HERITAGE AND CONSERVATION SITES

UNESCO has designated seven World Heritage sites within the Kathmandu valley alone; Nepal is indeed a treasure chest of architectural delights dating back hundreds of years. We make all arrangements for visits to all or any of these sites. Starting with the seven inside the Valley:

In Nepal:

Bhaktapur Durbar Square.
Patan Durbar Square.
Kathmandu Durbar Square.
Swayambhunath Stupa.
Bouddhanath Stupa.
Changunarayan Temple.
Pashupatinath Temple.

and beyond the Kathmandu Valley,
Lumbini.
Sagarmatha National Park.
Royal Chitwan National Park.

In Tibet:

The Potala Palace.


In China:

The 6,700km-long Great Wall.
The 14th century Han city of Pingyao.
The Palace Museum, royal home to the Ming & Qing Dynasty.
Temple of Heaven from the Ming & Qing era.
The Summer Palace with its exquisitely landscaped gardens.
The life-size terra-cotta warriors at the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor.
The Temple, Cemetery & Mansion of the great Confucius.
The first of the Five Sacred Mountains in China, the majestic Mt. Taishan.
Huangshan Mountain National Park.

In India:

Taj Mahal.

Museums and Antiquities

Let us take you in depth through the many historical, religious and cultural museums and sites of the Kathmandu Valley. An expert guide accompanies all tours and we'll also arrange meetings with local historians and scholars for a more meaningful understanding, interpretation and insight on our past.

The Bronze & Brass Museum in Bhaktapur and the Patan Museum that has a beguiling collection of bronze statues dating back to the 11th century.

The National Woodworking Museum in Bhaktapur houses some of the country's most exquisite woodwork including the famous Peacock Window.

The Tribhuvan and Mahendra Museums provide a glimpse into the lives of Nepal's Kings from1906 -1972.

The National Art Gallery in Bhaktapur & The National Museum both have a vast collection of scroll paintings, bronze, brass, stone and wooden images.

The National & Kaiser Libraries along with the Asa Archives contain large collections of rare and antiquarian books in English and Sanskrit.

The National Numismatic Museum traces the history and influences on Nepalese coinage.

Wildlife, National Parks and Reserves

There are 16 National Parks, Wildlife Reserves and Conservation Areas in Nepal that together occupy 16% of the Country. Nepal's topographical diversity forms ideal habitats for a vast variety of flora and fauna, and for exhilarating close encounters of the wild kind - a foray into the lowland jungles of Nepal is hard to beat. The Terai jungle's most famous residents are the Royal Bengal Tiger, One-Horned Rhinoceros, Gaur Bison, and the Asian Elephant. To the north and high into the hills there are panda, wild yak and leopards. Nepal also has over 300 varieties of wild orchids, and plays host to 848 species of birds - 10% of the world's total!

We arrange a wide choice of safaris and stays in:

Royal Chitwan National Park
Royal Suklaphanta Wildlife Reserve
Royal Bardia National Park
Parsa Wildlife Reserve
Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve

The highland and mountain conservation areas are: Annapurna Conservation Area Project, Kanchenjunga Conservation Area, Khaptad National Park, Langtang National Park, Makalu-Barun National Park and Conservation Area, Manaslu Conservation Area, Rara National Park, Sagarmatha National Park, Shey-Phoksundo National Park and the Shivapuri Watershed & Wildlife.

White Water Rafting

The Himalayan snow-melt feeds Nepal's rivers with a generosity to make them forces to be reckoned with! Beginning in the glacier fields above 5,000m, ending in the far off tropical waters of the Indian Ocean, these watery serpents navigate their way through the sometimes rugged sometimes serene wilderness country of Nepal's middle hills. It is here that they become juggernauts - growing in volume and speed, thundering over unseen boulders, winding and foaming through narrow labyrinthine canyons…. then calming their growl to rest and flow deep and slow, until the next bend brings on another rush of bad temper. Nepal is now one of the world's premier white-water destinations - rivers with wide sandy beaches for camping, fantastic scenery, a wide diversity of wildlife, and of course, world class rapids.

Trishuli River -the kingdom's most popular raftable river. (Grade III - IV)
Sun Kosi River -offers a classic multi-day wilderness trip. (Grade III - IV)
Tamur River -in east Nepal, newly opened for river rafting. (Grade III - V)
Bhote Kosi River -"Nepal's steepest action packed rafting trip". (Grade III - V)
Marshyangdi or "Raging River" - best whitewater runs in the world. (Grade IV - V)
Seti River -ideal conditions to learn & hone kayaking skills. (Grade II - III)
Karnali -Nepal's mightiest pristine river. (Grade III - V)
Kali Gandaki -one of the holiest rivers in Nepal. (Grade III - IV)
Mountain Climbing

Certainly not hiking, but equally not expedition-severe. There are 18 so called 'trekking peaks' in Nepal. These mountains are all below 7000m but require absolute fitness and at least some technical skill in rock and ice climbing. (You should be familiar with rope techniques and in the use of ice-axes and crampons). These peaks are the real thing - and so is the experience.

We handle it all from start to finish - equipment, food, experienced high altitude guides, support crew & porters, transport, permits etc.

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