This program incorporates almost all the elements of a perfect tours with combination of culture tour, wilderness experience and a short yet beautiful hike through Kathmandu valley’ one of the most sophisticated woodland – the Shivapuri national park. Staying in one of the beautiful Eco Resort located at the Park’s Buffer Zone; we then participate in a series of culture tours around park’s periphery with daily yoga / meditation practices.
This program incorporates almost all the elements of a perfect tours with combination of culture tour, wilderness experience and a short yet beautiful hike through Kathmandu valley’ one of the most sophisticated woodland – the Shivapuri national park. Staying in one of the beautiful Eco Resort located at the Park’s Buffer Zone; we then participate in a series of culture tours around park’s periphery with daily yoga / meditation practices.
Located less than 30 minutes drive north of Kathmandu and spread over 144 sq km Shivapuri National Park is a major watershed with subtropical and temperate climatic zones, It has diverse vegetation composed of pine, oak, rhododendron and is rich in wild mushrooms of which there are at least 129 species here. Himalayan Black Bear, Spotted Leopard, Jungle Cat, and Rhesus Monkeys abound in the jungles here as do some 177 species of birds including 9 endangered species, and over 100 species of butterflies.
After an initial sightseeing tour of Kathmandu valley’s major historical and cultural attractions we then proceed to the Resort which is just 25km drive from Kathmandu city center.
Day 01: Arrive Kathmandu International Airport- T I A (1300m) and transfer to hotel- The Thamel Eco Resort.
Day 02: Early morning Yoga / Meditation class at the Thamel Eco Resort followed by breakfast. After we set out for an extensive guided sightseeing tour of Kathmandu valleys cultural, historical, religious (world heritage) sites. During the course, we visit the famous Pashupatinath temple of Lord Shiva situated at the holy bank of River Bagmati where we will also observe the Hindu cremation ritual. We then proceed to the Boudhanath stupa, a major pilgrimage centre for the Buddhist faith which also is the largest of its kind in the world. We then have a short break for lunch followed by a visit to Swoyambhunath stupa also known as the Monkey Temple from where we can have a bird’s eye view of whole of Kathmandu valley. Following this we then proceed for a visit to Kathmandu Durbar Square, the oldest royal palace of Kathmandu and a UNESCO world heritage site. The whole area of Kathmandu Durbar Square is dotted with numerous fascinating Nepalese architect dating back many centuries. The site is also the home to Nepal’s living Goddess – Kumari, where we will also have the opportunity to experience firsthand this unique Nepali tradition. In the evening we will attend the welcome dinner hosted by Makalu Adventure with live Nepalese culture show.
Day 03: Early morning Yoga / Meditation class at the Thamel Eco Resort followed by breakfast and we start a day long sightseeing tour of Patan and Bhaktapur cities.
Patan
Patan is separated from Kathmandu by the Bagmati River and is the second largest town in the valley. It has historically been known by its Sanskrit name Lalitpur (City of Beauty) and its Newari name, Yala. Patan's Durbar Sq is full of temples, with a far greater concentration of architecture per square meter than in Kathmandu or Bhaktapur. There are more than 600 stupas and 185 bahals scattered throughout the fascinating backstreets making the city a perfect choice for the discerning visitors.
Bhaktapur
Known as the city of Devotees, Bhaktapur is the third major town within Kathmandu valley. This traffic free and traditionally intact town is also in many ways the most timeless and is certainly more pleasurable walking in. The cobblestone streets link a string of temples, courtyards and monumental squares, and the sidestreets are peppered with shrines, wells and water tanks. The town's cultural life is also vibrant, with centuries-old traditions of craftsmanship and strong communities of potters, woodcarvers and weavers. Look for rice laid out to dry in the sun, people collecting water or washing under the communal taps, dyed yarns hung out to dry, children's games, fascinating shops and women pounding grain - there's plenty to see.
Today, we will have a lunch break either in Patan or Bhaktapur itself and return to the hotel in the early evening. After some rest we will then assemble in a special hall for meditation discourse from Dr. Chintamani Gautam, our Yoga teacher. And after dinner we will assemble again for classic meditation practice as taught by Dr. Gautam, for an hour before retiring to the bed.
Day 04: After an early morning Yoga / Meditation session followed by breakfast we then drive to the Shivapuri Village Eco-Tourism and Conservation Farm. Situated approx. 25 km to the north of Kathmandu city center and at an altitude of 2000m above sea level in the northern slopes of the park, the Eco Farm (Resort) has breathtaking views of the majestic Himalayas, the lush greenery of the park forest and a sense of remoteness; even while being so close to the capital. The majestic view of the Himalayas, the golden sun sets and breathtaking tours conducted to the local ethnic village nearby, within the buffer zone and the Park itself are seldom equaled. The food available at Shivapuri Village has Nepalese home cooking essence, which is served in a typical village atmosphere with a genuine Nepalese hospitality. Continental cuisines are also served with light snacks around the fireplace. Upon reaching the resort we will be allocated our rooms and served lunch shortly. After lunch there will be plenty of time for rest and relax before assembling in the open for briefing of our schedule there. In the evening Dr. Chintamani Gautam will teach us Buddhist meditation for an hour followed by dinner in the evening.
Day 05: After an early morning Yoga / Meditation session in the lush green Eco Farm lawn flanked by breathtaking scenery in the foreground , we will have our breakfast around 8 am followed by an hours’ rest before we proceed for today’s tour in its surrounding area. Today we have a number of options to make our stay here as pleasant as possible. As a best option, today we will go for a very enjoyable hike around the surrounding area. The hike takes us through the natural forest that is preserve as a buffer zone to the Shivapuri National Park. Along the route, one might encounter numerous birds, pheasants and on rare occasions wild boars and barking deer. Shivapuri Village and Shivapuri National Park holds numerous bird species. We can easily be mesmerized by the varieties of birds coming into sights. The hike is even more ideal for anyone interested in ornithology and birdwatching. Today, we will have pack lunch in a very scenic spot during our hike.
We return to the Resort in the late afternoon just in time for us to have enough time for some rest refreshment before assembly in the lawn for Relaxation meditation so skillfully taught by Dr. Chintamani Gautam.
Day 06: Following an early morning Yoga / Meditation session, today we will go for the culture tours to the nearby Tamang village where we get to see Nepalese village life in its purest form. We get to witness, terraced agriculture, farm life as well as the opportunity to meet and converse with the locals who always seem delighted to see the visitors in their village and are ever ready to ask questions and share their experiences. We will have a break sometime in the mid noon enjoying our packed lunch in this ethnic village while savoring its beauty.
We return to the Farm (Eco Resort) sometime in the late afternoon followed by some refreshment and rest. Later we assemble in the Meditation hall for evening session of Meditation. Today Dr. Chintamani Gautam will teach us inner power meditation for an hour and half before breaking off for the dinner in the evening. After dinner we will gather around the fire place for exchanging our experience of our stay in the Eco Farm before retiring to bed.
Day 07: Today, we start quite early; about 5ish in the morning for our Yoga and Meditation practice as it is the last day of our adventure. In today’s session Dr. Chintamani Gautam will combine all elements of the four types of meditation that have been offered so far and personally appraise individual progress made during the last few days since we started. After assessing the individual progress Dr. Gautam will now offer his advice on a personal basis for the advancement of his teaching to participants who wish to continue their practice in the future. After the session, we will then have our breakfast followed by some rest before driving back to Kathmandu where the rest of the day is kept at leisure or self exploration and shopping follower by farewell dinner in the evening hosted by Makalu Adventure. Overnight at Thamel Eco Resort.
Day 08: Final departure