Medieval Kingdoms: Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur

Medieval Kingdoms: Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur

Discover and hear stories of three ancient kingdoms written in blood, sand and stone…walk through monuments that are today world heritage sites and hear the ancient whispers of royal conspiracies, guile and deceptions of creepy assassination plans that led to royal tragedies as they echo down the historical corridors of these once-up-on-a-time symbols of power.  You will find it all on this short whirlwind tour of ‘The Three Kingdoms of Yore’…

This wonderful brief tour allows you to travel around antique temples and religious shrines of the three olden kingdoms, known throughout the world as Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Patan. As we move around, we begin to get enlightened by a spiritual history where the past still lives in the present, and traditions that seem as old as the sun determinedly repeats itself into a culture that holds steadfast to an ancient history shaped by the kings of past generations and uncanny religious doctrines are strictly followed till this very day.

As we walk the cobble stoned back-lanes of Kathmandu, capital of Nepal, we will visit the holiest of Hindu shrines “Pashupatinath”.  Pashupatinath temple is linked to Shiva, one of the hindu trinities and the custodian (patron) deity of the Hindus. As we come close to the cremation areas of the temple, we will witness the Hindu ritual of cremating a corpse. We next move on to the Buddhist stupa at Boudhanath, said to be one of the biggest in the world. In Kathmandu, we also visit the iconic Swayambhunath [popularly known as the monkey temple] and the Kathmandu durbar square.

Another superb prospect of this trip is a cultural tour to major cultural heritage sites and temples in Bhaktapur and Patan…two ancient cities that fell to the sword and bullets while romping in pagan festive gaieties as food and wine flowed to extremes…  ‘Incentive Holidays’ will guide you on this blitzing tour and take you down memory lane as you view and smell heady wafts of smoking incense amidst the incessant clanging of temple bells that tells you time still stands unmoved in these‘Kingdoms of Yore’’…

Day 1 : Arrive in Kathmandu at Tribhuwan International Airport

Day 2 : Sightseeing tour of Pashupatinath, Boudhanath and Bhaktapur Durbar Square

Day 3 : Sightseeing tour of Patan, Swayambhunath and Kathmandu Durbar Square

Day 4 : Final departure

Day 1: Arrive in Kathmandu at Tribhuwan International Airport

Arrival Kathmandu at the Tribhuwan International Airport. You will find our representative awaiting your arrival by displaying a plastic board with your name highlighted in large letters on the board.  Our office vehicle will be parked at the airport to pick you up and drop you to your designated hotel. Your first overnight in the valley of temples.

Day 2: Full day sightseeing tour (Pashupatinath, Bouddhanath and Bhaktapur)

After an early breakfast, we set out on a guided tour to the primary historical spots in Kathmandu. We will tour symbolic monuments, temples, monasteries, palaces and UNESCO World Heritage Sites that include: Boudhanath, and the temples of Pashupatinath. As we stroll along the exotic locales of Kathmandu, more diversified cultural settings in the valley welcome us with warm hospitality. At Boudhanath, we get deep insights into Buddhism. This may invoke your spiritual senses. We next cruise down a scenic highway to medieval Bhaktapur. Spread over an area of 6.88 sq km, 12 km south-east of Kathmandu, Bhaktapur or Bhadgaon showcases the grandeur of the Golden Age of Nepali art and architecture. Built by King Anand Dev Malla in the 9th century, the city was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979. It has become a model for heritage conservation since then.

At the Bhaktapur Durbar Square, we will experience fine examples of sculpture, woodcarving and pagodas dedicated to different gods and goddesses – a delightful attraction are the erotic statues of the gods in the act of Kama Sutra at Nyatapol & Dattaraya Temples, Golden Gate and the Palace of 55 windows etc. at dusk, we get ready to proceed to our hotel for an overnight.

Day 3: Tour of Patan, Swayambhunath & Kathmandu Durbar Square

After breakfast we escort you to Patan, one of three medieval cities in Kathmandu. Patan is a destination for connoisseurs of fine arts. We take a tour of the Patan Durbar Square – a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Located in the square is the Patan Museum (originally a Malla palace), Krishna Mandir – a stone temple of Lord Krishna with its 21 spires and bas-relief art depicting scenes from the Mahabharata and Ramayana epics, Royal Bath or ‘Tushahity’ and surrounding Hindu and Buddhist temples. Leaving Patan we take a short drive to Swayambhunath or Monkey Temple. “Swayambhu” signifies “self-created” and signifies the belief that the hill emerged spontaneously from the great lake that once covered Kathmandu Valley. Our next stop is Kathmandu or Basantapur Durbar Square. Listed as a cultural World Heritage site by UNESCO, Kathmandu Durbar Square is a cluster of ancient temples, palaces, courtyards and streets that dates back to the 12th and 18th centuries. At the square you will find Hanuman Dhoka Palace Museum, Taleju Temple, Kumari Ghar (House of the Living Goddess), Kasthamandap and other temples and buildings as old as the city itself. Overnight at our hotel.

Day 4: Final departure transfer to airport for home sweet home farewell friends!

Should you require any extensive activities, please do let us know. This short trek can be added to an exciting historical tour of the Kathmandu valley by a day; we have a vast array of different programs that will even interest the discerning traveler, our ‘No frills’prices will certainly not hurt your pockets. ‘Incentive Holidays’ has taken much pleasure in organizing your holidays and knowing you has been a great honour for us. Thank you for visiting our amazing country Nepal. We do hope we will meet sometime again in the future. Bon Voyage!  

Accommodation

Your accommodation in Kathmandu will be made in 3-4-5* star hotels of your choice. All hotel rates are based on BB unless otherwise stated. Accommodations in the valley are comfortable and as close as it gets to home. The options are many for your hotel stay…the choice exclusively yours.

Dining

The choices are a delicatessen’s delight in the valley for visitors with vibrant taste buds. You will find cuisines from almost every corner of the planet in this ancient city. Most tourists’ based hotels and resorts are sensitive to the hygienic requirements in the preparation of all food and beverage items when catering to tourists’ visiting Nepal.