Nepal trip guide for Indians: 8 days in Kathmandu, Pokhara and Chitwan
By Ganesh ·
An 8-day Nepal route for Indian travellers: Kathmandu and Bhaktapur, three nights in Pokhara, two in Chitwan for a jungle safari. ID rules, Indian rupees, flying versus the land borders, and rough costs.
Nepal is one of the easiest trips abroad for Indians: no visa, no passport needed if you carry a voter ID, and the rupee is accepted in many places. Eight days covers the classic circuit. Spend two nights in Kathmandu, one in Bhaktapur or Nagarkot, three in Pokhara and two in Chitwan, then fly home from Kathmandu or cross back by land.
The route
| Day | Where | Night |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arrive, Thamel, Kathmandu Durbar Square | Kathmandu |
| 2 | Pashupatinath, Boudhanath, Swayambhunath | Kathmandu |
| 3 | Patan in the morning, Bhaktapur in the afternoon | Bhaktapur or Nagarkot |
| 4 | To Pokhara (25-minute flight or 7-hour drive) | Pokhara |
| 5 | Sarangkot sunrise, Phewa lake, World Peace Pagoda | Pokhara |
| 6 | Paragliding or a short hike to Australian Camp | Pokhara |
| 7 | To Chitwan, evening by the Rapti river | Sauraha (Chitwan) |
| 8 | Jeep or canoe safari, then home | Home |
Day by day
Days 1 and 2, Kathmandu
Stay in Thamel for convenience or near Boudhanath for quiet. Kathmandu Durbar Square still shows damage from the 2015 earthquake, but the restoration is impressive. Pashupatinath is busiest in the evening during the aarti on the Bagmati. Climb the steps to Swayambhunath (the monkey temple) late in the afternoon for the view over the valley.
Day 3, Patan and Bhaktapur
Patan's Durbar Square and its museum are the best introduction to Newari art. Bhaktapur, about 45 minutes away, is the best-preserved of the three old cities, with brick lanes, pottery squares and juju dhau, the local sweet curd. Stay the night in Bhaktapur, or go up to Nagarkot for a Himalayan sunrise if the sky is clear.
Days 4 to 6, Pokhara
Pokhara is slower and greener. Go up to Sarangkot before dawn for the Annapurna and Machhapuchhre views, boat on Phewa lake, and walk up to the Peace Pagoda. Tandem paragliding from Sarangkot is one of the cheapest places in the world to try it. For a gentle taste of trekking, the overnight walk to Australian Camp and Dhampus has big mountain views with little effort.
Days 7 and 8, Chitwan
Chitwan National Park is about five hours by road from Pokhara. Stay in Sauraha. Book a morning jeep safari for the best chance of seeing one-horned rhinos, or a dugout canoe trip for birds and crocodiles. From Chitwan you can drive to the border at Birgunj or Sunauli, or go back to Kathmandu (Bharatpur airport also has short flights).
ID, money and borders
- Indian citizens need either a valid passport or a voter ID card. Other documents, Aadhaar included, may not be accepted on their own for flights. Children can travel on a school ID or birth certificate with parents, but check with your airline first.
- Indian rupee notes of ₹100 and smaller are widely accepted. The rules on ₹200 and ₹500 notes have changed over the years, so check the current limit before carrying them. Nepali rupees are needed for buses and small shops.
- Indian UPI apps now work at many shops and hotels in Nepal through a cross-border link. Ask before you pay.
- Flights go to Kathmandu from Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Varanasi and others. The main land crossings are Sunauli (from Gorakhpur), Raxaul to Birgunj, and Panitanki to Kakarbhitta (from Siliguri).
- If you drive your own car in, you need a temporary vehicle permit from Nepal customs at the border.
Rough cost per person
| Item | Budget (₹, approx.) | Mid-range (₹, approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| Return flight to Kathmandu (or bus and train to the border) | 4,000-15,000 | 15,000-25,000 |
| Travel inside Nepal (tourist bus, or one flight) | 3,000-5,000 | 8,000-12,000 |
| Stays, sharing a room, 7 nights | 6,000-10,000 | 15,000-30,000 |
| Entry fees and safari | 4,000-6,000 | 6,000-9,000 |
| Paragliding (optional) | 0-7,000 | 6,000-8,000 |
| Food | 4,000-6,000 | 6,000-10,000 |
| Total | 21,000-49,000 | 56,000-94,000 |
Foreign tourists pay higher entry fees at the heritage squares and Chitwan, but SAARC visitors, including Indians, usually pay a lower rate. Show your ID.
When to go
October and November have the clearest mountain views and the festivals of Dashain and Tihar. March and April are good too, with rhododendrons in bloom, though haze can hide the peaks. June to September is the monsoon: green, cheaper, but cloudy, with leeches on trails and landslides on the Pokhara road.
Questions people ask
Can I add a trek?
Yes. Poon Hill from Pokhara takes four to five days and suits most fit people. For Everest Base Camp you need about two weeks and a licensed guide.
Can I use my Indian SIM?
International roaming works but is expensive. A local Ncell or Nepal Telecom SIM is cheap; take a passport-size photo and your ID to buy one.
Is Pokhara's international airport useful?
It opened in 2023, but international flights from India have been rare. Most people still fly into Kathmandu.
Photo: Boudhanath stupa, Kathmandu 01 by Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Read in: ভারতীয়দের নেপাল ভ্রমণ: ৮ দিনে কাঠমান্ডু, পোখরা আর চিতওয়ান · भारतीयों के लिए नेपाल यात्रा: 8 दिन में काठमांडू, पोखरा और चितवन