Internationale groepsreis RCGS: Highlights of Nepal with Photographer Javier Frutos

The tour starts at the hotel in Kathmandu this afternoon – an airport arrival transfer is included, provided you have supplied Exodus with your flight details in advance. Upon arrival please check the noticeboard by the Exodus desk in the hotel reception area for details of where and when your group welcome briefing will be held this evening. Hotel Royal Singi (or similar) 

We leave Kathmandu early this morning and drive to Pokhara - traffic leaving Kathmandu can prolong the journey but once out of Kathmandu city, the journey usually takes around 7 hours depending on the road and traffic conditions. In the afternoon your leader will take you for an orientation walk along the shore of Phewa Lake. Pokhara is a pretty lakeside resort at the foot of the Annapurna range.Hotel Lakefront / Hotel Dahlia (or similar)

We have the whole day to explore Pokhara. You might like to take a taxi up to the viewpoint at Sarankot for a magnificent sunrise over the whole Annapurna Range. For the energetic, you can ask the hotel for a packed breakfast and then walk back down to the lakeside from Sarankot (approx. 3-hour walk). You can also hire bikes in Pokhara and cycle along the lakeshore. The Mountain Museum has interesting displays and for those interested, there is also a Gurkha Museum. You can hire a boat and go boating on the lake and there are some pretty walks around Begnas Lake (another lake a short distance outside of Pokhara). Your leader will brief you on all the options available and help you organise transport. If the group want to do different activities today your leader will accompany the largest group. There are also plenty of shops along the lakeside and lots of nice garden restaurants for lunches and dinners. Your leader will also recommend restaurants and will accompany you to dinner.Hotel Lakefront / Hotel Dahlia (or similar)

This morning we drive out of Pokhara to Khare (1.5hrs), from where we walk through lush forests to Australia Camp. The walk takes us gradually uphill for about 2.5hrs. Australia Camp was originally a clearing in the forest with great mountain views where trekking groups used to camp. There are now several lodges in the clearing but the views are still as beautiful. On a clear day we get magnificent views of Annapurna South, Huinchuli, Machhapuchhare ('Fishtail' Mountain) and Lamjung Himal. We should be at our basic but comfortable lodge by lunchtime and we can spend the afternoon either admiring the view or your leader will take you on a bird watching walk. This day will give us a taste of trekking in Nepal. The rooms at the lodge are basic but have attached bathrooms, and there is a decent choice of food.Australia Camp - teahouse (or similar)

On a clear morning it is well worth getting up early for the spectacular sunrise. After a leisurely breakfast we head to the neatly laid out terraces of Dhampus. It will take approximately 1.5hrs walking. This village is set on a ridge with magnificent views of the Annapurnas and Machhapuchhare, the 'Fishtail' mountain can be seen as it sits in the middle of the range and has a very distinctive shape. Considered holy, this mountain cannot be climbed by anyone. From Dhampus we descend on a stone staircase to Dhampus Phedi where we meet the road and our bus. We drive back to Pokhara and the rest of the day is free.Hotel Lakefront / Hotel Dahlia (or similar)  

We pack up this morning. The bus will take our luggage (and anyone not wanting to walk) to Raniban Retreat, which overlooks the lake and the mountains. We will take a short boat trip across the lake (approx. half an hour). We then have quite a steep climb up to the World Peace Pagoda, set on a hill overlooking the lake. From here it’s a short walk to Raniban Retreat, where we stay tonight. This peaceful guesthouse looks out across the lake and with the Annapurnas as a backdrop, it makes for a perfect setting to enjoy the sunset and sunrise from the veranda. After lunch, there is the option of an afternoon walk further up the ridge. There are an amazing number of birds in the forest and we may also be able to visit a local village house.Raniban Retreat (or similar)

We drive to our jungle lodge in Chitwan (approx. 5.5 hours’ drive), where we spend the next two nights. The drive will take us back along the road towards Kathmandu. As we leave Pokhara we get our last views of the whole Annapurna Range. The road winds through small settlements and gives us a great overview of typical middle hill Nepal scenery. At Mugling (the halfway point between Pokhara and Kathmandu), we turn south and the road winds along the Trisuli River down to the southern plains and jungles of Nepal.  We will reach our lodge in Chitwan around lunchtime and in the afternoon we meet our naturalist guide and start our jungle activities - activities may be offered in a different order however usually today's activity will be an ox-cart ride around Tharu Village where and we will witness a traditional Tharu dance.Safari Narayani Hotel (or similar)

The order of the programme of activities may change but will generally include an early morning birdwatching walk before breakfast. Before lunch there will be another activity, normally a trip along the Rapti River in a dugout canoe looking for crocodile and again observing the many birds. Then before dinner we set out on a jeep safari. If we are lucky we may encounter the Indian one-horned rhinoceros or some of the several species of deer found here. The safari lodge has knowledgeable and helpful staff, who accompany us on all the excursions.Safari Narayani Hotel (or similar)

Rise early for a pre-breakfast birdwatching walk. We leave Chitwan after breakfast and catch a morning flight back to Kathmandu, from where we transfer by road to Bhaktapur. In the afternoon we'll have an orientation walk around this medieval town.Hotel Heritage, Bhaktapur (or similar)

We spend this morning exploring this wonderful heritage town. Bhaktapur is the most mediaeval of the three cities in the Kathmandu Valley. It is quieter than Kathmandu and its temples, although there was much destruction from the 2015 earthquake of the surrounding areas, the city centre survived fairly well. There are two Durbar (main) Squares with ancient pagoda style temples. The surrounding narrow streets and potters square are also worth exploring. We have lunch in a restaurant in the centre and late afternoon we drive back to Kathmandu.Hotel Royal Singi (or similar)

The day is free for sightseeing and exploring the temples around Kathmandu. You may wish to visit the monkey temple at Swayambunath, one of the largest Buddhist Stupas in the world at Bodnath, or the most important Hindu temple in the valley at Pashupatinath. We have a number of organised sightseeing tours and activities that can be booked from the hotel in Kathmandu, including an optional Everest sightseeing flight - please see the Optional Excursions section below for further details.Hotel Royal Singi (or similar)

The tour ends after breakfast. An airport departure transfer is included provided you have supplied Exodus with your flight details in advance.