Nepal 360°
Day 1 - Kathmandu
Upon arriving in Kathmandu, I stayed in the Thamel district, more precisely at the Manang Hotel.
I arrived in the late afternoon, so I was only able to take a stroll around the neighborhood in the evening. The Thamel area is very crowded, filled with souvenir shops and trekking gear stores where you can find anything you might need for the following days. There's plenty of choice for restaurants, whether you want to eat traditional food or try something more "Western." A place I recommend is the pizzeria "Fire and Ice," where I went on my last night back in Kathmandu.
Day 2 - Pokhara
The journey from Kathmandu to Pokhara is very long; I recommend stopping at the Manakamana Temple along the way.
Upon arriving in Pokhara, for dinner, I highly recommend Himalayan Cuisine if you want to taste the true flavor of Nepalese Momos.
If you prefer a less traditional and more relaxing place, you can go to the Moondance restaurant by the lakeside.
Day 3 - Hiking towards Ghandruk
On the third day, we set off to reach our starting point for the upcoming three days of trekking. We left from Birethanti, heading towards Ghandruk.
Along the way, we fully immersed ourselves in Nepalese culture. We met children going to school, adults busy working their land, and much more...
We stopped for lunch halfway, at one of the many guest houses along the path. In the early afternoon, we finally arrived in Ghandruk, where we could admire, from very close, the peak of the southern side of Annapurna.
We stayed and dined at one of the many guest houses in the village. It was a very exciting experience, fully immersed in the everyday Nepalese life.
We woke up admiring the sunrise that stood out against the peak of Annapurna.
Day 4 - Hiking towards Chommrong
In the morning, we continued our trek towards Chommrong. Along the way, we crossed the suspension bridge over Kimrong Khola.
We stopped for lunch along the way, at one of the many guest houses on the path. In the late afternoon, we arrived in the peaceful Chommrong, where we stayed at the Mountain View Lodge.
Chommrong is a village with very few people. We spent the evening admiring the Annapurna range from very close. It was a breathtaking experience to see the majesty of the mountain with an almost deafening silence.
Day 5 - Back to Pokhara
In the morning, we woke up early to begin descending the valley and return to the starting point of our trek. After many, many, many, a great many steps downhill, we finally arrived at one of the most picturesque Tibetan bridges in all of Nepal: the Samrong Khola Footbridge.
Stretching over 280m, this suspension bridge was built in 2018 to improve the pedestrian connection to the Annapurna Base Camp tourist area.
On the other end, jeeps were waiting to take us down to the valley and then on to the city of Pokhara. Arriving here in time for lunch, we had the opportunity to explore many of the things the city has to offer.
First, we took a boat ride on the waters of Phewa Lake, a body of water around which the entire city of Pokhara is situated. Looking around while on one of these colorful boats is truly impressive because the very high Himalayan peaks stand out all around.
After our aquatic tour, we headed (again by van) towards the World Peace Pagoda, one of the most mystical and impressive places we visited during this trip.
This Buddhist religious monument is Nepal's first World Peace Pagoda and adds the finishing touch to the already wonderful valley surrounding Pokhara. From the hill that hosts the construction (where absolute silence must be maintained), it's possible to admire a wonderful panorama that includes the previously mentioned Phewa Lake, the city of Pokhara, and the Himalayan range.
In the evening (just like the first), we stayed at the Hotel White Pearl, located just a few meters from the lakeshore.
For dinner, we opted for the Moondance Restaurant, as previously mentioned.
Day 6 - Chitwan National Park
On day 6 we went to Chitwan National Park and stayed at the Safari Adventure Lodge
Then, we went on a safari at sunset in the park, where we spotted some rhinos and elephants.
We then went to visit the nearby village of Sauraha and had dinner there with some street food
Day 7 - Returning to Kathmandu
In the morning of day 7 we went on a boat safari in Chitwan National Park and spotted some crocodiles!
After that we stopped by Tharu Village, a nearby village populated by farmers and village workers
The whole day was then spent for travelling back to Kathmandu, where we had dinner in an unnamed Momo house in Thamel.
For the night, I highly recommend the Purple Haze Rock Bar, a huge pub with live rock music every night. Whether you're a lover of the genre (or even if you're not a die-hard fan), you'll love this place.
Day 8 - Exploring Kathmandu
We then had a cooking class organized by the hotel staff, where we crafted and cooked nepales Momos by ourselves!
This was the last night of our adventure; overall, Nepal was a deep experience, a whole new world to explore, and a life-changing country.
The home for unique & authentic travel
