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Travel route alternatives
TravelPlan
Kathmandu ( 3 nights )
Flight: New Delhi => Kathmandu
You can fly on Sahara Air from Del to KTM. Do not take Cosmic Air, the Nepali version of Sahara Air. You will have many problems in India as a transit passenger. I strongly recommend you get a transit visa into India so you can get your own luggage. Otherwise you will be but in the Transit hall and you will not see anyone for many hours. Transit passengers are the absolute LOWEST priority in Delhi. Be prepared to shout at them. It's all they understand. As they are calling for boarding your flight suddenly your bags may appear, but only if you are extremely agressive and pestering. They may or may not give you your boarding pass until the very last minute. After you exit the Air France plane look for the airline staff. They are the only ones that can take you to the transit lounge after you sit around in the passport control area waiting for them to take your information. In a perfect world you should not have any checked luggage at all if you are a transit passenger in Delhi.
The journey will take more than 2 days by bus.
Taxi/Car: Kathmandu airport => Hostel (EH) in Kathmandu
Getting into town is quite straightforward. Both the international and domestic terminals offer a prepaid taxi service, currently fixed at Rs 350 to Thamel. The hostel charge otherwise 5 USD for airport pick-up if prearranged. The guesthouse is just 7 km from the International Airport to west.
Activities:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g293890-Activities-Kathmandu.html
Walking tour on page 129
Walking tour on page 131
Nightlife in Kathmandu is concentrated on Thamel
Visit the national museum (p162).
Visit Patan (p184) 5 km uphill from Thamel(Kathmandu)
Accommodation: Hostel (EH) in Kathmandu
Bhaktapur ( 2 nights )
Taxi: Hostel => Kathmandu bus station
It is about 5 km from the central bus station to the south.
Bus: Kathmandu => Bhaktapur
16 km from Kathmandu. Minibuses from Kathmandu takes 40 minutes (Rs 12) and arrives/departs from a stand just southwest of Bhaktapur’s Navpokhu Pokhari, a short walk from Durbar Square. Express buses are best.
Walk: Bhaktapur bus station => Guest House in Bhaktapur
Bhaktapur is really tiny so you can walk everywhere.
Activities:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g424934-Activities-Bhaktapur.html
Sightseeing in Bhaktapur (p199)
Activity: Make a day tour by bus to Dhulikhe
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhulikhel
You can walk from Nagarkot through Nala to Banepa and take a bus the last 4 km to Dhulikhel.
It takes 3 1/2 hour to Banepa (p225).
13.6 km from Bharatpur as the crow flies.
Accommodation: Guest House in Bhaktapur. See member information.
Nagarkot ( 1 night )
Walk: Pagoda Guest House => Bhaktapur bus station
It is a little difficult to change bus in Bhaktapur since you get dropped off at the west end of town and have to pick up the next bus in the east.
Bus: Bhaktapur bus station => Nagarkot bus station
Extremely crowded buses goes between Bhaktapur and Nagarkot every half hour or so. The journey takes 1.5 hours (Rs 15).
Walk: Nagarkot bus station => Hotel in Nagarkot
Observe that north is to the right in the map!
Activity:
Get a good view of Himalaya from Nagarkot (p223) or Dhulikhel(p227).
Nagarkot is situated 32 km from Kathmandu. See the sun appear over Himalaya at dawn.
Nagarkot has the best view. Between October and March a trip to Nagarkot will nearly always be rewarded with a view. You are lucky if you get a view during the monsoon between June and September.
Accommodation: Hotel in Nagarkot. See member information.
Kathmandu ( 2 nights )
Walk: Hotel in Nagarkot => Nagarkot bus stand
Bus: Nagarkot => Bhaktapur
Taxi: Bhaktapur east bus station => Bhaktapur west bus station
It is a little difficult to change bus in Bhaktapur since you get dropped off at the west end of town and have to pick up the next bus in the east.
Bus: Bhaktapur => Kathmandu
Taxi: Kathmandu bus station => Elbrus Home
Activities:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g293890-Activities-Kathmandu.html
Visit Pashupatinath (p166) and Bodhnath (p169).
Accommodation: Hostel (EH) in Kathmandu. See member information.
Sauraha ( 7 nights )
Taxi: Hostel => Kathmandu bus station
Bus: Kathmandu => Chitrasali
Tourist buses leave Kathmandu at 7 am. The journey takes six to seven hours and costs Rs 300 to Rs 350.
A more comfortable option is the daily air-con bus operated by Greenline which costs 10 USD including brunch. It leaves Kathmandu 7.30 am.
You can contact Chitwan Sapana Village Lodge if you need any help with the travel arrangements. They can for instance make reservations for you on the bus.
Pickup: Chitrasali => Sauraha
The buses go to Chitrasali about 5 km from Sauraha. Jeeps and hotel touts wait at the bus park to transfer new arrivals to Sauraha for Rs 50. Chitwan Sapana Village Lodge pick you up from the bus park and take you to the lodge free of charge.
Activity: 6 full days / 7 nights
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g1927709-Activities-Chitwan_District.html
http://www.sapanalodge.com/pictures/faces-of-chitwan-nepal
http://www.sapanalodge.com/pictures/wildlife-and-nature-
http://www.sapanalodge.com/pictures/the-beauty-of-nepal
The main National Park Headquarters is inside the park at Kasara, about 13 km west of Sauraha on the south bank of the Rapti River. There is a small visitor centre with display on wildlife and gharial breeding project where you can see these kooky-looking reptiles up close. The park fee is Rs 500 per day.
There is also a smaller centre in Sauraha with displays on wildlife and an office where you can book rides on park elephants.
Elephant Breeding Centre
Elephant breeding centre about 3 km west of Sauraha on the far side of the small Bhude Rapti River. It has open from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m. Come before 10.30 or after 3.30 if you want to see the cute baby elephants. The breeding centre is an easy walk or cycle along the road past Lun Tara, a canoe ferry carries visitors across the Bhude Rapti River for a nominal charge.
Every lunchtime, dozens of elephants come to the river for their daily bath.
Tharu Cultural Show
Tharu songs and dances for guests. In Sauraha there is a nightly performance at the Tharu Culture Program near the Rainforest Guest House. The show starts at 7.30 p.m. each evening and tickets cost Rs 60.
Tharu villages
Sauraha is surrounded by small villages that provide a glimpse of life on the Terai plains. You can explore many of the villages by bike or on foot. The nearest Tharu village is Bachauli, east of Sauraha towards Gaida Wildlife Camp.
Safari on elephant
The elephants leave the visitor centre at Sauraha daily at 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. There are no advance bookings so you should come to the national park visitor centre at 6 a.m. or 1 p.m. to buy a ticket. Safaris last 1.5 hours and run through the dense phanta along the Rapti River, a favorite feeding ground for deer and rhinos. The cost is Rs 1000.
In Sauraha you can arrange inexpensive elephant safaris through Unique and United. Both run morning and afternoon safaris in the Kumrose Community Forest. The safaris last 2.5 hours and the cost is Rs 550 plus the park fees.
Jungle Walks
Walks can be arranged through any of the lodges or travel agents. The going rate is Rs 400 for half-day and Rs 600 to Rs 800 for a full day. You also have to pay the daily park fee.
You can also arrange overnight trips to the Kumrose Community Forest for Rs 500. You send the night on top of the wildlife viewing tower, enveloped by the noises of the jungle. Supper, breakfast and a sleeping bag are included in the price.
Canoeing
Canoe trips from Sauraha cost Rs 850 per person, which includes a one hour trip down river, followed by a two hour guided walk back to Sauraha with a stop at the elephant breeding centre.
4WD safaris
Half-day safaris start at Rs 800 per person if you are a full group.
Cycling
You can visit dozens of small Tharu farming communities where you are guaranteed to be mobbed by enthusiastic children. Another possible destination is Bis Hajaar Tal, a collection of bird-filled lakes and ponds about 1.5 hours northwest of Sauraha, accessible via the Mahendra Hwy. Mountain bikes made in India can be rented from various shops for around Rs 70 per half day and Rs 140 per full day.
Bathing
If you have brought your bathing clothes, don't miss the chance to help out at elephant bath time.
Sapana Village Lodge has many more interesting activities.
Spend a night at a family, Rs 3250.
Join the women on the field and plant rice, cut grass, carry leaves and become a Tharu for a few hours. Rs 350.
Make a henna tattoo. Rs 650.
Accommodation: Lodge in Sauraha. See member information.
Kathmandu ( 2 nights )
Drop off: Lodge in Sauraha => Chitrasali
Bus: Chitrasali => Kathmandu
Air-con buses leave Chitrasali 7.30 am. Tourist buses leave 9.30 a.m.
Taxi: Kathmandu bus station => Hostel (STB) in Kathmandu
The hostel is located 2 minutes from the Kimdole taxi stand. They conveniently have a meeting point in front of Kimdole Taxi Stand where staff gladly will meet you.
Activities:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g293890-Activities-Kathmandu.html
Shopping.
Monkey Temple of Swayambhunath on page 162.
Accommodation: Hostel (STB) in Kathmandu. See member information.
Back to Delhi
Taxi: Hotel => Airport
Flight: Kathmandu => New Delhi
- alternative –
Bus: Kathmandu => Gorakhpur
Train: Gorakhpur => Delhi ( 14-15 hours )
http://www.makemytrip.com/railways/delhi-gorakhpur-train-tickets.html
Be careful of the ticket touts (commission agents) at the train and bus stations. Their through tickets to Kathmandu are not always reliable and cost two to four times more than doing it yourself. Also you are stuck with what they arrange for you, rather than going at your own pace and arranging it yourself, which is easily done. There is absolutely no reason to buy a bus ticket to Kathmandu from them. They are usually total rip-offs.