Cornelius Amann
October 06, 2026
5/5
Nepal: Kathmandu, Chitwan and Pokhara
10 days from Kathmandu: Bhaktapur and Patan, two nights in Chitwan National Park, three in Pokhara with a Sarangkot sunrise and a foothills hike, and two short flights instead of two long drives.
10 days · Round trip from Kathmandu · up to 12 guests
Fields on the shore of Phewa Lake, Pokhara Photo: Vyacheslav Argenberg, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pokhara,_Phewa_Lake,_Nepal.jpg)
The facts
At a glance
- Length
- 10 days, 9 nights
- Start and end
- Round trip from Kathmandu
- Group size
- 7 to 12 guests
- Activity level
Moderate
City days mean 3 to 5 hours on foot on brick paving and temple steps, including about 365 steps up to Swayambhunath. Day 8 is a day hike of about 9 km and 4 to 5 hours on stone steps and forest paths, about 300 m up and 400 m down, topping out at about 2,060 m; you can turn back at Australian Camp or stay in Pokhara. Nothing goes above about 2,100 m, so altitude is not a concern.
- Meals included
- 9 breakfasts, 7 lunches, 3 dinners
- Room of your own
- + CAD 545 (estimated price)
- Season
- October to April
Highlights
Why this trip
- Swayambhunath first thing in the morning, before the tour groups, with the Kathmandu Valley below
- Bhaktapur's squares and Pottery Square early, then the evening kora around Boudhanath as the butter lamps are lit
- Two nights at Chitwan: a dugout canoe on the Rapti River at first light and an afternoon jeep safari for one-horned rhino
- Lunch in the car-free bazaar of Bandipur, halfway between the jungle and the lake
- Sunrise over the Annapurna range and Machhapuchhre from Sarangkot
- A day hike from Kande to Australian Camp and Dhampus, with an easy turn-back option
- Two short flights that save most of two days in the vehicle
What makes this trip different
Free time is part of the plan
Free time and choices are marked on the days they fall.
Solo without the penalty
A room of your own is + CAD 545 (estimated price).
Day by day
Itinerary
Tap any stop on the map to open that dayClick any stop on the map to open that day
Arrive in Kathmandu
Tribhuvan International Airport to your hotel in central Kathmandu
- Welcome dinner
- Stay in Kathmandu
Fly into Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM) on the eastern edge of Kathmandu. Most visitors pick up a tourist visa on arrival in the hall before immigration, so allow time for that queue. A driver meets you outside arrivals and takes you about 30 minutes across the city to a central hotel within walking distance of the old lanes of Thamel and Asan. Kathmandu sits at about 1,400 m, so evenings from November to February are cool. Rest after the flight, or walk to the Garden of Dreams, a restored early 20th-century garden a few minutes from Thamel, for a quiet hour. At about 6 pm your See Sight Tours guide meets the group for a briefing on the days ahead: the two short flights, the lodge at Chitwan, the hike above Pokhara and how to dress at temples.
Evening
Then we sit down together to a welcome dinner of dal bhat and Newari dishes at a local restaurant.
Included
- Pick-up at Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM)
- Welcome briefing with your guide
- Welcome dinner
Free time: Free until the evening briefing
Activity: Plan to land by about 3 pm to reach the briefing; later arrivals are met and join the group at dinner or the next morning.
Swayambhunath, Kathmandu Durbar Square and Patan
Swayambhunath to Kathmandu Durbar Square, then Patan
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Kathmandu
- Drive about 1.5 h
Morning
We start early at Swayambhunath, the stupa on a wooded hill west of the city, before the tour groups arrive and while the morning light is on the valley. Climb the long eastern stairway, about 365 steps past monkeys and stone Buddhas, to the white dome and the painted eyes of the Buddha on its gilded tower. Then down into the old city to Kathmandu Durbar Square: the Hanuman Dhoka palace, the Kasthamandap pavilion rebuilt after the 2015 earthquake, and the Kumari Ghar, home of the Kumari, a girl worshipped as a living goddess, who sometimes appears at her carved window.
Afternoon
We cross the Bagmati River to Patan for a sit-down lunch, then spend the afternoon in Patan Durbar Square with a local guide: the stone Krishna Mandir, the courtyard of the Golden Temple and the Patan Museum in the old palace. All three are part of the Kathmandu Valley World Heritage Site.
Evening
The evening is free.
Included
- Swayambhunath early in the morning
- Kathmandu Durbar Square with a local guide: Hanuman Dhoka, Kasthamandap and the Kumari Ghar
- Sit-down lunch in Patan
- Patan Durbar Square with a local guide: the Krishna Mandir, the Golden Temple and the Patan Museum
Easier option: Drive up to the western entrance of Swayambhunath and skip most of the stairway.
Free time: Evening free
Activity: About 4 to 5 hours on foot on brick paving and temple steps.
Bhaktapur, Pashupatinath and Boudhanath
Kathmandu to Bhaktapur, then Pashupatinath and Boudhanath
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Kathmandu
- Drive about 2 h
We leave at about 8 am for Bhaktapur, about 13 km east, to reach its squares before the day visitors. The old Newar city has kept more of its brick lanes and carved wooden windows than anywhere else in the valley. Walk through Durbar Square to the Golden Gate and the 55-Window Palace, on to Taumadhi Square, where the five-tiered Nyatapola temple of 1702 stands on its stepped plinth, and down to Pottery Square, where potters still throw pots on wheels and dry them in rows in the sun.
Afternoon
After a sit-down lunch, try juju dhau, Bhaktapur's sweet set curd. In the afternoon we drive back west to Pashupatinath on the Bagmati River, the most important Hindu temple in Nepal. Non-Hindus may not enter the main temple, so we watch from the terraces across the river, where sadhus sit and cremations take place on the ghats; your guide explains the rites. We end at Boudhanath in the late afternoon, walking the kora clockwise with Tibetan pilgrims as the butter lamps are lit.
Included
- Bhaktapur with a local guide: Durbar Square, Taumadhi Square and the Nyatapola temple, Pottery Square
- Sit-down lunch in Bhaktapur
- Pashupatinath from the terraces across the Bagmati River
- Boudhanath stupa and the evening kora
Easier option: Rest at the hotel after lunch and meet the group at Boudhanath for the evening.
Free time: Dinner free around Boudhanath or back in central Kathmandu
Activity: About 4 hours on foot over the day. Please do not photograph the cremations.
Fly to the Terai and Chitwan
Kathmandu to Bharatpur by air, then by road to Sauraha
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Sauraha (Chitwan)
- Drive about 1 h
Morning
After breakfast we transfer to the domestic terminal for the flight to Bharatpur, about 25 minutes over the hills to the Terai, Nepal's flat, hot lowland. By road the same trip takes five to six hours on winding highways, so the flight gives you back most of a day. From Bharatpur it is about 30 minutes by road to Sauraha, the village on the north bank of the Rapti River at the edge of Chitwan National Park, Nepal's first national park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1984.
Afternoon
Our lodge for two nights is a short walk from the river, and lunch is waiting. In the afternoon the naturalist who leads our safaris walks us through a Tharu village. The Tharu are the indigenous people of the Terai, and their mud-plastered houses, grain stores and painted walls are unlike anything in the hills.
Evening
We finish on the riverbank at sunset, where rhinos and deer are sometimes seen on the far bank. Dinner is at the lodge.
Included
- Flight from Kathmandu to Bharatpur
- Transfer to Sauraha
- Tharu village walk with a naturalist
- Sunset on the Rapti riverbank
- Lunch and dinner at the lodge
Optional experiences
- Tharu stick dance performance in Sauraha in the evening
Activity: Sauraha is at about 150 m, so days are warm even in winter; mornings from December to February are often foggy and cool.
Canoe at first light and a jeep safari
The Rapti River and Chitwan National Park
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Sauraha (Chitwan)
- By boat
Morning
An early start: at first light we board long dugout canoes, each cut from a single tree trunk, and drift down the Rapti with a naturalist. Watch the sandbanks for mugger crocodiles and, if we are lucky, the rarer fish-eating gharial, and the banks for kingfishers, herons and storks. From December to February mist often lies on the river at dawn and lifts by mid-morning. We are back at the lodge for a late breakfast, and the middle of the day is free to rest in the shade.
Afternoon
In the early afternoon we drive into the national park by open jeep for about four hours, along forest tracks and the edges of the tall grasslands where the greater one-horned rhinoceros grazes. Spotted deer, sambar, wild boar, gaur and sloth bear also live here, and so do Bengal tigers, though they are seldom seen.
Evening
We are back at the lodge around sunset for dinner. We do not offer elephant rides on this trip.
Included
- Dugout canoe on the Rapti River with a naturalist
- Jeep safari in Chitwan National Park, about 4 hours
- Chitwan National Park entry
- All meals at the lodge
Free time: Middle of the day free at the lodge
Activity: The four hours of the jeep safari are inside the park, not road travel. The canoes sit low on the water: you step in from the bank and stay seated. The jeep tracks are bumpy; tell us if you have back problems.
To Pokhara by way of Bandipur
Sauraha to Bandipur, then on to Pokhara
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Pokhara
- Drive about 5 h
Today is the one long road day, about 160 km and five hours of driving in all. It is over our usual four-hour cap because there is no regular flight from Bharatpur to Pokhara, so we split it into two halves of about two and a half hours with a long stop in Bandipur.
Morning
If you are up early, join the optional bird walk along the river before breakfast. We leave at about 9 am, cross the Narayani valley and follow the Trishuli River up to Mugling, then turn west on the Prithvi Highway. At Dumre a side road climbs to Bandipur, an old Newar trading town on a ridge at about 1,000 m, whose main bazaar is closed to traffic.
Afternoon
We walk the stone street of tall brick houses, have a sit-down lunch and stroll to the Tundikhel viewpoint, where on clear days the Himalaya stands along the northern skyline. From there it is about two and a half hours to Pokhara, arriving by late afternoon.
Evening
The evening is free at Lakeside.
Included
- Drive from Sauraha to Pokhara with your guide
- Walk through Bandipur's car-free bazaar to the Tundikhel viewpoint
- Sit-down lunch in Bandipur
Optional experiences
- Early bird walk with a naturalist in Sauraha before breakfast
Free time: Evening free at Lakeside
Activity: The road climbs and winds for most of the day; if you get carsick, ask for a front seat and take something before we leave.
Sunrise at Sarangkot and the Peace Pagoda
Pokhara to Sarangkot and back, then across Phewa Lake to the World Peace Pagoda
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Pokhara
- Drive about 1 h
Morning
We leave the hotel before dawn, the exact time set by the season's sunrise, for the 30 to 40 minute drive up to Sarangkot, a ridge at about 1,600 m above Pokhara. From the viewpoint the Annapurna range lights up from the summits down: Dhaulagiri far to the west, Annapurna South, the fishtail peak of Machhapuchhre almost straight ahead, and the Annapurnas and Lamjung Himal to the east, with Phewa Lake in mist below. Back at the hotel for breakfast, then mid-morning we take a wooden rowing boat out on Phewa Lake, stopping at the two-tiered pagoda of Tal Barahi on its small island, and on to the south shore. From the landing a stone path climbs through forest for about 40 minutes to the World Peace Pagoda, a white Buddhist stupa with a view back over the lake and the city to the mountains.
Afternoon
Lunch is a sit-down meal by the lake, and the afternoon is free.
Included
- Sunrise from Sarangkot
- Boat on Phewa Lake with a stop at Tal Barahi temple
- Walk up to the World Peace Pagoda
- Sit-down lunch by the lake
Optional experiences
- Tandem paragliding from Sarangkot in the afternoon
- The International Mountain Museum
Easier option: Ride up to the World Peace Pagoda by vehicle and walk only the last few minutes.
More active option: Walk back down from the pagoda to Lakeside on the forest path instead of taking the boat.
Free time: Afternoon and evening free
Activity: Mountain views are clearest from October to February; in March and April haze can hide the peaks.
A day hike in the Annapurna foothills
Pokhara to Kande, on foot to Australian Camp and Dhampus, then back to Pokhara
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Pokhara
- Drive about 1.5 h
Today is a walk in the foothills of the Annapurnas, without a multi-day trek. About an hour's drive west of Pokhara on the Baglung road takes us to Kande, at about 1,770 m, where we start up a forest trail to Australian Camp, at about 2,060 m: roughly an hour and a half of steady climbing on stone steps and dirt paths.
Morning
The camp is an open grassy ridge with a few lodges and a close view of Annapurna South, Hiunchuli and Machhapuchhre, best in the morning before cloud builds.
Afternoon
We stop for lunch at a lodge there. Then we walk on, mostly downhill, through the small settlement of Pothana and rhododendron forest, which flowers red in March and April, to the Gurung village of Dhampus, at about 1,650 m, where the vehicle waits. That is about 9 km and four to five hours on foot with stops.
Evening
We are back in Pokhara by mid-afternoon, and the evening is free. The trail lies inside the Annapurna Conservation Area; we arrange your permit in advance.
Included
- Guided day hike from Kande to Australian Camp, Pothana and Dhampus
- Annapurna Conservation Area permit
- Lunch at a lodge at Australian Camp
Easier option: Walk up to Australian Camp for lunch and the view, then walk back down the same way to Kande, about 3 hours on foot; or spend the day by the lake in Pokhara.
More active option: From Dhampus, carry on down the stone staircase to Dhampus Phedi on the valley floor, about another hour and 500 m of descent.
Free time: Evening free
Activity: About 9 km and 4 to 5 hours on foot, about 300 m up and 400 m down. Wear shoes with grip and bring a warm layer for the ridge.
Fly back to Kathmandu
Pokhara to Kathmandu by air
- Breakfast and dinner
- Stay in Kathmandu
- By plane
Morning
A slower morning by the lake, then the flight from Pokhara back to Kathmandu, about 25 minutes. Flying east, sit on the left side of the plane for the Himalaya along the northern horizon on a clear day.
Afternoon
By road the same trip is about 200 km and six to seven hours, which is why we fly; if cloud grounds the flight, we drive instead, with lunch on the way, and the afternoon becomes a travel day. On a normal day we are back at a central Kathmandu hotel by early afternoon, and the rest of the day is yours. Your guide can point you to Asan Tole, the old market crossroads where spice, brass and textile sellers still trade from tiny shopfronts, or to Thamel for last purchases of tea, pashmina and singing bowls.
Evening
In the evening the group meets for a farewell dinner of Newari dishes at a local restaurant, a last chance to compare rhino sightings and sunrise photos.
Included
- Flight from Pokhara to Kathmandu
- Airport transfers in Pokhara and Kathmandu
- Farewell dinner
Free time: Afternoon free in Kathmandu
Depart from Kathmandu
Your hotel to Tribhuvan International Airport
- Breakfast
Morning
The trip ends after breakfast. A driver takes you to Tribhuvan International Airport, about 30 minutes in light traffic and longer at rush hour, so we time your pick-up to reach the airport three hours before an international flight. Any flight time works, and the hotel can usually hold your luggage after check-out if you leave late in the day. If your flight leaves after about 2 pm, you can take the optional Everest scenic flight in the early morning: about an hour along the Himalaya from Kathmandu, weather permitting, back in time for breakfast.
Evening
If you want more of the mountains, the See Sight Tours Everest Base Camp trek also starts and ends in Kathmandu, so the two trips can be joined with a night or two between them; tell us when you book and we will line up the dates and hotels for you. Your guide says goodbye at the hotel.
Included
- Drop-off at Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM)
Optional experiences
- Everest scenic flight in the early morning, if your flight leaves after about 2 pm
Free time: Morning free
Activity: Book a flight at any time; allow three hours at the airport for international departures.
- Kathmandu3 nights
- Sauraha (Chitwan)2 nights
- Pokhara3 nights
- Kathmandu1 night
- Overnight stop
- Day trip
- By boat or train
Wildlife and weather: October and November bring the clearest mountain views and dry trails. December to February are clear and cold at dawn, with Terai fog that can delay the Bharatpur flight and mist on the Rapti. March and April are warm with haze that can hide the peaks, rhododendrons in flower on the hike and good rhino sightings once the tall grass is cut in winter. Tigers live in Chitwan but are rarely seen.
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Before you book
Right for you?
Good for you if you want
- First-time visitors who want Kathmandu's temples, the jungle and the mountains in one trip
- Travellers who want a taste of the Himalaya without a trek or altitude
- Wildlife watchers happy with early starts for the canoe and the safari
- Solo travellers who want company and a fair single price
Not for you if you want
- Trekkers who want several days on the trail: see our Everest Base Camp trek
- Step-free access: temple stairways, uneven brick lanes and a hillside hike
- Travellers who need guaranteed mountain views: cloud and haze can hide the peaks
- Anyone set on seeing a tiger, which is rare in Chitwan
Book flights after we confirm your seat.
9 nights
Where you'll stay
Your hotels are named in your trip confirmation.
- Kathmandu3 nights
- Sauraha (Chitwan)2 nights
- Pokhara3 nights
- Kathmandu1 night
One price
What's in the price
Included
Accommodation
- 9 nights: 3 in central Kathmandu, 2 at a lodge in Sauraha by Chitwan National Park, 3 at Lakeside in Pokhara, 1 more in central Kathmandu
- Hotels of a 3-star-plus standard, named when we confirm your dates
- Rooms shared, or your own for a supplement
Transport
- Pick-up and drop-off at Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM)
- A private vehicle and driver for the group on road days
- Domestic flights from Kathmandu to Bharatpur and from Pokhara to Kathmandu, with airport transfers
- The dugout canoe on the Rapti River and the jeep safari in Chitwan National Park
- The boat on Phewa Lake
Your guide
- A See Sight Tours guide for the whole trip
- Licensed local guides in Kathmandu Durbar Square, Patan and Bhaktapur, and naturalists in Chitwan
Activities
- Kathmandu: Swayambhunath, Kathmandu Durbar Square, Pashupatinath and Boudhanath
- Patan: Patan Durbar Square and the Patan Museum
- Bhaktapur: Durbar Square, Taumadhi Square and Pottery Square
- Chitwan: Tharu village walk, Rapti riverbank sunset, dugout canoe, jeep safari and national park entry
- Bandipur: walk through the bazaar to the Tundikhel viewpoint
- Pokhara: Sarangkot sunrise, Phewa Lake boat, Tal Barahi temple and the World Peace Pagoda
- Annapurna foothills: day hike from Kande to Australian Camp and Dhampus, with the conservation area permit
Meals
- Breakfast daily (9)
- Sit-down lunch on days 2 to 8 (7)
- Welcome and farewell dinners in Kathmandu and both dinners at the Chitwan lodge (4)
Not included
- International flights to and from Kathmandu
- Nepal tourist visa, paid on arrival
- Travel insurance
- Meals not listed
- Drinks
- Tips for drivers, naturalists and local guides
- Optional activities: the Everest scenic flight, paragliding, the International Mountain Museum, the Tharu stick dance and the early bird walk
- Personal expenses
- Excess baggage on domestic flights
Extras
- Room of your own
- CAD 545 (estimated price)
When you can go
Dates and prices
Pick your start date when you request to book. We check that date and confirm it in your quote.
Prefer to travel without a group or guide? Ask us about arranging hotels, transport and city tours for you to travel independently.
Before you book
Booking terms
Nothing is charged now. Full terms and the cancellation schedule come with your quote, before you accept.
Business addresses
See Sight Tours Trips (USA): 3172 N Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89108, United StatesSee Sight Tours Trips (Canada): 5305 50 Avenue, #1091, Red Deer, AB T4N 4B6, Canada+1-888-961-6584Guest reviews
What guests say
Reviews from guests on our day tours.
Jane
October 06, 2026
5/5
Susan
October 06, 2026
5/5
Tom L
October 05, 2026
5/5
MandL83
October 05, 2026
5/5
Darren O
October 05, 2026
5/5
Good to know
Questions
What does the price include?
Nine nights in central hotels and a Chitwan lodge, breakfast daily, seven lunches and four dinners, both domestic flights, airport transfers, a private vehicle and driver, your See Sight Tours guide throughout with local guides and naturalists, every entry in the day plan, the canoe and jeep safari, the Sarangkot sunrise, the Phewa Lake boat and the hike permit.
How big is the group on this Nepal small group tour?
The small-group trip runs with 7 to 12 guests, never more. That keeps the group to one jeep or two on safari, one table at lunch, and close enough to hear the guide in the busy squares of Kathmandu and Bhaktapur.
Who leads the trip?
A See Sight Tours guide travels with the group from the welcome dinner to the last morning. Licensed local guides join at the heritage sites in Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur, and naturalists lead the canoe and jeep safari in Chitwan, as the park requires.
How fit do I need to be for this Nepal tour?
Moderate fitness is enough. City days mean 3 to 5 hours on foot with temple steps. The day 8 hike is about 9 km and 4 to 5 hours with about 300 m of climbing. You can turn back halfway at Australian Camp or stay in Pokhara, and nothing goes above about 2,100 m.
I am travelling solo on this Nepal small group tour. Do I pay a single supplement?
Only if you want a room of your own, which is CAD 545 more, about 17 percent of the price and shown before you book. If you would rather share, ask when you request to book and we will try to pair you with another solo guest; we tell you whether we found a match before anything is confirmed.
When is the best time to visit Nepal?
October to April, which is when this trip runs. October and November have the clearest mountain views. December to February are clear but cold at dawn, with fog in Chitwan. March and April are warmer, with rhododendrons in flower and more haze over the peaks. We do not run in the summer monsoon.
How does booking work?
Choose a start date and request to book. No payment is taken at that point. We check the hotels, the lodge and the flights for your date and confirm your place within 24 hours, then send the payment details and your final itinerary.
Can I travel on my own dates?
Yes. The private version runs for your party only on a date you choose, with your own guide and vehicle. If you would rather travel independently, ask us from the dates section and we will quote the same hotels, flights, drivers and local guides as a separate plan.
Do I need a visa for Nepal?
Yes. Canadians and most other visitors can get a tourist visa on arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport, paid in US dollars, for 15, 30 or 90 days; the 15-day visa covers this trip. You can fill in the arrival form online before you fly. We send the current fees with your final itinerary.
Do we fly within Nepal on this tour, and can we drive instead?
Yes, twice: Kathmandu to Bharatpur and Pokhara to Kathmandu, each about 25 minutes. Weather in the hills causes delays and cancellations, so we drive if a flight is grounded. If you prefer the road, tell us when you book: both legs can be driven, adding about 11 to 13 hours in the vehicle over two days, and we adjust those days for you.
Will we see a tiger or a rhino in Chitwan?
The greater one-horned rhino is the park's best-known resident and is often seen from the jeep, along with deer, crocodiles and many birds, though sightings are never guaranteed. Bengal tigers live in the park but are shy and rarely seen. Two nights, a canoe at first light and an afternoon safari give you the best chances we can offer.
Can I combine this trip with the Everest Base Camp trek?
Yes. Our Everest Base Camp trek also starts and ends in Kathmandu, so the two can be joined with a night or two in between. Doing this trip first gives you a gentle start at low altitude. Tell us when you book and we will line up the dates.
See Sight Tours has been providing travel services across North America since 2006. Operating in 20 cities across Canada and the USA, the company specializes in small group tours that offer personalized, high-quality experiences for travelers.
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