NEPAL
13 May - 3 June 2022
- Visited World Heritage sites in the Kathmandu Valley area
- Wonderful Annapurna Base Camp (ABC) Sanctuary Trek to see the snow cap mountains
- A full-day Jeep safari in the World Heritage Chitwan National Park to see one horn rhinos
- Wonderful Annapurna Base Camp (ABC) Sanctuary Trek to see the snow cap mountains
- A full-day Jeep safari in the World Heritage Chitwan National Park to see one horn rhinos
Map of our roadtrip: Kathmandu, Pokhara, Annapurna Conservatory Area, Sauhara, Chitwan National Park
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Day 1 (13 May)
Flew in from Singapore to Kathmandu via our favourite airline, SingaporeAir. We redeemed a pair of business class tickets and paid about SGD69 taxes each. The flight depart Singapore 0940am and arrived Kathmandu 1230pm local time. Upon clearing immigration and collection of our luggages, we took the airport transferred arranged by the hotel to our accommodation in Thamel. From airport to hotel took about 20-25 mins. We’ve also signed up our 15D14N ABC Sanctuary Trek with the hotel for USD1100 each for the four of us. After settlement and checking in, we met our trekking guide who briefed us on our itinerary. After that, we went to the trekking shop to collect our down feather jacket and hiking poles, which are included in the price. In the evening, we walked about 20 minutes to Kathmandu Durbar Square for dinner at a roof top cafe (Old Durbar Heritage Cafe). Hotel: Vastu Boutique Hotel (USD35 a night inclusive of breakfast) |
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Day 2 (14 May) . Kathmandu to Pokhara (1400m-820m)
After breakfast, we set off in a private vehicle to Pokhara It was about 6.5hours drive by private vehicle as we arrived at our hotel in Pokhara at around 5pm.Our hotel is pretty near Phewa Lake, after settling in, we took a leisure 10-15 mins walk to the lake and did some shopping in the centre. Dinner at Soul Origin Cafe, yummy and reasonable prices. Hotel:Kuti Resort and Spa |
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Day 3 (15 May) - Pokhara to Baanthati (820m-2210m)
Today is the start of our ABC trek. After breakfast, we set off in a Jeep to Hile from Pokhara approximately 2 to 3 hours and start to trek until Baanthati via Ulleri takes 4 hours of walk . 1st day of Annapurna base camp hike. Arrived at the trail head at 1140pm at Hile and reached our 1st tea house accommodation at 530pm, including more than an hour lunch break. Perfect weather with a bit of drizzle at time overnight at Guest House (3 Sisters Macchhapuchhre Guest House Banthati). |
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Day 4 (16 May) - Baanthati too Ghorepani(2210m-2860m)
2nd day hike, shorter than 1st day. Started at 9am at 2210m and reached our accommodation at 2:50pm for the night at Ghorepani at 2860m. Walked through Rhododendron forest via Nange Thati. Explore Ghorepani in the afternoon overnight at Fishtail hotel. In the evening, we had few games of pool with the guide before dinner. . |
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Day 5 (17 May) - Ghorepani to Tadapani(2860m-2630m)
Woke up 330am in the morning to Poonhill (3210m) and set off at 4am. Took about 1 hour of walk to the observation place on top to enjoy the sunrise at 518am. We spend quite sometime up here taking photos and returned to the guest house at around 740am. After having Breakfast, we set off to Tadapani at around 930am via Deurali and Banthati approximate 5 hours of walk and overnight at Guest house. It’s a long 8 hours including lunch to reach our accommodation. A tiring long day, started 4am for the sunrise hike and reached our accommodation at 5pm. Total time including breakfast and lunch break took us 13 hours. We stayed at Himalaya Tourist Guesthouse in Tadapani. |
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Day 6 (18 May) - Tadapani to Ghandruk(2630m-1940m)
An easy 4 hours walk today to Ghandruk (1940m). Rest and relax at our accommodation as it started to rain quite heavily after we arrived. Today, we walk through jungle and mostly downhill. Explore one of the old and historic village in the afternoon.overnight at Guest House. After enjoying the double rainbow 🌈 and rain stopped, we walked to nearby Buddhist temple for some photos with a clear view of Annapurna South peak and Fishtail peak. We stayed at Meshrom Guesthouse in Ghandruk |
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Day 7 (19 May) - Ghandruk to Chomrong (1940m - 2178m)
Woke up 445am and stroll around the village for sunrise photos of the snow cap mountains with Ivan. This is another long day of up and downhill trek. We set off around 8am and arrived at our accommodation in Chomrong at around 5pm. Overnight at Panorama Point Lodge in Chomrong. the toilet here is not very clean but the food here is yummy. |
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Day 8 (20 May) - Chomrong to Bamboo (2178m - 2300m)
A long day track of about 8hours of walk through forest to Bamboo. Moisty walk through Jungle and overnight at Bamboo Lodge and Restaurant. It was a wet day today and we did not spend much time for photography and just focus on finishing the trek to our accommodation at Bamboo. |
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Day 9 (21 May) - Bamboo to Deurali(2300m-3230m)
D7 hike, more than 900m elevation today. Set off about 810am and arrived around 425pm at our accommodation at Himalaya. Overnight at New Panorama Guest House. |
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Day 10 (22 May) - Deurali to ABC(3230m-4130m)
After breakfast, we set off to the Annapurna base camp at around 815am. We arrived at our lunch place at around 1215pm (Fishtail Guesthouse & Restaurant) which is at the spilt between route to ABC and MBC. The food here is quite tasty like most other tea houses we’ve visited. After lunch, we set off for ABC. On the way, to ABC, it started to snow and we enjoyed the moment. We finally reached ABC at around 445pm. Overnight at Annapurna Sanctuary Lodge and Restaurant. |
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Day 11 (23 May) - ABC to Bamboo(4130m-2310m)
Beautiful day at Annapurna Base Camp. Woke up 445am in the morning for sunrise and weather cleared up after the snow fall yesterday. Clear view of the snow cap mountains surrounding the base camp. After photography and breakfast, we were all set to descend from ABC. We set off around 9am, and I t’s was suppose to be 6-7 hours of walk mostly downhill to Bamboo today. However, after about 4 hours of descending, one of our friends fell near Deurali. As a result, our remaining trekking tour was halted as our trekking guide advise the four of us to evacuate together from Deurali to Kathmandu hospital. Hotel: Vastu Boutique Hotel |
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Day 12 (24 May)
its a relaxing day in Kathmandu. Spend most of the time shopping in Thamel. Had dinner at Gauchant Thakali Kitchen, which is a short walk from our hotel. Nice food and inexpensive prices. Hotel: Vastu Boutique Hotel |
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Day 13 (25 May)
Today we booked a 8-hour taxi ride to visit four tourist spots. After breakfast, our taxi driver drove us to Patan Durbar Square. Entrance fee for foreigners is Rs 1000 each. We spend about 2 hours wandering around the square for photos. There will be lots of guide waiting at the entrance, offering their services. They typically charge about Rs2000 for a 2-hour guide in the square. One guide even offer to do the tour for USD5. We did not use any guide and depend on the information on the leaflet. The next stop after Patan was Bhaktapur, which is a huge place to visit with 4 different section to visit. Entrance fee is Rs1500 each. We also spend more than 2 hours here. Did not manage to go to the remaining two tourist spots as it started to rain quite heavily. Hence we headed back to hotel to rest and relax. Paid Rs4,000 for 6-hour ride. In the evening, our friends joined us after discharging from the hospital. We went to the same hotel for dinner as the night before. Welcome dinner for Ivan and Joannie after Ivan being discharged from hospital. Yummy food; I think most Singaporean, especially vegetarians, will like the food in Nepal ( Bill Rs4350 about SGD52 ) Vastu Boutique Hotel |
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Day 14 (26 May)
Today, was a rest and relax day as our friend is still having pain from his fall and 5 stitches in the hospital. So we spend most of the time shopping in Thamel area. Yummy Indian and Nepalese food for lunch after few hours of shopping 🛍 Bill Rs.2500 about SGD30. For dinner, our guide brought us to this restaurant call Western Tandoori and Naan House. The garlic bread here is so tasty that we came back at least 2-3 times during our stay in Kathmandu. Hotel: Vastu Boutique Hotel |
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Day 15 (27 May)
Two of our friends are leaving for Singapore this afternoon. After sending them off, we booked a taxi to visit Pashupatinath Temple पशुपतिनाथ मन्दिर and Boudhanath Stupa. We paid Rs 2000 to the taxi driver for him to wait for us while we tour at these two places. After visiting these two tourist spots we asked the driver to drop us near Kathmandu Durbar Square where we ate momo in one of the famous momo restaurants. Hotel: Vastu Boutique Hotel |
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Day 16 (28 May)
Rest and relaxed around Thamel area in the morning and early afternoon. Around 5pm, we took a taxi (Rs300) to the base of Monkey Temple. Entrance fee is Rs200 each for foreigners. We spend about 1.5 hours up in the temple before descending and walked back to Thamel (about 25-30 mins walk). Hotel: Vastu Boutique Hotel |
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Day 17 (29 May)
Relaxing day and more shopping around Thamel and Kathmandu Durbar Square area. Hotel: Vastu Boutique Hotel |
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Day 18 (30 May)
Checked out from Vastu Boutique Hotel in Kathmandu and walked about 20 mins from Thamel to the tourist bus station to catch our bus ride to Chitwan. The bus ride cost Rs 800 each for one way. Bus departed around 730am and made 3 toilet breaks along the way. We reached Sauraha (which is the town beside Chitwan NP) at around 2pm +. The hotel staff was waiting for us at the bus station and it’s about 10mins ride to our accommodation near Chitwan NP. After settling down in our hotel room, we took a tuk tuk ride out to Sauraha town (Rs300 one way). On the way to the restaurant, we saw a wild rhino walking in the town! Photo time :). We had dinner at Art Cafe and would definitely recommend people to dine here while in Sauraha. The food is tasty and price is reasonable. We also booked a full day private Jeep Safari tour with Jungle Tour for Rs22,000. Hotel in Chitwan: Wildlife Adventure Resort |
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Day 19 (31 May)
Our full day Safari started 630am. Our fees included the entrance fee of Rs2000 each. At the NP, we saw more than one horn rhinos, countless deers and birds, mongoose, wild boar, black bear and peacocks. The safari ended about 530pm and we headed back to Sauraha town for dinner at Greasy Spoon Restaurant. We found that food in Art Cafe is more tasty and prices are cheaper. Hotel: Wildlife Adventure |
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Day 20 (1 June)
After checking out at around 730am, we took the tourist bus from the bus station back to Kathmandu. Ticket is Rs800 each plus Rs 100 for hotel transfer to bus station. It was a full day bus ride from Chitwan back to Kathmandu due to heavy traffic jam. We finally arrived Kathmandu bus station at around 5pm+. Took a taxi (Rs400) to our hotel in Thamel. Dinner at Western Tandoori. Hotel: Vastu Boutique Hotel |
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Day 21 (2 June)
Rest and relax. Hotel: Vastu Boutique Hotel |
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Day 22 (3 June)
After breakfast, we spend some time doing last minute packing before taking a taxi to the airport (Rs600) at around 1145am for our flight back to Singapore. After clearing immigration, we spend some time relaxing in the airport lounge. Flight back to Singapore took less than 5 hours. We will be back again for the Everest Base Camp trek next time :) |
TRIP PHOTOS - NEPAL