Poon Hill

An immersive full-day sightseeing tour of Kathmandu Valley.

Visit Pashupatinath, one of the most important holy sites for the Hindu religion. The temple is situated on the bank of the sacred Bagmati River and is believed to date back to 400 BC. The area encompasses 518 temples, buildings, and holy structures. The main temple is designed as a pagoda structure dedicated to Lord Shiva and is open only to Hindus; non-Hindus may only observe from the terraces across the Bagmati River to the east.
The area also includes a temple, dedicated to Guhyeshwari, a goddess in the form of a silver-plated waterhole, covered by a silver Kalash (auspicious water jar). Legend has it that a part of Sati Devi’s dead corpse fell, and Shakti Peeths came to life. The temple is also considered a sacred place for performing cremation ceremonies, as Hindus believe that a cremation from here will be secure a reborn as a human in their next life.

Visit Patan Durbar Square, also known as the city of artisans. The area is home to some of the finest artisans of Kathmandu Valley, who have preserved the cultural and ancient techniques of art and craft, such as wood, wax, painting and metal work. The former Royal Palace of Patan has been converted into a museum to display the unique crafts. Apart from the museum, Patan includes Hiranya Varna Mahavihar (Golden Temple), Golden Window, and Mahabouddha Temple and many other unique cultural attractions.

Visit Kathmandu Durbar Square, an old royal courtyard with over fifty temples, including the temple of the titular deity, Taleju Bhawani.
The Durbar has two courtyards; an inner section consisting of Hanuman Dhoka and the main palace. Some floors of the main palace have been converted into a museum dedicated to display the three generations of Shah kings of Nepal and also showcases some ornaments from the medieval periods. Thus, the palace is also known as “the Museum of Temples”.
The outer courtyards have a Kasthamandap (was a three-storied public shelter), Kumari Ghar (which houses the Goddess Kumari), and a Shiva-Parvati Temple. The outer courtyards also have an abundance of handicraft shops, and a nearby Bazar and locals markets.

After breakfast, take a short morning flight to Pokhara, the gateway city to the Annapurna Himalayan region.

Upon arrival, get picked up and take the drive to the small village of Ulleri.

After a hearty breakfast, begin hiking the trail to Ghorepani. The way ascends gradually through rhododendron forests (Nepal’s national flower) with the Himalayan range’s snowy peaks spread across the horizon. Spend the night at Ghorepani, a picturesque mountain village perched above a ridge.

Wake up at 4am and hike up to Poon Hill to experience a spectacular panoramic golden sunrise over the Himalayas. Return to Ghorepani for a hearty breakfast before hiking through rhododendron and oak forests on a pleasant forest trail. Have a refreshing snack by the stream, before continuing uphill to Tadapani.

Continue trekking downhill through the forest trail to Ghandrunk, a well-known Gurung village. Rest before exploring the local museum and learning about the Gurung Gorkas’ history. Feast on the local Thakali Khana set which consists of 11 kinds of small, fresh and organic dishes.

A short and easy downhill hike to the natural hot springs of Jhinu Danda. Spend the morning rejuvenating and soothe your muscles and body, before continuing downhill to have lunch at local village, famous for its street food (possible to be invited into the kitchen to have a local cooking lesson). After lunch, drive back to Pokhara.

Leisure day in Pokhara. Optional day trips available for sightseeing or adrenaline pumped adventures.

Morning flight back to Kathmandu. Transfer to the hotel, and spend the remaining day at your leisure.

Optional add-on: Half day sightseeing to the ancient city of Bhaktapur. Try a pottery session.
Optional add-on: Thangka painting class
Optional add-on: Yoga class
Optional add-on: Cooking class
Optional add-on: Singing bowl class

Enjoy the day at your leisure. Relax with a 45-minute complimentary foot massage in Kathmandu.
This additional day in Kathmandu is recommended to avoid missing your international flight, due to the unpredictable weather in the mountain region and the domestic flight might be cancelled due to bad weather.

Optional add-on: Full Day sightseeing tour of Kathmandu and Patan Durbar Square, the ancient city inside the Kathmandu Valley.
Optional add-on: Day trip to visit Monastery in Pharping.
Optional add-on: Rock climbing in Pharping.
Optional add-on: Day trip to Changu Narayan temple.
Optional add-on: Day trip to Kritipur (a Newari styled area in Kathmandu)

Transfer to the airport according to your international flight departure time.