LONDON TO KATHMANDU CLASSIC EXPEDITION - 13 WEEKS
A CLASSIC IN-DEPTH OVERLAND ADVENTURE EXPLORING THE BEST OF THE HIPPY TRAIL!
13 WEEKS = £1995 + £495 Local Payment (LP)
Expedition Start And End Dates
- Depart London 06 April 2009
Arrive Kathmandu 05 July 2009 (This Expedition Includes Anzac Day At Gallipoli) - Depart London 02 August 2009
Arrive Kathmandu 31 October 2009 - Depart London 06 April 2010
Arrive Kathmandu 05 July 2010 (This Expedition Includes Anzac Day At Gallipoli) - Depart London 01 August 2010
Arrive Kathmandu 30 October 2010
Overview
GERMANY - CZECH REPUBLIC - AUSTRIA - HUNGARY - ROMANIA - BULGARIA - TURKEY - IRAN - PAKISTAN - INDIA - NEPAL
Join us on this classic journey as we travel overland from London to Kathmandu in our purpose built expedition vehicle. This is a once-in-a-lifetime trip! From the azure waters of the Turkish coastline to the hustle and hassle of the New Delhi markets, from the barren Balochistan desert to the splendor of the Taj Mahal and from the intricately decorated mosques of Esfehan to the incense filled streets of Kathmandu, this trip will tantalise your senses!
Click here to see a detailed route map with highlights
You can also download this map as a PDF
Highlights
- Transylvania
- Istanbul
- Gallipoli
- Ephesus
- Turquoise Coast
- Cappadocia
- Esfehan
- Persepolis
- Karakoram Highway
- Golden Temple
- Taj Mahal
- Kathmandu
What's Included (and What's Not)
We of course realise that not everyone is going to visit every ruin, raft every river and hike every trail along the way so we have left most of these activities as optional and therefore kept the payment to a minimum.
Included
- Services of your leader/driver
- Use of our own expedition vehicle and equipment
- Diesel, mechanics, shipping and any other costs relating to our vehicle
- Ferry tickets
- An average of two meals a day while camping (usually breakfast and the evening meal)
- All camping and hotel costs
- National Park entry fees that we visit as a group with our vehicle
Not Included
- Personal travel insurance
- Personal spending money
- Visas
- Border taxes
- Lunch
- Meals while staying in hotels
- Entrance fees to optional sites and parks
- Any optional activities
- Any unforseen contingency route expenses
- Any flights
- Tents
Proposed Itinerary
Our proposed itinerary is here to give you a rough idea of where we will be going and what we will be doing during this expedition. This itinerary is the ideal route we would like to take providing all political situations are acceptable during the time of our travels. Obviously things can change so we have provided you with an alternative route which we would follow in the event of any problems. Either way it is gonna be fun!
Week 1 & 2 - GERMANY, CZECH REPUBLIC, AUSTRIA, HUNGARY, ROMANIA & BULGARIA
Usually everyone heading east just transits through Europe in a mad
rush to reach Istanbul and enter Asia. We however think there are quite
a few worthwhile stops along the way and in order to really soak up
the changes each new country offers us we stop off in a few of the
more interesting European locations.
Germany offers us a chance to familiarize ourselves with our truck before we
reach Prague in the Czech Republic and lose ourselves amongst the stone palaces
and cobbled streets.
Austria’s capital Vienna is a great day out before we
reach Hungary and start to notice a change as Western Europe begins to fade.
A goulash in Budapest is a tasty treat before following the Danube River through
to Romania where we visit Dracula’s Castle, perched high in the Transylvanian
mountains.
Brasov and Bucharest are also worthwhile stops before we enter Bulgaria and visit
the stunning town of Veliko Turnovo and camp with the monks at Bacho Kiro caves.
Crossing over the rolling green foothills of the Balkans we now head for Turkey.
Week 3, 4 & 5 : TURKEY
Istanbul, the city that separates Europe from Asia has it all, and
you will revel in the history and culture it offers. Turkish baths
and Turkish delights are the order of the day!
The battlefields of Gallipoli are the setting for Dawn Service
on ANZAC Day (on the April departure expedition) and along with
thousands of other Ausies, Kiwis, Brits and Turks, we pay our respects to those
who died here in 1915. A truly moving experience! (Our August departure expedition
also visits Gallipoli)
Historic Troy, the great ruins of Ephesus and the Roman Baths
at Pammukale are real highlights on the journey down to the magnificent Turquoise
coast. Here we camp on the beautiful lagoon of Oludeniz where
Greek ghost towns and overgrown Roman amphitheaters hide in
the surrounding forests which are best explored on foot. Saklikent gorge is
only a moped ride away and skydiving and mountain biking are popular activities
here for those who enjoy adrenalin!
Further down the coast we find Olympos with it's eternal flames glowing
amidst the pine clad mountainsides that sweep down to its fine beaches. Inland
on the plateau we reach the fairy-tale wonderland of Cappadocia with spectacular
canyons, ancient caves and underground cities carved into the
geologically diverse land. Belly dancing is a big affair up
here and so is the local drink 'Raki', be warned!
Further South we visit Roman bridges and desolate castles where
you have the option of climbing up mount Nemrut Dagi to marvel
at the huge stone heads that have lay there motionless for thousands of years!
Skirting Lake Van we head for the border town of Dogubeyazit
(more affectionately known as 'Doggy Biscuit'). Here in the shadow of Mt Ararat
we camp beneath the fabulous Ishak Pasha Palace. We have a good excuse to have
a party as alcohol is prohibited for the next two weeks once we enter Iran.
Please Note. Due to lack of Western Infrastructure from Eastern Turkey and throughout Iran and Pakistan, the Expedition becomes more challenging – at times it will be hot, humid and our living conditions very basic – this is actually one of the highlights to most as it takes a bit of an effort to get through and the sense of ‘real travelling’ as opposed to ‘being on holiday’ is at it’s peak! Depending on the political situation the Pakistan Government may decide provide us with Police and Military escorts to ensure our safe passage, please be that they will often set the pace and as it’s to ensure our safety, we always comply. With the right attitude these countries, along with being the most challenging, are always ultimately the most interesting and often will make up the majority of your travelling tales when the expedition is completed. They truly are a unique and fascinating experience.
Week 6 & 7 : IRAN
It is unlikely we will encounter a friendlier, more welcoming race
of people on our entire journey so enjoy the Iranian hospitality!
Skirting the Azerbaijan border we drive through the wonderful Aras River valley
and pop out at Babak Castle where it is possible to hike up to the impressive
ancient fortress.
Our journey now takes us on to the largest body of fresh-water in the world,
the Caspian Sea, famous for it’s sought-after caviar and (unbelievably)
it’s long grain rice growing in the surrounding paddy fields.
Further south we climb into verdant green mountains and spend a couple of days
in the quaint town of Masuleh, from where it is possible to explore the areas
natural beauty on foot.
Back on the Iranian plateau we head for Esfahan, Iran's masterpiece.
The impressive city square is full of intricately decorated mosaic Mosques, leisurely
tea shops and lavish carpet emporiums. Plenty of bargains can be found in the
myriad of bazaars that lead off from the square
and the city's gorgeous bridges deserve all the time you can spare.
The Zagros mountains provide a stunning backdrop on our trip
to the intriguing ruins of Persepolis. Once the summer capital of the Persian
Empire, this is the site where Alexander the Great famously
conquered the Persian armies stronghold.
We continue on to the small town of Yazd with its famous wind-towers before heading
east and desert camping our way towards the Pakistan border.
Week 8, 9 & 10 PAKISTAN
Well worth exploring and richly rewarding we enter the fabulous land
of Pakistan! This is a country of huge contrasts and our first
two days will be enjoyed passing through the Balochistan desert and
its barren magnificence. Two lane highways are a thing of the past
and the main roads are now ever deteriorating single track corrugations.
The first town we reach is Quetta, a splendid melting pot of different cultures,
a frontier town with vibrant markets and fantastic restaurants! A good place
to re-charge as cold beer is again available.
A couple of days north we find the ‘wild-west’ town of Peshawar
where the unique public markets offer a vast selection of guns and hash! This
is also the place we undertake a journey (circumstances permitting) up to the
Afghan border via the Khyber Pass.
From here we now undertake a journey that few travellers ever manage. We head
north to the Karakoram Highway and the beginning of an epic
journey you will never forget!
This road is truly a great feat of engineering and as we drive up we have a chance
to marvel at the villages clinging to the sheer mountain sides as the Indus river snakes
it's way along the valley floor.
In the famed Hunza Valley we base ourselves in the small town
of Karimabad. Famous for it's succulent apricots and stunning hiking trails we
are now amongst some of the highest peaks in the world.
From here you have the option of taking an interesting excursion up to the Chinese
border before continuing back down the 
KKH. The return route
offers us an amazing view of snow-capped Nanga Parbat (8125m) and
the villages of Besham and Chilas are welcome stops as we descend. The bustling
metropolis’ of Islamabad and Lahore offer us a peek into Pakistani big
city life and you have a chance to explore the museums, mosques, restaurants
and nightclubs before leaving this amazing country.
WEEK 11 & 12: INDIA
Every day at the close of the India Pakistan border the guards from both sides put on an amazing show as they parade up and down kicking their legs unbelievably high into the air and face off against each other in a mark of independence and honour. This will be our first taste of India!
Close
by is Amritsar, home of the Sikh religion with their spectacular Golden
Temple as the centrepiece.
A days drive away we reach Dharamsala, exile home of the Dalai Lama.
Amongst the cobbled streets filled with the chants of Buddhist monks
are wonderful art galleries and a sobering museum dedicated to the
plight of the Tibetans after the invasion by China.
Delhi is a city that you have to see for yourself in order to believe
that such a place can exist. The streets are a slow moving mass of
every conceivable mode of transport, with the sacred cows having
right of way over everyone! Delhi is the ultimate in hustle and bustle
and facing the unrelenting throng of people is an experience you won’t
forget in a hurry! Braving this city does have it's rewards with great
textile markets, wonderful monuments and amazing temples.
Moving south we reach the 'Pink City', Jaipur. With a magnificent red
castle as it’s focal point this beautiful town exudes an energy
all it's own. Camels and rickshaws weave their way through the narrow
streets of the old city and an array of spicy smells attack your senses
as you wander the back streets in search of that perfect curry.
Our
next stop is a definate highlight, Agra and the Taj Mahal. This monument
to love is spectacular and will keep your camera clicking all day.
Heading east we reach Varanasi on the banks of the Ganges River where
you have the option of an early morning boat trip that will definately
open your eyes. Dead bodies float by as the multitudes flock down to
this Holy river to wash away their sins each morning. On shore the
funeral pyres known as 'Ghats' burn away as stray
dogs fight over any piece of meat that comes their way. An unbelievable
sight!
WEEK 13 : NEPAL
Nepal is a breath of fresh air with a lot less
people and a lot more open spaces. Royal Chitwan National Park is
best explored on elephant back allowing you to get up close to the
rhinos, sloth bears and tigers that inhabit the park.
Heading north we reach Pokhara at the foothills of the Himalayas. This mellow little town is situated around a beautiful sheltered lake and surrounded by snow capped mountains. A great place to relax and/or gear up for a trek into the stunning Annapurna range.
The tourist mecca of Kathmandu is our final stop.
Travellers swap stories in the lively bars and the Everest Steak
House serves up delicious fillets of beef which are a welcome change
from the buffalo steaks we have endured throughout India! The old
town is steeped in history and the smell of incense wafts through
the air as you marvel at the Pagodas and Temples adorning the squares.
A memorable end to a classic journey!
Alternative Route
If there are any political problems during our expedition they are most likely to occur in the Iran/Pakistan area. In the unlikely event that problems do arise we will take a more northerly route through Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan to reach China. We will then travel through Tibet and drop down into Nepal.
There are always alternatives along the route we travel and we will make it one way or another!
