Durbar temples in Bhaktapur, Nepal

Undiscovered Nepal and India Itinerary

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Customizable Itinerary

This is a sample itinerary to inspire a personalized trip designed with your travel specialist

Countries Visited

India, Nepal

Places Visited

Delhi, Old Delhi, Chandni Chowk, Jama Masjid...

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Suggested Duration

14 Days

History is always being made in India and Nepal as traditions are carried forward, heritage influences today, and the storylines go all the way back to where the roots of Buddha and Hinduism. Handcrafted and expertly guided for history lovers, this two-week tour will explore temples and villages, famous monuments and ancient cities. From Agra to Varanasi to Kathmandu, you will explore history in the modern era and see how a majestic past filters into the exotic atmosphere of today.

Customizable Itinerary

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Trip Highlights

  • Immerse yourself in the spirituality of Varanasi, the world’s oldest continually inhabited city
  • Stand before a living goddess and learn of other traditions that are kept alive in the ancient kingdoms of Kathmandu Valley
  • Feast your eyes on the Taj Mahal and uncover many other grand Mughal monuments
  • Spend a night at the birthplace of Buddha in Lumbini, Nepal
  • Follow the storylines in Khajuraho, where the Karma Sutra temples are amongst the best-preserved temples in all of Asia
  • Visit monasteries and historical villages in the Himalayas that combine tradition with sublime Himalayan views
  • Relax in Orchha, an old gem of a Mughal city on the banks of the Betwa River
  • Discover how history is being reconstructed after the earthquake in Patan and Bhaktapur

Detailed Description

History always speaks into the future, and this handcrafted tour has its roots in exploring this dynamic. All across the world, you can admire historical monuments and odes to the past, but in India and Nepal, you can really feel how history has filtered through the centuries to play an integral role in today. Varanasi is a great example as the world’s oldest continually inhabited city that is still very much dominated by its founding beliefs. Kathmandu is another entirely, where traditions like living goddesses have fought their way into the 21stcentury. Some cities like Orchha are left as an insight into a historic time, while others like Agra juxtapose fascinating history with a modern sensual feast. 

With just a week in India and a week in Nepal, you will not be able to see everything. These are vast countries with volumes of history, their stories could fill many lifetimes, but two weeks is more than enough to indulge your senses and explore contrasting narratives. Each destination has been selected for its unique offer to the countries’ story. Most of these two weeks are back-dropped by magnificent natural landscapes, most spectacularly Nepal’s snow-dominated Himalayan mountains, and most unusually the temples of Khajuraho. Your hotels will be centrally located so that you can enjoy the charms of India and Nepal within footsteps of your accommodations. 

Fly into Delhi next to immerse yourself in the daily show of people and passions that overflow everywhere on the central streets. It can be overwhelming when on the streets, but from your first-floor balcony and with your local guide, the Indian capital is perhaps the best people-watching destination on the planet. Explore its historical sights before traveling to Agra, the Taj Mahal just one of the Mughal icons now standing amid the colorful markets and streets populated by the wandering cows. Orchha is then your third Indian stop, and it quickly takes you back to the 16thand 17thcenturies with so much of the city left unchanged over the centuries. You will spend a couple of nights here for an excellent place to catch your breath after the action-packed start to the tour.

Khajuraho’s temples have cast their historical influence all around the world in the form of the Kama Sutra. Their beauty comes from their details with thousands upon thousands of sculptures cast around a set of temples that have been expertly preserved. From here, it is a short flight to Varanasi, India’s holiest city and the place that best reflects the concept that history is part of the future. Just to walk the labyrinthine lanes and admire the every day is a special experience here, as such spirituality and emotion are all around the old town. There are historical sights here of course, but most of all there is raw unfiltered feeling.

Drive north and cross into Nepal overland, spending the afternoon and night in Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha that has now become a pilgrimage spot. Like Varanasi, but a different religion, of course, you really sense how the past inspires and influences today. Reach Kathmandu the next day and explore the historical highlights of two ancient kingdoms, before the final three to discover Nepal’s rural histories with Newari culture in Bhaktapur, hill station charm in Dhulikhel, monastic life around Panauti, and village traditions amid Himalayan backdrops. 

Starting Price

$3,500 per person (excluding international flights)

Your Zicasso trip is fully customizable, and this sample itinerary is a starting place for your travel plans. Actual costs are dynamic, and your selection of accommodations and activities, your season of travel, and other such variables will bring this budget guideline up or down. Throughout your planning experience with your Zicasso specialist, your itinerary is designed around your budget. You can book your trip when you are satisfied with every detail. Planning your trip with a Zicasso travel specialist is a free service.

What's Included

  • Accommodations
  • In-country transportation
  • Some or all activities and tours
  • Expert trip planning
  • 24x7 support during your trip

Your final trip cost will vary based on your selected accommodations, activities, meals, and other trip elements that you opt to include.

Reviews of Zicasso's Referral Service

4.79 stars based on 58 reviews.

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