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Overview
With an altitude of 1, 370 metres, Kathmandu’s breathtaking views will amaze you as will the elaborate ornate palaces, temples, and squares. Nepal’s capital city is an extremely captivating, interesting place to visit. You will enjoy being able to stroll through the city of Kathmandu as it is ideal for exploring by foot. As you wander through the city squares you will come across many markets and craft shops where you can buy locally made goods. The people of Kathmandu are known to be some of the friendliest people in Asia and you will be captivated by their hospitality everywhere you go. Nepalese cuisine is also going to tempt your palate as you experience the tastes and flavours of the region. As you visit the Durbar Square with its highly detailed wooden temples and Swayambhunath, a 2,000 year old Buddhist stupa, you will begin to appreciate the history of this enchanting ancient city.
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Tour Highlights
- Experience the life and style of this ancient kingdom as you visit Durbar Square.
- Learn ancient cuisine secrets as you have a cooking lesson with a local Nepalese family.
- Thrilling panoramic views greet you as you experience the top of the world in a once in a lifetime plane ride with views of Mt. Everest.
- Gain spiritual insight as you visit the ancient temples and holy monuments of this captivating land.
- Explore the unique streets of Thamel while enjoying the sights and sounds of this bustling area.
Itinerary
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Day 1:
Fly to Kathmandu
After breakfast transfer to the airport for your flight to Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu. Upon arrival, an Explore India representative will greet you and transfer you to your hotel.
In the afternoon we will enjoy a drive to a local market followed by a rickshaw ride to Kathmandu’s Durbar Square. Durbar Square is a generic term used to describe places opposite old royal palaces in Nepal. There are 3 Durbar Squares in the Kathmandu Valley and all three are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Later, we will attend a Nepalese cooking class at the home of local family.
Meals: Breakfast, DinnerAccommodation: Shangri-La Hotel & ResortShangri-La Hotel & Resort
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Day 2:
Kathmandu
In the morning enjoy a guided sightseeing tour of Kathmandu. We will visit Pashupatinath, Swoyambhunath Temple which is one of the most significant Hindu temples of the Shiva in the world, located on the banks of the river in the eastern Kathmandu. A glimmering spire crowning a cone shaped wooden hill, Swayambhunath Stupa is the most ancient and mysterious of all the holy shrines in the Kathmandu valley. We will also visit the Budhhhanath, the largest stupa in Nepal and the holiest Tibetan Buddhist temple outside of Tibet.
Meals: Breakfast, DinnerAccommodation: Shangri-La Hotel & ResortShangri-La Hotel & Resort
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Day 3:
Kathmandu
After breakfast we will embark on a sightseeing tour of Patan. Officially called Lalitpur, Patan is one of the major cities of Nepal located in the South central part of Kathmandu Valley. Later, we visit Bungamati village development committee in Lalitpur, a village dating back to the 6th century.
Meals: Breakfast, DinnerAccommodation: Shangri-La Hotel & ResortShangri-La Hotel & Resort
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Day 4:
Kathmandu
In the morning (weather permitting) we will enjoy a luxury one hour flight around Mt. Everest, also known in Nepal as Sagarmatha. Mt. Everest is earth’s highest mountain and is located in the Mahalangu mountain range in Nepal and Tibet. These are the most breathtaking views you will ever see of this spectacular site, make sure your cameras are ready!
Later, we will visit Bhaktapur, the“City of Devotees”, located 8 miles east of Kathmandu. Bhaktapur is one of 3 royal cities in the Kathmandu valley and is considered a cultural treasure. With the best preserved palace courtyards and old city center in Nepal it is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Next, we will drive to visit the beautiful and historic temple, Chagu Narayan Temple – another UNESCO world heritage site and the oldest temple in Nepal. After lunch we will discover some interesting old Nepalese houses and interact with the very engaging local people.Meals: Breakfast, DinnerAccommodation: Shangri-La Hotel & ResortShangri-La Hotel & Resort
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Day 5:
Kathmandu – Delhi
After breakfast you will transfer from your hotel to the airport for your flight to Delhi. Upon arrival, an Explore India representative will greet you and transfer you to your hotel.
Meals: Breakfast, DinnerAccommodation: Shangri-La Hotel & ResortShangri-La Hotel & Resort
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Day 6:
Delhi – Home
At the specified time, you will be transferred from your hotel to the airport where you will board your flight home.
What’s included
- First Class Accommodation
- Escorted Roundtrip Airport Transfers
- Daily Breakfast & Dinner
- All Sightseeing Tours with Chauffeur in an Air Conditioned ar
- Local Airfare
- Roundtrip Mount Everest airfare
- Entrance Fees to All the Monuments
- Local English Speaking Tour Guide
- All Activities & Exclusive Events Per Program
What’s excluded
- Personal expenses
- Services other than in our inclusion
- Nepal Tourist Visa Fees USD $25 per person.
- Taxes additional of $227 per person
- Gratuities
Add this to your tour!
This is a tour extension. Add this on to a tour of your liking. Contact us on how you can extend your journey.Recent Reviews
Hi Nazir: I meant to respond to you before now, but a number of work and family issues have taken my time and attention. First of all, let me say that I enjoyed my trip immensely. Indeed, it will take me considerable time to digest the experience. India is so different in every way (and then some) from Canada. We were exposed to the culture, history, life, architecture and spiritual side of India while being protected from the extreme change. Your guides were all experts, sensitive to individual and group needs, but able to keep the tour moving. Sandeep was especially good. I feel I have truly been absorbed into India and its way of life. The guides in Nepal were also excellent, and they were so proud of their country. Our guide there took us to the home of a friend for a "cooking" experience. They were such a nice family and so hospitable. They offered real insight into traditional family life, but also the younger generation's energy to get ahead. The guide's friend (who had trained with him for his guiding certificate/license) also owns a coffee shop in the old part of the city and her husband is in medical school. The whole family (his parents, brother and the couple) lives in a very modest 3 level apartment under conditions Canadians would complain about. Still, they were so generous, friendly and hospitable. I never felt vulnerable or in danger the whole time. I'm sure this was carefully managed by the guides. Still, people were genuinely friendly, in spite of the fact that we were obviously naive and privileged westerners. The hotels were all top notch. It was wonderful to be able to hole into some western comfort at the end of the day. The Delhi hotels near the airport were very nice and appreciated when air travel was involved. The hotel in Udaipur was charming and unique - what an experience! I think Udaipur is my favourite city in India. All in all, it was a wonderful experience that I will never forget - a once in a lifetime experience. You can be proud of what you have achieved. From a traveller's perspective, it was excellent value with all one could ask from a tour. Many thanks for all your help - especially the travel hitch with Air Canada at the front end in the Sault and Toronto. All the best,
Larry Whalen Sault Ste.Marie
Sault Ste.Marie, Canada
Dear Nazir, I wanted to let you know what a great time we had on our visit to India. We really enjoyed seeing your country, and all of the amazing sites it has to offer. We also found almost everyone we encountered to be very kind and friendly. There is so much beauty in India, and we look forward to visiting again. Everything on the tour was very well coordinated and organized. While I know that some of the people on our trip found the schedule to be a bit too busy for them, I did not think so at all. I believe there was enough down time to rest between locations, and I thought the pace was very good. Our bus driver and his assistant (Ravi & Shankar I believe) were great! They were very friendly and super helpful. I have also never seen anyone who could maneuver a bus like he did! It was amazing the places he managed to take that bus! Lastly, I want to let you know what a great tour guide Arvind was! We really enjoyed having him lead us through the sites of India. He is very knowledgeable and engaging, and his love for your country showed as he described the rich history of the things we saw and answered our questions. I especially enjoyed how if you asked him a question outside of the bus, he would often ask us to wait, and he would answer the question for the entire group on the bus. It made some of the long bus trips very interesting and alleviated some of the monotony of sitting on a bus. He was a great tour guide and I highly recommend him! Thank you all for a great trip. Robin and I really enjoyed our visit. Thank You,
Mark & Robin Nilsson
North Carolina, USA
We are back in Canada now, safe and sound! Denise and I would like to thank you both for organizing and managing a wonderful trip. We had high hopes at the start, and they were exceeded! The basic layout of the trip and then the detailed management made this a fabulous and exciting adventure. Thanks to the two drivers Resham and Ranji who were wonderful. Driving in India can be a bit exciting or, at worst very fatiguing, but the always smoothed things out, making the long and short trips comfortable and interesting. Many of the guides were excellent, with deep knowledge, and fascinating insights. In particular, we enjoyed our time with Suresh in Agra who always went the extra mile, Harsh in Udaipur who taught us so many things and then put them together, and even the "Professor" Jha Raji in Varanasi, who gave us an introduction to a whole new world for us. The guides in Dharavi, the tea plantation , and spice plantations were very interesting. We saw many wonderful things and had a great introduction to a fascinating country; Denise even got interested in cricket! Please keep in touch. We'll be thinking about next year. Bahut dhanyavaad
Bruce and Denise Shaw
Waterloo, Canada
Hi Nazir We have JUST arrived home after a great trip. We all agreed that Explore India was very impressive. We were met promptly at each airport arrival and delivered and assisted for each departure. We had wonderful guides. Hari, who was our guide for the golden Triangle and Varanasi is outstanding. He is spontaneous, adventuresome and extremely knowledgeable. He has an amazing amount of energy! We enjoyed several events that were not a part of the tour: stopped at an encampment of nomadic people; stopped when we saw a wedding procession; visited two schools; visited a village where the residents welcomed us; had a lot of fun riding in a jugaad (home-made vehicle that seems common in some rural areas). He was also with us in Varanasi and among other things while we were in the city, he took us to the railway station to see life there. Kerala was also very good in terms of accommodation, sightseeing, and excellent guides. Our driver, Asar, was excellent. He has limited English, but he had enough that he pointed out many interesting sights along the way. Generally, all of the guides were excellent. We loved Kerala and the rest at Turtle on the Beach Resort was a perfect ending to the trip. Thank you so much for great organization! Best wishes
Ken and Marian Marsh
Sidney, Canada
Thank you very much the card and the phone message. I have actually been travelling almost non-stop since getting back from India, and this is the first opportunity I have had to respond with about my trip to India. First of all, it was the trip of a lifetime and I would definitely recommend it to friends. The Kashmiri leg in particular was a highlight. The people and scenery and ambiance were wonderful. Like everything, there is always some room for improvement, and I offer these thoughts to you as you strive to accommodate the needs and wishes of your future clients.June and I agreed that this trip was about 88% successful, but now that I am back and looking at my pictures and reading my diary, I would peg it closer to 95%. I felt that ExploreIndia had our best interests at heart. I am not a fussy or nervous traveller, but when travelling in such a colourful, chaotic and crowded country, I needed to feel safe and comfortable, and I did. Thank you to Mr Joshi for looking after my misplaced plane tickets and insurance policy. He was a very attentive agent at all times. An item that got left behind in our last hotel was the colour copy of the day-to-day itinerary, with the photos at the top of each page. I would love to have another copy as a souvenir if possible, via physical mail. Thank you so much for making this trip possible for me and also for providing fodder for my ongoing writing career.
Judith Butler and June
West Toronto, Canada
I never use travel agents, taking great pride in thinking I do a better job and I certainly hate group tours. However, when I decided to take my daughter to India, I felt that perhaps, just this time, it might be wise to seek professional help. I researched several tour companies and was about to book a bus tour accomodating up to 30 passengers, when I noticed Nazir's ad in the Vancovuer Sun. I telephoned and instantly took to this delightful man. His no pressure approach was certainly appreciated and I quickly realized he was an expert on India. To my delight, I also discovered his private tour for just my daughter and I, in a private car, in 5 star hotels vs the student type accomodations offered by GAP tours, was just a few hundred $ more than their huge group tour. We then began our planning which would drive most agents mad, with me hopping all over Rajastan now that I could pick my own itinery. After numerous changes, we were finally on our way. Nazir arranged the very best seat in economy on British Airways. The hotels were fabulous, the drivers and tour guides represented all of the various cultural groups of India. We were impressed to see Sikhs, Muslims, and Hindus all working harmoniously together. They could teach the world a lesson. I must admit, I am a high maintainence client and had several demands, all of which Nazir completed graciously and efficiently. He phoned us along the way to ensure all was well and no demand was too much for him. I would and have, recommended Nazir to everyone and anyone. It was a trip of a lifetime and Nazir made it so.
Margaret Stuart
Hi Nazir, Gerd and I had an amazing tour, truly was a trip of a lifetime. From the hotels, to the food, and the transportation we were very comfortable and couldn't ask for more. Yajur is an excellent Tour Director, very professional and extremely efficient as well as a very nice man. Rouf was always making sure that everyone was well looked after. We were all saddened by his family circumstances, which resulted in his having to leave us early. The itinerary is excellent, variety is wonderful. Especially liked the camel ride with the outdoor buffet and drinks. Every day brought something interesting and different. I can't think of anything that should have been done differently. The driver and Tour Director we had in Varanasi were both excellent and we enjoyed our time there. We have only good things to say about Explore India and would not hesitate to recommend them to anyone thinking of travelling to India. Thank you for an amazing tour. Sincerely,
Sandra & Gerd Kursikowski
Kitchner, Canada
We want to thank you for a truly wonderful trip. It exceeded all our expectations. The itinerary was fantastic, our guide Azur (The spelling of his name eludes me) very professional taking care of EVERY detail, the accommodations were incredible, the food was delicious. Superlative adjectives are not enough to describe how great this trip was! We are very experienced travellers and can appreciate the complexity involved in such a voyage. Our guide was obviously very experienced and knowledgeable. He navigated through the trip seamlessly without a hitch, even when India made our 500&1000 bills almost worthless. Words cannot describe how pleased we are that we chose Explore India. We will be passing on the word about your company at every chance we have! Please feel free to pass on our name to anyone who is considering travelling with you.... Warmest regards,
Dr. Steve and Mrs. Rosalyn Fremeth
Ottawa, Canada
Hi Nazir, the "Explore India" trip was wonderful! I can honestly say it exceeded my expectations .Our guide, Yajur, was terrific...,easy to understand, .informative, organized, thoughtful and kind.He had such patience in answering our questions ,even when they might have seemed foolish or repetitive . I felt I really learned about the people, the history,the culture and the politics....In a country that large and diverse we can only scratch he surface, but I certainly have more understanding and appreciation. The hotels were first rate and the service fantastic. The care that I received in dealing with my food allergies and when I banged my head in the bus ( my own fault!) was more than I could have expected. Your staff in India are to be commended for their complete attention to detail....everything from the supplying of water on the buses, the use of hand sanitizer as we got back on after an excursion, to the speed and efficiency in getting us checked in at the hotels was managed extremely well. The bus and our driver were superb! The extra trip that was arranged to the village to see the school and hospital was something special. The main attractions of course,the Taj Mahal, the Ganges both at sunset and sunrise, the caves, were truly magical and will stay at he top of my memory list....so many terrific memories, I could go on and on!..the dancers, the elephant ride at dusk, Mother Theresa's Mission, the cooking demonstration, Old Delhi, bicycle rickshaws...etc etc!....and of course the artistry evident in all parts of Indian life. I bought a magnificent vase of white marble, inlaid with mother of pearl, that I will always treasure. You ask for suggestions...my only one would be the occasional simpler meal....our North American digestive systems are not used to all the spices,as delicious as they are, it takes us longer than 2 weeks to get used to them! The food was beautifully prepared and presented and the restaurants treated us all very well....we just have a harder time adjusting to the spices for every meal. Because of my citrus allergy, they often made me something different and I did appreciate so much the extra care...those meals were lovely...often less spicy, and that's when I would hear some comments from a few of the others, that they would have liked the simpler food occasionally too. Not everyone of course...many loved every meal! I am in Palm Springs at present, enjoying beautiful sunny California weather and relaxing down here till April. I have told everyone what a remarkable trip it was and I'm sure you will get some calls in the future. I could recommend the trip to anyone! Thank you for an experience of a lifetime!
Marilee McBain
Surrey, Canada
Feedback re Explore India re Journey of the Senses - March 5 - 26, 2016. We are still processing what we experienced in India. When we think about all that was included in our “Journey of the Senses”, we feel we touched on many aspects of life there - the history, architecture, religious practices, the food, village life, city life, mountain villages, the culture - folk music and dances, the craftsmanship, both the modern and the “old” India. We appreciated the experiences with many different modes of transportation - rickshaw, elephant, camel, horseback, boat; the many internal flights and the comfortable coach with its excellent driver and impressive driver’s assistant. The switch made by Rajeev to automobiles from bus in Srinagar was also much appreciated. We especially appreciated the hotel accommodations. The Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai will remain a highlight of our visit. The restaurant meals throughout the tour were excellent. The cooking class and the Kashmiri lunch at your brother’s home gave us a unique insider view of private life - one which would be difficult to accomplish with larger groups. The visit to Varanasi was unforgettable. All in all, it was a spectacular, extremely well organized journey and we appreciate all the attention to the details which made the trip so wonderful. The Journey of the Senses tour you have put together is indeed spectacular and the reviews published on your website express the delight of Explore India customers. Best wishes and thanks,
Gail Brimbecom
Toronto, Canada
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