Day 4. Dhulikhel – Kathmandu Airport – Pokhara
Overnight – The Pavilions Himalaya Lakeview
You are assisted with your check-out from your resort and you are driven to the Kathmandu airport and assisted with boarding your flight to Pokhara. Arrive at Pokhara and you are driven to your boutique luxury tented camp and assisted with your check-in to your upgraded tented villa with its wonderful lake and mountain views. Your wonderful camp has only 8 tented villas and you will stay in the top villa category. Wonderful nature activities, village walks, and the spectacular views are part of your stay here. The town of Pokhara is about a half hour drive.
The Annapurna Region is one of those beautiful places where one can stay for a week or longer just to relax and rejuvenate in the natural beauty and relaxed ambiance, similar to South Asian towns like Kochi and Leh (Ladakh) in India, Luang Prabang in Laos, Chiang Mai in Thailand, and Thimphu in Bhutan.
You don’t have to relax in Pokhara – it is an area of lakes and mountains, and the valley and surrounding Himalayas offer some of the world’s best trekking, paragliding, and hand gliding. There is kayaking and white-water rafting, zip lining, the Pokhara Ultralight (for a unique gliding experience), mountain biking, and a whole lot more. This itinerary includes a day where our guests are at leisure to relax, or have us include one or more of the above-mentioned activities. Extended stays can easily be facilitated, for more relaxation and/or other activities. The serenity of Phewa Lake and the magnificence of the holy summit of Machhapuchhre (Fishtail Mountain) at 22,890 feet (6,977 m) are sights one has to experience to appreciate. The summit of the mountain has never been scaled – there was an attempt in 1957 when climber came withing about 500 feet, after which Nepal banned any future attempts due to the sanctity of the mountain.
Pokhara is a part of most Nepal trekking itineraries, as much of that occurs in the Himalaya’s surrounding the Pokhara valley. A very popular gentle trekking itinerary are the treks that used to be called the Sanctuary Lodge treks. These can be overnight (with 1 lodge) or multiple nights (with more lodges). The treks are 3 to 4 hours a day of not too strenuous walking, with spectacular views, charming pastoral stops at unique Gurkha villages, and a lot more.
Pokhara was a key stop on a busy trade route that extended from India to Tibet. To this day, mule trains can be seen camped on the outskirts of the town, bringing goods to trade from remote regions of the Himalaya. This is the land of the Magars and Gurungs, hardworking farmers and fierce warriors who have earned worldwide fame as Gurkha soldiers, and who are also will be your guides in case you opt for treks in the Himalayan Annapurna Range. The British Army has long recruited soldiers from this region, and continues to do so today. The Gurkha soldiers serve in the British army, and can then either retire in the United Kingdom with full benefits and a pension, or choose to return to Nepal and enjoy the added benefit of converting the pound into Nepalese currency. The small boutique tourism area around Phewa Lake (the lake is part of your amazing view from your lodge) is full of charming little café’s, bars and souvenir shops, and can be a fun destination for one evening.
You are assisted with your check-out from your resort and you are driven to the Kathmandu airport and assisted with boarding your flight to Pokhara. Arrive at Pokhara and you are driven to your boutique luxury tented camp and assisted with your check-in to your upgraded tented villa with its wonderful lake and mountain views. Your wonderful camp has only 8 tented villas and you will stay in the top villa category. Wonderful nature activities, village walks, and the spectacular views are part of your stay here. The town of Pokhara is about a half hour drive.
The Annapurna Region is one of those beautiful places where one can stay for a week or longer just to relax and rejuvenate in the natural beauty and relaxed ambiance, similar to South Asian towns like Kochi and Leh (Ladakh) in India, Luang Prabang in Laos, Chiang Mai in Thailand, and Thimphu in Bhutan.
You don’t have to relax in Pokhara – it is an area of lakes and mountains, and the valley and surrounding Himalayas offer some of the world’s best trekking, paragliding, and hand gliding. There is kayaking and white-water rafting, zip lining, the Pokhara Ultralight (for a unique gliding experience), mountain biking, and a whole lot more. This itinerary includes a day where our guests are at leisure to relax, or have us include one or more of the above-mentioned activities. Extended stays can easily be facilitated, for more relaxation and/or other activities. The serenity of Phewa Lake and the magnificence of the holy summit of Machhapuchhre (Fishtail Mountain) at 22,890 feet (6,977 m) are sights one has to experience to appreciate. The summit of the mountain has never been scaled – there was an attempt in 1957 when climber came withing about 500 feet, after which Nepal banned any future attempts due to the sanctity of the mountain.
Pokhara is a part of most Nepal trekking itineraries, as much of that occurs in the Himalaya’s surrounding the Pokhara valley. A very popular gentle trekking itinerary are the treks that used to be called the Sanctuary Lodge treks. These can be overnight (with 1 lodge) or multiple nights (with more lodges). The treks are 3 to 4 hours a day of not too strenuous walking, with spectacular views, charming pastoral stops at unique Gurkha villages, and a lot more.
Pokhara was a key stop on a busy trade route that extended from India to Tibet. To this day, mule trains can be seen camped on the outskirts of the town, bringing goods to trade from remote regions of the Himalaya. This is the land of the Magars and Gurungs, hardworking farmers and fierce warriors who have earned worldwide fame as Gurkha soldiers, and who are also will be your guides in case you opt for treks in the Himalayan Annapurna Range. The British Army has long recruited soldiers from this region, and continues to do so today. The Gurkha soldiers serve in the British army, and can then either retire in the United Kingdom with full benefits and a pension, or choose to return to Nepal and enjoy the added benefit of converting the pound into Nepalese currency. The small boutique tourism area around Phewa Lake (the lake is part of your amazing view from your lodge) is full of charming little café’s, bars and souvenir shops, and can be a fun destination for one evening.