The 7-day plan at a glance
Most first visits from India follow the same loop because it works: Kathmandu for temples and old towns, Pokhara for lakes and the Annapurna skyline, and Chitwan National Park for rhinos and a jungle lodge. Each stop gets two nights, which means one long drive every second day and a full day in between to enjoy the place.
The table shows the plan we use for our 6-night Kathmandu, Pokhara and Chitwan package. Drive times are realistic for Nepal's highways, which are two-lane, winding and often under repair. Leave Kathmandu early on drive days and you arrive in time for an evening walk.
Why not three stops in a different order? Running Kathmandu, Pokhara, Chitwan and back keeps every drive under 8 hours and ends the trip only 165 km from the airport. Starting in Chitwan works too, but the first day's drive then lands straight after your flight, which tires older travellers.
| Day | Plan | Night | Road time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arrive Kathmandu, Boudhanath at dusk | Kathmandu | Airport transfer |
| 2 | Pashupatinath, Swayambhunath, Patan | Kathmandu | 1.5–2 h in the city |
| 3 | Drive to Pokhara, Phewa Lake evening | Pokhara | ≈ 200 km · 6–8 h |
| 4 | Sarangkot sunrise, caves and falls | Pokhara | ≈ 40 km · 2 h |
| 5 | Drive to Chitwan, Tharu village walk | Sauraha | ≈ 150 km · 5–6 h |
| 6 | Canoe, breeding centre, jeep safari | Sauraha | 3–4 h in the park |
| 7 | Drive to Kathmandu, fly home | ≈ 165 km · 5–7 h |
Days 1–2: Kathmandu temples and old towns
Delhi–Kathmandu is a nonstop flight of about 1 hour 40 minutes, so a morning departure puts you at Boudhanath for the evening kora around the stupa. Day 2 covers the three sights most Indian families ask for first: darshan at Pashupatinath on the Bagmati, the hilltop stupa of Swayambhunath, and Patan Durbar Square with its Krishna Mandir and metalwork courtyards.
Indian nationals pay the lower SAARC entry fee at monuments, and Hindu visitors enter the main Pashupatinath temple for darshan. If you can add a night, Bhaktapur is 13 km east and is the valley's most complete medieval town. Fees change, so check current status before you travel.
We base guests in Thamel or a quieter hotel near Lazimpat or Boudha. Thamel puts restaurants and shops at your door; the quieter areas suit families with grandparents who want an early night. Either way the car and guide collect you at the hotel, and the city day ends by about 5 pm, leaving the evening for the aarti at Pashupatinath if you missed it on day 1.
Days 3–4: Pokhara, Phewa Lake and Sarangkot
The road to Pokhara is about 200 km and takes 6–8 hours with a tea stop above the Trishuli river. If you would rather spend that time on the lake, the Kathmandu–Pokhara flight takes 25 minutes and adds roughly ₹4,000–9,000 per person each way.
Day 4 starts at about 5 am with the drive up to Sarangkot at 1,600 m for sunrise over Dhaulagiri, Annapurna and the fishtail summit of Machhapuchhre. Clear mornings are most likely from October to April. After breakfast we visit Davis Falls, Gupteshwor Mahadev cave and the World Peace Pagoda, and finish with a boat to the Tal Barahi temple on Phewa Lake. Paragliding from Sarangkot is an easy add-on for anyone over about 6 years and 25 kg.
Days 5–6: Chitwan safari
From Pokhara it is about 150 km and 5–6 hours down to Sauraha, the safari village on the Rapti river at 160 m. The afternoon is for a walk through a Tharu village and the sunset from the riverbank, where rhinos often graze on the far side.
Day 6 is the wildlife day: a dugout canoe on the Rapti for gharial and mugger crocodiles, the elephant breeding centre, and a jeep safari of 3–4 hours into the park. One-horned rhinos are seen on most drives; tigers are possible but rare. We do not book elephant-back rides. Chitwan is hot from April to June, often 35–40 °C at midday, and we do not sell this loop in July and August, when the monsoon floods many jeep tracks.
Pack long trousers, a light long-sleeved shirt in green or khaki, insect repellent and a hat. December and January mornings in Chitwan are foggy and cool, around 8–10 °C until about 10 am, so add a fleece for the early canoe.
What 7 days cost from India
Hotel class is the biggest driver of the price; it roughly doubles at each step from 3-star to 5-star. The land package covers hotels with breakfast, full board at the jungle resort, a private car with driver for the whole loop, transfers and a licensed city guide in Kathmandu. Prices are per person on twin sharing outside festival weeks.
For a couple flying from Delhi on a mid-range plan, a realistic total is about ₹83,000 each including flights, entry fees, lunches and small tips. Travelling by road through Sunauli and staying 3-star brings it down to around ₹50,000–60,000.
| Item, per person | 3-star | 4-star | 5-star |
|---|---|---|---|
| Land package, 6 nights | ₹32,000–45,000 | ₹48,000–65,000 | ₹95,000–1,30,000 |
| Delhi–Kathmandu return | ₹12,000–22,000 | ₹12,000–22,000 | ₹12,000–22,000 |
| One domestic flight | Optional | ₹4,000–9,000 | Usually included |
| Fees, lunches, tips | ₹5,000–8,000 | ₹8,000–12,000 | ₹12,000–18,000 |
Variations on the same week
The loop bends easily to fit who is travelling. These are the changes we make most often.
- Families with grandparents: our 7-night family holiday adds a third Pokhara night and flies you back to Kathmandu in 25 minutes
- Only 5 nights: drop Chitwan and keep Kathmandu and Pokhara, from ₹24,000 per person
- Coming by road from Gorakhpur: enter at Sunauli, visit Lumbini, then Pokhara and Kathmandu over 7 nights
- Luxury: Dwarika's Hotel in Kathmandu, a 5-star resort in Pokhara and a top Chitwan lodge, from ₹1,35,000
- Pilgrims: swap Chitwan for Manakamana by cable car and a Muktinath helicopter from Pokhara
When to go and what to book first
October and November give the clearest mountain views and comfortable 23–26 °C days in Kathmandu, but hotel and vehicle rates rise 20–35 percent and Delhi fares around Dashain and Diwali can reach ₹25,000–32,000. February, March and early April are the best value with good weather and the best Chitwan sightings after the grass is cut. Indian citizens need no visa: carry a valid passport or voter ID, as Aadhaar is not accepted for adults.
Book flights first, then hotels in Pokhara, which fill earliest in October. Keep your flight home for the afternoon or evening of day 7, because the drive from Chitwan can run long.
Finally, carry some cash. Indian nationals may carry new-series ₹200 and ₹500 notes up to ₹25,000 per person, but small shops prefer ₹100 notes, and 1 Indian rupee equals 1.6 Nepali rupees at the fixed rate; check current status before you travel. Cards work at hotels and larger shops; tea stalls, temple counters and boats on Phewa Lake want cash.
Regions and places in this post
- Kathmandu Valley
- Pokhara & the Middle Hills
- Chitwan & the Central Terai
- Kathmandu
- Pokhara
- Sarangkot
- Chitwan National Park
- Sauraha
Questions travellers ask
How much does a 7-day Nepal trip cost from India?
A 7-day Kathmandu, Pokhara and Chitwan trip costs from about ₹32,000 per person for the land package at 3-star hotels, twin sharing. Add ₹12,000–22,000 for return flights from Delhi in a normal week, plus ₹5,000–8,000 for fees, lunches and tips. Most couples on a mid-range plan spend ₹60,000–85,000 each in total.
Is 7 days enough for Nepal?
Seven days is enough for Kathmandu, Pokhara and Chitwan at a comfortable pace, with two nights in each place. It is not enough to add a trek or Muktinath by road. If you want Muktinath as well, a helicopter from Pokhara fits in one morning, or you can replace Chitwan with the Jomsom flight yatra.
Should we fly or drive between Kathmandu and Pokhara?
Driving takes 6–8 hours for about 200 km and is included in our road packages. Flying takes 25 minutes and adds roughly ₹4,000–9,000 per person per leg. We often suggest driving one way and flying the other, which saves a long day without paying two fares. Flights can be delayed by cloud, so keep a buffer.
Do Indians need a visa or passport for Nepal?
Indian citizens do not need a visa for Nepal. Adults need a valid Indian passport or Election Commission voter ID card; Aadhaar, PAN and driving licences are not accepted as travel ID. Children can use a passport, or a birth certificate or school ID. Rules can change, so check current status before you travel.
What is the best month for a Kathmandu, Pokhara and Chitwan tour?
October and November are the best months for clear mountain views and pleasant temperatures across all three stops. February to early April is a close second and costs less, with the best rhino and tiger sightings in Chitwan. We avoid July and August because monsoon rain closes parts of Chitwan and hides the peaks at Pokhara.
