TOUR DETAILS
Day 1
On arrival at Kathmandu airport, you will be met by one of our representatives and transferred to the hotel. You will be warmly welcomed with a complimentary drink and introduction package. Relax in the hotel garden before our evening welcome dinner and introduction. Overnight at Sampada hotel.
Day 2
After breakfast, we will have 2 - 3 hour workshop at the hotel where our team will give us the rundown on our next 9 days in the field, followed by a few hours at Swayambbunath to kick start the tour. Swayambbunath, affectionately known as the Monkey Temple is a popular Buddhist temple on top of hill overlooking Kathmandu, which bristles with the activity of worshippers from the very first light of the day. We will overnight at Sampada hotel again.
Day 3
We start the day with an early breakfast before departing for the airport to board our mountain flight over Everest and the mountain ranges. This is the best way to catch the Himalayan photography experience. Don’t worry about scrambling for the best position, as these flights are designed for everyone to have their own window seat. After our flight, we will have breakfast and then head onto Pashupatinath, which is the most popular Hindu shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva. “Pashupatinath” is one of a kind, located on the banks of the Bagmati River and home to many Sadhus (known as Holy Men). After Pashupatinath, we will drive to Boudhanath, which is the largest Buddhist Stupa in Nepal. Overnight at Sampada hotel.
Day 4
After Breakfast we start our day at Patan, the city of Artists which offers many visual treats for your camera. It is regarded as the richest historical and cultural of the three Durbar Squares in Kathmandu. The city is filled with creative wooden carvings depicting the sutras of Lord Kamadeva (God of Human love or desire) which are scattered throughout the pagoda style temples in the backstreets. After lunch we drive to Bungmati. It is one of the prettiest villages in the Kathmandu Valley, but still carries some scars from the 2015 earthquake. Bungmati is home to the famous RatoMachindranath Temple and KaryaBinayak Temple. Kokhana is famous for the green rice fields carpeted across the Newari village. Nagarkot is the next and final stop of the day. it is considered one of the most scenic spots in the Bhanktapur District and is well known for its sunset and sunrise views of the Himalayan Range to the east, and panoramic views of Kathmandu Valley. Overnight in Nagarkot.
Day 5
We will be up early to get the breathtaking sunrise views over the hills, followed by breakfast. We then drive to Kathmandu airport where we will catch our flight to Pokhara (35 minute flight). Pokhara is a charming city and one of the most famous tourist destinations in Nepal offering fabulous scenic views. From here we will transfer to the hotel and have lunch before we make our way to Phewa Lake and visit Barahi Temple situated in the middle of the lake. We will take a boating trip on Phewa Lake and try to capture one of the most breath-taking sights of Pokhara; the reflection of the Machhapucchre’s (Fishtail) spire on the lakes waters. Overnight at hotel.
Day 6
After breakfast we will spend time in and around the city of Pokhara. It is a gateway for trekking in the Annapurna region with plenty of entertainment for all travellers, young to old. You can experience trekking, boating, hiking, paragliding, cycling, sightseeing or simply relax at one of the lakes near the city with the stunning Annapurna mountain range in the background.
We will start at the Old Bazaar. Our next stop, Gupteshwor Mahadev Cave and Gorge is considered the longest cave of Nepal which we hope to visit to get some nice creative shots. After this we will immerse ourselves in the Tibetan culture at the Refugee Camp. Our day ends with a trip to the World Peace Stupa which is a Buddhist Pagoda style monument which sits above the Phewa Lake on a narrow ridge. Overnight in hotel.
Day 7
This is a very early start to the day so that we can get to Sarangkot to enjoy the sun rise and majestic views of the Himalayas. The view of the Annapurna Himalaya from Sarangkot is almost a religious experience. This is the spot where most adventure sports take place in Pokhara, from paragliding to riding one of the worlds’ longest zip-lines. The rest of the day if free for you to explore the city. Overnight in hotel.
Day 8
Early breakfast and a 4 hour drive to Bandipur, a hilltop village and charismatic settlement lying in the Tanahun district. Considered to be a national gem, it is situated at an altitude of only 3297 ft / 1005 m from sea level and has the Marshyandi River flowing beneath it. The place is dominated by the Newar and Magar ethnic groups. Narrow cobbled streets and community living will charm any photographer. There are also many areas to capture the snow peaked mountains. Overnight at hotel.
Day 9
After breakfast we will spend time stopping along the way on our drive to Kathmandu. We will also be visiting a local village where we will have lunch with one of the families and get to take images of their daily life. We have plenty of time to make random stops along the way when we come to any interesting landmarks or scenery. Drive to Kathmandu. Overnight at the Sampada Hotel.
Day 10
Free day in Kathmandu to go shopping in Thamel Market or enjoy the day at your leisure. We will also be organising to go to a Buddhist Temple for a blessing ceremony, but this is not compulsory, as you may wish to do other things. In the evening enjoy a farewell dinner at the hotel. Here you get the chance to share some of your favourite photos and stories from your trip. An evening of fun, with a few small surprises. Overnight at Sampada hotel.
Day 11
Breakfast and a fond farewell to new friends before you depart on your journey home. Transfer by private driver to the airport.
WHAT'S INCLUDED AND EXCLUDED IN THE FEES
Included
• Airport welcome and transfer by private vehicle as per itinerary
• 3 star category hotel with breakfast in Kathmandu,Nagarkot, Pokhara, Bhandipur on twin sharing basis
• Sightseeing in all tour places of Kathmandu, Pokhara, Nagarkot and tour places as per itinerary, sunrise Sarangkot hill tour, Peace Stupa tour, boating,
• Private comfortable HiAce/Van for whole trip
• English speaking guide for whole trip
• Farewell dinner
• Photography flight over Everest and mountain ranges
• Kathmandu- Pokhara flight
• Entrance fees of all tour places in Kathmandu, Pokhara
• Cable car ride fees for Chandragiri hill (new cable ride in Nepal)
Excluded
• Nepal visa- USD 25
• International flights to and from Kathmandu
• Insurance and Emergency medical evacuation
• Lunch and dinner except for 1st and last night ( approx 200 USD for 9 days)
• Drinks and alcohol (water will be supplied daily)
• Tips for guide and driver
Essential Information
Booking Conditions: All our tours are subject to standard booking conditions.
Visas: Photography Workshop Tours cannot be held responsible for your entry/exit arrangements. Getting the required documentation is solely your responsibility.
No refunds will be made in the event of you being refused entry into the country where travel is to take place.
As visa rules can vary according to your country of origin we strongly advise that you research the visa rules for the country before you travel.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is compulsory for all travellers and should be taken out at the time of booking. Your travel insurance must provide cover against personal accident, death, medical expenses and emergency repatriation with a recommended minimum coverage of US $200,000 for each of the categories of cover. We also strongly recommend it covers cancellation, curtailment, personal liability and loss of luggage and personal effects. You must provide proof of your travel insurance before you depart for your trip; you will not be able to join the trip without it.
Responsible Travel
Central to our core values is that, as photographers, we should respect cultural beliefs and personal privacy. Essentially all our tours include instruction and advice on how to take pictures of people in a manner which does not upset the local people or is unacceptable to the person whose picture is being taken. How we interact with locals:
• All tour guides have an in-depth knowledge of what is acceptable and preferred behaviour.
• We talk to our clients at length about custom and practice and how to respect it.
• We keep our tour sizes small, never more than 8 photographers plus the leader so we do not overwhelm those who we are photographing.
• We encourage learning a few basic phrases of the local language and some specific to photography as we believe these few words go a long way in communicating and breaking down barriers.
• We encourage our clients to make donations where appropriate and give small gifts (books, pens, paper, food), never sweets!
• We think it generally better to give these via donation boxes or religious/village leaders as we do not want people, especially children, to see our clients as merely a source of ‘goodies’.
• We also advise on when it is appropriate to tip people who have given us good service as, for many, this is a significant addition to their income.
• We encourage clients to act in a responsible way and with an insight and understanding of the host destination.
• We give instruction on etiquette and dress especially whilst in places of worship or people’s homes.
• We offer advice on bargaining. This is always an issue which raises questions from our clients.
• We advise that bargaining is expected but it should be respected that this is the way it is done and the aim is to end up paying a reasonable price for something which often entails much labour and skill to produce.
How we operate our tours:
• We use locally owned and run services by preference.
• Where possible we try to avoid using internal flights unless the distance travelled is too great and will, therefore, impact greatly on the itinerary.
• We feel it is better to be travelling at ground level as that is where the pictures are.
• We use locally owned and run accommodation in preference to foreign-owned hotel chains.
• We eat in local restaurants where possible.
• We often stop at the roadside food stall to give our client opportunities to sample local delicacies. These snacks are not compulsory!
• We support local income generation by using local tour guides and drivers and by purchasing crafts from the villagers who have invited us into their community.
• All rubbish generated is kept on the bus or the person until it can be disposed of effectively.
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DISCLAIMER
We reserve the right to improvise (always with the objective to improve your overall experience), and change the itinerary due to adverse weather conditions or complications that may arise that are out of our control. Fun and safety are our number one priority.
We reserve the right to cancel the tour if the minimum number of participants is not met (which quite frankly, is highly unlikely. Who wouldn’t want to have this experience of a lifetime!?).
Please do not purchase air travel before confirming with us. We wouldn’t want you roaming around unguided.
Participants are expected to be in fair health and be capable of spending the days walking around the various areas while carrying their own equipment. It’s a holiday, yes, but it’s also an adventure.