Nepal itinerary, day by day

From the temples of Kathmandu to the Annapurna peaks, by way of Pokhara and the jungle of Chitwan, day by day: the map, what is worth booking, everything that costs nothing, and where to sleep at three budgets.

🗓️ 3, 7 or 14 days📍 3 stops☀️ Best time: October to November and March to April

Katmandou · Photo Nishess Shakya / Pexels

Route map (numbers = order of the stops).

Nepal in 3 days

2 stops · 12 things to do · ≈ 200 km

1Kathmandu

Days 1-2

A sacred valley packed with temples and stupas, from the great white dome of Boudhanath to Swayambhunath on its hill. Seven of its monument zones are UNESCO-listed together, and every trek to the Himalaya starts here.

🎟️ Worth booking

Durbar Square and Swayambhunath, guidedHalf day · from €20
The old royal square and its pagoda temples, then the hilltop stupa that everyone calls the Monkey Temple.
Book on GetYourGuide →
Boudhanath and PashupatinathHalf day · from €15
One of the largest stupas in the world, then the Hindu temple complex on the Bagmati river, where cremations take place on the open ghats.
Book on GetYourGuide →

✦ Free, not to be missed

Thamel · The Monkey Temple (Swayambhunath) · Patan Durbar Square · Craft shops

🛏️ Where to sleep · Budget: Hotel Ganesh Himal (€25 a night) · Mid-range: Hotel Shanker (€75 a night) · Luxury: Kathmandu Marriott Hotel (€140 a night)

🍴 Where to eat · top rated

Elegance Café & Restaurant ↗ ★ 4.9 · 711 reviews
Swarg Pure Vegetarian Restaurant ↗ ★ 4.8 · 2114 reviews
Green Villy Restaurant - Thamel Kathmandu ↗ ★ 4.8 · 2111 reviews · €
Yala Cafe & Coffee Shop ↗ ★ 4.8 · 1762 reviews
Annakoot Veg-vegan Cuisine Pvt. Ltd. ↗ ★ 4.8 · 1073 reviews · €€

Photo Ahad Frames / Pexels

✈️ Flight · 30 min · 200 km

2Pokhara

Day 3

A lakeside town at the foot of the Annapurnas, the base for treks into the range and for paragliding over the water.

🎟️ Worth booking

Sunrise at SarangkotMorning · from €15
An early drive up the ridge above Pokhara to watch the first light reach the Annapurna range.
Book on GetYourGuide →
Paragliding over Phewa Lake30 min · from €80
A tandem flight from Sarangkot, circling down over the lake with snow peaks on the horizon.
Book on GetYourGuide →

✦ Free, not to be missed

Phewa Lake by rowing boat · The World Peace Pagoda · Gupteshwor Cave · The view of the Annapurnas

🛏️ Where to sleep · Budget: Zostel Pokhara (€11 a night) · Mid-range: Temple Tree Resort (€70 a night) · Luxury: Pavilions Himalayas (€220 a night)

🍴 Where to eat · top rated

Site Restaurant and Bar ↗ ★ 5 · 438 reviews
Utopia Garden & Snacks Bar ↗ ★ 4.8 · 1296 reviews · €€
Asian Tea House ↗ ★ 4.8 · 205 reviews
Daddys Kitchen Pokhara ↗ ★ 4.7 · 4383 reviews · €€
French Creperie | Organic Food & Coffee | Locally Sourced | Pokhara ↗ ★ 4.7 · 1264 reviews · €€

Photo Anish Acharya / Pexels

Nepal in 7 days

3 stops · 18 things to do · ≈ 240 km

1Kathmandu

Days 1-2

🎟️ Worth booking

Durbar Square and Swayambhunath, guidedHalf day · from €20
The old royal square and its pagoda temples, then the hilltop stupa that everyone calls the Monkey Temple.
Book on GetYourGuide →
Boudhanath and PashupatinathHalf day · from €15
One of the largest stupas in the world, then the Hindu temple complex on the Bagmati river, where cremations take place on the open ghats.
Book on GetYourGuide →

✦ Free, not to be missed

Thamel · The Monkey Temple (Swayambhunath) · Patan Durbar Square · Craft shops

🛏️ Where to sleep · Budget: Hotel Ganesh Himal (€25 a night) · Mid-range: Hotel Shanker (€75 a night) · Luxury: Kathmandu Marriott Hotel (€140 a night)

🍴 Where to eat · top rated

Photo Ahad Frames / Pexels

🚗 Car · 6h · 200 km

2Pokhara

Days 3-4

A lakeside town at the foot of the Annapurnas, the base for treks into the range and for paragliding over the water.

🎟️ Worth booking

Sunrise at SarangkotMorning · from €15
An early drive up the ridge above Pokhara to watch the first light reach the Annapurna range.
Book on GetYourGuide →
Paragliding over Phewa Lake30 min · from €80
A tandem flight from Sarangkot, circling down over the lake with snow peaks on the horizon.
Book on GetYourGuide →

✦ Free, not to be missed

Phewa Lake by rowing boat · The World Peace Pagoda · Gupteshwor Cave · The view of the Annapurnas

🛏️ Where to sleep · Budget: Zostel Pokhara (€11 a night) · Mid-range: Temple Tree Resort (€70 a night) · Luxury: Pavilions Himalayas (€220 a night)

🍴 Where to eat · top rated

Photo Anish Acharya / Pexels

🚗 Car + Trek · 1h30 · 40 km

3Annapurna trek (Poon Hill)

Days 5-7

The classic short trek up to Poon Hill, at 3,210 metres: Gurung villages, rhododendron forest and sunrise over Dhaulagiri and the Annapurnas, both above 8,000 metres.

🎟️ Worth booking

Guided trek: Ghorepani to Poon Hill3 days · from €180
A few days on stone steps and forest trails to Ghorepani, then the dawn climb to Poon Hill and its wide view of the high Himalaya.
Book on GetYourGuide →
TIMS card and ACAP permitPermit · from €35
The two permits required to trek in the Annapurna Conservation Area, checked at posts along the trail.
Book on GetYourGuide →

✦ Free, not to be missed

Sunrise over Dhaulagiri · Gurung villages · Rhododendron forests · Paths through the terraced fields

🛏️ Where to sleep · Budget: Hotel Silver Oaks Inn (€25 a night) · Mid-range: Annapurna Eco Village (€60 a night) · Luxury: Temple Tree Resort & Spa (€110 a night)

🍴 Where to eat · top rated

Utopia Garden & Snacks Bar ↗ ★ 4.8 · 1296 reviews · €€
French Creperie | Organic Food & Coffee | Locally Sourced | Pokhara ↗ ★ 4.7 · 1264 reviews · €€
Lavie Garden ↗ ★ 4.6 · 4680 reviews · €€
Fresh Elements Restaurant & Bar ↗ ★ 4.6 · 2617 reviews · €€
Sherpa Kitchen (Restaurant & Bar) ↗ ★ 4.6 · 370 reviews

Photo Iqx Azmi / Pexels

Nepal in 14 days

5 stops · 29 things to do · ≈ 550 km

1Kathmandu

Days 1-3

🎟️ Worth booking

Durbar Square and Swayambhunath, guidedHalf day · from €20
The old royal square and its pagoda temples, then the hilltop stupa that everyone calls the Monkey Temple.
Book on GetYourGuide →
Boudhanath and PashupatinathHalf day · from €15
One of the largest stupas in the world, then the Hindu temple complex on the Bagmati river, where cremations take place on the open ghats.
Book on GetYourGuide →

✦ Free, not to be missed

Thamel · The Monkey Temple (Swayambhunath) · Patan Durbar Square · Craft shops

🛏️ Where to sleep · Budget: Hotel Ganesh Himal (€25 a night) · Mid-range: Hotel Shanker (€75 a night) · Luxury: Kathmandu Marriott Hotel (€140 a night)

🍴 Where to eat · top rated

Photo Ahad Frames / Pexels

🚗 Car · 6h · 200 km

2Pokhara

Days 4-6

A lakeside town at the foot of the Annapurnas, the base for treks into the range and for paragliding over the water.

🎟️ Worth booking

Sunrise at SarangkotMorning · from €15
An early drive up the ridge above Pokhara to watch the first light reach the Annapurna range.
Book on GetYourGuide →
Paragliding over Phewa Lake30 min · from €80
A tandem flight from Sarangkot, circling down over the lake with snow peaks on the horizon.
Book on GetYourGuide →

✦ Free, not to be missed

Phewa Lake by rowing boat · The World Peace Pagoda · Gupteshwor Cave · The view of the Annapurnas

🛏️ Where to sleep · Budget: Zostel Pokhara (€11 a night) · Mid-range: Temple Tree Resort (€70 a night) · Luxury: Pavilions Himalayas (€220 a night)

🍴 Where to eat · top rated

Photo Anish Acharya / Pexels

🚗 Car + Trek · 1h30 · 40 km

3Annapurna trek (Poon Hill)

Days 7-10

The classic short trek up to Poon Hill, at 3,210 metres: Gurung villages, rhododendron forest and sunrise over Dhaulagiri and the Annapurnas, both above 8,000 metres.

🎟️ Worth booking

Guided trek: Ghorepani to Poon Hill3 days · from €180
A few days on stone steps and forest trails to Ghorepani, then the dawn climb to Poon Hill and its wide view of the high Himalaya.
Book on GetYourGuide →
TIMS card and ACAP permitPermit · from €35
The two permits required to trek in the Annapurna Conservation Area, checked at posts along the trail.
Book on GetYourGuide →

✦ Free, not to be missed

Sunrise over Dhaulagiri · Gurung villages · Rhododendron forests · Paths through the terraced fields

🛏️ Where to sleep · Budget: Hotel Silver Oaks Inn (€25 a night) · Mid-range: Annapurna Eco Village (€60 a night) · Luxury: Temple Tree Resort & Spa (€110 a night)

🍴 Where to eat · top rated

Photo Iqx Azmi / Pexels

🚗 Car · 5h · 160 km

4Chitwan National Park

Days 11-13

Lowland jungle in the Terai, UNESCO-listed since 1984 and home to the greater one-horned rhinoceros, wild elephants and hundreds of bird species.

🎟️ Worth booking

Jeep safari to find rhinosHalf day · from €40
A half-day through the grassland and forest of the park, looking for one-horned rhinos, deer and, with luck, a tiger's tracks.
Book on GetYourGuide →
Canoe and birdwatchingHalf day · from €25
A dugout canoe drifting down the river past kingfishers, storks and the long-snouted gharial crocodiles.
Book on GetYourGuide →

✦ Free, not to be missed

A Tharu village · The elephant breeding centre · Sunset over the Rapti river

🛏️ Where to sleep · Budget: Lodge Sauraha (€20 a night) · Mid-range: Green Park Chitwan (€80 a night) · Luxury: Barahi Jungle Lodge (€200 a night)

🍴 Where to eat · top rated

Chhimeki Food Hut ↗ ★ 4.9 · 213 reviews · €
Art Cafe ↗ ★ 4.8 · 379 reviews
Shantiko Kitchen ↗ ★ 4.8 · 374 reviews
High Five Restaurant and Bar ↗ ★ 4.7 · 150 reviews
Friends Cafe ↗ ★ 4.4 · 340 reviews · €€

Photo Dipankar Layek / Pexels

🚗 Car · 4h30 · 150 km

5Kathmandu

Day 14 · return

🎟️ Worth booking

Durbar Square and Swayambhunath, guidedHalf day · from €20
The old royal square and its pagoda temples, then the hilltop stupa that everyone calls the Monkey Temple.
Book on GetYourGuide →
Boudhanath and PashupatinathHalf day · from €15
One of the largest stupas in the world, then the Hindu temple complex on the Bagmati river, where cremations take place on the open ghats.
Book on GetYourGuide →

✦ Free, not to be missed

Thamel · The Monkey Temple (Swayambhunath) · Patan Durbar Square · Craft shops

🛏️ Where to sleep · Budget: Hotel Ganesh Himal (€25 a night) · Mid-range: Hotel Shanker (€75 a night) · Luxury: Kathmandu Marriott Hotel (€140 a night)

🍴 Where to eat · top rated

Photo Ahad Frames / Pexels

Hotel prices are per room per night, activity prices per person, checked when written. Some links are affiliate links (Booking, GetYourGuide): we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.

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Good to know before you go

🍽️ What to eat

Dal bhat: rice, lentil soup and vegetable curry, eaten twice a day and refilled until you say stop.
Momos: steamed or fried dumplings, the snack of the whole country.
Newari and Thakali sets: regional platters of many small dishes, from the Kathmandu valley and the Kali Gandaki.
Sel roti: a ring of sweet rice-flour dough, fried and eaten at festivals.
Chiya: milky tea boiled with sugar and spices, served everywhere in small glasses.

⚠️ What to avoid

Climb slowly: altitude sickness can become serious above 2,500 metres.
Take a guide or porter, and travel insurance that covers helicopter evacuation.
Drink filtered or bottled water, and eat food that has been cooked hot.
Walk clockwise around stupas and prayer wheels, keeping them on your right.

Plan this trip

📒 The free printable Nepal guide→ 🗓️ Best time to visit Nepal, month by month→ 🎟️ What to book before you go→

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