Nepal is one of those destinations that will quickly steal a little place in your heart that will stay with you for a lifetime.
I was able to be involved with a magical itinerary, along with Lisa from Crooked Compass that would suit a small group of ladies who wanted to experience luxury, off-the-beaten-track adventure, be immersed in the local life and experience the mountainous region that is Nepal in all its glory.
I personally escorted this group from Australia, comprised of ladies from all walks of life. Taking into account they had never met each other and I had never met them before. A solo group coming together to experience an unforgettable country with many memories to be made, but they just didn’t know what was ahead of them.
Within the first 48 hours, everyone was surprised to find out that we had included a flight to the top of the world. Yes, we flew in the tiniest of planes to the top of Mount Everest!
We were treated to a very early morning flight with only about 10 seats in the plane, just enough for us all to experience the most unforgettable flight of our lives. I will never forget leaving Kathmandu airport and what felt like flying vertically in this tiny plane to make it through the clouds to a never ending point, being Mount Everest. Not only did we fly to the top, but we each were able to experience views right from the cockpit, as if we were the pilots taking this plane to the tip of Mount Everest.
From here, we knew this was going to be the most unforgettable trip. Experiencing how the Nepalese live, bustling markets and the daily life via rickshaw is a fabulous way to experience Kathmandu. This day was full of being immersed into the local way of living and how they go about their day-to-day lives. One thing when visiting Nepal on a generic tour, is you don’t get to visit the primary schools and see how they learn. This was a great bonus added to our group when traveling on a Crooked Compass private itinerary - we were able to go and visit a primary school, meet some of the kids and sit in on a learning session. Taking some things that we take for granted from home and hand delivering them to some of the kids was an absolute highlight and one the group loved.
With so many areas to Nepal other than Kathmandu, which everyone knows about, I want to share with you just a few that I was able to go and visit with my group and what I would recommend adding to your next trip to this incredible country.
Approximately 180km from Kathmandu via flight, Chitwan is one of Asia's premier wildlife reserves. Tall grasslands and forests are home to a wide variety of mammals and birds including several endangered species. The stunning 5-star Barahi Jungle Lodge was home for 2 nights in Chitwan and this place did not disappoint. Situated on the banks of the Rapti River across from Chitwan National Park, Barahi Jungle Lodge’s extensive 12 hectares of grounds provides a truly magical jungle experience. From the incredible food both within the property and with our surprise breakfast down the river we were taken care of and spoiled to no end.
Our afternoon elephant back safari in search of the elusive rhino did not disappoint. Our group split up to befriend our elephants and explore the rugged national park at sunset, seeing so much wildlife from the heights of elephant back. Topping it off with a swim in the river with our elephants after their trek through the forest was such a beautiful experience - washing them off in the river and being sprayed with water by these gentle giants was a true highlight for the group. But this wasn’t the end of Chitwan. A bullock cart ride through the small villages, seeing how they live out in the country, was a very special experience for the group.
A historical and hidden gem of Nepal. Roughly a 2 hour drive from Kathmandu, this part of our journey was all about immersing ourselves completely with the locals in a beautiful country town. We were split up to meet our local families where we stayed the night, enjoying meeting their kids, grandparents and the local village. We cooked, ate, laughed and enjoyed getting to know our new families for the night. We hiked in the early hours of the morning to the spectacular viewpoint to finish off our stay in Panauti with a spectacular breakfast and some local market shopping. After our little shopping spree we set off for an hour’s drive to Dhulikhel where we stayed at Dwarika’s Resort in our twin suites.
We were spoiled with endless mountainous views, the perfect spot to catch our breath and experience yoga, meditation, pottery sessions and delve into Buddhist medicine through their Vedic philosophy. This was the perfect destination and property to catch our breath after what seemed a very full on itinerary thus far, but one that we would never change.
After our morning yoga session and gorgeous breakfast, we set off to Bhaktapur which was a 40 minute drive away. With our private driver and additional guide, it just felt like a small group of women traveling in style the entire journey.
Bhaktapur, known as the city of devotees, is the smallest city in the Kathmandu Valley. With the earthquake that destroyed and damaged a lot of Kathmandu (you all remember that don’t you), many of the temples had not been rebuilt on our visit but it was also great to see how the city lived on despite the destruction that devastated this beautiful country. Staying with Hari and his family after touring the city, we were immersed in the local way of life as Hari welcomed us with open arms into his “home” where we were treated to dinner cooked by his wife and one too many drinks but with lots of laughs and memories made.
Leaving Hari and his family after breakfast, we made our way to the Nyatapola Temple. Have you ever stayed at a Buddhist monastery? Me neither but it was such a moving experience - witnessing the monks debate, the beating of the drums, blowing of the conch shell and long traditional horns. It was enough to give me goosebumps and still does to this day. At 5am we were woken by the bell rings to wake the monks and make their way to the main hall where they perform standard chants for about two hours, along with prayers. The most soothing experience I think I have ever witnessed
It may have been a calm, surreal experience sitting listening to the monks but soon after our time in the monastery we made our way up a seriously steep hill - some say hill, some say mountain! This mountain hike was not for the faint hearted. The 3-4 hour trek offered stunning views that made it all worthwhile.
10 Days in Nepal captures such a glimpse of people, the culture, the landscape and the strong religious background, but its just not enough, which is why I intend to make another trip back to explore even more parts to this exciting country.
If I can say one thing, it’s add Nepal to your list of must visit countries, and when I say visit, I mean really immerse yourself in this beautiful country. I could go on and on about it but I will just leave it here:
Nepal, you stole my heart!
All travel referred to on this site is arranged through Rhianon Hutton.
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