Nepal: Kathmandu, Pokhara and Chitwan
Overview
- Duration: 10 days / 9 nights
- Departures: Private, any date
- Group size: Private, from 2 travellers
- Accommodation: Comfortable 3–4★ hotels in Kathmandu and Pokhara and a safari lodge near Chitwan National Park
- Country: Nepal
A first trip to Nepal that links the royal squares of the Kathmandu Valley, the lakeside town of Pokhara beneath the Annapurnas and the forests and rivers of Chitwan National Park.
This ten-day route is a classic first trip to Nepal, built for travellers who want culture, mountain views and wildlife without trekking. It suits couples, friends and families with older children, and the pace leaves room for slow mornings and unplanned walks.
You begin with four nights in Kathmandu, enough to see the three old royal cities of the valley, the great stupas of Swayambhunath and Boudhanath, and the riverside temple of Pashupatinath without rushing. A short flight or a day on the road then takes you west to Pokhara, where you row on Phewa Lake and watch sunrise over the Annapurnas from Sarangkot.
From the hills you drive down to the warm lowlands of Chitwan National Park for two nights at a safari lodge. Here you spend early mornings and late afternoons in the park on jeep safaris, canoe trips and guided walks, then return to Kathmandu by road or a short flight.
A few honest notes. Roads in Nepal are winding and slow, so even short distances take time, and the drive from Pokhara to Chitwan is most of a morning. Mountain views depend on clear weather, which is most reliable in autumn and winter, and sunrise at Sarangkot means a very early start. In Chitwan, wildlife is never guaranteed: rhinos and birds are often seen, while tigers are rare.
Everything here can change to suit you. You might add a night in Bhaktapur, a scenic mountain flight or a short hike near Pokhara. Tell us how you like to travel on our plan your trip page, and we will shape the route around you.
Day-by-day itinerary
Your driver meets you at the airport in Kathmandu and takes you to your hotel. The valley sits at around 1,400 metres, so take the rest of the day gently. If you feel like a walk, wander into Thamel or the old lanes towards Asan, where small shrines sit between shops selling spices, brass and cloth. Your guide meets you in the evening to go through the days ahead.
Overnight: Kathmandu
With your guide, explore Kathmandu Durbar Square, the old seat of the city’s kings, with its palaces, courtyards and multi-roofed temples. Look out for the Kumari Ghar, home of the young girl revered as a living goddess. In the afternoon, climb the long stairway to Swayambhunath, the hilltop stupa known as the Monkey Temple, for wide views across the city.
Overnight: Kathmandu · Meals: Breakfast
Cross the Bagmati river to Patan and its Durbar Square, where the museum of religious art is a fine introduction to Nepali bronze and woodwork. Continue to Pashupatinath, a sacred Hindu temple to Shiva, and watch the riverside ghats quietly from the opposite bank. End the day at Boudhanath, walking clockwise around the great white stupa with pilgrims as the light fades.
Overnight: Kathmandu · Meals: Breakfast
Drive about an hour east to Bhaktapur, the best preserved of the valley’s three royal cities. Walk through brick-paved squares to the five-tiered Nyatapola temple and on to Pottery Square, where potters shape clay on their wheels. Try juju dhau, the town’s rich yoghurt, before returning to Kathmandu for a free evening.
Overnight: Kathmandu · Meals: Breakfast
Take a short flight to Pokhara, with mountain views on a clear day, or travel about six to eight hours by road with your driver through hills and river valleys. In the late afternoon, row out across Phewa Lake in a wooden boat to the small island temple of Tal Barahi, with the peaks of the Annapurna range above the water when the sky is clear.
Overnight: Pokhara · Meals: Breakfast
Drive up to Sarangkot before dawn and walk the last stretch to watch first light reach the Annapurnas and the fishtail peak of Machhapuchhre. After breakfast, cross the lake by boat and walk up through forest to the World Peace Pagoda. The afternoon is free for lakeside walks, a visit to the mountain museum or simply a slow coffee.
Overnight: Pokhara · Meals: Breakfast
Leave the hills behind on a drive of about five hours down to the Terai, the warm lowlands of southern Nepal. After lunch at your lodge near the park, take a walk to a nearby Tharu village to learn about local farming life, then watch the sun set over the Rapti River. Lodge meals are usually included here.
Overnight: Chitwan National Park · Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Rise early for a jeep safari through grassland and sal forest, the best chance to look for the greater one-horned rhino, deer and many birds. Shared or private jeeps are arranged depending on availability, and park rules apply. Later, glide down the Rapti in a dugout canoe, watching the banks for crocodiles, and join a guided walk. Sightings always depend on luck and season.
Overnight: Chitwan National Park · Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Join an optional early bird walk along the river before breakfast. Then drive back to Kathmandu, about five to six hours by road, or take a short flight from nearby Bharatpur and save most of the day. Spend your last evening in the city, perhaps shopping for crafts in Thamel or Patan.
Overnight: Kathmandu · Meals: Breakfast
Enjoy a last breakfast and, if your flight leaves later in the day, a final walk around a quiet corner of the city, or a last circuit of Boudhanath in the morning light. Your driver takes you to the airport in good time for your onward flight.
Overnight: — · Meals: Breakfast
What’s included
- Accommodation for 9 nights with breakfast
- Lunch and dinner during your stay in Chitwan
- Private airport and hotel transfers
- Private car and driver for road journeys
- Local English-speaking guides for sightseeing in Kathmandu and Pokhara
- Domestic flights named in the itinerary, where you choose to fly
- Jeep safari, canoe trip, jungle walk and village visit in Chitwan with licensed naturalist guides
- Entrance fees to sights in the itinerary
- 24/7 support during your trip
Not included
- International flights
- Visas
- Travel insurance
- Meals not listed
- Tips for guides and drivers
- Personal expenses
- Optional activities such as paragliding or a scenic mountain flight
Good to know
Sample itinerary: we adapt the route, hotels and dates to you and confirm everything in your written quote. Best October–April.
You travel with a private car and driver. Kathmandu to Pokhara is a short flight or about six to eight hours by road; Pokhara to Chitwan is about five hours by road; and Chitwan back to Kathmandu is about five to six hours by road or a short flight from nearby Bharatpur. Mountain flights depend on the weather, and we confirm the best option when we book.
Frequently asked questions
October and November bring clear skies and the sharpest mountain views. December to February is dry and cool, and March to April is warmer with rhododendrons in the hills, though haze can soften the views. During the monsoon, from June to September, cloud often hides the peaks and some activities in Chitwan may not run.
The flight is short and saves most of a day, with mountain views when the weather is clear. The drive takes about six to eight hours on winding roads but lets you stop at villages and viewpoints. We can book either, and flights can be delayed by weather.
Many visitors see rhinos, deer, crocodiles and plenty of birds, but sightings always depend on luck and season. Tigers live in Chitwan National Park but are shy and rarely seen. Your naturalist guides know the park well and keep a respectful distance from the animals.
No special fitness is needed. There are steps at Swayambhunath, a short climb at Sarangkot and an uphill walk to the World Peace Pagoda, but you can take them at your own pace. Jungle walks in Chitwan can be shortened on the day.
