Nepal Bhutan Overland Tour - 14 days

Set off your Bhutan Nepal overland tour with a scenic flight over the land of Himalayas. Nepal is known world-wide as the birth country of Buddha and also the country having the tallest mountain in the world i.e. Mount Everest. Fly from you hometown to Kathmandu, capital of Nepal. Upon your arrival at Tribhuvan International airport, complete the clearance of customs and luggage’s and exist from the Airport Departure lounge. As soon as you exist, you can see number of peoples outside holding a placard. Among them one of the representative of Nature Trail Travels & Tours, Trekking & Expedition will be holing a placard with your name in it. So, closely look at them. He will then transfer you to your respective hotels. Or else, you can visit our office and after full description about your trip, you will be driven to your hotel. You will stay overnight at hotel in Kathmandu.

On the following day after breakfast, you will have a private vehicle and a professional tour guide at your disposal. After breakfast, get on with today’s sightseeing tour which includes: Pashupatinath Temple, Boudhanath Stupa and Bhaktapur Durbar Square.

Pashupatinath Temple, Boudhanath Stupa and Bhaktapur Durbar Square are the most famous pilgrimage sites of Kathmandu. Pashupatinath Temple, being one of the most important Hindu Pilgrimage site stands as a symbol of faith, religion, culture and tradition. It is one of the most sacred Hindu Lord Shiva shrines in the world and is situated 5 kilometer east of Kathmandu heart, on the banks of sacred Bagmati River. Hindus are only allowed to enter this temple. Non-Hindus can admire the beauty of the temple from the other side of the Bagmati River, on the banks of which Pashupatinath Temple stands. Boudhanath Stupa is the largest stupa in Nepal and the holiest Tibetan Buddhist temple outside Tibet which is said to be 2500 years old. It is the center of Tibetan culture in Kathmandu and rich in Buddhist symbolism. Bhaktapur Durbar Square is a collection of pagoda and shikhara – style temples grouped around a fifty-five-window palace of brick and wood. The Square contains innumerable temples and other architectural showpieces like the Lion Gate, the statue of King Bhupatindra Malla, the Picture Gallery, the Golden Gate, the palaces of 55 windows, the Batsala temple and the bell of barking dog etc. After sightseeing, return back to the hotel and then take some rest. You will stay overnight at hotel in Kathmandu.

We begin our day with an appetizing breakfast at our respective hotel. Afterwards, pack your stuffs and then move onward for a scenic drive from Kathmandu to Royal Beach Camp. We will be driving via Prithvi highway which will take around three to four hours to reach the camp. Enroute, you will be serviced with three hours of rafting tour in Trishuli River, one of the most famous river for rafting in Nepal. During the raft, you’ll be accompanied by the professional guide and instructor who are certified with SRT-KRT-BCU and also an experienced Kayaker for safety. You’ll experience some Class III-IV challenging white water including rapids like: Ladies delight, Monsoon, Upset and Surprise.

After raft, have lunch in the beach camp. You will have an adventurous overnight stay on this day either in a bamboo hut or tented camp on a white sandy beach. Dinner will be served at the camp.

On the following day, we will have our breakfast on the camp and set out for a scenic drive towards Royal Chitwan National Park. You will enjoy the views of enormous plains of the Terai region while driving towards Chitwan. Chitwan National Park is declared as World Heritage Site under the category of Natural Sites by UNESCO. Chitwan is one of Asia’s best’s wildlife – viewing spots and the place to don your safari togs, clamber atop a lumbering elephant and head into the dawn mist in search of rhinos and tiger. 8% of the world bird species, rare mammals including one horned rhinoceros and the Bengal tiger makes it exclusive. Once reaching your destination, you will be briefed about the elephant activities and Jungle Safari. You can later enjoy the sunset in Rapti River, elephant back safari and stroll around the Tharu villages. Once the night falls down, we entertain you with cultural performances including bonfire before getting in bed. You will stay overnight in one of the resort in Chitwan.

With a wakeup call along with tea or coffee, we have the great time to witness the wildlife at its best in Royal National Park. This includes Bird watching, Nature Walk, Elephant briefing and bathing, Canoeing and visit to elephant breeding center. You can see different species of birds migrating from the different country and place. After doing bird watching activities your delicious breakfasts will be waiting for you. We will then head to the grasslands and forests near the Narayani River. If you are lucky, you will see many amazing creatures that you spend most time to looking for; rhinoceroses, Chitwan’s royal Bengal tigers, leopards, monkeys, many types of deer and reptiles. Check your camera gear – preferably with a telephoto lens and you will not miss any shots. In later afternoon, a traditional dug-out canoe takes you on a silent trip down the Rapti River to view aquatic birds and the crocodile along the river banks. Elephant briefing: to learn more about the life of these fascinating animals during a visit to our elephant stables. We will also go to the observation tower, then later in the evening head back to the resort for dinner.

On this day, we set out on an early drive from Chitwan to Barhara. The estimated distance we will be covering today will be approximately 135 kilometers. Upon arrival, refreshment and check-in to your respective hotel for overnight stay.

After breakfast, drive towards Kakarbhita. Kakarbhitta is the eastern terminus of Nepal’s east-west Mahendra Highway. Then we drive towards Panitanki. The Panitanki neighborhood of Naxalbari is on the other side. There is a border checkpoint for customs and third country nationals.

From the Indian border you’ll exit India and enter Bhutan kingdom. There you will be welcomed by our Bhutanese guide. If you haven’t got the Visa then our leader will collect your entire passport to get the visa process underway, in order to save time in the morning. In the evening, if you are not really tired then you can explore the beautiful town.

This morning, enjoy a leisurely breakfast while the visa process is underway. Once officially inside Bhutan, drive from the warmer climates of Phuntsholing up to dragon kingdom, nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas. Thimphu is the capital city of Bhutan. Before dinner, at the hotel there will be an orientation on Bhutanese etiquette by your guide.

After appetizing breakfast, proceed for full day sightseeing tour in Thimphu. Initially, we start our sightseeing tour with a visit to National Memorial Chorten. This temple was first initiated by the Third King as a protection from the negative elements of modernization, and as a monument to world peace. The Royal Queen Mother completed it as a memorial Stupa for the Third King who passed away in 1972. Then we will continue our visit to 12th century Changangkha Temple and Drubthob monastery housing the Zilukha Nunnery. If you want to see Takin, the national animal of Bhutan then you can proceed onto mini-zoo. The Takin (a goat-antelope) was declared the national animal of Bhutan because it is strongly associated with the country’s religious history and mythology. After sightseeing of these sites, if you still have some time left then you can visit to National Library, the priceless collection of Buddhist manuscripts and few English version books; Folk and Heritage Museum, which displays day to day livelihood of typical Bhutanese farmers in medieval period and their accessories; Late King’s Memorial Stupa, built for the world peace and Traditional Handmade Paper Factory; Painting School, which preserves our traditional paintings, sculpturing and wood curving and National Handicraft Emporium, the best place to look for souvenir from Bhutan. You can also visit the Rinpung Dzong, meaning ‘fortress of the heap of jewels’ to see the painting of the great saint Milarepa, considered as the master of meditation by the Bhutanese and believed to have attained enlightenment in a lifetime. The Dzong is now used as an administration center and school for monks. Dzong’s are large monasteries and district administrative centers, which were once strategic forts. Some of the landmarks are closed on the weekend (Saturdays and Sundays). Therefore, if your visit to Thimphu coincides with the weekend, you can walk through the Thimphu Market to see the variety of food of Bhutan, including basket upon basket of fiery chilies, cheese and a variety of greens. (This market is open only from Friday-Sunday).

Drive for about half an hour in order to reach Wangdue. Wangdue Phodrang Dzong is perched on a spur at the confluence of two rivers. It represents an important gateway to Eastern Bhutan. High on a promontory overlooking the river, this Dzong, founded in 1639, controlled the routes to Trongsa, Punakha, Dagana, and Thimphu. The position of the Dzong is remarkable as it completely covers the spur and commands an impressive view over both the north-south and east-west roads. Punakha and Wangdue Phodrang are administrative centers of their respective Dzong khang or districts. Compared to Thimphu or Paro, the valley is at much lower elevation at about 1250 meter above sea level. Therefore it enjoys subtropical climate with warm summer and pleasant winter. The valley boasts at least two crops a year and subtropical plants like Cactuses, Mandarin, and Bananas grow here. The town of Punakha was relocated recently to Khuruthang from its location near Punakha Dzong. Punakha was former winter capital of Bhutan, the tradition that is still kept by the monastic body, who moves their capital to Thimphu in the summer and return to Punakha Dzong in the winter. It is around half hour drive between Punakha and Wangdue Phodrang. The small township of Wangdue with clusters of small shops tightly packed together, surrounding a truck stop is quite interesting to visit. Across the river, on the opposite ridge is the village of Richen gang, known for cluster of houses connected to one another. If time permits, the journey can be broken with a visit to Tamchhu Lhakhang built by Than tong Gyalpo, the so-called Iron Bridge Builder. You can continue down the winding pass to the town of Wang due Phodrang.

On the following day, we drive to Trongsa. Trongsa is the gateway to central Bhutan at 2,180 metres. Set amid spectacular scenery, Trongsa Dzong, the ancestral home of Bhutan’s royal family, commands the eye from miles away. You’ll also be able to visit Ta Dzong, which is the newly opened museum in the watchtower. Dedicated to the Wangchuk dynasty, it tells the stories of the Dzong and the valley, featuring personal belongings of the kings and queens of Bhutan. Continue through some of Bhutan’s most idyllic landscapes to Bumthang, an area of high valleys that sits between 2,580 – 3,100 metres. On arrival at Bumthang, you will stay in a local farmhouse where you’ll experience a genuine slice of Bhutanese life and hospitality. The facilities here are quite basic, but the accommodation is exactly how a typical Bhutanese family live; and the food are in no way adapted for tourists.

Drive for about six hours to reach Gangtey. Gangtey is situated at the height of 2,900 metres above sea level. On arrival, enjoy the immense views of the remote Phobjikha Valley and the Black Mountains. Move onto visit Gangtey Gompa (one of Bhutan’s oldest and recently renovated monasteries) and explore the valley where the villagers continue to live a traditional Bhutanese rural lifestyle. This is the site where black-necked cranes visit in their hundreds in November of each year, after spending the summer in Tibet. Explore the colorful, recently-restored Gangtey Gompa, a monastic college famous for its annual festival to welcome the migration of black-necked cranes.

Hike up to the hilltop village of Rinchengang and learn about its interesting history. Rinchengang is picturesquely situated on a steep ridge near Wangdi and then drive to Paro. Upon arrival at Paro, you can visit impressive Paro Dzong, one of the finest examples of Bhutanese architecture.

Ending our trip, you will be transferred to the airport for your flight back to home. During the flight you will enjoy breathtaking views of the Himalayan peaks that include sacred Bhutanese mountains such as Jomolhari and Jitchu Drake.