A Taste of Luxury Nepal - Mountains, Safari and Culture with Responsible Adventures Nepal

Nepal is a dream for curious travellers, with a rich and diverse geography and culture that’s hard to compare. Aside from the obvious mountain adventures in the Himalayas, there’s plenty to inspire - spot tigers and rhinos on foot as you go on safari in its national parks, unearth the history and wonders of Buddhism and Hinduism - attend their festivals and rituals, visit their temples and monasteries - stay in luxurious and "eco" lodges and enjoy the biggest asset of Nepal - it's wonderfully friendly and welcoming people.

Responsible Adventures Nepal would love to introduce you and your valuable clients to Nepal - Nepal as a whole, Nepal including but beyond the Himalayas. A Nepal you perhaps never even knew existed?

This 10-day itinerary from Responsible Adventures Nepal gives you a taste of Nepal beyond and including its mountains. We would love to know what you think!

Chitwan National Park

Jeep and Walking Safaris in Chitwan National Park

Chitwan was the first National park to be established in Nepal, in 1973 and is a World Heritage Site. It’s home to more than 43 mammal species and covers a vast swathe of Nepal’s central lowlands. One-horned rhinoceros, tigers, crocodiles, antelopes, rhesus monkeys and elephants can be seen here. Enjoy a jeep or walking safari with an expert local guide and keep your eyes peeled for the abundant wildlife.

Birdwatching

Chitwan is home to over 530 bird species. Rise early for the best opportunities to catch them in action. Your guide will help you spot and identify as many species as possible, including Hornbills, cormorants, cranes, herons, kingfishers, cuckoos, swallows, osprey, and parakeets, amongst others. When we were there recently we saw a flock of Great Hornbills which was just stunning. I have never been so impressed by the sounds, numbers and types of birds.

Barahi Lodge

For nature lovers and fans of sustainable and eco-lodges, we recommend staying at Barahi Lodge which is a wonderful luxury eco-lodge that has done a great job of "re-wilding" the area surrounding the lodge that used to be a sandbank. It is now filled with native plants and trees that attract birds, insects and small mammals. A walk around the grounds before breakfast is an experience in itself.

Meghauli Serai, Taj Safari Hotel

Another great property for luxury clients is the Taj Hotel, Meghauli Serai which offers stylish interiors, suites with lap pools and has a big focus on supporting the local Tharu community and cuisine with it's recruitment policy and dedicated Tharu Village area where they hold dinners with traditional dances.

Both these properties have an incredible advantage in that they are located on the Rapti River and have instant access to Chitwan National Park. You just take a short boat ride, climb into your jeep and you are off! They also offer gorgeous river float safaris as the sun is going down and sundowners on the river bank.

Tiger Mountain Pokhara Lodge

Pokhara

For standout sustainability, stay at Tiger Mountain Pokhara Lodge.

This atmospheric mountain lodge is a simple yet elegant base for exploring the Pokhara region. Individual cottages provide privacy for guests, decorated with Tibetan rugs, handmade wooden furniture and original artwork. From the gardens, patios and pool you can soak in incredible views of the snow-capped peaks of the Himalayas. The owners of the lodge work hard to support the community through tourism, funding local schools, health centres and regeneration projects.

For more traditional luxury with a sustainable edge, check out The Pavilions Himalayas Farm.

These individual villas are tucked away in a forested valley with the Himalayas as a backdrop. Yes, it’s as good as it sounds. The entire resort is powered by renewable energy and they produce the food served on the organic farm on site. Each villa is modern with some Himalayan details and floor-to-ceiling windows looking out across the meadow to the mountains. Also check out their sister property on the shores of Phewa Lake, The Pavilions Himalayas Lakeview.

Adventure and Soft Adventure

Pokhara is the home of adventure activities. Choose from Paragliding with amazing views of the Himalayas and Lake Phewa, Mountain Biking, Zip Lines and of course lots of day hikes - often from the door of your hotel.

Explore Devi’s Fall & Gupteswore Cave

Pokhara is stunning. And its lakes and mountains are an exhilarating playground for adventures. Explore Devi's Fall, where the river disappears into an underground canal beneath the falls. You can’t hop in for a swim here (the falls get their name from a hiker that fell in and disappeared so that should give you some idea) but it’s a beautiful spot. Then visit Gupteswore Cave, one of the largest caves in Pokhara that’s dedicated to Lord Shiva.

World Peace Pagoda & temples of Pokhara

Start with a visit to the Bindabashini Temple, an important place of worship among Pokhara’s Hindu population. People flock here daily to pray and sacrifice animals to the Hindu deity Durga, a bloodthirsty goddess. Weddings are also commonplace here.

Continue to the World peace Pagoda, a Buddhist stupa that was idealised by Nichidatsu Fuji, a devotee of Mahatma Gandhi. After a meeting with Gandhi in 1931, he dedicated his life to promoting peace, and started building shrines and peace pagodas to support his mission.

Pokhara’s World Peace Pagoda sits high above Phewa Lake on a narrow ridge, and enjoys incredible views over the Annapurna Mountains. After your visit of the temple, hike down to the lakeshore and cross the lake by boat, making a final stop at the Barahi temple.

Kathmandu

Stay in Baber Mahal Vilas for boutique luxury and excellent service.

Designed to reflect the different architectural styles of Nepal, this family-run property gives a heritage feel. Service is attentive and the rooms are spacious. As well as a restaurant, you’ll find a spa, library and a rooftop pool.

Cultural highlights of Kathmandu

Spend a full day discovering all that Kathmandu has to offer. Begin in Patan City, home to iconic sites like the temple of Taleju, the ancient Royal Palace, the Golden Gate and historic Durbar Square. Marvel at the many shops selling trinkets and curios and admire the incredible display of Newari architecture.

Continue to Swoyambhunath, a sacred Buddhist pilgrimage site that’s fondly known as the Monkey Temple. If you’ve seen pictures of Kathmandu, you’ll likely recognise this impressive temple, its gold spire reaching high and draped with prayer flags. Finish exploring in Durbar Square, a complex former residence that was revamped into a palace. There’s a lot to explore here so spend the rest of the day soaking it all in.

Luxury Additions

If your clients have more time and are looking to include more unique and luxury components to their itineraries here are some ideas that we can offer:

Views of Everest by Helicopter

The ultimate experience for a visit to Kathmandu, take to the skies in a helicopter and soar through the Himalayas, enjoying unrivalled views of mighty Mount Everest and the surrounding peaks. After your 15-minute helicopter flight, toast the occasion with a champagne breakfast.

3-day Helicopter expedition of Nepal’s 8,000m peaks

If you have longer and more budget, this 3-day helicopter experience brings you up close to all of Nepal’s 8,000m peaks, plus a bonus peak in Tibet. It’s the ultimate VIP experience and you may even ‌meet adventuring legends like Sanobabu Sunuwar or Lakpa Tshiri, who paraglided from the summit of Everest and then took a 500-mile kayaking trip along the Ganges. Champagne breakfasts and other little surprises will be thrown in. Contact us for an example itinerary and more details.

Relax at the Wellness Retreat - Dwarikas Resort

Located a few hours drive or short helucopter transfer out of Kathmandu is the idylic Dwarikas Retreat. You can also be dropped here after the above helicopter experiences. Dwarikas Resort is the perfect place to spend a few days relaxing. They offer wellness and spa packages as well as yoga, detox and revitalisation experiences.

Bardia National Park

For a more off-the-beaten-path wildlife safari add on Bardia National Park Bardia offers opportunities to engage with the local Tharu communities and is a success story for protecting and increasing the number of tigers in the national park which are now estimated at around 120.

Stay in the Signature Rooms at Tiger Tops Karnali Lodge .

Spend time with the locals, experiencing daily life in this rural village. Learn about the region's history with Nepal’s last ruling royal family, visit the primary school and learn about the recruitment process for the Gurkha soldiers. In the evening, you’ll be treated to a cultural show, hosted by a local women’s organisation. Enjoy the spectacle and sip on locally distilled ‘hooch’ as you’re welcomed into the village as a visitor.

What next?

Responsible Adventures can organise an incredible array of experiences and know Nepal, Tibet, Bhutan and India in fantastic depth. Feeling inspired and want to organise a conversation with the owners? Do get in touch. For more information images and example itineraries, please contact us. You can also connect with Responsible Adventures on the SquirrelFish platform for free.