Day 1: Arrival in Kathmandu
Upon your arrival at Kathmandu Airport, our Sabbatical Explore Nepal Team will welcome you to Nepal. Following that, we will drive towards your hotel in Kathmandu for your refreshment and rest. The team will host a welcome dinner for your arrival and the trip’s screening in the evening. Overnight back in the hotel.
Day 2: Full Day Kathmandu Valley Tour
Here is the official start of the Nepal Vietnam Tour. The day will be to visit some of the UNESCO-listed cultural heritage sites of the valley. We will start the day from iconic Basantapur Durbar Square, one of the three historical Durbar Squares of Kathmandu. After that, we will drive to Swayambhunath(Monkey) Temple and Bouddhanath Stupa before strolling around Patan Durbar Square, another Durbar Square. By then, the time will be up, and we will call it a day to return to the hotel for sleep.
Day 3: Full Day Kathmandu Valley Tour and Drive to Nagarkot
We’ll visit the remaining heritage sites of the valley to explore the places, culture, and food. Firstly, we will march in the direction of Pashupatinath Temple, the holiest temple of Hindu devotees. Knowing the site, we’ll navigate Boudhanath Stupa, the biggest stupa in Nepal. Following that, we will drive towards Bhaktapur, one of the districts of Kathmandu Valley. It is a famous town mainly known for its historical Bhaktapur Durbar Square. We’ll grasp the place thoroughly before joining a ride to Nagarkot(2,195m), the renowned hill station in the outskirts of the valley. Overnight in Nagarkot’s hotel.
Day 4: Early Sunrise View and Drive to Chitwan
We’ll wake up to a majestic sunrise view at Nagarkot’s hotel. Alongside the sunrise, we’ll be able to see a beautiful panoramic view of the Himalayas, which includes Mt Everest. Next, we’ll eat our breakfast to join a road trip of 6 hours to Chitwan. Upon our arrival in Chitwan, we’ll go to the hotel for a rest before going out for an evening stroll. We will pass the evening by exploring the ethnic communities and their cultural dances. Overnight back in Chitwan’s hotel.
Day 5: Full Day Jungle Exploration at Chitwan National Park
Now we will set off for a full day jungle safari inside Chitwan National Park. In the park, we will do Elephant Back Safari, Birds Watching by Bishazari Lake, Jungle Walk, Visits to the Elephant Breeding Center, Canoe Ride on the Rapti River, and many more. It is the day when we will encounter rare species like the one-horned rhinoceros and, luckily, Bengal Tiger. Following this, we will wrap up the day and get back to Chitwan's hotel.
Day 6: Return to Kathmandu
We will drive back to Kathmandu through the same highway. The drive will take not more than 6 to 8 hours. Upon our return to Kathmandu, we will take complete rest in the hotel. We can also use this free time to stroll in the city for shopping and other activities. Overnight in Kathmandu’s hotel.
Day 7: Fly from Kathmandu to Hanoi
It is time to fly to Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. Depending on the transit's waiting time, the flight will take 9 hours to 14 hours. Upon your arrival, our team in Vietnam will welcome you with warm greetings. Then we will transfer to the hotel for some rest after a long flight. If time allows, you can go out for a free stroll around Hanoi City. Overnight in Hanoi’s hotel
Day 8: Full Day Hanoi City Tour
We’ll start the excursion by quickly exploring the Ho Chi Minh Museum from the outside. It is a museum built on the resting place of Uncle Ho, full of architectural and historical resemblances. We will go to imperative places like One Pillar Pagoda, Tran Quoc Pagoda, Ethnology Museum, and the Temple of Literature. Following that, we will move towards Hoan Kiem Lake- a peaceful lake by the Ngoc Son Temple. There will be some time to explore Ma May, an ancient house of the city. To sum up the day, we will attend the Water Puppet Show, a traditional performance by the locals. Overnight in Hanoi’s hotel.
Day 9: Drive from Hanoi to Ha Long Bay and Explore the Bay
Without much delay, we’ll join a ride through Vietnam’s green and terraced countryside to reach Halong Bay, the most famous place in Vietnam. Halong Bay is a UNESCO-listed natural heritage site. We will do several exciting things like swimming, kayaking by Vietnam Floating Villages, eating fresh seafood, observing the bay’s beauty. Later, we will join a cruise for more evening activities. Overnight on the cruise.
Day 10: Half-day Activities in Ha Long Bay and Fly to Da Nang
We will wake up to an astonishing sunrise view over the bay on the cruise. Then the cruise will take us to some of the significant islets of Halong Bay, which are marvelous and awe-striking at the same time. Among many islets of Halong Bay, the most notable are the Fisherman’s head, The Incense Burner Rock, The Cute Sea Dog Rock, and more. Each of these islets’ names is after their shapes and structures. After the lovely time watching those islets, we will come to the shore to transfer to Noi Bai Airport for a flight to Hoi An. The flight will take around 1 hour to take us to the ancient town. Upon arrival at Da Nang Airport, a driver will pick us up to transfer us to the hotel in Hoi An. Overnight in Hoi An.
Day 11: Visit Bana Hills and Return to Hoi An
With a quick drive of 1 hour from Hoi An, we will reach the foothills of Bana Hills, where the Bana Hills’ Cable Car resides. Along the way to the top, we will stop at various stations to visit several other sites of the Bana Hills like Nguyet Hills, Linh Ung Pagoda, and The Old Villas of French. We will witness breathtaking views of the surroundings all the time.Upon reaching the top of Bana Hills or Nui Chua Mountain, we will walk on the Golden Bridge, Le Nim Villas, Orchid Garden, and Nghinh Phong Top. We will take enough photos before descending from the hill. From down, we will drive back to Da Nang to visit Marble Mountain before nightfall. Overnight in Hoi An.
Day 12: Full Day Hoi An City Tour
Today, we will get busy touring the ancient and picturesque Hoi An city. We will do the walks through the narrow and winding alleys of the town. We will know the old town’s people, culture, food, and art with those walks. We will pay visits to the historical sites of Hoi An City like Chinese Communal House, Tan Ky Merchants’ houses, 400 years old-aged Japanese Bridge, Hoi Kien Temple. We will also have free time in the vibrant Hoi An Market to buy souvenirs. After a thorough walk tour of the town, we will return to Hoi An’s hotel for the night.
Day 13: Fly to Ho Chi Minh City
Before we fly to Ho Chi Minh City, we will have some more free time to explore some more bits of Hoi An. Once it is time for the flight, the driver will transfer us to the airport for departure from the city. After a scenic flight of 1 hour and 30 minutes, we will land at Tan Son Nhat Airport in Ho Chi Minh City. We will get transferred to the hotel in the city for rest. We can also opt to explore the city by ourselves till nightfall. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh.
Day 14: Full Day Ho Chi Minh City Tour
Having our breakfast at the hotel, we will set out for a complete exploration of the city, starting from the famous Cu Chi Tunnels. The tunnels date back to the time of the historical Vietnam War. We will watch an informational video about the tunnels’ history and structure.From there, we will move to the other places of the city like the War Remnants Museum, The Notre Dame, Cathedral, Ben Thanh Market, Jade Emperor Pagoda, and The Historical Central Post Office. By the end of this day, we will have explored the city’s major sites. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh.
Day 15: Departure from Vietnam
This day will be the last day of the Nepal and Vietnam Tour. After breakfast at our hotel, we will transfer to the airport for our departure from the country.
