Nepal: Kathmandu Valley Deep Dive

For the valley alone, seven days is substantial — you see all three kingdoms properly, visit Boudhanath and Pashupatinath, and have the Nagarkot sunrise. You do not visit Pokhara or Chitwan on this tour; those regions are covered by the Classic 10-day or Cultural 12-day tours. This tour is ideal for those who have already been to Pokhara and Chitwan, or who are primarily interested in the medieval architecture and religious culture of the valley rather than mountain trekking or wildlife.

Dwarika's is the most celebrated heritage hotel in Nepal — a collection of 19 traditional courtyards built using ancient carved windows, brickwork and timber salvaged from buildings demolished across the Kathmandu Valley over the past century. It is simultaneously a luxury hotel and a cultural conservation project. The founder, the late Dwarika Das Shrestha, spent decades tracking down and purchasing Newar architectural elements that would otherwise have been lost; the hotel is his life's work made physical. The Krishnarpan restaurant serves a 22-course royal Nepali feast that is the finest traditional meal available in the country.