Essential Nepal Adventure

On arrival in Kathmandu, make your own way to the accommodation and check in. Later, you meet your Tour Leader and the rest of the group for a short briefing. We then set out on foot through the old lanes surrounding Durbar Square for an introduction to local life.

Afterwards, you can join the group for a Welcome Dinner of Nepali dishes. The rest of the evening is yours, whether that means an early night or heading to one of the live music bars in Thamel with your new companions.

This morning there's an optional Everest sightseeing flight for early risers. Marvel at the sunrise over Everest, a truly stunning sight! We then re-group later in the morning to take in some of the highlights of Kathmandu, including the Swayambhunath Stupa Temple, Boudhanath and Pashupatinath Temple.

Kathmandu - Lalitpur - Nagarkot. Leaving Kathmandu this morning, we head for the hills, stopping first in the city of Lalitpur. Here we explore its temples and tucked-away courtyards and visit one of Nepal's living goddesses, a rare tradition that continues today.

We then continue to Nagarkot, a hill town known for its Himalayan panoramas. You have the afternoon free to relax and enjoy the scenery. Later, you have the option of a short hike up to a lookout close by to watch the sun set over the hills.

Nagrkot - Bhaktapur - Pharphing - Kathmandu. Our first stop today is Bhaktapur, considered Nepal's best-preserved medieval city. On a walking tour, we wander among its temples, courtyards and brick-lined lanes, where little seems to have changed in centuries.

Later, we travel to Pharping to visit an active monastery and watch the monks at prayer and in debate. We also explore the cave where, according to tradition, Guru Padmasambhava meditated. He is the Buddhist master credited with bringing Buddhism to Tibet.

Once we return to Kathmandu, you have the evening free to join the group for dinner, seek out more momos or ask the Tour Leader for a favourite local spot.

Kathmandu - Chitwan. Today we travel to Chitwan National Park, one of Nepal's top wildlife areas, for a jeep safari. Look out for rhinos, deer, monkeys and plenty of birdlife, and with some luck perhaps a leopard, a sloth bear or even a Bengal tiger.

Towards the end of the day, we swap the jeep for a canoe and float along the river, then stop for coffee as the sun goes down. In the evening, we watch a Tharu Cultural Show featuring traditional music and dance.

Chitwan - Lumbini. We transfer this morning to Lumbini. Revered as Buddha's birthplace, it ranks among the world's foremost pilgrimage sites.

We start at the Maya Devi Temple, which stands over the place where Buddha is thought to have been born. From there, we walk among the monasteries and temples that Buddhist communities from many nations have built, with styles ranging from Cambodian to German. You can also try your hand at meditation during the visit.

Lumbini - Pokhara. Today we travel to one of the most iconic cities in Nepal - Pokhara! Take some time in the afternoon to acclimatise before we enjoy a momo making class. Learn the traditional methods of Nepalese cooking, with chance to taste these iconic dumplings.

You have the day free in Pokhara to spend as you wish. Relax by the lakeside or visit the Mountain Museum. For something more active, you can take a paragliding flight over the city or try the Kushma Bungee, which ranks as the world's second-highest bungee jump.

Later in the day, the group comes back together for a boat ride on Phewa Lake, with mountain views on all sides. Afterwards, you have the option of a movie night at the open-air Movie Garden.

Today begins a three-day stretch where you choose your own path. If mountain air appeals, you can set out from Pokhara on the Poon Hill Trek. The trail winds through rhododendron woodland and villages amid Himalayan scenery, and you spend the nights in local teahouses. An early start on the trek gives you the option of hiking up to Poon Hill at sunrise for wide views across the Annapurna range.

Alternatively, you have the option of staying in Pokhara for a three-day yoga retreat. The programme includes yoga and meditation each day, tea ceremonies, nature walks and meditation by candlelight, with plenty of time to rest in between.

Please note: The yoga retreat must be booked before travel.

The trekkers and the yoga group reunite in Pokhara today, with a relaxed afternoon ahead. You can use the time to relax over coffee on the lakefront, pick up souvenirs or find a good spot for sunset. If your legs are feeling the trek, a massage is well worth considering.

Pokhara - Bandipur. Our final overnight stop is Bandipur, a hilltop town on a ridge between Pokhara and Kathmandu that has kept much of its old character. After arriving, we take a walk through the town, passing Newari houses, temples and lookouts facing the Himalayas.

This evening, you can gather the group for one last dinner together in the town centre and look back on the trip's best moments.

Bandipur - Kathmandu. We finish on a high this morning, taking to the Trishuli River at Fishling for white water rafting through a series of rapids.

We then return to Kathmandu, where the tour ends by late afternoon and you say goodbye to the group and the Tour Leader.

Please note: If water levels or weather conditions make rafting unsafe, we take a cable car up to Manakamana Temple instead. Manakamana is a major Hindu pilgrimage site, and the ride gives views over the hills, gorges and villages of the Trishuli Valley, with time to explore the temple grounds at the top.