We start in Bhaktapur, a former royal city known for red-brick squares, Newari craftsmanship and temples dating from the 13th to 18th centuries.

Around 6pm, say namaste to your tour leader and fellow travellers, when we gather as a group for the first time to get to know each other and learn more about the adventures ahead.

Your tour leader then ensures a big Nepali welcome by arranging a group dinner.

Want more time in Kathmandu or Bhaktapur? Secure pre-tour hotel nights through your sales representative.

Accommodation: Hotel Bhadgaon (or similar)

Early risers can take an optional mountain flight for an aerial introduction to the Himalaya, with the possibility of seeing Everest when conditions are clear.

After breakfast, we regroup to explore Bhaktapur with our tour leader, learning how the city flourished under the Malla kings. Among the palaces, temples and courtyards of its UNESCO-listed historic centre, we see Newari woodcarving, metalwork and brick architecture at close quarters.

Later, local artisans introduce us to one of Bhaktapur’s longstanding crafts during a hands-on pottery session. Working with the same techniques used by generations of potters, we attempt to shape our own piece from clay – with varying degrees of symmetry.

Accommodation: Hotel Bhadgaon (or similar)

Leaving Bhaktapur, we drive (six to seven hours) west to Pokhara, following the Trishuli River through a landscape of cultivated hills and roadside settlements. Nepal’s road conditions can make journey times unpredictable, so it is worth keeping water and snacks close to hand.

After checking in, we can stretch our legs in the Lakeside district, which runs along the eastern shore of Phewa Lake. As evening falls, we watch the lakeside aarati ceremony, when devotional music, candlelight and ritual create a memorable introduction to Nepal’s Hindu traditions.

Accommodation: Temple Bell Boutique Hotel & Spa (or similar)

We transfer (20-40 minutes) to the village of Hemja, where we begin our hike into the foothills surrounding Pokhara.

Following our tour leader, we climb through terraced farmland, forest and villages to Astam. The 3mi (5km) ascent takes approximately two to three hours, with 2,028ft (618m) of elevation gain. Trails may be muddy or slippery after rain, so footwear with good grip is required.

Reaching the ridge-top village of Astam at 5,144ft (1,568m), we can look across the Pokhara, Hemja and Mardi valleys towards the Annapurna range when conditions are clear. We then settle into our teahouse lodge, with the chance to watch sunset over the mountains.

Accommodation: Teahouse lodge

Begin with a spirit-boosting yoga session accompanied by views over the Annapurna range, easing tired muscles before returning to the trail.

After breakfast, we descend from Astam through forest, terraced fields and villages. The 3mi (5km) walk takes approximately two to three hours, with 2,028ft (618m) of descent. Sections may be slippery after rain, and our tour leader sets a pace suited to the group.

At Hemja, we meet our driver and transfer (20-40 minutes) to Pokhara’s Lakeside district with the afternoon free to relax or explore.

In the evening, we visit a Tibetan settlement for a momo-making class. Our hosts teach us to prepare and fold Nepal’s popular dumplings before we enjoy our creations for dinner and learn more about the community’s food and culture.

Accommodation: Temple Bell Boutique Hotel & Spa (or similar)

Leave Pokhara and drive (1hr 30min-2hr) to our rafting put-in point. After a safety briefing and paddling instruction from our rafting guides, we take to the Seti River for two to three hours on the water.

The route carries us between forested banks and rural countryside, with stretches of calmer water between the rapids. We finish at our riverside tented camp, where the evening is spent beside the river and around the campfire.

Accommodation: Seti River Camp

Return to the river for the final one to two hours of our rafting adventure, then continue by road to Chitwan (approximately 1hr 30min).

After lunch, we visit a nearby Tharu village with a local guide. Meeting members of the community gives us an introduction to Tharu homes, farming practices and cultural traditions. In the evening, performers demonstrate the coordinated movements and rhythmic clashing of sticks used in a Tharu stick dance.

Accommodation: Green Mansions Jungle Resort (or similar)

Spend a full day exploring Chitwan National Park, Nepal’s first national park and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Its forests, grasslands and river systems protect one of the most important populations of greater one-horned rhinos, alongside gharial crocodiles, deer, monkeys and more than 500 recorded bird species.

Accompanied by specialist nature guides, we search for wildlife on a 4×4 safari and take a canoe ride along the Rapti River. A guided jungle walk provides a closer look at the park’s plants, tracks and smaller wildlife, with our guide interpreting signs we might otherwise pass unnoticed.

Accommodation: Green Mansions Jungle Resort (or similar)

Early risers can join a birdwatching excursion with a nature guide before breakfast.

We later transfer (approximately 30 minutes) to Bharatpur Airport and fly to Kathmandu. When the weather is clear, the short flight provides another opportunity to see Nepal’s hills and distant mountains from above.

After transferring to the hotel, the remainder of the day is free. Our tour leader can recommend places to visit, shop or eat according to your interests.

Accommodation: Royal Singi Hotel (or similar)

You’ve shaped clay with Bhaktapur’s potters, trekked beneath the Annapurna range and rafted the Seti River, but now it’s time to begin your return journey home.

Alternatively, if you’d like to extend your adventure, speak to your sales representative to discuss our large range of extension options.