On the slopes of the Himalayas: the Nepal of cities and jungle

Nepal has always been described as the sanctuary of the planet’s highest peaks, a paradise for mountaineers and dreamers. But reducing it to a sequence of ice walls means missing its true soul: a dense network of valleys where time is measured by the cycles of rebirth, where the potters’ clay dries in a medieval sun and primeval forests preserve the heartbeat of the wildest earth.

This itinerary through Nepal has been designed to come down from the great heights and immerse itself in the living fabric of a culture thousands of years old. From the royal squares of the Kathmandu Valley to the green silence of Chitwan and on to the mirror-like lakes of Pokhara, the journey becomes a continuous path between human devotion and the majesty of nature.

Patan, Kathmandu and the call of the sacred

The Kathmandu Valley welcomes the traveller by revealing at once its nature as a crossroads of peoples and faiths. The journey gets properly under way in Patan, rightly regarded as the cradle of Buddhism. Walking through its Durbar Square you lose yourself among incredibly ornate architecture and hand-carved wooden façades. Patan is a city of craftsmen: here the art of bronze casting is passed down from generation to generation, and the deities take shape in the hands of masters who work by the same rules as they did centuries ago.

Kathmandu keeps the charm of its medieval atmosphere intact. The heart of the city’s spirituality is reached by climbing the steps of the Swayambhunath Stupa. This ancient Buddhist complex, protected by UNESCO, is watched over by the painted eyes of the Buddha gazing towards the four cardinal points. But it is also known to everyone as the “monkey temple”, on account of the lively and numerous colony of primates that inhabits the sacred hill, moving about in complete freedom among the faithful.

The day in the capital does not end in the silence of the temples: from the monumental Durbar Square you move on by rickshaw, gliding through the narrow lanes of the bazaar to reach the Thamel district. It is an experience of pure urban immersion, where the scent of spices, the coloured fabrics and the voices of the merchants create the ideal soundtrack before the city lights up in the evening. For those who want the ultimate view, dawn offers an extraordinary opportunity: an optional helicopter flight to skim the outline of Everest and look the roof of the world straight in the eye.

Bhaktapur and the secrets of the devout

The journey continues towards the places where spirituality becomes daily ritual. Pashupatinath Temple, on the banks of the sacred Bagmati river, is Nepal’s most important Hindu sanctuary, a place of profound devotion where life and death meet on the cremation ghats. A short distance away, the contrast is stark on reaching the Boudhanath Stupa, the largest Buddhist monument in the world. Here the rhythm is set by the slow pace of the pilgrims circling clockwise around the gigantic white dome.

You then proceed to Bhaktapur, the best-preserved medieval city in the entire valley. Known as the “city of devotees”, it is a labyrinth of red brick and silent squares. In one of these, local artisans still shape pottery using ancient techniques, giving visitors the chance to watch typical objects come to life. The view then widens to the temple of Changunarayan, a jewel of art overlooking the spectacular terraced rice fields, a visual testament to the unbreakable bond between people and the land that feeds them.

From the forests of Chitwan to the waters of Pokhara

Leaving the valley, the route follows a scenic road down to the plains of the Terai, home to Chitwan National Park. This UNESCO-protected reserve is a sanctuary of biodiversity, a mosaic of dense sal forests and winding rivers that shelters one-horned rhinoceroses, Bengal tigers and hundreds of bird species. The encounter with the park begins through culture, with a visit to the nearby village of the Tharu tribe, a people who over the centuries have developed a perfect symbiosis with the surrounding jungle.

The following day is a total immersion in unspoilt nature. Accompanied by local nature guides, you walk in the silence of the forest for birdwatching sessions, then venture deep into the vegetation by jeep in search of the local wildlife. The pace slows during a relaxing canoe trip along the river, where the only sound is the flow of the water. In the evening, Tharu culture takes centre stage again with a show of traditional dances telling of the people’s ancient bond with the forest.

The journey resumes towards Pokhara, climbing back up into the mountains along a road that offers unique glimpses of the snow-capped peaks of the Annapurna. Pokhara is a city of water and mirrors: in the afternoon, a mini-cruise on the calm waters of Phewa Lake leads to the Tal Barahi Temple Island, a sanctuary set right at the centre of the lake, where the reflections of the mountain range merge with its surface.

Dawn over the peaks

There are moments worth an entire journey, and dawn from the Sarangkot viewpoint is one of them. Setting off early in the morning to reach the 1,600 metres of the mountain above Pokhara, you witness the spectacle of the sun slowly emerging from behind the Tibetan peaks, bathing the valley below and the rock and ice walls of the Annapurna in gold.

Back in town, you set out to discover the most authentic Pokhara: the brightly coloured old bazaar, the Bindabasini temple and the Tibetan Refugee Camp, a village that offers an insight into the daily life, resilience and craftsmanship of the Tibetan communities settled in Nepal.

There is also time to appreciate the region’s geological wonders. Over time the Seti river has carved a deep gorge through the valley. Following the suspension bridges, you reach Devi’s Falls and the Gupteswor cave. This cave, the most famous in Nepal, houses an underground temple and lets you observe from an inverted perspective the power of the waterfall plunging into the bowels of the earth.

The value of the Guiness Travel experience

Crossing Nepal, from the demanding mountain roads of the Kathmandu Valley to the jungle tracks of Chitwan, calls for flawless logistics and a deep knowledge of the territory. Guiness Travel takes care of every junction along the route, using scheduled flights and ensuring maximum safety on every transfer.

The real distinguishing feature is the constant presence of the Guiness tour leader at the travellers’ disposal. This figure turns the journey into a worry-free experience, managing the timings, enriching the visits with cultural detail and leading the evening panoramic tours, allowing each traveller to focus solely on the profound emotion of standing before the Himalayas.