Seven World Heritage sites in one valley, a lake under the Annapurnas, and a border half an hour from our office.
Altitude
1,400 m at Kathmandu, 822 m at Pokhara
Getting there
Overland via Kakarbhitta, 35 km from Siliguri, or fly to KTM
Best time
October to December, and March to May
How long it needs
6 to 8 nights
About Nepal
Nepal is closer to Siliguri than Darjeeling is to Gangtok. The Kakarbhitta border is 35 km away, which makes this the one international trip on the list you can start by road before breakfast.
The Kathmandu valley alone holds seven UNESCO World Heritage sites: the three Durbar Squares of Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur, the stupas at Swayambhunath and Boudhanath, and the temples at Pashupatinath and Changunarayan.
Pokhara is the other half: a lake town under the Annapurna wall, with a sunrise from Sarangkot that catches Machhapuchhre first and then everything else.
What people come for
Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur Durbar Squares
Boudhanath and Swayambhunath stupas
Sunrise over the Annapurnas from Sarangkot
Phewa Lake and the Peace Pagoda at Pokhara
Nagarkot for the Himalayan skyline
Chitwan, if you want a jungle stop on the way
Know before you go
Indian nationals do not need a passport or a visa for Nepal, but do need photo ID; a passport or Voter ID is the cleanest. Other nationalities need a passport and get a visa on arrival.
Indian currency is accepted, but notes above 100 rupees are not legal to carry into Nepal in quantity. Carry small denominations.
The overland run from Siliguri to Kathmandu is long. Most people fly one leg and drive the other; we will tell you which way round works better for your dates.
Packages
1 trip that includes Nepal
Each of these can be lengthened, shortened or recombined. If you want Nepal on its own, or bolted onto something else entirely, just ask.
Tell us roughly what you want. We will send back a real itinerary.
Dates, how many of you, and anywhere you have your heart set on — that is enough for us to start. You will get a day-by-day plan with named hotels and one all-in price, in writing, before you pay anything.
