Kathmandu, Chitwan and Pokhara Tour
- Duration
- 8 days
- Max altitude
- 2,195 m
- Difficulty
-
Easy
Difficulty scale
- Easy Short walking days on good trails below about 3,000 m. Suitable for anyone in ordinary health, including families.
- Moderate 5 to 6 hours a day with some steep sections, reaching up to about 4,000 m. A reasonable level of fitness and a few weeks of preparation walking recommended.
- Strenuous 6 to 8 hours a day, high passes or altitudes above 5,000 m, and remote stretches. Good fitness, prior trekking experience and proper acclimatisation days are essential.
- Very strenuous Long days, multiple high passes or technical sections, sustained time above 5,000 m. For experienced, well-conditioned trekkers only.
- Best season
- Autumn (Sep–Nov) · Spring (Mar–May) · Winter (Dec–Feb)
- Group
- Private
- From
- $795.00
Overview
This is the circuit for people who want to see Nepal properly without walking for two weeks to do it. Medieval cities and temple complexes in the Kathmandu valley, a night on the valley rim at Nagarkot, a national park in the lowlands with rhino, sloth bear and more than five hundred bird species, and then Pokhara under the Annapurna wall.
Every departure is private, so the pace is yours. Hotels, park fees, jungle activities, all ground transport and a licensed guide throughout are inside the price.
Trip highlights
- Six of the Kathmandu valley's seven UNESCO World Heritage sites
- Sunset and sunrise from Nagarkot on the valley rim
- Chitwan National Park: jeep safari, canoe on the Rapti and a guided walk
- Tharu village and the elephant breeding centre at Sauraha
- Sunrise from Sarangkot with Dhaulagiri, Annapurna and Machhapuchhre in line
- Phewa Lake, the World Peace Pagoda and a full day in Pokhara
Day by day
The itinerary
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Day 1: Arrive in Kathmandu 1,400 m Transfer only hrs Three star hotel, breakfast included None
Met at Tribhuvan International Airport and driven to your hotel in Thamel or Boudha, depending on what you prefer. Your guide will come by in the evening to walk through the week, answer questions and confirm departure times.
If you land early there is time for the Boudhanath kora at dusk, which is a gentle way into the country.
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Day 2: Kathmandu heritage: Durbar Square, Swayambhunath, Pashupatinath and Boudhanath 1,400 m 8 to 9 hours hrs Three star hotel, breakfast included Breakfast
A full guided day across four of the valley's UNESCO sites.
Kathmandu Durbar Square in the morning, with the Malla palace courtyards, the Hanuman Dhoka gate and the Kumari Ghar. Then west to Swayambhunath on its hill, where the valley opens out below the stupa.
After lunch, Pashupatinath on the Bagmati, the most important Shiva temple in Nepal, where cremations take place on the ghats in the open. Your guide will be clear about where a camera is and is not welcome.
Boudhanath last, timed for late afternoon when the pilgrims come out to walk the circuit and the butter lamps are lit.
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Day 3: Patan and Bhaktapur, then sunset at Nagarkot 2,195 m 9 to 10 hours hrs Three star hotel, breakfast included Breakfast
Patan in the morning: the stone Krishna Mandir, the Patan Museum inside the old palace, and the Golden Temple down a side lane. The metalworking trade here is still active and you will see it in the back streets.
Bhaktapur in the afternoon, on foot because vehicles stop at the gate. Durbar Square, the Palace of 55 Windows, the five tiered Nyatapola in Taumadhi, and Potters' Square where the wheels still turn when the weather allows drying.
Then half an hour up the hill to Nagarkot on the eastern rim of the valley at 2,195 m, for sunset over the hills and a night on the ridge.
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Day 4: Nagarkot sunrise, then drive to Chitwan 150 m 6 to 7 hours driving hrs Jungle lodge, all meals included Breakfast/lunchanddinner
Up before dawn for sunrise from the ridge. On a clear morning a long line of Himalaya runs across the northern horizon, with Everest a small dark point far to the east. Whether you see them depends on the air, and October to February is the reliable window.
After breakfast, down through the valley and south west along the Trishuli onto the Terai plain. Six to seven hours by road depending on traffic and the state of the highway.
Chitwan is at 150 m, so expect it to be considerably warmer and more humid than Kathmandu. Check in at your lodge in Sauraha and, once the heat drops, walk down to the Rapti river for sunset. Your naturalist guide will brief you on the next day and on the rules, which exist because this is a park with wild rhino in it.
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Day 5: Chitwan: jeep safari, canoe on the Rapti and a guided walk 150 m Full day hrs Jungle lodge, all meals included Breakfast/lunchanddinner
A full day in the park, starting early because that is when animals move.
A jeep safari into the park interior, looking for greater one horned rhino, which Chitwan has in genuine numbers, plus spotted deer, sambar, gaur, wild boar and langur. Tigers are present, more than a hundred and twenty at the last count, and are seen rarely. Anyone who promises you a tiger is selling something.
A dugout canoe down the Rapti, which is the best way to see gharial and mugger crocodile and a great deal of birdlife on the banks.
A guided walk on foot with two naturalists, which is how you notice the things a jeep drives past.
In the late afternoon, the elephant breeding centre at Khorsor, and a Tharu cultural programme in the village in the evening.
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Day 6: Drive to Pokhara 820 m 5 to 6 hours driving hrs Three star hotel, breakfast included Breakfast
A morning bird walk along the river before breakfast if you are up for it, then five to six hours north west to Pokhara, climbing back up to 820 m.
The afternoon is free. Lakeside is a good place to do very little, and there is a rowing boat out to the Tal Barahi temple on the island if you want one.
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Day 7: Sarangkot sunrise and a full day in Pokhara 1,600 m 9 to 10 hours hrs Three star hotel, breakfast included Breakfast
Up at 5am for the drive to Sarangkot at 1,600 m. Dhaulagiri, Annapurna South, Annapurna I, Hiunchuli and Machhapuchhre stand in one line from the ridge, and the high snow catches the light before the sun reaches you. Whether you see them at all depends on the air, and October to February is the reliable window.
Breakfast back in Pokhara, then the rest of the day: Devi's Fall and the Gupteshwor cave, the International Mountain Museum, and the World Peace Pagoda on the ridge above the lake for the late afternoon.
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Day 8: Back to Kathmandu and departure 1,400 m 6 to 7 hours driving, or a 25 minute flight hrs Breakfast
Breakfast, then back to Kathmandu: the drive of six to seven hours along the Prithvi Highway is included, or take the 25 minute flight if you would rather (not included, about USD 120). We drop you at the airport for your flight home, or at a hotel if you are staying on.
Altitude profile
The climb, day by day
Comfort tiers
Choose your level of comfort
| Amenity | Standardfrom $955.00 | Comfortfrom $1,126.90 | Luxuryfrom $1,384.75 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kathmandu hotel | 3★ | 4★ | 5★ |
| Trail accommodation | Standard teahouse | Best lodge in each village | Premium lodge where the route has one |
| Porter support | Shared porter | Private porter, lighter load | Extra porter, carry almost nothing |
| Transfers | Shared | Private | Private, throughout |
What's included
Included
- Included: All airport and inter city transfers by private tourist vehicle
- Included: Seven nights accommodation with breakfast: three star hotels in Kathmandu, Nagarkot and Pokhara, a jungle lodge in Chitwan
- Included: All meals at Chitwan, breakfast only elsewhere
- Included: Government licensed English speaking guide throughout
- Included: All ground transport between Kathmandu, Nagarkot, Chitwan and Pokhara, including the drive back to Kathmandu on day 8
- Included: Chitwan National Park entry permits and all listed jungle activities with a naturalist
- Included: Entry fees for every heritage site on the itinerary
- Included: Tharu cultural programme at Sauraha
- Included: Sarangkot and Nagarkot viewpoint fees
- Included: All government taxes and administrative charges
Not included
- Not included: International flights and airport departure tax
- Not included: The Pokhara to Kathmandu flight on day 8 if you choose to fly rather than drive, about USD 120 per person
- Not included: Lunch and dinner in Kathmandu and Pokhara, about USD 15 to USD 25 per person per day
- Not included: Any beverages, including bottled and boiled water
- Not included: Tips for your guide, driver and lodge staff
- Not included: Nepal entry visa, obtainable on arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport
- Not included: Travel insurance, which we ask every traveller to carry
- Not included: Personal expenses and anything not listed under what is included
Know before you go
Suitability & requirements
Chitwan is at 150 m and hot. March to May is very warm, and the park partly closes during the monsoon when the grass is high and the rivers are up. October to February is the best window for both the jungle and the mountain views. Day 8 ends in Kathmandu. If you fly home that day, book an evening flight and take the 25 minute flight from Pokhara (about USD 120) rather than the six to seven hour drive; if you would rather not rush, add a night in Kathmandu and we will quote it.
Your team
Led by a licensed guide
Every route is led by a government-licensed guide from our team. Licences are on record with us before departure, and you'll meet your guide once your trip is confirmed.
Guide language(s): English, Nepali
Group-size pricing
Walk together, pay less
Every trip is private, so the guide, permits and transfers cost the same however many walk. Sharing them is why the per-person price falls: arithmetic, not a sale.
| Group size | per person | You save each |
|---|---|---|
| 1 traveller | $955.00 | base rate |
| 2 to 3 travellers | $795.00 | $160.00 |
| 4 to 6 travellers | $745.00 | $210.00 |
| 7 or more | $700.00 | $255.00 |
Per person, including permits, park fees and taxes. Nothing is added at checkout.
Weather
What to expect, month by month
- Autumn (Sep–Nov)The most reliable trekking season: clear air, stable weather and cold nights, right after the monsoon clears.
- Spring (Mar–May)Warmer than autumn, with rhododendron forests in flower and slightly hazier mountain views as the season goes on.
- Winter (Dec–Feb)Cold and quiet, with the clearest skies of the year at lower altitude. High passes and very high routes are best avoided.
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