Kathmandu Valley

NEPAL AND KATHMANDU VALLEY 16th April 2012

PRICE INCLUDES:

• Fligths from Dublin with Etihad Airlines
• 10nights in 4 star or similar hotels
• All meals, breakfast, lunch and dinner included as per full itineary
• Full sightseeing and walking programme with professional guide
• All transfers by airconditioned coaches

The main attractions of Kathmandu lie in and around the Durbur Square area of the city. Said to have more temples than homes this gives an indication of the wealth of cultural attractions to be seen. A guided walking tour of old Kathmandu is essential to appreciate the stunning Newari architecture – each building decorated with finely carved wooden doors and windows, the rather ordinary brickwork only serving to emphasis the fine work.

Outside the city lies Bodhnath, Pashupatinath and the hilltop Swayambhunath or Monkey Temple. Bodhnath and Swayumbhunath are Buddhist temples; Bodhnath has a white stupa surmounting a mandala (the Buddhist representation of the Universe), Swayambhunath similarly has a large white dome of a stupa but also is larger with great views, many Buddhist monasteries and a huge vajra or thunderbolt together with many monkeys. Pashupatinath is a Hindu temple on the banks of the Bagmati River. Dedicated to an incarnation of Shiva it is one of the most important Hindu temples anywhere in the world and attracts many sadhus – Hindu holy men – and pilgrims as well as travellers.

The above make up some of the 7 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the others being the Durbar Squares of Patan and Bhaktapur and the Hindu temple of Changu Narayan.

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