The driving tour was made comfortable with drive of about 4 hrs. every day with plenty of scenic breaks.
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| Ganesh Himal seen from the Prithivi highway outside Kathmandu |
Drive to Bandipur
From our hotel in central Kathmandu, we headed towards Nagdhunga in the western rim of Kathmandu valley. To avoid the traffic, we started at around 6:30 am. Past Nagdhunga, we stopped to take pictures of Manaslu and Ganesh Himal range before the Prithivi Highway started to snake down to the valley basin. The feel for fresh air and the overview of rolling hills with Himalayan background was awe-inspiring.The valley basin had charming villages with terrace farming astride Trishuli River. The villages were connected with the highway by suspension bridges. We made our next stop at Benighat to walk on the suspension bridge and look down at White water rafting in Trishuli River.
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| Suspension bridges span Trishuli River connecting villages and farming terraces with the highway. |
The road further snakes along the river to Mugling bazaar and then winds upstream Marshyangdi River to Dumre Bazaar. Bandipur is perched along the ridge some 8 km off the main highway.
The town of Bandipur was once a famous hub along the trans-Himalayan trade route. Walking along the cobblestone street, one can still see the remnants of its past.
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| The old town of Bandipur with Newari style houses, pavilion and temples. |
In the evening we climbed half an hour to the hillock of Thanimai for the sunset view.
We stayed two nights in the Old Inn of Bandipur. The next day, we went hiking to Ramkot. The trail mostly followed the contour through the Sal forest. Ramkot is a typical Magar village with thatched or stone roofed houses. There are still few round houses typical to traditional Magar villages. The village is perched on the cliff overlooking the Marshyangdi valley and the Himalayan range. It was about a 6 hrs round trip to Ramkot and back.
Next morning, we walked 5 minutes to the edge of the mountain at Tundikhel for the sunrise view over the Himalayas. The Tundikhel view point is perched above the cliff with an undisturbed view of the Marshyangdi valley with the Himalayan background.
Drive to Pokhara
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| View of Phewa Lake and Pokhara valley with Himalayas in the background. |
The tourist hub in Pokhara is away from the downtown Pokhara making it more relaxed and peaceful. The Phewa lake side is very pleasant with greenery, fresh air and the view of snow peaks.
After lunch at Boomerang restaurant, we walked along the Lakeside market. In the evening, we took a boat ride in Phewa lake to watch the sunset. The Island temple of Barahai is popular among the local tourists as it is often crowded.
Pokhara Tour
Next morning we drove to Sarangkot for a sunrise view over the Himalayas. The view is brilliant with the changing color of the sun. After breakfast back at the hotel, we went sightseeing in Pokhara. The International mountain museum was the highlight of the tour. We also visited the Tibetan Refugee camp and The Gupteshower Mahadev cave. In the evening we took a boat across the Phewa lake and hiked for about 1 hr to World Peace pagoda. The sunset view of Pokhara valley with golden snow peaks worth the hike and the waiting.
Drive to Lumbini
After spending another morning in Pokhara, we headed for Lumbini on the Siddhartha highway. The winding road first climbed outside of Pokhara from the southwestern valley rim and then climbed down to Kaligandaki River. There were small local sheds selling seasonal fruits and other Nepalese snacks. We took a small break and looked down the bridge. The river was calm and turquoise at that point. There is ‘Ghat’, the cremation grounds.The narrow road then climbed up to another tourist hub of Tansen at the altitude of 1,500 m. The town used to be the capital of Magar kingdom before the unification in the mid 18th century. Its strategic value in trade and war made it the most prosperous center in the western region. The place is known for the authentic handwoven ‘Dhaka’ – Nepalese garment. There are still some Newari temples, pavilions and buildings in the old town. The ridge top offers a magnificent view of Himalayan range.
After a short tour and lunch break, we headed down towards the southern planes of Terai. Lumbini is about 21 km west of Butwal – Bhairahawa road.
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| Mayadevi temple, the exact birthplace of Buddha in Lumbini garden. |
Chitwan Tour
Chitwan is just about 160 km northeast of Lumbini. We left Lumbini early in the morning and drove on the east-west highway. The drive through the Churia hill on the way was scenic with the view of sweeping Terai planes through the lush mountainside. We stopped at the highest point of the highway at Dawanne for tea. The road after the bazaar climbs down again and heads further east through the tropical forest and cultivated land. These are buffer zones of Chitwan national park where animals venture out sometimes. From the district headquarter city of Bharatpur, we headed down south to Meghauli in western Chitwan.Western Chitwan is visited by a limited number of tourists and is more wild.
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| Sambar deer among the four different types of deer found in Chitwan National park. |
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| Asian single horned Rhinoceros are the endangered species that Chitwan have successfully preserved. |
The Chitwan Pokhara Lumbini tour was organized by iTourNepal P Ltd. The tour company based in Kathmandu has many driving tours around Nepal listed in its website. We work with experienced and careful drivers who know the highway well. All of our guides are knowledgeable and experienced to get most from the cultural encounters and provide very local experience.
