Nepal in 8 Days
Photo: User: (WT-shared) Slleong at wts wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 1.0, Wikimedia Commons
About
Eight days for a first look at Nepal, without rushing. Three days in the Kathmandu Valley, among its old towns, stupas and temples; two days in Pokhara, by the lake and under the Annapurna range; two days in the lowland forest of Chitwan, at the edge of the national park. I travel with you the whole way, so you have one person to ask about everything: the history, the gods, the food, the people you meet. You can fly or drive between the places; each day below says how long the road takes.
A private journey
Your holiday in Nepal, travelled your way
Namaste, and welcome to Nepal. A week or two here can feel like a race when you are one of thirty on a coach. With your own guide it becomes a journey: the same face every morning, a car that stops for tea in a village, a slow day when you need one, and someone who knows the country and wants you to feel at home in it. I would like you to go home feeling that Nepal was kind to you.
- A day for each place
- Three days in the valley, two by the lake, two by the forest: long enough to feel each place, not only see it.
- Fly or drive, as you like
- Either long road can be a 25-minute flight instead; we decide it together.
- Chitwan at its quietest
- The canoe goes out in the morning mist, when the river is still.
- Just you, and the people you came with
- No strangers to wait for, no group to keep up with.
- The same guide from the first day to the last
- You never start again with someone new.
- Rest days when you want them
- We add one, or move the plan, whenever you need it.
- The country between the places
- Villages, rivers and roadside tea, not only the famous sights.
- Someone to look after the details
- Tickets, permits, rooms and roads are arranged for you, so your mind is free.
With warmth, Rujan Neupane
Along the way
What this day is known for.
- Swayambhu, Boudha, Patan and Bhaktapurthe old Kathmandu Valley with someone who grew up with it
- First light on the Annapurna range and Machhapuchhre from Sarangkot, on clear mornings
- A slow boat on Phewa Lake and the walk up to the World Peace Pagoda
- Chitwan's forest and grassland, home of the one-horned rhino, with a park nature guide
- Tharu villages and the Rapti river at sunset
- Newar, Thakali and Tharu food along the way
Day by day, night by night
Where we go, how long on the road, and where you sleep each night.| Day | The day | On the road | The night | Room + meals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Day 1 · Arrive in KathmanduI meet you at the airport or your hotel. If you have the energy, an evening walk through the old bazaars of Asan and Indra Chowk, where the city still shops as it did a hundred years ago.
|
About 30 minutes from the airport | Kathmandu, a hotel of your choice | Dinner |
| Day 2 | Day 2 · Swayambhu, Patan and BoudhaMorning at Swayambhu on its hill above the city. Patan's Durbar Square, its courtyards and the Golden Temple in the middle of the day. In the evening we walk around the great stupa of Boudha with the people at prayer.
|
Short drives inside the city | Kathmandu | Entry tickets; lunch in Patan |
| Day 3 | Day 3 · Bhaktapur and PashupatinathA morning in Bhaktapur, the best kept of the old royal towns: its squares, potters and the five-roofed Nyatapola temple. In the afternoon, Pashupatinath on the Bagmati river, Nepal's most sacred Hindu temple, seen with respect from the far bank.
|
About 1 hour to Bhaktapur | Kathmandu | Entry tickets; lunch in Bhaktapur |
| Day 4 | Day 4 · To PokharaBy road along the Trishuli and Marsyangdi rivers, with stops for tea; or a short flight with the mountains on the right side of the plane. A quiet evening by Phewa Lake.
|
About 200 km: 7 to 8 hours by car, or 25 minutes by plane | Pokhara, near the lake | Car or flight; lunch on the way |
| Day 5 | Day 5 · PokharaUp early to Sarangkot for sunrise over the Annapurna range. After breakfast, a boat across Phewa Lake and the walk up through forest to the World Peace Pagoda, then down by another path. A free afternoon.
|
Short drives | Pokhara | Boat on the lake; lunch |
| Day 6 | Day 6 · To ChitwanDown the valley of the Seti and the Trishuli to the lowlands. In the late afternoon a walk to a Tharu village and to the Rapti river for the sunset.
|
About 150 km: 5 to 6 hours by car | Sauraha, at the edge of Chitwan National Park | Car; lunch on the way |
| Day 7 | Day 7 · Chitwan National ParkA day in the park with a licensed nature guide, as the park requires: a canoe on the Rapti in the morning mist, a walk or a jeep drive through the forest and the grassland. Rhinos, deer, crocodiles and many birds are often seen; tigers rarely.
|
Sauraha | Park entry; canoe, jeep and nature guide at their prices | |
| Day 8 | Day 8 · Back to KathmanduBy road back to Kathmandu, or a short flight from Bharatpur. The tour ends at your hotel or the airport.
|
About 170 km: 6 to 7 hours by car, or 25 minutes by plane from Bharatpur | Car or flight |
Is this tour for you?
Walking, steps, heat and access, honestly.Not sure? Tell me who is coming, and I'll tell you honestly. Write to me
The honest downsides
What I'd want to know before booking.- The roads are slow and bumpy in places, and road works on the Kathmandu–Pokhara highway can add hours.
- Mountain views need clear weather: from April to September they are often hidden.
- Sauraha, the village by the park, is busy and built-up in the high season.
- Eight days is a first look, not a deep one: many travellers wish they had stayed longer in one place.
Photos from this tour
More about this tour
Best time to go
Clearest from October to early December and in February; green and wet from June to September.- GoodJAN
- BestFEB
- GoodMAR
- GoodAPR
- HazyMAY
- RainJUN
- RainJUL
- RainAUG
- HazySEP
- BestOCT
- BestNOV
- GoodDEC
In December and January the lowlands (Chitwan, Lumbini) are often foggy and cold in the morning. From April to early June they are very hot. In the monsoon roads are slower and landslides can close them for hours.
Time of day
Festivals worth planning for
Festival dates follow the lunar calendar and change every year; I confirm the date when you ask.
Before you go
The small practical things.Visiting with respect
These are living places of worship, not museums.- Walk around stupas, monasteries and temples clockwise.
- Ask before photographing people at prayer, monks, or inside temples; some temples do not allow it.
- Take off your shoes where others do, and dress with shoulders and knees covered at holy places.
- In Chitwan, keep quiet and keep your distance from animals; follow the nature guide.
Staying away: 7 nights
You pay me only my guide fee. Rooms and meals are paid at what they actually cost, with nothing added by me.Where your money goes
Every amount, and who receives it. I charge only my guide fee; the rest is paid at cost.| What | Who receives it | Amount | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guide fee | Rujan Neupane | My day rate × 8 days, plus my overnight allowance × 4 nights away from Kathmandu | For your whole private group |
| Car and driver | The driver or car company | Agreed before the tour | Paid at cost |
| Flights, if you fly | The airline | The airline's price | Paid at cost |
| Entry tickets and park fees | Paid at the gate | Official price | See Entrance fees |
| Rooms and meals | The hotels and restaurants | What they charge | You pay them directly, or I book at their price |
I don't sell packages. I guide, and I help you arrange the rest (rooms, transport, permits) at what it actually costs. If you would like it all put together as one package, ask me: I make one only on your request, and we confirm it by email.
Photo notes
From a guide who is also a photographer.The places in detail
The history and stories behind what you will see.The shape of the week
Nepal is small on the map and slow on the road. This route keeps the long drives to two and spends the rest of the time in three very different places: the old towns of the Kathmandu Valley, the lake town of Pokhara under the Annapurna range, and the lowland forest of Chitwan.
The Kathmandu Valley
Seven monument zones of the valley are one World Heritage Site: the Durbar Squares of Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur, the stupas of Swayambhu and Boudha, and the temples of Pashupatinath and Changu Narayan. We visit most of them over two days. See UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Nepal.
Pokhara
A lake town at about 800 m with the Annapurna range and the fishtail peak of Machhapuchhre close above it. It is quieter than Kathmandu and a good place to slow down.
Chitwan
Chitwan National Park, also a World Heritage Site, protects forest, grassland and rivers in the lowlands. The park asks visitors to enter with its licensed nature guides; I come with you and the nature guide leads inside the park.
Entry tickets are at the official price: see entrance fees in Nepal.
My promises
Written down, so you can hold me to them.- No pressureAsk me anything. Asking costs nothing and commits you to nothing, and I will never rush your decision.
- Nothing hiddenEvery cost is written down before you pay anything, and nothing is added later without your agreement.
- Your day, your paceWe stay longer where you want to, and skip what doesn't interest you.
- Reviews as writtenEvery review here is published as the guest wrote it. I don't edit reviews or remove critical ones.
Before you go
What I would read first, from my own guides and tours.Guides to read first
Frequently asked questions
Should we fly or drive between Kathmandu, Pokhara and Chitwan?
Flying saves most of a day each time and the mountain view from the plane is beautiful on clear days. Driving costs less and shows the country. Many guests drive one way and fly the other.
Is the guide fee for each person?
No. One rate for your whole private group of 1 to 5 people.
Can you book the hotels and the car?
Yes, if you want. I book them at their own price and send you every price by email before anything is paid. You can also book them yourself.
Will we see a tiger in Chitwan?
Probably not: tigers are shy and rarely seen. Rhinos, deer, crocodiles, monkeys and many birds are seen on most visits.
Can we add a short trek?
Yes. The 12-day tour adds two easy days on the hills above Pokhara, or we add them to this one.
Is it good for children?
Yes. The days are short and slow, and there is no altitude to worry about.
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