Discover Nepal

This 14-night small-group tour with Explore Worldwide opens in Kathmandu, where the city’s temples, narrow backstreets and the distant Himalayas form a compelling introduction. The next days include a walking tour of the bazaar and visits to Pashupatinath temple and Boudhanath stupa.

The itinerary moves from the Kathmandu Valley’s hilltop villages and rim, including Nagarkot and Bhaktapur, before dropping to the lower altitudes around Pokhara and the lakeside town’s gentle charm. Pokhara’s World Peace Pagoda stands above the town with panoramic views of peaks extending from Annapurna to Dhaulagiri.

The final leg takes the group to Chitwan National Park, where jungle walks, boat trips and jeep safaris offer glimpses of the one-horned rhino and a variety of birdlife. The return to Kathmandu includes a lengthy drive, noted for its dust and delays. The final day in Kathmandu offers free time to visit either the monkey temple of Swayambunath or Patan’s Durbar Square before departure.

These are the places the trip visits, in order. Explore Worldwide publishes the day-by-day itinerary on its own site.