Sightseeing Time: approx. 6 hours. The day opens at Pashupatinath, the most sacred Hindu shrine in Nepal, where the Bagmati River runs past its riverside cremation ghats, then continues to Boudhanath, one of the largest stupas in the world and the centre of the valley's Tibetan Buddhist community. The afternoon is spent in Bhaktapur, the medieval city of Devotees founded in 889 AD, visiting the Nyatapola Temple, the 55-Window Palace and the Golden Gate before an overnight stay in Kathmandu.

Drive Time: 5 to 6 hours. A long drive south out of the hills descends to the subtropical lowlands of Chitwan National Park, Nepal's first national park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After a lunch briefing at the lodge, the afternoon is set aside for a walking tour of a nearby Tharu village to learn about the mud-and-thatch homes and farming life of the indigenous Tharu community, followed by a visit to the park's museum for sunset views over the Rapti River. The evening ends with a Tharu stick dance performance, a rhythmic folk dance traditionally used to celebrate the harvest.

Drive Time: 5 to 6 hours. An early start allows for a dugout canoe ride along the Budhi Rapti River and a short jungle walk past the elephant breeding centre before breakfast, with a good chance of spotting one-horned rhinoceros, deer and a wide range of birdlife along the riverbanks. After breakfast the group drives back to Kathmandu, arriving in the late afternoon.