Upon arrival in Kathmandu airport, meet and transfer to the hotel. In the afternoon, visit Kathmandu Durbar Square. Then take a short walk to Thamel via Indrachowk and Asan markets, through the alleyways rubbing shoulders with locals. After strolling around Thamel enjoy a welcome dinner at the beautifully restored Garden of Dreams. This is one of the city’s most beautiful enclaves and though just a convenient walk from Thamel, the serenity is remarkable. Return to your hotel after dinner. Overnight at hotel.

Begin your sightseeing with a stop at Durbar Square in the old city, which acts as a historic record of four kingdoms and has some wonderful architecture from each reign. Here you will see the palace of the Living Goddess, the residence of the Royal Kumari, a young girl believed to be the incarnation of the goddess Taleju. Also on the tour is Swayambhunath Stupa, the Monkey Temple, a complex of temples of different faiths dating back to the 5th century. Pashupatinath lends a touch of Hinduism to the tour. Nepal’s most important Hindu temple stands tall on the banks of the holy Bagmati River, surrounded by a bustling market of religious stalls selling marigolds, incense, rudraksha beads, and other essential pilgrim paraphernalia. Your last stop is Bodnath Stupa. At the end of the day you get the opportunity to catch some of the evening chanting as local people and monks come to pay their respects. This is Asia’s largest stupa and hums with life as pilgrims offer their prayers under the watchful eyes of the Buddha, which gaze out from the gilded central tower. Overnight at hotel.

After breakfast, drive to Changu Narayan (1500m.) which is situated approximately 20 km east of Kathmandu. Changu Narayan is said to be the oldest temple of Kathmandu valley and is listed in the UNESCO World Heritage monument list. It is said to have been built by King Hari Dutta in 323 AD and said to be the oldest temple in the valley. This is the starting point for your trek to Nagarkot (2175m.). Walking through the pine forest along the ridge through the villages with splendid view of the valley and mountains we arrive at Nagarkot. It is one the most panoramic destinations of Nepal for landscapes, mountain views including Mt Everest and magnificent sunrise and sun set view. Overnight at hotel.

Wake up early to enjoy a sunrise view from the hotel. After breakfast, start a gentle walk for the first hour and go through the pine forest downhill enjoying the landscapes. Afterwards, the path takes you through paddy field and small villages which offer us some knowledge about the people and their life style. An approximate walk of five to six hours will brings you to Dhulikhel (1440m), an ancient town situated 30 km east of Kathmandu. This Newar town offers a traditional atmosphere along with spectacular views of the Himalayan range – with views of peaks like Dorje Lakpa, Gauri Shankar and Langtang. The old part of this town is an interesting area to wander around with some fine old Nepalese buildings and several interesting temples. Overnight at hotel.

After breakfast at Dhulikhel, walk to the Namo Buddha, situated on hill above Panauti. It takes about three hours to reach from Dhulikhel. Leaving the main highway, a narrow country road winds up to the hilltop Namo Buddha, one of the three most important Buddhist pilgrimage site in Nepal. Known to Buddhist as Tamangligi is the spot where Buddha in one of his previous lives is said to have feed himself to the starving tigress who was close to death from starvation and unable to feed her cubs. This spot is commemorated by an ancient stone slab and a stupa with the all-seeing eyes of Lord Buddha. Also visit a sprawling Thrangu Tashi Yangtsi monastery. Continue your walk and approximately three hours later reach the enchanting Balthali village offering excellent mountain views at an altitude of 1,730m. Overnight at hotel.

Today, visit a typical Tamang village, Dada Gaun, home of a traditional Buddhist community. Serene and secluded from the modern world, the people here have few needs, are almost untouched by the modern world. It is a refreshing change. From here make your way to Pada Gaun (2100m), and enjoy clear views of the whole Himalayan range to north and beautiful green forest of Mahabharat. Continuing your walk you arrive at Karnali, a hamlet of nature, and then follow the banks of the Ladku River back to the resort in Balthali. Overnight at hotel.

It is a long but rewarding day. Start after breakfast and walk to the thriving Newari village of Panauti that lies between the Punyamata and Roshi streams. Panauti was also once a trading capital, as revealed by several Rana-era mansions restored by the French government and it still retains some of the old glory though it is sadly fast fading. On the way one you come across lovely temples and interesting old houses, particularly beautiful areas some fourteenth century wooden temple struts. The total walking time is approximately six hours. In Panauti you board your waiting vehicle and drive towards Kathmandu city approximately two hours away. Transfer directly to your hotel and check in. The rest of the day is at leisure. Overnight at hotel.

Spend the day exploring the UNESCO temples and architecture of Kathmandu Valley. This beautiful green valley with its ancient towns comprise an intriguing collection of temples, shrines and palaces. Legend says that the valley was created from the bed of a sacred lake by the deity Manjushri and the basin is a patchwork of terraced fields and sacred sites each displaying some glorious examples of local architecture. Your first stop in the picturesque valley is Patan, once a fiercely independent state but today more of a suburb of Kathmandu city. It still however houses the remains of the finest collection of temples and palaces in the country. Here, the Krishna temple is a key attraction. Constructed from carved stone instead of the usual brick and timber this temple showcases the architecture influences of an Indian temple design. Another temple complex of note is Budhanilkantha. Lying slightly off the beaten track most visitors tend to be local devotees and this gives the complex a slightly mystical air. Stroll around and you will see butter lamps flickering in the breeze, sweet incense smoke curling through the air, and devotees tossing red tikka powder as part of the rituals. Another good reason to visit Patan is to enjoy the shops and restaurants set up to cater to the NGO workers and diplomats who live in the surrounding suburbs. After exploring Patan, time permitting you will visit a Tibetan Refugee camp to watch woodcarving and carpet-weaving before returning to your hotel in Kathmandu. Overnight at hotel.  

Today marks the end of your journey and after breakfast you will be transferred to the airport for your onward flight.