Trip highlights
- 1Boudhanath Stupa at dawn
- 2Pashupatinath Temple puja ceremony
- 3Phewa Lake with Annapurna backdrop
- 4Sarangkot sunrise over the Himalayas
- 5Everest Base Camp mountain flight
Daily spend
Want this for your exact dates?
Live hotel prices, real-time flights, and weather for when you're going.
Been before? Re-book the same trip instantly with current prices.
Day-by-day plan
Arrival & Thamel
Thursday, April 1
Est. spend
$90
per person
🌅 Morning
Arrive Tribhuvan International Airport
Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu
Nepal's only international airport (KTM) is 6km from Thamel. Taxi NPR 700–900 ($5–7). Visa on arrival: $30 (15 days) or $50 (30 days) — USD cash required. The queue can be 1 hour — use the automated visa machines to save time.
Bring USD cash for the visa fee — credit cards not accepted at the visa desk. The automated machine is faster than the manual counters.
☀️ Afternoon
Thamel neighbourhood walk
Thamel, Kathmandu
Thamel is Kathmandu's tourist hub — a dense labyrinth of guesthouses, trekking gear shops, thangka painting galleries, and restaurants. The neighbourhood is best walked with no destination — the discovery of small temples and vegetable markets tucked between the tourist shops is the experience.
Thamel has excellent trekking equipment at a fraction of Western prices — North Face, Mammut, and Arc'teryx all have 'inspired by' versions starting at $15. Know what you're buying.
🍽️ Meals
OR2K Restaurant, Thamel
Nepali/Israeli · $15 · Unusual Kathmandu institution — floor cushions, excellent dal bhat, and Israeli backpacker food. The thali is the move.
Pashupatinath & Boudhanath
Friday, April 2
Est. spend
$65
per person
🌅 Morning
Pashupatinath Temple — dawn
Pashupatinath, Kathmandu
The most sacred Hindu temple in Nepal (and one of the most sacred Shiva temples in the world) sits on the Bagmati River. Cremation ghats operate from early morning — bodies wrapped in white and cremated on the river bank as they have been for 2,000 years. The Sadhu holy men with painted faces and dreadlocks pose for photos for a fee. Entry: NPR 1,000 ($7.50) for non-Hindus.
Attend the 6pm aarti (fire puja ceremony) on the riverbank — the most atmospheric ceremony in Nepal. Arrive 30 minutes early for a good position on the east bank viewing steps.
☀️ Afternoon
Boudhanath Stupa
Boudhanath, Kathmandu
The largest stupa in Nepal (and one of the largest in the world) — a white dome topped with the omniscient Buddha eyes, surrounded by prayer flags and Tibetan Buddhist monasteries. The circambulation around the stupa (clockwise, spinning the prayer wheels) is a deeply meditative experience.
Dawn at Boudhanath (5am, with mist and monks and butter lamp sellers) is the finest experience in Kathmandu. The café terraces around the stupa at any time give the best elevation view of the dome.
🍽️ Meals
Café du Temple, Boudhanath
Nepali/Tibetan · $12 · Rooftop café overlooking Boudhanath Stupa. Tibetan butter tea and momo dumplings with the best view in Kathmandu.
Kathmandu Durbar Squares
Saturday, April 3
Est. spend
$80
per person
🌅 Morning
Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple)
Swayambhu, Kathmandu
The hilltop temple complex 2km west of Thamel — 365 steps to the summit, a view over the Kathmandu Valley, the large white stupa with the Buddha eyes, and the resident macaque monkeys that give it its name. Entry NPR 200 ($1.50).
The view from the top at dawn (6am) with the Himalayas visible behind the valley mist is one of the finest in the Kathmandu Valley.
Kathmandu Durbar Square
Hanuman Dhoka, Kathmandu
The medieval royal palace complex — UNESCO site, partly damaged in the 2015 earthquake and under ongoing reconstruction. The Kumari (living goddess) in her ornate courtyard, the Hanuman Dhoka palace, and the 55-window palace are the key structures. Entry NPR 1,000 ($7.50).
The Kumari appears briefly at a window around 9am and 5pm — the only time this child-deity is publicly visible. The timing is not guaranteed; ask a local guide.
☀️ Afternoon
Bhaktapur Durbar Square — medieval city
Bhaktapur Durbar Square, Bhaktapur
18km east of Kathmandu — the best-preserved medieval city in Nepal. The city of potters (still producing traditional red clay pots) with the extraordinary 55-window palace, Nyatapola Temple (the tallest pagoda in Nepal, 5 storeys), and the Peacock Window. Entry NPR 1,500 ($11).
Bhaktapur is the most complete medieval experience in the Kathmandu Valley — smaller than Kathmandu city and more atmospheric. The juju dhau (king curd, served in clay pots) is the local delicacy.
🍽️ Meals
Roadhouse Café, Thamel
Nepali/Pizza · $18 · Best pizza in Kathmandu and good Nepali dishes. The courtyard garden setting is pleasant for evenings.
Everest Flight & Drive to Pokhara
Sunday, April 4
Est. spend
$255
per person
🌅 Morning
Mountain flight — Everest at sunrise
Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu
A 1-hour scenic flight over the Himalayas departs at 6:30am — the 8,000m+ peaks (including Everest at 8,849m) are visible from the aircraft window. Buddha Air and Yeti Airlines operate these flights daily from KTM. Cost: $200–220 per person. Every passenger gets a window seat — the plane banks both ways.
Book through the airline directly or a reputable Thamel agency. The flight is weather-dependent — if mountains are obscured by cloud, the flight is cancelled and rescheduled. October and March–April have the highest success rate.
☀️ Afternoon
Tourist bus to Pokhara
Tourist Bus Park, Kathmandu
The 7-hour tourist bus from Kathmandu to Pokhara departs at 7am and 8am from Kantipath near Thamel (NPR 800/$6). The road follows the Trisuli and Marsyangdi rivers through dramatic hill country. Greenline tourist bus is the most comfortable option.
The bus journey is long but the scenery is extraordinary. Pack snacks. The Greenline 'deluxe' tourist bus (NPR 2,000/$15) includes a lunch stop at a resort.
🍽️ Meals
Roadside dal bhat, en route
Nepali · $4 · Every roadside teahouse serves dal bhat (rice, lentil soup, vegetable curry, and pickles) for NPR 300–400. Unlimited refills.
Sarangkot Sunrise & Phewa Lake
Monday, April 5
Est. spend
$55
per person
🌅 Morning
Sarangkot sunrise — Annapurna panorama
Sarangkot, Pokhara
The hilltop viewpoint 5km from Pokhara (1,592m elevation) has the most accessible Himalayan panorama in Nepal — the Annapurna massif (including Machhapuchhre Fish Tail peak at 6,993m) directly above the valley. The sunrise turns the snow peaks gold-orange-pink over 20 minutes.
Leave Pokhara by taxi at 4:45am. Entry NPR 50. The viewpoint fills by 5:30am — arrive before 5:15am for a position. The mountains are only visible before 9am most days — don't delay.
☀️ Afternoon
Phewa Lake boat and World Peace Stupa
Phewa Lake, Pokhara
The World Peace Stupa (1996) on the ridge south of Pokhara is reached by rowing boat across Phewa Lake (NPR 400/$3 one way) then a 1-hour hike up. The view from the stupa gives both the Annapurna range and the lake below simultaneously.
Rent a rowing boat for NPR 500/hour — it's the authentic Pokhara experience. The Tal Barahi Temple on the small island in the lake is easily visited by boat.
🍽️ Meals
Moondance Restaurant, Lakeside
Nepali/International · $15 · Lake-view restaurant in Lakeside (tourist strip). The dal bhat and the apple pie are both excellent.
Paragliding & Ghandruk Trek
Tuesday, April 6
Est. spend
$125
per person
🌅 Morning
Paragliding over Pokhara
Sarangkot Launch Site, Pokhara
Pokhara is one of the top paragliding destinations in the world — the thermals off the Annapurna range allow 1-hour tandem flights from Sarangkot to Pokhara lakeside. The flight with an experienced pilot passes over Phewa Lake with the Himalayan peaks behind.
Blue Sky Paragliding and Sunrise Paragliding are the two most reputable operators. Cost: $80–100 for 30-minute flight, $120–150 for 1-hour acrobatic flight. All pilots are internationally certified.
☀️ Afternoon
Ghandruk village day hike (optional)
Ghandruk, Kaski District
For those wanting a taste of trekking without the full commitment — the 3-hour drive to Nayapul and 3-hour hike to Ghandruk village (1,940m) gives Annapurna close-up views and traditional Gurung village culture. Return by the same route or jeep.
Ghandruk is one of the most beautiful villages in Nepal — the Gurung culture, traditional stone houses, and views of Machhapuchhre make it worth the effort. Stay overnight if time allows.
🍽️ Meals
Lakeside teahouse dal bhat
Nepali · $6
Return to Kathmandu & Departure
Wednesday, April 7
Est. spend
$180
per person
🌅 Morning
Flight Pokhara to Kathmandu
Pokhara Airport
30-minute domestic flight from Pokhara Airport (PKR) to Kathmandu (KTM) — NPR 8,000–12,000 ($60–90) one way. Buddha Air or Yeti Airlines. The flight passes directly over the Himalayan foothills — window seat for mountain views.
Sit on the right side of the aircraft (window seat) for the best Annapurna view on the Pokhara→Kathmandu direction.
☀️ Afternoon
Final Thamel shopping and airport transfer
Thamel, Kathmandu
Pashmina shawls (authentic 100% cashmere, not the mixed versions), Tibetan singing bowls, tanka paintings, and Nepali spices are the best Kathmandu souvenirs. Buy from fixed-price shops for quality assurance.
Authentic 100% cashmere pashmina costs NPR 4,000–6,000 ($30–45). Synthetic versions are NPR 500. Ask for the burn test — real cashmere burns and smells like hair, not plastic.
🍽️ Meals
Third Eye Restaurant, Thamel
Nepali/Tibetan · $15 · Kathmandu institution for 30 years. The butter chicken and momo dumplings are excellent farewell meals.
Before you go
📅 Best time to visit
March–May (spring): the rhododendrons bloom at altitude, skies are clear, and the pre-monsoon mists keep mornings dramatic. September–November (post-monsoon): the clearest mountain views of the year, golden autumn light, and the best trekking weather.
🛂 Visas
Visa on arrival at KTM: $30 (15 days) or $50 (30 days). USD cash required — no credit cards at the visa desk. Multiple entry available. Online visa (evisa.immigration.gov.np) is easier and saves queuing time.
💱 Currency
Nepali Rupee (NPR). ~130 NPR per USD. Nepal is extremely affordable — dal bhat costs NPR 300–400 ($2.30–3.10), a Everest Beer in Thamel is NPR 400 ($3). Indian Rupees are also accepted widely at a 1:1.6 rate.
🆘 Emergency numbers
police: 100
ambulance: 102
tourist police: (01) 4247041
💬 Things you won't find in a guidebook
- Dal bhat is the national dish — rice, lentil soup, vegetable curry, and pickles. In most teahouses, dal bhat comes with unlimited refills (as much rice and dal as you want). It's the trekker's staple for a reason.
- Altitude sickness begins at 2,500m for some people. Above 3,000m, the rule is: climb high, sleep low; ascend no more than 400–500m per day; rest one day for every 1,000m above 3,000m.
- The 2015 earthquake damaged many of the heritage sites — the UNESCO recovery effort is ongoing. Visit anyway — the remaining structures are still extraordinary and the tourism income supports recovery.
One thing worth not skipping
A 7-day trip to Kathmandu & Pokhara, Nepal without insurance is a gamble. Medical emergencies, cancelled flights, lost luggage — cover yourself before you leave.
Comprehensive cover for 150+ adventure activities, medical evacuation, trip cancellation, and baggage. Recommended for most travellers.
Subscription-based travel medical insurance. Best for longer trips, digital nomads, or frequent travellers. Renews weekly or monthly.
Tripzeeker earns a small commission when you purchase — at no extra cost to you.
Was this useful?
Your rating helps us improve and tells other travellers what to trust.
How useful was this itinerary?
You might also like
More trips like Kathmandu & Pokhara, Nepal in your inbox
Weekly hand-crafted itineraries, hidden gems, and travel tips. Unsubscribe anytime.