Explore the royal heart of the capital as you join a guided city tour through Kathmandu Durbar Square, a maze of courtyards and shrines. See Hanuman Dhoka and Kumari Ghar, where the Living Goddess is revered, while tiered pagodas and intricate woodcarving recall the artistry of the Malla courts.

Visit Swayambhunath, the hilltop stupa known as the Monkey Temple, where the all-seeing eyes of Buddha watch over the valley. Turn the spinning prayer wheels and take in sweeping city views that link centuries of devotion with a thriving modern capital.

Venture into sal forests and riverine grasslands on a morning safari by open-top jeep. Track fresh prints and listen for alarm calls as you scan for one-horned rhinos, deer and peacocks along the Rapti floodplains.

This UNESCO-listed reserve protects Bengal tiger habitat and gharial crocodiles; your naturalist helps decode the jungle’s signs while you watch from lookout towers and riverbanks. The low light, mist and birdsong reveal a rich, ancient ecosystem stirring to life.

Walk from Sundarijal beside stone steps and waterfalls as you trek through Shivapuri National Park. Pass the historic reservoir and climb to the Tamang settlement of Mulkharka for tea and wide Kathmandu Valley views.

Follow ridgelines shaded by pine, oak and springtime rhododendron forests toward cool Chisapani, a hill village above 2,000m. Broad ridge-line views over the Kathmandu Valley and the Langtang range reward a steady day on the trail.

Trace a scenic ridge walk between terraced fields and quiet hamlets on the way to Nagarkot, pausing in Chauki Bhanjyang for a simple village lunch. The route reveals classic mid-hill scenery, stone houses and terraced farmland stepping down the slopes.

Arrive at the Nagarkot hill station, set on pine-clad ridges with a grandstand outlook to the Langtang range and, on clear days, Everest. Settle in for sunset over the Himalayas as the peaks take on rose and gold.

Wake early to watch a sunrise over the Himalayas from Nagarkot’s ridge, where golden light on snow peaks lifts the horizon and layered hills silhouette in soft blues. Photographers find crisp edges and long shadows as rooftops glint below.

On clear mornings the Langtang and Dorje Lakpa ranges, and occasionally Manaslu, tease the skyline while fluttering prayer flags stir in the breeze. This calm, high perch offers space to breathe and take in the scale of the mountains.

Claim a hillside perch for sunset over the Himalayas as the day cools and the foothills fall into layers of blue ridgelines. The shifting light intensifies the crags and glaciers, casting long, cinematic shadows across the valleys.

Silhouetted pines, distant summits and a soft glow over the Kathmandu Valley make a contemplative close to daylight. It’s a serene moment to frame photographs, gather thoughts and appreciate the mountains’ evening hush.

Set out on a relaxed six-hour trek along woodland paths and village lanes from Nagarkot to Dhulikhel. Pass community forests and mid-hill settlements, terraced fields and wayside tea shops as the panorama widens toward the northeast ranges.

Arrive in the Newari town of Dhulikhel, known for brick alleys and tiered shrines, with broad mountain panoramas from its hilltop viewpoints. The gentle pace reveals everyday rural life framed by distant, snow-lined horizons.

Walk from Dhulikhel up to the Kali Mandir hilltop temple, then descend through Kavre’s villages and the pine woods of Phulbari toward Namobuddha. Chortens, tea houses and farm terraces lend a gentle rhythm to the trail.

Arrive at the Namobuddha pilgrimage site, a serene complex of shrines and monasteries honoring the story of Prince Mahasattva. Monastic chants and fluttering prayer flags invite quiet reflection amid sweeping valley views before the return to the city.

Join an optional evening safari in Chitwan National Park to watch for wildlife at dusk as the forest shifts into night mode. Jeep routes reach lakes and tall-grass clearings where rhinos graze and crocodiles bask on warm sandbanks.

This experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour. Softer light and long shadows often reveal different behaviors than the morning drive across the Rapti River floodplains, with kingfishers, owls and deer emerging as the temperature drops.

Take a scenic flight over Mt Everest from Kathmandu, securing a window seat for panoramic Himalaya. Snow-plumed summits—Lhotse, Makalu, Gauri Shankar and more—rise along the spine of the range as pilots point out major peaks.

This is an optional experience at additional cost and bookable on tour, typically scheduled early morning for the clearest skies. It’s an airborne perspective that sets the scale of the world’s highest mountains in a single, unforgettable sweep.

• 9 Breakfast (B)
• 4 Dinner (D)
• 5 Lunch (L)

• Kathmandu: Hit the streets with a local guide and dive straight into Kathmandu’s past at Durbar Square — a maze of temples, royal palaces, and courtyards where Nepal’s kings once ruled. You’ll spot the Kumari Ghar, home of the Living Goddess, and hear how a single wooden pagoda gave the city its name. Then it’s up to hilltop Swayambhunath, one of the valley’s oldest stupas, with spinning prayer wheels, resident monkeys, and big views over Kathmandu.
• Chitwan National Park: Climb into your Jeep and buckle up for an action-packed day. Look out for one-horned rhinos, Bengal tigers, leopards, elephants and peacocks.   
• Sundarijal: Climb into the Himalayan foothills on a trek that ramps up in altitude and scenery. You’ll hike up to the Shivapuri ridge and reach the Tamang settlement of Mulkharka (AKA Milkshake) at 1,895m — prime territory for a tea stop and big Kathmandu Valley views. After an included lunch, the trail winds through Shivapuri National Park, where pine, oak, and rhododendron forests take over. The trek finishes in Chisapani (2,300m), with an overnight lodge stay at altitude.
• Chisapani: Set out on a scenic trek from Chisapani to Nagarkot, hiking for around three hours through changing hill landscapes. After roughly two hours on the trail, you’ll reach the settlement of Chauki Bhanjyang, where there’s time to rest and enjoy an included lunch. The route then continues through mid-hill villages and terraced farmland before climbing towards Nagarkot. The trek finishes at one of the Kathmandu Valley’s most popular hill stations, known for sweeping Himalayan views, deep valleys, and pine forest surroundings (AND sunset views not to be missed).
• Nagarkot: Get your head in the clouds, literally. This mountaintop village is famed for its spellbinding sunsets and epic vistas of the Himalayas. 
• Nagarkot: People come from all over for this moment. As the sun lifts, the Himalayas slowly come into focus — layers of peaks catching the light while the valley below shifts from shadow to colour. It’d be a shame to miss it.
• Nagarkot: Start early in Nagarkot with a sunrise over the Himalayas before breakfast. Then set out on a relaxed six-hour trek along forest trails and through mid-hill settlements, finishing in Dhulikhel — a traditional Newari town known for its mountain views and laid-back village feel.
• Dhulikhel: Hike for around four hours through the Kathmandu Valley hills on a scenic trek from Dhulikhel to Namobuddha. The trail climbs to Kali Mandir, a hilltop temple dedicated to Goddess Kali, before descending through Kavre village, passing local shops and tea houses. From there, the route continues through the pine forests of Phulbari, finishing at Namobuddha (1,750m). Later, we’ll drive back to Kathmandu.
• Namobuddha: Namobuddha is one of Nepal’s most important Buddhist pilgrimage sites, perched high on a peaceful hilltop at 1,750m. You’ll wander between shrines and stupas while hearing the powerful story of Prince Mahasattva, whose act of compassion — sacrificing himself to save a starving tigress and her cubs — is carved into stone right here. It’s a pause, a perspective shift, and one of those moments that stays with you long after the trek ends.

Contiki