandu Valley on the way spewing out their filthy fumes.

You'll find plenty of information on these places online.

Thank You Lancaster Lad. After reading Kathie's post we have decided to remove jomsom/muktinath from our trip. In the process of doing a revised plan. I will post it to get your feedback. It is valuable information. Thank You all for the feedback. Will post the revised detail one soon.

Lancaster lad i have done snow capped mountains. I am an Indian from Northeast US. I know himalayas are different. I am done with a lot of hiking. Now want to just do sightseeing and enjoy the culture.

Thanks again
Kirthi

Hello again,

I am back with a revised itinerary

Kathie and Lancaster Lad your feedback has been very valuable.
Please let me know if i should go with option A or B.
Any suggestions for private transfers?

Option A

Day 1 May 25– Arrive Khatmandu at 5pm
Night at Khatmandu

Day 2 – May 26 Everest Flight, Pasupathinath, Boudhnath, Durbar Square, Swayambhunath
Night at Khatmandu

Day 3 – May 27 Bus to Pokhara leave at 7:30 am and arrive at 2:30pm, Phewa Lake
Night at Pokhara

Day 4 – May 28 Sarangkot Sunrise, Barahi Temple, Seti Gandaki, Devi's Fall, Mahendra Cave
Private rental to Chitwan, Night at Chitwan

Day 5 – Safaris in Chitwan
Night at Chitwan

Day 6 – May 30 Private rental to Bhaktapur
Night at Bhaktapur

Day 7 – May 31 Bhaktapur Durbar Square, Basantapur Chowk, The Palace of Fifty-five Windows, Vatsala Durga Temple & Taleju Bell, Siddhi Laxmi Temple
Night at Bhaktapur

Day 8 – June 1 Then a taxi to Patan. Patan Durbar Square, Golden Temple, Kumbheshwar Temple, Rudravarna Mahavihar / Uku Bahal, Machchhendranath temple, dakshinkali temple
Night at Patan

Day 9 – June 2 Depart at 1:45pm

Option B

Day 1 May 25– Arrive Khatmandu at 5pm
Night at Khatmandu

Day 2 – May 26 Everest Flight, Pasupathinath, Boudhnath, Durbar Square, Swayambhunath
Night at Khatmandu

Day 3 – May 27 Bus to Chitwan leave at 7:30 am and arrive at 1:30pm safari
Night at Chitwan

Day 4 – May 28 am and pm safari private transfer to Pokhara
Night at Pokhara

Day 5 – May 29 Sarangkot Sunrise, Barahi Temple, Seti Gandaki, Devi's Fall, Mahendra Cave
Night at Pokhara

Day 6 – May 30 Leave to Khatmandu at 8am reach at 3pm and then to Nagarkot
Night at Nagarkot

Day 7 - May 31 Sunrise at Nagarkot and then Bhaktapur Bhaktapur Durbar Square, Basantapur Chowk, The Palace of Fifty-five Windows, Vatsala Durga Temple & Taleju Bell, Siddhi Laxmi Temple
Night at Bhaktapur

Day 8 – June 1 Then a taxi to Patan. Patan Durbar Square, Golden Temple, Kumbheshwar Temple, Rudravarna Mahavihar / Uku Bahal, Machchhendranath temple, Dakshinkali temple
Night at Patan

Day 9 – June 2 Depart at 1:45pm

I am doing a combination of world heritage sights, temples and jungle as my teenager will lose patience with temples and world heritage sights after couple of days. Chitwan and Pokhara is my sons choice.
Thank You for all your help.

Kirthi

You have an unrealistic idea of how much you can do in a day. The idea that you can take the Everest flight plus Pasupathinath, Boudhnath, Durbar Square, Swayambhunath in one day? No way. Cluster things according to location, so plan to visit Boudhnath and Pasupathinath on the same day. Together those two places deserve half a day.

There is a Durbar square at each of the three cities in the valley: Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur. All are worthwhile.

Your son may want to see Chitwan and Pokhara, but I think you will have to cut one of them to fit it into your allowed time. I'd also cut Nagarkot - you'll get a good view from the plane of Everest. You are unlikely to see Everest from Nagarkot.

Enjoy your trip!

Check out the section on Nepal in Kevin and I in India by Frank Kusy. Interesting . . .

Hi Kathie,

Totally appreciate your feedback. Here is option C
Option C
Day 1 May 25– Arrive Kathmandu at 5pm
Night at Kathmandu

Day 2 – May 26 Everest Flight, Pasupathinath, Boudhnath,
Night at Kathmandu

Day 3 – May 27 Bhaktapur Bhaktapur Durbar Square, Basantapur Chowk, The Palace of Fifty-five Windows, Vatsala Durga Temple & Taleju Bell, Siddhi Laxmi Temple
Patan Durbar Square, Golden Temple, Kumbheshwar Temple, Rudravarna Mahavihar / Uku Bahal, Machchhendranath temple, Dakshinkali temple
Night at Kathmandu

Day 4 – May 28 Bus to Chitwan leave at 7:30 am and arrive at 1:30pm safari
Night at Chitwan

Day 5 – May 29 am and pm safari
Night at Chitwan

Day 6 - May 30 Bus to Pokhara leaves at 9:15 gets at 3pm
Night at Pokhara

Day 7 – May 31 Sarangkot Sunrise, Barahi Temple, Seti Gandaki, Devi's Fall, Mahendra Cave
Night at Pokhara

Day 4 – June 1 flight to Kathmandu Durbar Square, Swayambhunath
Night at Kathmandu

Day 9 – June 2 Depart at 1:45pm

Planning on renting a car for all day for bhaktapur and Patan. that is the only day that is packed.

Thank you
Kirthi

Kirthi. Personally, I like to loiter at places and try and get under the surface a bit, so non of your options would suit me. But your final option looks doable.

For accommodation options in Kathmandu, why not stop in Boudhanath at a guesthouse attached to a monastery? We stayed here...

http://www.shechenguesthouse.com.np/

...for our final 2 nights in Kathmandu. It's a wonderful little guesthouse with a lovely garden and restaurant. It's a couple of minutes walk from the stupa and all that goes on in that area. You'll be able to enjoy dawn and dusk at Boudhanath without making any effort getting there and without the masses of tourists who'll be there during the day.

Boudhanath is only a short taxi ride from the airport, and a short distance to Pashupatinath. It's also near the Kathmandu Ring Road, which will get round to Swayambhu and Patan quickly by taxi.

Bhaktapur and Patan are really walking areas. A car won't be allowed into the heritage area at Bhaktapur, so you'll be dropped at the Main Gate/ticket office at the perimeter of Bhaktapur's Durbar Square. Patan gets clogged with traffic, and again all the sites are traffic free. A hired car would just be hanging around waiting for you during your visit. Far better [imo] to do it all by taxi flagging them down as you need them.

In Pokhara we stayed in a lovely Sherpa family owned and run guesthouse called Pun Hill. It's on Peaceful Path, a quiet part of Lakeside. Fabulous view of the mountains from the roof terrace. I found it by word of mouth, and it doesn't appear on any accommodation listings [e-mail: [email protected]].

Hotel Middle Path looked to me like a very good place also.

Never went to Chitwan, but this place gets continuous good reviews...

http://hotelparkside.com/

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUs...al_Region.html

This last itinerary is better than the previous ones. It's still crowded and no time to "loiter" or to soak up the atmosphere. And you may well have delays that will change what you are able to do. Stay flexible.

When you speak of "renting a car for all day for bhaktapur and Patan" I assume you are referring to hiring a car and driver. Even though you are from India, I would not recommend self-drive.

Thank you Lancaster Lad. The information is valuable.

Kathie, i live in the US and I am not one to drive anywhere in india or nepal. We do want to hire a car and driver but from what Lancaster Lad posted, we may just flag down a taxi and get there.

Thank You both for all your help. I truly appreciate it.

We will be doing more temples and heritage sights in India after Nepal. Once i get back i will post a trip report.

Kirthi

Hello there Kirthi,
I recently visited Nepal for a short while. And I found out through my experience that having an extra day or two in your backpack is good.It allows you more flexibility and if everything goes well, you can always do something good in ktm. Lots of places to see excluding the ones you listed.
If you have enough energy left, you can go Sundarijal and hike a little if you like.
If you don't have enough left in your cylinder, you can visit places like Setogumba (white monastery) or go to places like Sano Illam-as they called it.
That is the best case scenario.
If it all don't go as planned, then your trip will not be affected much. you can visit all the sites you've listed. So a win-win situation. Happy Traveling

Thank you all for the great advice. My son and I had a great time. We had couple of days to relax and do nothing. I am getting over my jet lag and will do a detailed trip report soon.
Kirthi

Great! Thanks for reporting back. I will look forward to your trip report.