Efforts to stimulate tourism in Nepal continue in the wake of the April/May 2015 earthquakes. Geringer Global Travel’s new 14-day Explore Nepal itinerary exposes visitors to the local culture via an array of tours of famous landmarks. Kathmandu, Nepal’s capital city, is brimming with temples, shrines and pagodas. Here, guests can view UNESCO World Heritage sites and observe an evening prayer ceremony on the banks of the Bagmati River. In the pottery village of Thimi, guests chat with local artisans and visit ceramic workshops. Guests also take part in birdwatching, canoeing and an elephant safari at Chitwan National Park. Additional cultural highlights include a visit with monks at a monastery in the Hemja village, a rickshaw ride in Thamel, and a 1-hour mountain flight over Mount Everest, as well as a meeting with Nepal’s living goddess, Kumari, in Patan. Rates start $3,758 pp dbl. Guests who book by Oct. 15 save $150 pp for travel through Dec. 15, 2016. Pricing includes all accommodations, a private vehicle with a driver; English-speaking guides; monument entrance fees; and most meals. In addition, a portion of each booking will be donated to rebuild the Sanjiwani Vocational School—a vocational training institution for girls in the ninth and tenth grades. For more information, visit geringerglobaltravel.com/explore-nepal-itinerary-culture-jungle-and-mountiains.
