Kathmandu Pokhara Tour

A full day with your guide among the valley’s great monuments. Begin at Kathmandu Durbar Square, the old royal palace quarter of carved wooden temples and courtyards, home of the Kumari, the living goddess. Next, climb to Swayambhunath, the hilltop stupa watched over by painted Buddha eyes and plenty of resident monkeys, with wide views over the city. After lunch, visit Pashupatinath on the banks of the Bagmati River, Nepal’s most sacred Hindu temple, where non-Hindus observe from the eastern bank. Finish at Boudhanath, one of the largest stupas in the world, joining the pilgrims walking clockwise around it as the butter lamps are lit.

After breakfast, set off west on the Prithvi Highway, a journey of roughly 200 km. The road leaves the valley rim and follows the Trisuli River, then the Marsyangdi, past terraced hillsides, river rafting camps and roadside villages. Stops for tea and lunch break up the drive. Traffic and roadworks can make the timing vary, so we allow the whole day. On arrival in Pokhara you check in at a hotel near Lakeside. Spend the evening walking along the shore of Phewa Lake, where the Annapurna range can appear above the water on clear evenings. A 25-minute flight can replace the drive on request.

An early start pays off today. Drive up to Sarangkot before dawn and walk the last few minutes to the viewpoint at about 1,600 m to watch the first light touch Dhaulagiri, Annapurna South, Machhapuchhre and the Annapurna range. Return to the hotel for breakfast, then continue exploring with your guide: the thundering Davis Falls, which disappears into an underground channel, the limestone Gupteshwor Mahadev Cave across the road, and a rowing boat across Phewa Lake to the island temple of Tal Barahi. Finish the day on the hill above the lake at the World Peace Pagoda, a white Buddhist stupa with sweeping views of the lake and the mountains.

Enjoy a last look at the lake before breakfast, then drive back east along the Prithvi Highway to Kathmandu. The scenery looks quite different in reverse, with the river gorges now opening out ahead of you, and there are the same comfortable stops for tea and lunch along the way. You should reach your Kathmandu hotel by late afternoon. Spend the evening shopping for souvenirs in Thamel or Asan, such as pashmina, singing bowls, handmade paper and tea, or treat yourself to a farewell Nepali dinner. As on the outbound journey, a short flight can be arranged instead of the drive.

Your tour ends after breakfast. Depending on your flight time, you may have a free morning for a final walk, a coffee in a garden café or last-minute shopping. Our team collects you from the hotel and drives you to Tribhuvan International Airport, arriving about three hours before an international departure. If you would like to stay longer, we are happy to add a Chitwan jungle safari, a mountain flight or a short trek in the Annapurna foothills to your journey.