6 DAY KATHMANDU POKHARA EXTENSION


The short, early morning flight to Nepal promises breathtaking views of some of the world’s highest mountain peaks, including the Everest. Do remember to choose a seat on the left hand side of the aircraft.

A Compass India Inc. representative will meet you at Kathmandu airport and assist with your hotel transfer.

The fertile Kathmandu Valley has always been a coveted prize for the Himalayan dynasties, changing hands from the Lichchhavis to the Mallas and finally to the Shah Kings who ruled initially as absolute and later as constitutional monarchs of Nepal until as late as 2006. Nestled between the southern low lying Mahabharat Range and the dizzying northern snow peaks of the Great Himalaya Range, Kathmandu Valley is a fertile saucer-shaped tract of land of unbelievable richness, both literal as well as figurative, with a dazzling cultural tradition of art, music and architecture. The pagoda design, ubiquitous in Asia, is Nepal’s cultural legacy to the world, its blueprint carried to the Chinese Emperor’s Court in the 13th Century by Newari virtuoso architect Arniko. Each of the three cities of Kathmandu Valley - Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Patan - are treasure troves of sculptures, woodwork, palaces, temples and stupas and are home to seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

The capital of modern Nepal, Kathmandu City evolved around a single wooden structure used as a rest stop by travelers plying the ancient trade route between India and Tibet. The wooden pavilion or kastha mandap that lends the city its name still stands in Kathmandu’s expansive Durbar Square. A prominent destination on the hippie trial, Kathmandu has been highly popular with tourists for decades and on its busy streets, buzzing cafes, pizzerias, pubs, book shops, sushi bars, music stores and camera sellers jostle for space with exotic centuries-old temples, residential houses and stupas. As a gateway to the great Himalayan peaks of Everest, Annapurna and Kanchenjunga, Kathmandu is one of the world’s most important mountaineering hubs and it’s common to, before climbing season, to run into legends of the mountaineering world across the table from you in a coffee shop.

Overnight at Kathmandu.

Breakfast will be at the hotel.

Proceed for sightseeing.

Pasupatinath is one of the most sacred Hindu shrines in the world and part of the Panchkedar, the five holiest temples to Shiva. The majestic two tiered pagoda structure of the temple is embellished with gold and silver. Shiva’s bull, a six feet tall black stone Nandi guards the entrance which is restricted to Hindus only, although the

The magnificent Swayambhunath Stupa stands on a hill gazing down benignly at the valley below through its benevolent Buddha eyes. The high winds on the hill cause the maze of prayer flags around it to flutter noisily as devotees turn the prayer wheels, light candles and butter lamps, while circumambulating the stupa. Erroneously and flippantly called Monkey Temple owing to the large simian population in the wooded hillside, Swayambhunath is among the oldest structures in the Valley, and according to legend, not built by the hands of men.

On the outskirts of Kathmandu, the stupendous Boudhanath is the largest stupa in the world. There is a maelstrom of activity around the stupa at all times of day. Devotees walk around it, children play on it, curio stores blare Buddhist chants set to electronica, ceremonial drums beat in nearby monasteries and the heady smell of incense and butter lamps hand heavy in the air. Above them all, the stupa’s giant Buddha eyes keep watch.

Overnight at Kathmandu.

Breakfast will be served at the hotel.

Later, you will be escorted to airport to board the flight to Pokhara.

The beautiful lakeside city of Pokhara lies in a valley under the shadow of the mighty Annapurna Range. The highest of her summits reaches an altitude of 8091 meters and is designated one of the world’s most difficult to climb. Covered in eternal snow, the great Himalayan summits reflected in the waters of Fewa Lake is one of the iconic and enduring images of Pokhara, and indeed, all of Nepal.

But more than the mighty Annapurna peaks, it’s the relatively modest Mt. Fishtail (Macchapuchhre) that is the most identifiable element on the Pokhara horizon. The twin peaked side of Machhapuchhre that resembles the tail of a fish is not visible from Pokhara, from where it rather looks like the Matterhorn. Machhapuchhre is considered a holy peak and not open for climbing.

Overnight at Pokhara.

Wake up at dawn for an early morning visit to the high vantage point of Sarangkot for a fabulous view of the Annapurna range.

Return to hotel for breakfast.

Also recommended, the deafening Patale Chhango (or Hell’s Waterfall) where the waters of the Pardi Khola noisily disappears into a gap in the ground. It is said that decades ago, a foreign tourist, either a woman named Devina or Mrs Davis, or a man named David or Devin, came too close to the waterfall and was swept into the earth by the force of the water, giving the waterfall it’s colloquial name of Devi’s Fall. There is no evidence to corroborate this legend though, and the story appears suspiciously allegorical, warning city slickers of the devastating power of nature.

Don’t miss the Bindhyabasini Temple to Durga where the deity is a saligram or an ammonite fossil millions of years old and found only in the high Himalayas proving that these stupendous summits were once under water.

The Seti Gandaki River which roars through Pokhara unseen or largely underground can be observed from near KI Singh Bridge in the Northern part of the city.

After lunch, start exploring the city by driving to the Begnas Lake & Rupa Lake located 15 Km from Pokhra divided by a forested hillock called Panchabhaiya Danda, offering the perfect nature retreat with their relative seclusion.

End your trip by visiting the Tibetan Monastery.

Overnight will be at Pokhra.

In the morning you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Kathmandu. A Compass representative will meet you at the airport and assist you with your hotel transfer.

Proceed for a full day’s visit to Patan and Bhaktapur.

Across the Bagmati River, lies Patan, the second largest city of Kathmandu Valley and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A spacious, busy Durbar Square - crowded with locals who gather there to relax on the temple steps or catch up on the gossip - yields to numerous narrow winding alleyways snaking out in every possible direction. Some lead to tucked away temples, others to Malla-era houses still in use, while still others might lead to workshops where artisans are engrossed in making fearsome traditional masks or exquisite thangkas. In Patan, there is something surprising and magical around every corner.

Near the Northern edge of the Durbar Square, stands the majestic five-tiered pagoda structure of the Kumbheshwar Mahadev Temple. The oldest temple in Patan, this structure dates back to the 14th century.

Bhaktapur, the “City of Devotees” stands on a hilltop a few miles east of Kathmandu. One of the four Malla Era capitals of Kathmandu Valley, Bhaktapur retains much of its medieval charm and way of living and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

A treat for the eyes, Bhaktapur is full to the brim with exquisite shrines, palaces, sculptures, temples, columns and lakes, with practically every visible square inch of the city teeming with elaborate and intricate stone or woodwork. Fittingly, Bhaktapur served as the backdrop for much of filmmaker Bernardo Bertolucci’s stunning “Little Buddha.”

Overnight will be at Kathmandu.

Breakfast will be served at the hotel. Later, proceed to airport to board the flight for Delhi. Later the Compass team will escort you to New Delhi International Airport for your onward flight.




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