Wild Himalaya

Welcome to Nepal. Upon arrival in Kathmandu you will be met by Pemba Sherpa, owner of JOURNEYS Nepal and your guide for Nepal. He help you get settled into the Malla Hotel and then take you on a short walking tour to acquaint your with the Thamel neighborhood near which you will be staying. There are many restaurants in this area, featuring virtually every international cuisine, so you will have no shortage of choices for meals eaten on your own, and our guides will be happy to share their favorite selections. This evening we will have a group dinner to introduce everyone and offer a briefing on the trip ahead. (Early arrival in Nepal is suggested to reduce jetlag and for additional sightseeing. )

Meals: Dinner

Lodging: Malla Hotel

After breakfast, you will take a Mount Everest “flightseeing” trip for an eagle’s eye view of the worlds highest peak, and the highest part of the Himalayan Range. At this time of the year, early snows may well expand the snowy magnificence of the peaks, and you are likely to glimpse at least six of the 10 highest peaks in the world! In the afternoon, you will take a walking tour of Kathmandu that will include two dramatic temples famous for their rhesus monkey populations, as well as their sacred importance to religious pilgrims. Dinner will be on your own at one of the many neighborhood restaurants.

Meals: Breakfast

Lodging: Malla Hotel

Today you will arrive in Chitwan National Park either by plane or car. Located in the southern plains of Nepal, Chitwan was originally preserved as a royal hunting reserve, and is Nepal’s first and most famous national park. The riverine, savanna and hilly subtropical hardwood forest provide an ideal habitat for one of the densest tiger populations on earth. You will explore on foot, elephant back and in dugout canoes in search of tigers, as well as rhinos, four species of deer, crocodiles, leopards, gaur and more than 300 species of birds. Your visit coincides with the autumn migration return of thousands of waterbirds from northern Asia. You will stay in private tented camp accommodations on an isolated island, surrounded by the incredible sights, sounds and smells of the jungle. Your guide has visited this area frequently since he first worked on the initial development of the park as a Peace Corps Volunteer in 1973.

Meals: 3 Breakfasts, 3 Lunches, 3 Dinners

Lodging: Camping

Return to Kathmandu by air, and enjoy a free afternoon to explore on your own. Kathmandu invites exploration on foot. Your guides are available for tips and advice.

Meals: Breakfast

Lodging: Malla Hotel

You will transfer to the airport for a mid-day flight to Bhutan, which may be one of the most thrilling landing approaches of any commercial flight in the world. Upon arrival in Paro, you will be met by your Bhutanese guide and transferred to your hotel. If time and daylight permit, you may also have the opportunity to do some sightseeing.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Lodging: Local hotel

After breakfast drive to Haa Valley across Chele la Pass 4000mt.  Within the pass one can explore for about an hour where one can also see beautiful mountains specially Mt. Kanchen Janga, Mt. Jomolhari, Jichu Drake and Gangkhar Puenseu etc. provided if the weather is clear. After lunch visit Lakhang Karpo of 8th century, Lakhang Nagpo and walk around in the town.  The drive from Haa to Paro is approximately 3hours.  Overnight hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Lodging: Local hotel

After breakfast take a hike to Taktsang Monastery approximately one and half an hour.  After hike sightseeing in and around Paro with a visit of Kichu Lakhang, Drugyel Dzong, National Museum and evening drive to Thimphu approximately 50minutes.  Overnight hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Lodging: Local hotel

Morning sightseeing in and around Thimphu with a visit of Textile Museum, Heritage Museum, Handicrafts Emporium & other sites.    Also witness the birthday celebration of the 4th King . After early lunch drive to Gangtey 5-6 hours.  Enroute stop for a cup of hot tea/coffe. From here if the weather is clear you will have views of the surrounding mountains.  Overnight hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Lodging: Local hotel

After breakfast witness the Black Neck Crane Festival performing in the court yard of  Gangtey Gompa for one to two hours and continue drive to Bumthang.  If lucky you may be able to see the black neck crane which comes from Siberia every winter.  En route depending on time visit Trongsa Dzong & its surroundings, as well as Weaving Centre in Chumi.  The drive is approximately 6-7 hours.  Overnight hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Lodging: Guest house or camp

Morning witness Bumthagn Festival for one to two hours and then drive via Trongsa and Shemgang.  Enroute you will spot Golden langur, capped langur, Macaque, barking deer, (if lucky – Red panda), horn bills, pheasants.  Altitude of Buli village is 1800mts and amongst broad leaf forest.  Since the village was connected by motor road only recently, you can still experience the rural life style.  A visit to the Buli Lake would be very interesting – this is a scared lake and legend has it the it was running away and decided to stay in Buli where it is today.  Camp overnight.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Lodging: Camping

This is a 7-9 hour walk along lush broad leaf forest.  Look out for horn bills, whistling thrush, macaque and even tiger pug marks.  Overnight camp (approximate altitude 1450m).

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Lodging: Camping

This is a 6-7 hours trek along the path used by the villagers.  Occasionally you may meet  villagers herding cattle and do not be surprised if the villagers are curious  seeing you as they may not have seen foreigners before.  The vegetation and wildlife and birds species would be similar to Khomshar. Overnight camp (approximate altitude 1312m).

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Lodging: Camping

The trek from Womana to broksar is 6-7 hours and will take you through same settlements and broad leaf.  You will have to climb Yerila (approx. 2220mt) to Broksar.  This is a low pass and need not worry about altitude sickness. Overnight camp alt.1230m.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Lodging: Camping

The trek from Broksar to Jainla is short and will take 4-5 hours only.  The drive from Jainla to Mongar might take one and half an hour.  Visit Mongar Dzong & its surroundings and continue drive to Trashigang the biggest district in Bhutan approximately 2-3 hours.  Overnight Guest House.

Lodging: Local hotel

The distance from Trashigang to Samdrup Jongkhara is 180kms. En route you can visit Zangdopelri Monastery in Kanglung, hand loom center in Khaling. The drive will take you along the most spectacular view of villages, forests as you descend to the Indian plains. Please not that you will have to start your journey very early today. Stop in Samdrup Jongkhar at noon for lunch. After lunch drive to Guahati.

Spend one overnight at the Dynasty Hotel. 

This morning, we will travel overland to the Kaziranga National Park (approximately 5-6 hours). Upon arrival in Kaziranga, we will be transferred to the Diphlu River Lodge, where we will spend the next three nights. Located on the banks of the Diphlu River, which separates the park from the lodge boundary, your lodge is ideally situated. Accommodations will be in a twin bedded room with en suite facilities. (www.assambengalnavigation.com/diphlu.htm)

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Lodging: Diphlu River Lodge

Your explorations inside the reserve will be a mixture of early morning and evening jeep drives, and hopefully, trips on elephant back. (Though we will request elephant rides, they cannot be guaranteed, as it depends on the availability of the elephants.) Created as a wildlife sanctuary in 1940, Kaziranga (http://www.kaziranga-national-park.com/) protects about 230 square kilometers of riverine forest and grasslands along the Brahmaputra River. Look for tigers, wild elephants and the largest concentration of one-horned rhinos remaining in Asia. Dwelling in this rich environment are hundreds of animal species, including tens of thousands of individual birds and dozens of other mammals.

Meals: 2 Breakfasts, 2 Lunches, 2 Dinners

Lodging: Camping

After breakfast this morning, we will depart for Guwahati (approximately 5-6 hours) to catch an afternoon flight to Kolkata. Upon arrival at the Kolkata airport, we will be met and assisted with a transfer to the Oberoi Grand Hotel. Later today, we will enjoy a walk amidst the rooftops with excellent views of Kolkata, followed by an authentic Bengali dinner. On the second day, we will have a full day tour of the Kolkata area with a local guide. Beginning early this morning with a boat cruise on the River Ganges, we will pass by local flower markets and the Kali Temple at Dakshineshwar, eventually reaching Belur Math. This is the home of the ‘sanyasis’ who follow the simple way of living of the 19th century philosopher Lord Ramakrishna. Interestingly enough, one of his disciples, Lord Vivekananda, was the saint who created a storm in Chicago by introducing Hinduism to the West. While on your tour, we will enjoy a picnic brunch. We will spend two nights at the Oberoi Grand Hotel, staying in a premier room.

Meals: 2 Breakfasts

Lodging: Oberoi Grand Hotel

In the morning, you can choose to participate in walking excursions or do some sightseeing and last minute souvenir shopping on your own. Later, we will be transfered to the international airport to connect with your flights to Bangkok or Delhi.

Transfer to the airport for your onward flight home. (Additional travel in India may be possible. )