Best of the West: Bardiya, Lumbini and Chitwan

As you land at Tribhuvan International Airport, our company representative will welcome you into the hustling Kathmandu city with a warm smile. Your ride to the hotel will be a mini-city tour as the airport lies in the heart of Kathmandu Valley.After settling into your accommodation, you can spend the rest of the evening exploring the lively streets of Thamel. Later in the evening, you can enjoy traditional Nepali cuisine for dinner with a brief about your upcoming journey to the best of the West.

Your morning in Kathmandu will begin with a private city sightseeing guided by a professional tour guide. The tour covers the four main attractions of the city beginning with Kathmandu Durbar Square where you will learn the history of Nepal while enjoying the intricate architecture of palace buildings and the two-tiered pagoda-style temples.After a short lunch break, the tour will take you to Swayambhunath Stupa, also called Monkey Temple, and Boudhanath Stupa, one of the biggest stupas in Asia. Following up, you will also visit Pashupatinath, the most popular Hindu temple. An evening in the Pashupatinath area with an arati is a diving sight to many.

A wonderful adventure into the different terrains of Nepal begins the next morning after an early breakfast. You can opt to fly off with a 25-minute-long flight or choose a 4-5 hours long scenic drive to Chitwan through hills, dense forests, and river banks in a private tourist vehicle. Upon your arrival, you will receive a warm welcome in the cultural homestays where you will be staying for the night. That same evening, you will get to experience a cultural dance served with a lavish dinner including local cuisine.

The following morning in Chitwan will be full of adventurous experiences in the wilderness of Royal Chitwan National Park. We begin with a full-day jungle safari in which you can see wild animals ranging from endangered one-horned rhinoceros to Asian elephants. You can also spend some time at the elephant breeding center feeding the baby elephants and also enjoy Elephant Safari and Elephant bathing. Later on, you can take a canoe ride in the Rapti River The day will end with a dinner at your resort.

We will say goodbyes to the wonderful ambiance of Chitwan and take a drive to Lumbini on a luxurious tourist vehicle. On a 3-4 hours long drive, we will experience more of the wilder forest, and flat terrains of Terai before finally reaching the sacred land of Buddhist people. We will have lunch at the hotel after settling in and then go on to the exploration of the pilgrimage. You will get to immerse into the sanctuary of the sacred garden, and the ever-burning flame, and visit different monasteries and temples.

Great Lotus Stupa also called the German Monastery, World Peace Pagoda, Chinese Monastery, Dae Sung Shakya, Mayadevi temple, and Myanmar Golden Temple are major highlights of Lumbini. The Ashoka pillar beholding the ancient inscriptions is also another attraction of this divine World Heritage site. We will call it a night after exploring these major highlights and take a rest prepping for the next day.

With an early morning breakfast, we will take our exit from Lumbini and take a 6-7 hours long scenic drive to Bardiya, a haven for wildlife excursion. Upon arrival, you will check in to the hotel and take some rest to prepare yourself for a pleasant cultural immersion. The hospitable ethnic of the Tharu community of Bardiya will host a warm welcome with their cultural dance and unique cuisine.

The next morning, we will rise early to chirping birds and the pleasant forest atmosphere of Bardiya National Park area. After breakfast, we will go for a jeep safari to the Bardiya National Park to catch sight of the wild animals. We will also have frequent stops around the watchtowers and near water resources to wait and watch the animals. If you are lucky, you might spot the Royal Bengal tiger, wild elephants, and the rare one-horned rhinoceros.Originally established to protect the local ecosystems and habitat of tigers, the national park is one of the largest conservation areas.

You can also spend your evening bird-watching as the park is a paradise for bird lovers with more than 400 species residing there including the endangered Sarus crane and Bengal florican.

Summing up the excursion, you can fly back to Kathmandu from Nepalgunj airport. However, if you aren’t done with exploring nature, there is an option of a scenic drive on a luxury vehicle to Kathmandu. The drive would take 8-9 hours and will take you back through the same route you arrive in Bardiya.

Before your final departure, you can spend a leisurely day in your hotel room in Kathmandu. If you want to get some souvenirs for your loved ones, do not forget to wander off in the streets of Thamel.Just in case you have a late flight in the evening, you can also make a few stops at Patan and Bhaktapur Durbar squares. These trips can be arranged upon your request. In the end, our most hospitable company representative will lead your way for the final departure from the Tribhuvan International Airport.