Your Nepalese Adventure that Counts

Your Nepalese Adventure That Counts 12 days / 11 nights (10 March & 17 November, 2013) Price per person US$2,185* info@handsupholidays.com

call: +1 201 984 5372 (from USA)

+44 207 193 1062 (R.o.W)

*(excluding flights, based on sharing a room with one other person)

Day 1:

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KATHMANDU You are met at the Tribhuwan International Airport and transferred to the Tibet International Hotel in Kathmandu. You have a Heritage room.

Day 2:

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KATHMANDU At around 8.00am, after your breakfast, there will be a pre-trip meeting with the guide. You can use this opportunity to ask questions about your trip. For the meeting, please bring your passport, three passportsize photos, and a copy of your travel insurance policy.

tree), the Shiva Parvati temple, the great bell and drum, Seto Bhairab, Kal Bhairav and Taleju Temple.

Swoyambhunath is an ancient religious complex atop a hill in the Kathmandu Valley, west of Kathmandu city. It is also known as the Monkey Temple as there are holy monkeys living in the north-west aspect of the t e m p l e . F o r t h e B u d d h i s t N e w a r s , Swayambhunath occupies a central position and is one of the most sacred Buddhist pilgrimage sites. For Tibetans and followers of Tibetan Buddhism, it is second only to Boudhanath.

After the meeting, your sightseeing tour will start at around 9:45 am. You will have a private vehicle and a professional tour guide at your disposal.

Explore the 17th Century Durbar complex and Hanuman Dhoka, temple of the living goddess, Narayan Mandir, Maiju Dewal, and Kasthmandap (a wooden temple built from a single

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The Swoyambhunath complex consists of a stupa, a variety of shrines and temples, a Tibetan monastery, museum and a library. The stupa has Buddha's eyes and eyebrows painted on it. Between them, you will notice a marking which looks like the nose - however, this is the Nepali symbol of 'unity'. Much of Swayambhunath's iconography comes from the Vajrayana tradition of Newar Buddhism.

However, the complex is also an important site for Buddhists of many schools, and revered by Hindus as well.

Afternoon visit: sightseeing tour of Patan and Boudhanath.

Patan City – we visit the old Newar city and the historic Durbar Square, the Golden Gate, the sky piercing temple of Taleju and the statue of Yogendra Malla, Krishna Mandir, Sati Temple, Hiranya Varna Mahabir (the golden temple), and Mahabouddha with its old carved wooden windows, curio shops and bazaars. Later, we visit a Tibetan handicraft center (including crafts such as weaving and carpet making) and a Tibetan refugee settlement.

We then visit Boudhanath, a 2,500 year old Buddhist stupa built in the 5th century in the valley displaying the four pairs of eyes of Buddha in the four cardinal directions keeping an eternal watch over the people and their doings.

You will notice Tibetan Buddhist pilgrims circumambulating the stupa and spinning their prayer wheels.

Overnight stay at the Tibet International Hotel.

Day 3:

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TREK TO CHISAPANI Today, we have an early morning start as our trek will take about 5 or 6 hours. A one hour drive (23 kilometers) away from Kathmandu, Kakani (1,082 meters), is a village in the foothills of the Himalaya. It provides excellent mountain views of Ganesh Himal, Langtang and Annapurna. A fabulous backdrop to begin your trek.

The first hour of our trek is on a reasonably flat trail, after which we will gradually gain more altitude. When we reach the top of the hill, the sights are spectacular. This is where we stop to have lunch. From here a 3 hour hike along a level forest trail takes us to Chisapani.

You have dinner and spend the night at a local guesthouse. info@handsupholidays.com

call: +1 201 984 5372 (from USA)

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Day 4:

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TREK TO NAGARKOT In the morning, we start our trek to Chauki Bhanjyang, which takes about 2.5 hours. We stop in the village of Chauki Bhanjyang for lunch, after which we continue our hike for another 3 hours through charming trails until we reach Nagarkot. Our total hiking time for today is around 5 to 6 hours.

Nagarkot (2,175 meters) is by far the most popular hill station in the Kathmandu valley. In clear weather you will be greeted by a magnificent view. The Himalayan mountain range stretching from Dhaulagiri in the West all the way (past Mount Everest) to Kanchenjunga in the East, greets you with its awe inspiring majesty and beauty.

Overnight at Bhangeri Durbar Resort in Nagarkot.

You have a deluxe room. info@handsupholidays.com

Day 5:

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NAGARKOT – GORKHA A morning drive by 4WD takes us to Gorkha.

Located on the Northern-central part of Nepal, the Gorkha district has significant historical and political importance. Gorkha Bazaar, is about

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140 kilometers west of Kathmandu at an altitude of 1,135 meters. Gorkha's centerpiece is a magnificent Gorkha Durbar which comprises of a fort, a palace and a temple with excellent views of the surrounding valleys and the Manasalu mountain range.

Perched on a chain of hills, Arupokhari is comprised of 9 isolated villages. The nearest market town is Arughat, along the banks of the Budi Gandaki River, a strenuous 45 minutes hike from the nearest Arupokhari village. The makeshift dirt road is unusable most months of the year due to landslides and erosion. The villages were only connected to the electricity grid in early 2011, a change which has brought new prospects of growth and progress to the region.

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In the evening, we walk around the village and interact with the locals.

Dinner and Overnight stay at a local house.

Day 6 - 8:

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GORKHA It is in the village of Gorkha where you have the opportunity to make a difference. The topology of the village offers stunning views of the mountains and the surrounding regions.

Terraced farming using traditional methods, is very common. Children are often seen herding cattle and goats in the day time and evenings.

Almost all the food consumed in the village is grown locally, making each meal fresh and organic.

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However, it is a matter of great concern that the quality of living in the region of Arupokhari is well below the national average. The lack of developmental infrastructure is pervasive, rendering the use of technology, as a tool for development, useless. There are no centrally located medical facilities or personnel in the region. A fact that has at times negatively impacted the health of the community.

years and is beginning to demonstrate success in filling the void in the education and the housing needs of the poorest families.

There is an immediate need to provide adequate housing for the very poorest families and also renovate the existing schools. This also includes the funding of resources, such as books and writing materials, to ensure a conducive study environment.

Decaying school structures and a lack of teachers means that the existing state-run schools are unable to perform at the level of city schools.

Literacy rates are abysmal, owing to this lack of quality schools.

Meet the locals, improve the lives of the poorest children and help to give them better options in life.

Work alongside the local labourers as you are immersed into village life.

On your second last day you will organise the handover ceremony scheduled to take place the following day. This is done in cooperation with the villagers

The project you will work on aims to ameliorate these conditions over the last few info@handsupholidays.com

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and is another great opportunity for you to interact with the local community.

Dinner and overnight stay at a local house.

Day 9:

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GORKHA On your last day of making a difference in Gorkha you will hand over the structure you helped build. During the ceremony, enjoy your time with the local villagers and spend some time playing with the children that will benefit most from your input.

If you are interested in having a look at the

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surroundings, please let us know and this can be organised for the following morning as there will be a little time before the departure for Kathmandu.

Dinner and Overnight stay at a local house.

Day 10:

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GORKHA - KATHMANDU Today you are transferred to Kathmandu by 4WD. You have the rest of the day free at leisure.

Overnight stay at the Tibet International Hotel in Kathmandu.

call: +1 201 984 5372 (from USA)

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Day 11:

(B,-,D)

KATHMANDU Today, you have the day to stroll along the streets of Kathmandu for some last-minute sightseeing and shopping. If you would like to go mountain biking, or do a scenic flight to see Mt Everest, we can arrange this, at extra cost. We have a farewell dinner in a typical Nepalese restaurant with cultural performances.

Overnight stay at the Tibet International Hotel.

Day 12:

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KATHMANDU Today you are transferred to Kathmandu International airport on time for your departure flight.

TO RESERVE YOUR SPOT: Email bookings@handsupholidays.com with these details: 1.

2.

3.

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Trip Destination: Trip date: Number of people booking: Participant name(s) and email address: Phone number:

You can reserve your trip with payment of 20% deposit, with the balance paid at least 60 days prior to the start of your trip. You can pay your deposit by bank transfer (in US$ or GBP) or by credit card (in GBP only, and a 2% handling fee applies). Please indicate which option you prefer.

All bookings are subject to our usual Terms and Conditions except that any payments you make are fully refundable should we fail to reach the minimum number of participants for your trip within 60 days of your trip start date.

Wishing you a wonderful Adventure That Counts!

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call: +1 201 984 5372 (from USA)

+44 207 193 1062 (R.o.W)

CONDITIONS Your trip price includes:

Your trip price does not Include:

 Four star double occupancy accommodation 

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in Kathmandu and Nagarkot.

Twin or triple sharing accommodation in tourist class lodges and guesthouses during the trek (1 night) and local house (home stay) whilst in Gorkha.

Breakfast at hotels in Kathmandu and Nagarkot.

All standard meals during the trek and while in Gorkha .

Transfer by air-conditioned vehicles (airport transfers, sightseeing, excursions as per itinerary) Transfers by air-conditioned Land Cruiser to and from Gorkha.

Assistance on arrival and departure.

English speaking guides throughout ( English speaking trekking guide during the trek and house building).

01 porter per 02 guests during trek to Chisapani and in Gorkha if needed.

Food, accommodation, salary, insurance, equipment and medicine for all local staff.

House building cost through volunteering donation of $200 per person Water during volunteering

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 International Airport taxes  Mandatory health insurance  Personal expenses (telephone, laundry,

drinks, camera/video-camera fee at monuments etc.)

A.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

 Travel insurance is compulsory (we

recommend insurance with a medical evacuation clause); we can help you with this.  Volunteer activities may change from those noted above, depending on the needs of the project.

B.

CONFIRMATIONS:

 No services are booked yet. We will not

process reservation before receiving your reservation request.  We reserve the right to reserve alternative options if the proposed service is not available at the time of booking.

call: +1 201 984 5372 (from USA)

+44 207 193 1062 (R.o.W)

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Accommodation in Gorkha Traditional Nepalese houses (home stay) – Up to four participants can stay in each house. You will be provided with a simple bed and a mattress along with a quilt or a blanket. We suggest you bring along a sleeping bag.

In Chisapani, we offer clean tourist class “Tea House” (hiker’s lodges) lodges on a double occupancy basis.

Meals in Gorkha Typically, you will be served Nepali food twice a day by your host family (at around 9am and at 7pm) but they will usually be flexible to suit your needs. The staple diet of Nepal’s population is dal (lentils), bhat (rice), and tarkari (curried vegetables). Beef is not eaten in Nepal for religious reasons since the cow is a revered religious animal in Hinduism. Tea is served in the morning and in the afternoon, either black or with cow or buffalo milk; popcorn, wheat, millet or corn breads offered in the afternoon. You can also request to cook in the Nepali kitchen of your host family. If you have any special dietary needs, please let us know and we will do our best to accommodate you.

Meals While Trekking During the trek most teahouses (lodges) cook a delicious range of mostly vegetarian dishes.

Pasta, tuna bakes, noodles, potatoes, eggs, dhal bhat, bread, soups, fresh vegetables and even some desserts like apple pies, pancakes and some interesting attempts at custard! You can always get hot chocolate, tea, and hot lemon drinks, as well as soft drinks, and treats like chocolate and crisps.

Each day dinner and breakfast are served in the lodge where you are spending the night. Lunch is taken on the way to your destination.

Toilet Facilities Most village families in Nepal do not have a flushing toilet and there is no sewage system.

All toilets are squat toilets made of either a few planks precariously positioned over a hole in the ground or a stone pot with a bucket or tap.

There usually is water supply next to the toilet, which is used for flushing the toilet. You need to

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take your own stock of sufficient toilet paper with you as it is not available for purchase in village markets.

Toilet facilities during the trek - common toilet facilities are available at the Tea House Lodges.

Bathing In village areas there are no private facilities for bathing. There are spring water creeks, rivers and communal water sources available for bathing and other tasks used by all locals. It is ok to use soap in the water streams when bathing. Bathing can be done at any time, but it is strongly recommended that you wear attire that is not very revealing, even if it is in a secluded area. Nudity is taken very seriously and is totally unacceptable.

In Chisapani, there is running water in your guesthouse.

Laundry Options in Gorkha and Chisapani Laundry facilities are the same as for bathing, but you can do your laundry in the nearby rivers. There usually is a clothesline on your host family’s lawn.

In Kathmandu and Nagarkot you can use your hotel’s laundry service.

Wireless Communication in Gorkha and Chisapani The village you will be staying at has recently been supplied with electricity. This means you are now able to charge and use your mobile phone. Do bear in mind that there is no internet in the village and the only possible internet access (CDMA technology – wireless internet via phone carrier) does not yield a high speed connection. Please inform us in advance if you would like to book a wireless CDMA SIM card and a USB modem.

Your Kathmandu and Nagarkot hotels provide free Wi-Fi Internet in the lobby.

Adventure activities in Gorkha and Chisapani Since the house building activities take up no more than 6 hours daily, you have plenty of time in your hands for recreation and adventure activities. Some great options are mountain

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biking, hiking, swimming, fishing, walking in the jungle and rafting (if there is a sufficiently large group). Some of these activities, especially mountain biking, are seasonal and not possible during the monsoon season. Our field staff will be at your disposal if you need any information regarding any of these activities.

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call: +1 201 984 5372 (from USA)

+44 207 193 1062 (R.o.W)