Nepal Driving Tour

Nepal driving tour with Bardia National park 12 days

Kathmandu – Daman – Lumbini – Bardia – Tansen – Pokhara – Gorkha

Duration: 12 days Nepal driving tour with Bardia
Season: Mid Sept. to May
Means of Transportation: Private vehicle 4WD (four wheel drive), SUV or Sedan, flight on request.

Attraction: Bardia national park is less visited but most thrilling safari park in Nepal for its high chances of Tiger sighting. Nepal driving tour provides you an opportunity to visit Bardia national park, exploring scenic countryside and hill stations. It also gives options for second time visitors to Nepal. The tour could be custom made with popular sightseeing or optional sites for both first and second time visitors.

Tour Itinerary

DAY 01: ARRIVE KATHMANDU, NEPAL
Our represent will meet you at the Kathmandu airport and together you will drive to the hotel. There is an option of familiarization walk to old Kathmandu and tourist center of Thamel in the evening.

DAY 02: KATHMANDU SIGHTSEEING
After breakfast, an expert guide will take you for Kathmandu sightseeing. You will be guided through the Heritage Sites of Kathmandu. We have alternate activities / sightseeing options for second time visitors. Sightseeing points will be chosen as per your interest.

DAY 03: DRIVE TO DAMAN (overnight)
Daman at 2,320 m is the highest hill station in the central Nepal. The place offers the widest view of Himalayas from Daulagiri in the west to Mt Everest in the east. Daman is along the old highway linking Kathmandu with Terai. Even though the road is narrow and winding, the traffic is less and the drive is scenic.

DAY 04: DRIVE TO LUMBINI – birth place of Buddha
Drive down to Hetaunda and further to Chitwan along the east west highway. It takes about 8 hrs to get to Lumbini. Lumbini is now developed in the area of 3 sq miles under the master plan. The pilgrimage starts from ‘New Tourist Village’ which is being developed into Buddhist resource center with logistics for tourists. Monastic zone is where monasteries from different Buddhist communities around the world are established. Finally the Sacred Garden preserves ‘Marker Stone’, ruins of ancient Mayadevi temple and stupas and the Ashokan pillar.

DAY 05: DRIVE TO BARDIA NATIONAL PARK
From Lumbini, we will drive west on the east-west highway (Mahendra Highway) to Bardia National Park. It is about 230 km and takes about 6 hrs. Mahendra highway is the longest highway in Nepal (1,024 km) spanning the length of Nepal along the Terai planes.

DAY 6-7: BARDIA NATIONAL PARK
Bardia is more pristine than Chitwan National park. It is said that ‘Tiger Sighting’ probability is higher in Bardia than Chitwan. Bardia give the feel of Chitwan from about 3 decade back. We will carry on various activities like Elephant safari, Jungle walk, Jeep safari, cultural tour, Jungle walk etc to enjoy the wildlife of Bardia National park.

DAY 08: DRIVE TO TANSEN, PALPA (230 km / 8 hrs)
After another beautiful morning in Bardia National park, we will drive back to Butwal on east west highway. From Butwal, winding road of Siddhartha highway, climbs up to Srinagar hill of Tansen. Srinagar hill of Tansen is the most scenic hill station in western Nepal. Often canopies of snow peaks are seen floating above the foggy valleys.

Sunrise view from Tansen, Palpa
DAY 09: TANSEN TOUR and DRIVE TO POKHARA
The view from Srinagar hill, Tansen appears as giant staircase with deep valleys and rolling hills with world’s highest mountains in the backdrop. Tansen was a trading hub along the trans-Himalayan trade route. One can still see reminiscence of medieval Newari town. The town is popular for ‘Dhaka’, Nepalese garment and brass and copper casting. Drive 4 hrs to Pokhara. Later walk along the Phewa lakeside market.

DAY 10: FREE DAY IN POKHARA
Pokhara has got several day hikes and comfortable hotels / resorts in its outskirt these days. If it is your second time in Pokhara, plan a easy to moderate day hike with overnight stay at surreal places like Himalayan Deurali (Naudanda), Raniban Retreat, Begnas Resort, Tiger Top Pokhara Lodge or go on a easy hike.

DAY 11: DRIVE BACK TO KATHMANDU | Visit Gorkha on the way. 
The center of legendary Gorkha is about 30 km northeast of Kathmandu – Pokhara highway. The ridge top fort temple offers magnificent view of Manaslu and Ganesh Himal. This is from where unification of Nepal begins some 260 years back. The Gorkha tour gives insight of real Nepal.

DAY 12: DRIVE TO THE AIRPORT FOR FINAL DEPARTURE