A trip to Nepal, is a once off trip, and you want it to get the most of of the short time you have there. Selecting the various points of interest that you want to visit in the country is very daunting, so I was relieved to find guided tours in Nepal while perusing the options on the Viator website for “all in holidays” in Nepal. It is difficult to know what to expect when reading the itinerary but we wanted to see some of the main cities and see some countryside as well, which would then give us a snapshot of Nepal. We opted for the Nepal Heritage Tour which is a ten day tour. We were welcomed at the airport by the tour representative, Gourav Basnet, and from the moment we met at the airport to the time he returned us back to the airport, he ensured that all our needs were met. His constant attention to detail and our needs gave our tour group a most memorable holiday.
I must admit that there is a lot of travelling but its made easier when you can relax in an air conditioned vehicle. The driver, along with the tour guide were dedicated to our group for the duration of the trip, and were very knowledgable and helpful.
We stayed in various hotels around the country, and all were of reasonable quality, all were very clean and comfortable. One in particular stands out, the hotel in Pokhara, where the accommodation was very quaint, and having an elevation of over 8,000 ft. enjoyed truly spectacular views of the Himalayas. Getting up early is a must to see the spectacular sunrise which is unforgettable. The overnight stay was too short for such a beautiful location. The food that was provided in all the locations was extremely good.
The tour which is operated by Mountain Kick, arranged for local tour guides at each of the locations we visited. The selected guides were all fully qualified and fluent in English, making for a very pleasant and informative tour. Most of the tour guides were able to suggest the best locations to purchase souvenirs, and some were able to negotiate a little discount as well.
One of the most memorable points of the tour was the section at Chitwan National Park, where we enjoyed early morning trek in the sub tropical jungle, safe on the back of an elephant. You get much closer to the wildlife that way and we were able to get within 20 yards of rhinos and a selection of wild deer. The dawn chorus, the fog along the river, and crisp morning air, all viewed from the safety of the elephants back, made for a truly magical experience, and together with the service from the hotel staff leaves an unforgettable beautiful memory.
The tour ends with a night out in Kathmandu which was arranged by Gourav, were we enjoyed local foods, and entertained by displays of native dancing and singing. You can find the tour I was on, listed on the Viator website, and its called Nepal Heritage Tour and I have no hesitation in strongly recommending this tour for your visit to Nepal.
Nepal is a fantastic country to visit. The people are the friendliest and most optimistic of any people I have ever met. The crime rate is very low, so you can feel safe wandering around the shops in Kathmandu. Sadly poverty is very common, and your visit will give the country much needed tourist income. Nepal has really spectacular mountain views, and not just Everest or the Himalayas. The country is trying to recover from a massive earthquake which happened in April 2015, when almost 9,000 people were killed. Evidence of the quake are still visible in certain areas.