Overview
Namaste. This trip is the perfect introduction to Nepal’s rich culture, stunning landscapes and vibrant city life. From exploring the lively streets of Kathmandu and soaking in the old-world charm of Bhaktapur to witnessing breathtaking sunrises in Nagarkot, this journey gives you a taste of Nepal’s diverse beauty. You’ll visit Pokhara’s serene lakeside, trek through the picturesque village of Ghandruk (getting the full teahouse experience without the two weeks of trekking!) and enjoy natural hot springs. This trip offers a mix of adventure and relaxation in the Himalayas.
But the adventure doesn’t stop there! You’ll head to Chitwan National Park for a wildlife safaris from land and river as well as visiting ethical conservation projects focused on elephants. With opportunities to experience traditional Tharu culture, sample delicious local food,and explore Kathmandu’s bustling markets, this itinerary combines nature, culture, and unforgettable experiences in one incredible journey through Nepal.
This trip runs year round but please be aware that weather conditions in July and August might mean adapting the itinerary.
What's Included?
- Airport Transfers & Private Local Transport
- Expert Local Guide
- 11 Nights in a Hotel in Kathmandu
- 1 Night in Local Teahouses
- Flight from Kathmandu to Pokhara
- 12 Breakfasts, 3 Lunches & 3 Dinners
- Park Fees & Permits
- Safari in Chitwan National Park
- International Flights
- Travel Insurance
- Soft Drinks, Alcohol or Drinking Water
- Tips for Guides
- Personal Equipment & Clothing
- Souvenirs
Trip Highlights
- Chitwan National Park: One of the best preserved national parks in Asia. You’ll get to take in the views and wildlife from both land and river.
- Peaceful Pokhara: Snow-capped mountains reflecting on the calm waters of Phewa Lake and prayer flags fluttering in the breeze provide the backdrop for some incredible views.
- Chaotic Kathmandu: From the calm of Pokhara to the chaos of Kathmandu. Dodge bikes in the narrow streets of Thamel and dodge the monkeys at Swayambhunath Stupa.
- Bhaktapur: Wander through the best-preserved medieval city in the Kathmandu Valley. Don’t leave without trying Juju Dhau, the local ‘king of yoghurts’.
- Ghandruk Trek & Teahouse Stay: Get that trek experience without the two-week commitment. Tea, stunning views and stories from the locals aplenty.
Daily Itinerary
Welcome to Nepal! Our team will meet you at the airport and take you to your hotel in the heart of Thamel - a neighbourhood made up of a labyrinth of streets and alleys full of food, shops and bars. After some rest, you can explore the lively streets of Kathmandu. In the evening, we'll gather for a welcome dinner featuring traditional Nepali dishes. Meals Included: None
Today, after a hearty breakfast, we’ll dive into the cultural wonders of Kathmandu with visits to some of its most famous sites, including Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple) and Pashupatinath Temple. We'll spend a bit of time around Durbar Square and get a good orientation of this fascinating city. You'll have the afternoon and evening to explore the streets of Thamel, find a rooftop bar for a cold beer, visit a spa or spend some money at the myriad souvenir shops dotted about. Meals Included: Breakfast
After breakfast, we're going to set off to explore the medieval city of Bhaktapur, renowned for its stunning temples and vibrant squares. Between the sites we'll find time to sample Juju Dhau - a creamy local yoghurt - from one of the traditional dairies in the city. In the afternoon, we’ll head to Nagarkot, where you can enjoy sunset views (and a sundowner perhaps) over the Kathmandu Valley. Meals Included: Breakfast
Start your day with a breathtaking sunrise in Nagarkot. Then, we're going to hop on a flight to Pokhara. This lakeside town provides plenty of opportunities to explore. First, we’ll visit the Peace Pagoda and enjoy a boat ride on Phewa Lake. The day ends with a stroll through the relaxed streets of Pokhara and you can extend your amble to soak in the relaxed atmosphere around the lake. There's plenty of great spots for a bite to eat too - your guide will be more than happy to provide a recommendation or two! Meals Included: Breakfast
You might not have time to take on a two week trek but we definitely want to give you a taste of the experience! We begin with a scenic drive to Kimche, followed by a short trek of around three hours to the picturesque village of Ghandruk where we'll check-in to a traditional teahouse. Explore the local Gurung culture, participate in the communal hospitality at the teahouse and enjoy sunset views over the Himalayas. Meals Included: Breakfast
We've got another 3-4 hour walk ahead of us this morning. After a hearty breakfast to fuel us for the day we're going to start the trek down to Jhinu Danda, known for its natural hot springs. After a relaxing soak to aid our recovery from a couple of days of trekking, we drive back to Pokhara, where you can unwind by the lakeside. We'll have the evening free to do as you please! Meals Included: Breakfast
We're going to aim for a very leisurely day today and a chance to enjoy the morning at your own pace after the overnight trekking trip. We'll visit the Tibetan Refugee Camp (and mayve grab a momo or two!), the International Mountain Museum and a couple of other spots around Pokhara. Wrap up the day with a serene boat ride on Phewa Lake. Meals Included: Breakfast
After breakfast, we drive to Chitwan. Nepal's roads are notoriously bumpy so we're going to allow plenty of time for the drive. Depending on how active you're feeling after a long drive we can have a stroll through the local streets, chat to the local Tharu community and find sample some of the local delicacies such as snail soup! In the evening we can relax at our lodge and prepare for the wildlife adventures ahead. Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
A highlight for visitors to Nepal is Chitwan National Park. Whether you're a budding naturalist or not you'll enjoy the wildlife watching in this sprawling national park. You'll be able to choose between a walking or jeep safari. We'll keep our eyes peeled for rhino and elephant but there's plenty of deer, antelope, pangolin and birdlife to lookout for. If we're lucky then we might see the elusive Bengal tiger before taking to the water to get up close but not too personal with the alligator population. In the evening, we'll head to a Tharu cultural show which will be an opportunity to understand a bit more about the lives of the locals whilst enjoying some tasty local treats for dinner. Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Today's one of our favourite days of the itinerary. We're goingt to learn about sustainable elephant care at the SU4E project and visit the Crocodile Conservation Project. Whilst in Chitwan it's likely you'll see plenty of places offering some unethical animal interactions. These projects are not about photo opportunities but about supporting animal populations that have been abused, mistreated or had their natural habitats eroded. The afternoon is free for relaxationg by the pool or exploring more of Chitwan. Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
We're not going to rush off this morning but we do have another long drive ahead of us. It's going to be scenic in parts and there will always be something to admire out of the window, even if it is some vertigo-inducing drops from the side of the road. After our scenic drive back to Kathmandu, the afternoon and evening is yours to explore the city or shop for souvenirs. Meals Included: Breakfast
We're going to dive into the bustling markets of Kathmandu today. We'll you’ll discover vibrant textiles, spices, and local produce. Sample traditional Nepali street foods as you explore the lively market scene. We'll knock back momos, haggle for souvenirs such as pashmina shawls or grab a bag of spices to try and recreate a dal bhat when back at home! Meals Included: Breakfast
Your adventure in Nepal comes to an end today unfortunately. After breakfast, we’ll arrange your transfer to the airport. Safe travels and we hope to see you again whether back in Nepal or on another Earth Dog Travel adventure! Meals Included: Breakfast
Where We'll Stay
We’ve taken on the tough task of staying at some of the best hotels and guest houses around the world to hand pick those that we think you’ll love. They’ll always be locally-owned where possible. Below are some examples of where you’ll be staying on your trip, although please note, we don’t guarantee which hotels or guesthouses we use. On this trip, most of the time we’ll be staying in locally-owned guesthouses and hotels. They’ll always be clean, well-located, provide great hospitality, have breathtaking views and be a welcome place to get some rest after long days exploring! We’ll also have a night at a local teahouse to give you the full experience of trekking in Nepal.
Like the sound of this trip, have a question or want to check something before you book? Maybe even have a great idea to customise this itinerary? Get in touch and start your adventure!
Interactive Route Map
Check out the interactive map of this trip below. You can simply zoom in and have a look at the route.
Or, if you’re wanting to get a feel for the route or to dive into the daily details then click on any of the steps and you’ll be redirected to our Polarsteps page.
What is Polarsteps?
We’ve loaded all of our itineraries onto Polarsteps. It’s an app that can help you plan, track and relive your travels. We’ve used it to display our trips in all their glory but anyone can easily create on-the-go mementos of their adventures.
Carbon Emissions
This trip emits approximately 412 kg of carbon per person. This includes emissions from transport, accommodation, food, activities, and the operations behind the scenes to run the trip.
What does this mean?
This is roughly the same as driving a typical petrol car about 1,300 miles.
It’s equivalent to the carbon emissions from heating an average UK home with a gas boiler for about 17 days during winter.
Our Approach
We recognize the significant carbon emissions from international travel, but we believe that the positive impact on the countries and communities we visit outweighs these challenges. We provide this estimate to help you make informed decisions about your carbon footprint and consider any offsets you may wish to support.
More Information
What's the fitness level required for this trip?
We grade all of our trips to try and make it easy to understand the fitness levels required. These are broad guidelines however so you’re welcome to chat to us about any specific concerns you might have.
You’ll find more information about these levels here and you can find the difficulty rating for this specific trip at the top of the page.
Is travel insurance mandatory?
Yes, it is. We run adventurous trips and it’s mandatory that you have suitable travel insurance in place to cover overseas medical treatment as well as evacuation or repatriation.
We can’t recommend which provider you use but the main things we’d encourage you to look out for is that you’re fully covered for the activities you’re taking part in (i.e., covers you up to the altitude you’ll be trekking at) and that it covers cancellation in the event that illness or other circumstances prevent you from travelling.
How much should I tip in Nepal?
Tips are not included in any of our trips. They are entirely discretionary but in most cases are expected by the teams that will be looking after you. We know it can be daunting to work out exactly what to give so whilst this guideline hopefully helps, please remember that it’s a completely personal choice and you should feel free to tip more or less based on the quality of service that you receive.
Trekking Guide: $10-$20 USD per day
Porters: $5-10 USD per day
Drivers: $5-10 USD for short trips; $10-15 USD for full-day services.
Again, tipping is not compulsory and please only do so if the service you’ve received warrants it. It’s hugely appreciated and a way for the teams looking after you to supplement their income.
How do I find out which hotels, meals and activities are included?
Unfortunately we can’t provide an exhaustive list of everything included in the ‘What’s Included’ section of this page as we include a whole bunch of stuff on our trips!
If it’s in the itinerary and we’ve not explicitly said that it’s an optional activity, then yes – it’s almost certainly included. If you’re not sure, please ask.
The meals that are included are all listed on the daily itinerary.
For the accommodation, we’ve got a shortlist of properties that we use. You can get a sense of the types of accommodation we use higher up the page in the ‘Where We’ll Stay’ section. We cannot guarantee any specific properties for your trip as it’s based on availability. If you are wanting to specifically request a property then please get in touch as we’re able to customise our trips.
Which airport do I need to fly into and out of for my trip to Nepal?
Your trip starts and ends in Kathmandu. You will need to book flights to arrive and depart from Kathmandu Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM). This is around a 20-30 minute drive to the hotel you’ll be staying at.
What are your payment terms and is my booking financially protected?
Yes, absolutely. Here’s a link to where you can read more about how we are an ABTOT member and have an ATOL licence and what this means for your financial protection when booking a trip with us.
Deposits vary from destination to destination and from trip to trip. Generally speaking we require a deposit of 25%. This amount may be higher for certain trips where more services that usual need to be booked and paid for in advance (such as gorilla permits in Rwanda). Deposits are non-refundable.
Balance payments are required up to 70 days prior to travel.
If you need to cancel your booking, the following fees will apply based on the time before your scheduled departure:
- Immediate loss of deposit (25% of total cost) upon cancellation.
- 50% of the total cost if cancelled after the balance is paid and up to 45 days before departure.
- 75% of the total cost if cancelled 30 to 45 days before departure.
- 100% of the total cost if cancelled within 30 days of departure.
These fees compensate for expenses and bookings made on your behalf in anticipation of your trip.
Can I customise this trip in any way?
- adding in extra days or cutting out a day here or there;
- squeezing in other destinations or removing them;
- starting or finishing the trip in a different place;
- staying in a hotel or guesthouse that we don’t list as an option.
What if someone under the minimum age wants to travel?
It might not be an issue. Some destinations such as Rwanda have firm rules in place about how old people should be in order to visit the gorillas. In other destinations it’s more of a guideline.
Please do contact us and we’ll be happy to help.
What information will I receive after I book?
After you book, we’ll get to work confirming that the dates you’ve selected are completely available.
There are extremely rare circumstances that may mean we’re unable to confirm your booking. These circumstances are limited to events beyond our control or not being able to secure the services that you wanted to book.
In the extremely rare event that we’re unable to confirm your booking you will be offered an alternative itinerary or a full refund without any fees. Please do not book any non-changeable travel plans until you receive the confirmation from us. This will be within 72 hours.
A detailed Trip Dossier will then be sent to you after you make your booking. It’ll contain all the information you might need to help you pack and get prepared for your trip, including information on visas, vaccinations, packing and training.
We encourage you to refer to the UK Government’s official travel advisory service when planning your trips. You can find the FCDO advice here.
And when you travel, we work closely with local experts to put together the best itineraries. We’ve worked with them exhaustively to provide safe adventures at great value. They know their destination better than we ever could so you’ll be in good hands! You can read a bit more about why we will only ever have locally-led trips here.
Book Now
Whether you’d like more information about this itinerary or to customise it to exactly what you want to do, drop us a line and let us know your plans!
