Your guide to our new Nepal tours.
Say Nepal and most people picture trekking poles and base camps. But there's a whole other Nepal waiting for those who look beyond the trails.
A Nepal of ancient temples, living goddesses, traditional villages, hands-on crafts, and profound spiritual traditions, all set against the backdrop of the world's greatest mountains.
So, we put together a 7-day cultural itinerary that captures Nepal beautifully, and you barely need to break a sweat to experience it.
No long treks (although plenty of beautiful mountain views, including a flight to see Everest - more on that below) or long drives. We stay in the Kathmandu Valley area, one of Nepal’s culturally richest and most ethnically diverse regions.
(But… we do include one small trek. And the prize at the end is pretty worth it.)
The tour begins and ends in Kathmandu, served by Tribhuvan International Airport with flights from across Asia and beyond.
Nepal keeps it simple with a visa on arrival for most nationalities, available at the airport (or arranged in advance if you prefer). Confirm your specific requirements before travelling.
This is a comfortable cultural tour, not a hardcore trek. You'll stay in hotels for most nights, with one night camping and one night in a monastery for a taste of adventure. Expect private vehicles, an English-speaking guide, full-board meals, and a rich mix of sightseeing and hands-on activities.
Right. Let's explore.
As with all Koryo Tours, day 1 is a comfortable arrival day. Arrive at your own time, be picked up from the airport, and meet in the evening for a welcome dinner.
Arrive at Tribhuvan International Airport, where you're met with a warm welcome and traditional garlands before transferring to your hotel.
After a tour briefing, head out for an evening stroll around Thamel, Kathmandu's vibrant, buzzing tourist hub, a warren of shops, cafes, and colour. The day ends with dinner at a traditional Nepali restaurant, complete with cultural performances, a lively introduction to the country's food and music.
A spectacular start for day one on our tour to Nepal!
We’ll enjoy a one-hour scenic mountain flight for close-up views of Mount Everest and the surrounding Himalayan giants, with a window seat guaranteed. Back on the ground, dive into Kathmandu's UNESCO treasures.
We’ll then visit Pashupatinath Temple, one of Hinduism's holiest shrines, where you can observe the profound riverside cremation rituals, and Boudhanath Stupa, one of the largest stupas in the world and a serene centre of Tibetan Buddhism.
Plus, we enjoy a stop at a family-run art school to see traditional Nepali paintings being made, then enjoy a rooftop lunch overlooking the great stupa.
The afternoon brings Swayambhunath (the Monkey Temple), with its panoramic valley views, and Kathmandu Durbar Square, where you may glimpse the Kumari, the living goddess.
Okay, so we said no hiking… But it’s still Nepal. This short, accessible, and rewarding hike is available for all abilities. We will go at a casual pace - plus, the end is way worth it.
Begin with the National Museum of Nepal for a grounding in the country's history and artefacts, then drive to Dhulikhel, a serene hill station famous for its Himalayan views.
From here, set off on an accessible four-hour hike to Namobuddha, winding through local villages and farmland with beautiful mountain scenery (with the option to shorten the walk via support vehicle at intervals).
Your reward is Namobuddha Monastery, a sacred Buddhist pilgrimage site on a hilltop, where you'll spend the evening soaking up the peaceful rhythm of monastic life.
Once we’re here, it’s free time to soak up the atmosphere.
A genuinely special experience.
Leaving the hills, explore the historic Newar town of Panauti, with its ancient temples and beautifully preserved architecture. We continue to Bhaktapur Durbar Square, a medieval masterpiece renowned for its architecture, pottery, and woodwork, taking in the towering Nyatapola Temple, the 55 Window Palace, and Pottery Square.
This place is famous for its pottery and we’ll have a go at trying your hand at a pottery class with the city's renowned artisans.
Visit Changu Narayan, considered the oldest Hindu temple in Nepal and a treasury of ancient art, before driving back to Kathmandu for dinner and rest.
A day of immersion in traditional Newar life.
Visit Khokana, famous for its traditional mustard oil production, where you can see the original mill and buy oil at the source, and Bungamati, a woodcarving village home to the Rato Machhindranath Temple, where you can watch craftspeople at work and meet locals.
We will then enjoy a traditional cooking class, learning to make Nepal's beloved momo dumplings for lunch.
In the afternoon, drive to Bhaisepati to volunteer at the Shree Chuni Devi Primary School, engaging with students and helping with educational or recreational activities, before a community dinner and an overnight camp stay.
On our penultimate day, we drive back to Kathmandu and explore Patan Durbar Square, celebrated for its exquisite art and temples, and the outstanding Patan Museum, one of the finest in the region for understanding Buddhism and Hinduism.
Here, we take an hour for a relaxing sound bath, learning about the ancient healing practice of singing bowls, their metals, and their making.
Then explore the Tibetan refugee neighbourhood and its internationally renowned carpet market, where you can watch Tibetan women weaving, sip locally brewed Tibetan tea, and pick up unique souvenirs.
The evening is free for shopping and exploring, perhaps the Garden of Dreams or Ason Bazaar, before a farewell dinner at a traditional Nepali restaurant.
After a week of temples, villages, crafts, and mountains, transfer to the airport for your departure, carrying home a far deeper understanding of Nepal than any trek alone could offer.
For those wanting more, a private trekking itinerary can be added on after the cultural tour. Just let us know!
What makes this itinerary so memorable isn't just the famous sights. It's the wealth of hands-on, immersive experiences woven throughout.
This is a tour to Nepal designed for participation, not just observation, and that makes all the difference.
Over the week, you learn to fold and steam momo dumplings in a traditional cooking class, throw clay on the wheel with Bhaktapur's master potters, and watch mandala and thangka artists at work in a family-run art school. You experience a sound bath, feeling the healing vibrations of ancient singing bowls, and sip Tibetan tea while watching carpet weavers in the Tibetan refugee neighbourhood. You spend an afternoon volunteering with children at a village school, share a community dinner, and sleep under canvas at a camp and in the serene grounds of a Buddhist monastery.
And you fly past Mount Everest itself.
Each of these turns a moment of sightseeing into a genuine, tactile connection with Nepali life and culture, the kind of experiences you remember and talk about for years.
This cultural and heritage tour to Nepal is ideal for a particular kind of traveller. One who wants to understand Nepal deeply rather than simply pass through it, and who values culture, craft, spirituality, and human connection as much as scenery.
It's perfect for those curious about traditional lifestyles, drawn to living heritage, and keen to get hands-on, and it suits travellers of a wide range of ages and fitness levels, since the physical demands are modest.
It's equally well suited to those who love the idea of the Himalayas but aren't ready for, or interested in, a gruelling multi-day trek. It offers mountain views, an Everest flight, and a gentle village hike without the altitude and hardship.
And for those who do catch the trekking bug, a private trekking itinerary can be added on afterwards, making this the perfect cultural foundation before heading for the high trails.
In short, it's for anyone who suspects, rightly, that there's far more to Nepal than mountains alone.
Pack modest, layered clothing. You'll visit many temples and traditional villages, so bring modest attire (covered shoulders and knees) and a scarf, plus layers for cool mountain mornings and evenings.
Bring comfortable walking shoes. The Namobuddha hike and plenty of walking around heritage sites and villages call for comfortable, broken-in footwear.
Carry cash for extras. Most costs are covered, but bring Nepalese rupees (and some US dollars to exchange) for drinks, shopping, tips, and gifts for the school.
Embrace the hands-on activities. The momo class, pottery, sound bath, and volunteering are the heart of this trip. Dive in with enthusiasm.
Respect local customs. Dress and behave respectfully at temples, monasteries, and villages, and always ask before photographing people.
Hope for clear skies. For the Everest flight and Himalayan views, autumn and spring generally offer the clearest weather.
This itinerary proves that Nepal is so much more than a trekking destination. In a single week you explore UNESCO temples and living goddesses, wander timeless Newar villages, learn to make momos and throw pottery, hike through the hills to a sacred monastery and sleep there, volunteer at a village school, experience a sound bath, and fly past Everest itself, all woven together with the warmth and depth of Nepali culture.
It's a journey that engages the heart as much as the eyes, blending vibrant heritage with serene landscapes and genuine human connection. For travellers who want to truly understand Nepal, not just walk across it, this cultural tour is the perfect way in. Come and discover Nepal beyond the trek.
You may find it's the culture, even more than the mountains, that captures your heart.
[email protected] | + 86 10 6416 7544
WhatsApp (message only): +44 7822 014058