Nepal
This Nepal 7 day itinerary was written by Ravi Kumar, a software engineer from Hyderabad who had never left India before this trip. WanderWaysHolidays planned the itinerary. Ravi wrote the diary. Together, it is the most honest account of a first Nepal trip we know. Ravi's note to us after returning: "I thought Nepal would feel like a foreign country. It felt like coming home to a version of India I did not know existed."
The Nepal 7 day itinerary classic route — Kathmandu, Pokhara, Chitwan — is a classic for a reason. Three completely different environments: a chaotic, culturally dense capital; a quiet mountain lake town; and a jungle wildlife reserve. No permit required for Indians. No visa. No currency exchange headache (Indian Rupees accepted at 1.6 NPR). It is the most accessible international trip from India and still genuinely transformative.
Fly into Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA). Evening check-in at hotel in Thamel — Kathmandu's tourist district, lively with restaurants, music, and trekking shops. Walk Thamel's main street at night: momos, butter tea, and the strange feeling of being somewhere simultaneously familiar and completely foreign. Early sleep to beat jet lag from the flight.
Pashupatinath Temple at sunrise (Hindu cremation ghats along the Bagmati river — spiritual, confronting, unlike anything in India's tourist circuit). Boudhanath Stupa (largest stupa in the world, pilgrimage site for Tibetan Buddhists). Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple on a hill, panoramic Kathmandu view). Ravi's diary: "Boudhanath was the moment I understood why people call Nepal spiritual. You can feel it."
Flight (25 min, Rs 3,500–5,500) or tourist bus (7 hrs, Rs 700–1,200). Most first-timers fly — the mountain views from the plane window over the Annapurna range are worth the extra cost. Arrive Pokhara, check into lakeside hotel. Evening walk along Phewa Lake. Dinner at lakeside restaurant with Annapurna reflected in the water.
Sarangkot at dawn (4:30am departure) for one of Nepal's most accessible Himalayan sunrise views — Annapurna, Machhapuchhre (Fishtail), Dhaulagiri all visible on clear days. Return to lakeside for breakfast. Phewa Lake boat ride to the small island temple of Tal Barahi. World Peace Pagoda — 45-minute walk or short rickshaw ride. Evening in Lakeside for dinner and browsing Pokhara's excellent outdoor gear shops.
Tourist bus or private car to Chitwan (5 hrs). Arrive in Sauraha village — check into jungle lodge or guest house. Elephant bathing at the nearby river (4pm activity, Rs 200–300). Evening cultural programme: Tharu stick dance. Dinner at lodge — jungle ambiance, fireflies, and the distant sounds of the national park.
Pokhara's Phewa Lake with Machhapuchhre — one of the world's most photographed reflections
Jeep safari at 6am into the core zone. The moment: Ravi's diary — "Our driver stopped the jeep and pointed left. A one-horned rhino was standing 8 metres from us, eating grass, completely unbothered by our presence. For five minutes, nobody in the vehicle said a single word." Also on the day: gharial crocodiles at the river, spotted deer herds, hornbills overhead. The afternoon canoe ride on the Rapti River adds a second viewpoint into the park.
Morning drive back to Kathmandu (5 hrs) or short flight (30 min). If time allows: last-minute shopping in Thamel for pashmina, thangka paintings, or trekking gear. Flight home. Ravi's last diary entry: "I have already started planning my second Nepal trip. Everest Base Camp. Next October."
| Expense | Budget | Mid | Comfortable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flight (India → Kathmandu return) | Rs 5,000–8,000 | Rs 8,000–12,000 | Rs 12,000–18,000 |
| Hotel (6 nights) | Rs 3,000–4,500 | Rs 7,000–12,000 | Rs 15,000–25,000 |
| Transport within Nepal | Rs 2,500–4,000 | Rs 5,000–8,000 | Rs 10,000–15,000 |
| Food (7 days) | Rs 2,000–3,500 | Rs 4,000–7,000 | Rs 8,000–14,000 |
| Activities and entry fees | Rs 1,500–2,500 | Rs 2,500–4,500 | Rs 5,000–8,000 |
| Total per person | Rs 14,000–22,000 | Rs 26,500–43,500 | Rs 50,000–80,000 |
"Nepal is the only country I have visited where I did not once feel like a tourist being managed. People were genuinely curious about where I was from and why I was there. That does not happen often." — Ravi Kumar
We plan Nepal tours combined with Bhutan and Darjeeling — efficient Himalayan circuits that make the most of every day of your leave. Send us your dates and we will build your Nepal 7 day itinerary. Learn more at Nepal Tourism Board. See our Nepal and Himalayan packages.
We build Nepal itineraries that combine Kathmandu, Pokhara and Chitwan into a perfect first trip.
