8-Day Nepal Tour: Kathmandu, Chitwan & Pokhara

Kathmandu's temples, Chitwan's rhinos and river, Pokhara's lake and mountains

An 8-day guided tour of Nepal's Golden Triangle covering Kathmandu, Chitwan National Park, and Pokhara, with a live English-speaking guide, hotel stays, most meals, airport transfers, and sightseeing activities included. Choose between group join or private daily departures, and pick 3-star or 4-star accommodations. International airfare, visa fees, and some meals in Kathmandu and Pokhara are separate.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Arrival and pre-trip meeting in Kathmandu

• Arrive at Tribhuvan International Airport
• Complete immigration and visa formalities
• Meet representative and transfer to hotel
• Check in and relax at hotel
• Attend pre-trip meeting with tour guide
• Optional explore Thamel area

Day 2: Kathmandu Valley sightseeing tour

• Visit Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple)
• Visit Pashupatinath Temple
• Visit Boudhanath Stupa
• Visit Patan Durbar Square
• Free time for exploration and shopping

Day 3: Drive to Chitwan and cultural activities

• Breakfast at hotel
• Drive from Kathmandu to Chitwan National Park
• Check in to jungle resort and have lunch
• Village walk or sunset tour near Rapti River
• Enjoy traditional Tharu cultural dance
• Dinner at resort

Day 4: Full-day jungle activities in Chitwan

• Breakfast at resort
• Jeep safari in Chitwan National Park
• Canoe ride along Rapti River
• Birdwatching and guided nature walk
• Return and relax at resort

Day 5: Drive to Pokhara and leisure time

• Breakfast at resort
• Drive from Chitwan to Pokhara
• Check in to hotel in Pokhara
• Free time to explore Lakeside area

Day 6: Pokhara sunrise and sightseeing tour

• Sunrise view from Sarangkot hilltop
• Visit Bhagwati Park
• Visit Devi’s Fall and Gupteshwor Cave
• Visit Phewa Lake and Barahi Island Temple
• View Seti-Gandaki river gorge and bridges

Day 7: Return to Kathmandu and farewell dinner

• Breakfast at hotel
• Return to Kathmandu by bus or flight
• Transfer to hotel in Kathmandu
• Free time for shopping or exploration
• Attend farewell dinner with cultural dance

Day 8: Departure from Kathmandu

• Breakfast at hotel
• Transfer to Tribhuvan International Airport
• Depart Nepal

The experience

Kathmandu arrives first. After airport pickup and hotel check-in, you meet your guide for a pre-trip briefing, then have the evening free to walk Thamel's restaurants and shops. The next morning, a guided tour takes you through the city's four major sites: Swayambhunath (the Monkey Temple), Pashupatinath Temple on the Bagmati River, the 2,500-year-old Boudhanath Stupa with its Buddha eyes facing four directions, and Patan Durbar Square with its Newari architecture. An optional Everest scenic flight is available if you want to see the peaks from the air.

A 4- to 5-hour drive south brings you to Chitwan National Park, a UNESCO site and Nepal's premier wildlife reserve. You check into a jungle resort, have lunch, then spend the afternoon on a village walk or sunset tour near the Rapti River before watching a traditional Tharu cultural dance at dinner. The full day that follows is the core of Chitwan: a jeep safari through dense forest and grassland where naturalist guides point out one-horned rhinoceroses, deer, crocodiles, wild elephants, and bird species, plus a canoe ride down the Rapti and a guided nature walk to understand the region's biodiversity.

A 3- to 4-hour drive north takes you to Pokhara, a lakeside city ringed by the Himalayas. You have free time to explore the Lakeside area and Phewa Lake. The next morning, you wake early to drive up to Sarangkot, a hilltop viewpoint at 800 meters, and watch sunrise over the Annapurna and Machhapuchhre ranges with the valley and lake spread below. After returning to Pokhara, a guided tour visits Devi's Fall (where a stream vanishes into a gorge), Gupteshwor Cave (a 3-kilometer Hindu pilgrimage site), the Barahi Island Temple in the middle of Phewa Lake, and the Seti River gorge carved by white water.

On day seven, you return to Kathmandu either by tourist bus or domestic flight. The flight option gives you aerial views of the Himalayas. After hotel transfer and free time, you attend a farewell dinner with a cultural dance performance. The final morning, a representative drives you to Tribhuvan International Airport for your departure. Breakfast is included all eight days. Lunch and dinner are provided in Chitwan and at the farewell meal, but meals in Kathmandu and Pokhara (except breakfast) are your choice.

What’s included

• Breakfast daily.
• lunch and dinner in Chitwan National Park plus a farewell dinner in Kathmandu.
• airport pickup and drop-off transfers.
• hotel accommodations (3-star or 4-star, your choice).
• guided sightseeing tours in Kathmandu and Pokhara.
• full-day jungle safari activities in Chitwan with a naturalist guide.
• entrance fees and government taxes.
• domestic flight from Pokhara to Kathmandu (included in private tour options).

Options for this experience

4 options

Guide in EnglishAvailable from 1 Nov · 12:00 and 13:00

Guide in English17 departure times: the first at 07:00, the last at 23:00

Guide in EnglishAvailable from 1 Nov · 12:00 and 13:00

Guide in English17 departure times: the first at 07:00, the last at 23:00

Options with the same name differ in details you'll see when you pick a date.

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day17 departure times: the first at 07:00, the last at 23:00

Book up to1h before

AgesUp to 80 years

GroupUp to 20

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsNo refund if you cancel.

Prices and times updated 15 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical level

Operated by Luxury Holidays Nepal Pvt. Ltd.

Is this one for you?Book the group join option if you prefer to meet other travelers and share costs. Choose the private daily departure if you want your own guide and schedule flexibility. Either way, the 8-day span lets you move slowly enough to absorb each region (temples in Kathmandu, wildlife in Chitwan, and mountain views in Pokhara) without feeling rushed between them.

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Top questions

What animals might I see on the Chitwan jungle safari?

Chitwan's jeep safaris take you through forest and grassland where you may spot one-horned rhinoceroses, deer, crocodiles, wild elephants, and various bird species with a naturalist guide.

Is the Everest scenic flight included in the tour price?

The Everest scenic flight is optional and available during the Kathmandu sightseeing day. It is not included in the standard tour price.

How do I get back to Kathmandu from Pokhara on day seven?

You return to Kathmandu either by tourist luxury bus or a scenic domestic flight, depending on which package option you select at checkout.

What meals are included during the eight days?

Breakfast is included all eight days. Lunch and dinner are provided throughout your stay in Chitwan National Park and at the farewell dinner in Kathmandu, but meals in Kathmandu and Pokhara outside those meals are not included.

What is Sarangkot and why is it part of the tour?

Sarangkot is a hilltop viewpoint near Pokhara at 800 meters elevation, famous for sunrise views over the Annapurna and Machhapuchhre Himalayan ranges and the Pokhara Valley below.

Do I need to arrange my own international flights and Nepal visa?

International airfare and Nepal visa fees are not included. However, visa on arrival is available at Tribhuvan International Airport when you land.