Nepal Bhutan Tour

Arrival in Kathmandu (1,400 m) and Transfer to Hotel

A Nepal Hiking Adventure representative meets you at the arrivals hall of Tribhuvan International Airport. The transfer to your hotel in Thamel takes 30 to 45 minutes depending on traffic. Welcome to Nepal: Kathmandu is immediately layered and alive, a city where temple courtyards open onto busy market lanes and the smell of incense carries across both.

The afternoon is yours to settle in, walk through Thamel’s lanes, or visit a nearby landmark. Kathmandu rewards early exploration: Boudhanath Stupa and Pashupatinath Temple are both within easy reach and offer the first introduction to the spiritual character of the city of Nepal. Your tour guide joins you in the evening for a full briefing covering the itinerary, permit requirements, and packing checks.

Use the first night to confirm your gear, charge electronics, and review travel documentation. The hotel in Thamel provides hot showers, reliable Wi-Fi, and comfortable beds. Kathmandu is the starting point of a journey through two countries, and this first night is the right moment to arrive unhurried.

Activities: Airport pickup, hotel check-in, orientation walk, welcome briefing

Included: Airport transfer, hotel accommodation, welcome briefing

Accomodation: Hotel Duration: 20-25 minutes to hotel Distance: Around 6 km

Kathmandu Heritage Sightseeing Tour

The sightseeing tour of Kathmandu begins with Pashupatinath Temple, the most sacred Hindu site in Nepal, set along the banks of the Bagmati River. From there, the guided tour continues to Boudhanath Stupa, one of the largest Buddhist stupas in Asia and a UNESCO World Heritage Site that draws pilgrims from across the Himalayan region. Your tour guide provides historical and cultural context at each site throughout the day.

The afternoon tour of Kathmandu moves to Swayambhunath Stupa, known locally as the Monkey Temple, which offers panoramic views across the Kathmandu Valley from its hilltop position. The final stop is Patan Durbar Square, a UNESCO World Heritage complex of mediaeval palaces, temples, and courtyards that represents the finest concentration of world heritage sites in Kathmandu in a single walkable area. Durbar Square at Patan is, additionally, among the best-preserved royal squares in South Asia.

The day covers the most significant sites in Nepal concentrated within the Kathmandu Valley, and each location is included for its cultural weight rather than proximity. Guides in Nepal licensed by the government accompany all heritage visits and are positioned at each site to explain what you are seeing and why it matters. Return to the hotel in Kathmandu by early evening.

Activities: Full-day guided heritage tour of Kathmandu Valley’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Included: Hotel accommodation, English-speaking tour guide

Accomodation: Hotel Duration: 5-6 hours sightseeing Meal: Breakfast Distance: Around 10 km

Fly from Kathmandu (1,400 m) to Pokhara (820 m) and Pokhara City Tour

The morning flight from Kathmandu to Pokhara takes approximately 25 minutes and crosses above the mid-hill ridgelines of central Nepal. On clear mornings, the Himalayan wall from Dhaulagiri to Manaslu is visible to the north, and the Annapurna massif rises directly above the Pokhara Valley as the aircraft descends. The contrast between Kathmandu’s density and Pokhara’s lakeside character is immediately apparent on arrival.

The afternoon sightseeing tour covers Phewa Lake, Davis Falls, Gupteshwor Mahadev Cave, and Bindhyabasini Temple. Consequently, the tour moves efficiently through Pokhara’s main landmarks while leaving time for the natural pace of the lakeside setting. The International Mountain Museum, if included, gives useful context for the Himalayan peaks visible from the valley.

Pokhara functions as a natural transition between Kathmandu’s urban and historic character and the wildlife experience ahead in Chitwan. The hotel sits close to the lakefront, and the evening view of the Annapurna range reflected across Phewa Lake is one of the most recognisable images in Nepalese travel. Settle in and prepare for an early start the following morning.

Activities: Morning flight from Kathmandu, Phewa Lake, Davis Falls, Gupteshwor Cave, Bindhyabasini Temple

Included: Domestic flight Kathmandu to Pokhara, hotel accommodation, city tour

Accomodation: Hotel Duration: 25 min flight & 5-6 hours sightseeing Meal: Breakfast Distance: Around 9 km (including walking within Pokhara city)

Sunrise Excursion to Sarangkot (1,592 m) and Pokhara Leisure Day

The drive to Sarangkot departs before dawn. At 1,600 metres above the valley floor, the viewpoint opens a 180-degree panorama of the Himalayan range from Dhaulagiri in the west to Manaslu in the east, with Machapuchare and the Annapurna group directly opposite. Furthermore, the light on the peaks in the first 20 minutes after sunrise changes colour in a sequence that remains striking regardless of how many times you have seen it documented. This is the defining morning of the Nepal section for many travellers.

The return to Pokhara takes roughly 30 minutes by road, and the rest of the morning is free. The afternoon can be spent on a boat on Phewa Lake, exploring the Lakeside restaurants and craft shops, or resting before the drive to Chitwan the following day. Pokhara has a relaxed pace that contrasts deliberately with the intensity of Kathmandu.

The leisure day is built into the itinerary for genuine rest, not as a schedule filler. The journey from Pokhara to Chitwan National Park the following morning is a four-hour drive, and an unhurried afternoon in Pokhara allows the body to prepare for the transition to the lowland heat of the Terai. Pack light layers for Chitwan: the climate there is significantly warmer than Pokhara.

Activities: Pre-dawn drive to Sarangkot, Himalayan sunrise, return to Pokhara, leisure afternoon on Phewa Lake

Included: Hotel accommodation, Sarangkot transfer

Accomodation: Hotel Duration: 30 min from Pokhara Meal: Breakfast Ascent: +772 m Descent: -772 m (return to Pokhara) Distance: Around 5 km walk & 10 km drive (round trip)

Drive from Pokhara (820 m) to Chitwan (200 m)

The drive from Pokhara to Chitwan follows the Prithvi Highway east through river gorge country, with the Trishuli River running alongside much of the route. The road descends steadily from the mid-hills toward the flat lowlands of the Terai, and the vegetation shifts from temperate broadleaf forest to subtropical jungle as Chitwan National Park comes into range. The drive takes approximately four hours under normal road conditions.

Chitwan National Park sits at 415 metres in the lowland Terai and operates on a different ecological register from the hills above. The air is denser and warmer, the canopy is tighter, and the wildlife density inside the park is among the highest in South Asia. Arrival at the resort in the late afternoon allows time to settle in, take a short orientation walk along the park boundary, and attend the evening Tharu cultural programme offered by most resort properties.

The resort accommodation in Chitwan is typically the most comfortable of the Nepal section, with garden settings, open-air dining, and proximity to the park boundary. Moreover, the transition from Pokhara’s mountain backdrop to the jungle perimeter of Chitwan National Park marks the most significant change in landscape character across the whole Nepal Bhutan trip. The following two days are spent entirely within and around the park.

Activities: Scenic road transfer through Prithvi Highway, Trishuli River valley, arrival and resort check-in.

Included: Road transfer Pokhara to Chitwan, resort accommodation

Accomodation: Hotel Duration: 4 hours drive Meal: Breakfast Descent: -620 m Distance: Around 150 km drive

Jungle Safari and Sightseeing in Chitwan

The jeep safari departs in the early morning, when animal activity inside Chitwan National Park is at its highest. The park is home to one-horned rhinoceroses, Bengal tigers, sloth bears, gharial crocodiles, and over 600 species of birds. The tour guide for the jungle section is a trained naturalist with park certification, and the safari route covers both open grassland and dense sal forest, giving exposure to different habitat zones within the single morning session.

The afternoon programme typically includes a dugout canoe ride on the Rapti River, a visit to the elephant breeding centre, and a guided nature walk along the park boundary. Additionally, a visit to a traditional Tharu village gives cultural context for the communities that have lived alongside the jungle for generations and whose land management practices shaped the park’s early conservation structure. The sightseeing tour inside the park and its buffer zone covers more ground and more variety than most visitors expect in a single day.

Chitwan National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most successful conservation programmes in Asia. The biodiversity within the park is the product of decades of protection work, and the experience of moving through it at ground level is qualitatively different from any other day on this Nepal and Bhutan journey. Return to the resort by late afternoon for dinner and an overnight stay.

Activities: Morning jeep safari inside Chitwan National Park, elephant breeding centre, dugout canoe ride, nature walk, bird watching, Tharu village visit

Included: Resort accommodation, jeep safari, canoe ride, nature walk, cultural programme

Accomodation: Hotel Duration: Full-day sightseeing Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Early Morning Bird Watching in Chitwan (200 m) and Fly Back to Kathmandu (1,400 m)

The final morning at Chitwan National Park begins before breakfast with a guided bird-watching walk along the park’s buffer zone. Over 600 bird species have been recorded within the park, and the early morning hours offer the best conditions for sightings. Furthermore, the walk gives a quieter, more meditative close to the Chitwan section than a second jeep safari would provide. The tour guide identifies species and habitats throughout the session.

After breakfast and check-out, the road transfer to Bharatpur Airport takes approximately 30 minutes. The flight back to Kathmandu covers the Terai lowlands and mid-hill country in a 25-minute crossing, delivering you to Kathmandu by mid-morning with the remainder of the day free. Kathmandu in this context functions as a transit hub: the following morning brings the most significant logistics moment of the whole itinerary, the departure fly to Bhutan.

Use the afternoon in Kathmandu for last-minute shopping, a visit to a site missed on Day 02, or simple rest before the Bhutan section begins. The hotel in Kathmandu on this night is the same or equivalent to the first night’s accommodation. Confirm your Bhutan documents with the tour operator during the evening, and set an early alarm. The flight to Bhutan departs in the morning.

Activities: Early morning bird watching in Chitwan, resort check-out, road transfer to Bharatpur Airport, domestic flight to Kathmandu

Included: Bird watching, road transfer, domestic flight Chitwan to Kathmandu, hotel accommodation

Accomodation: Hotel Duration: 25 minutes flight & 1-2 hours early morning bird watching Meal: Breakfast Ascent: +1,200 m Distance: Around 140 km flight distance

Fly from Kathmandu (1,400 m) to Paro (2,280 m) and Drive to Thimphu (2,334 m)

The flight to Bhutan from Kathmandu is one of the most dramatic approaches in commercial aviation. The route passes within close range of Kanchenjunga, Makalu, and Chomolhari, and the descent into Paro Valley requires pilots certified specifically for this landing. Paro Airport sits at 2,280 metres in a narrow valley, and the aircraft drops through mountain terrain on final approach. Kathmandu and Bhutan feel worlds apart within the space of this single crossing.

From Paro, the road transfer to Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan, takes approximately 1.5 hours along the Paro Chu river valley. The afternoon Thimphu sightseeing tour covers the National Museum of Bhutan, housed in the Ta Dzong watchtower above Rinpung Dzong, and Tashichho Dzong, the traditional Bhutanese fortress-monastery that serves as the seat of the government of Bhutan. The contrast between Kathmandu’s layered urban texture and Thimphu’s measured, low-rise capital is immediate and striking.

Entry into Bhutan requires a valid Bhutan visa arranged in advance through a licensed Bhutanese tour operator. Nepal Hiking Adventure handles all Bhutan visa documentation and coordinates the Sustainable Development Fee (SDF) payment as part of the tour package. The hotel in Bhutan is a licensed, government-approved property in Thimphu, and the room standard is consistent with the three-star or better category, depending on the tier selected at the time of booking.

Activities: Himalayan mountain flight to Paro, road transfer to Thimphu, National Museum of Bhutan, Tashichho Dzong

Included: Domestic flight Kathmandu to Paro, road transfer, hotel accommodation in Thimphu, afternoon sightseeing

Accomodation: Hotel Duration: 1 hour 20 min flight & 1 hours 30 min drive Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Ascent: +934 m Distance: Around 120 km flight & 55 km drive

Drive from Thimphu (2,334 m) to Punakha (1,200 m) and Sightseeing Tours

Wangyal Chortens, National Memorial Chorten in Thimphu, Punakha Dzong, Chimi Lhakhang

The drive from Thimphu to Punakha crosses Dochula Pass at 3,150 metres, where 108 chortens were built in memory of Bhutanese soldiers by the Royal family. On clear mornings, the pass offers an unobstructed panorama of the northern Himalayan range, including Gangkhar Puensum, the world’s highest unclimbed peak. Before departure from Thimphu, the National Memorial Chorten is visited. Built in 1974 in honour of the third king of Bhutan, the National Memorial Chorten is one of the most significant religious structures in the capital of Bhutan, and locals circle it daily in a devotional practice that continues uninterrupted year-round.

Punakha Dzong, at the confluence of the Pho Chu and Mo Chu rivers, is considered the most beautiful dzong in Bhutan. The king of Bhutan is crowned here, and the structure’s location between two rivers gives it an architectural and visual context unlike any other fortress-monastery in the country. The afternoon itinerary includes a visit to Chimi Lhakhang, the fertility temple of the Divine Madman Drukpa Kunley, set across rice paddies on a gentle walk from the road. Visiting Chimi Lhakhang is one of the most characterful stops on the Bhutan tour, combining traditional Bhutanese religious folk tradition with a beautiful rural landscape.

The National Memorial Chorten in Thimphu and Punakha Dzong together give the day a clear narrative arc: from the formal religious architecture of the capital to the intimate rural character of the Punakha Valley. Furthermore, this day contains the most concentrated set of places to visit in Bhutan on the entire tour, and the tour guide provided by the licensed Bhutanese operator explains the history and cultural significance of each site in detail.

Activities: Dochula Pass, Druk Wangyal Chortens, National Memorial Chorten in Thimphu, Punakha Dzong, Chimi Lhakhang

Included: Road transfer, hotel accommodation in Punakha, guided sightseeing

Accomodation: Hotel Duration: 3 hours drive Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Descent: -1,134 m Distance: Around 85 km drive & 3 km walking for sightseeing

Drive from Punakha (1,200 m) to Paro (2,280 m)

The return drive from Punakha to Paro passes back through Thimphu and across the Dochula Pass before descending into the Paro Valley. The route covers 120 kilometres and takes approximately 4.5 hours under normal road conditions. Consequently, the morning departure from Punakha allows arrival in Paro by early afternoon, with time remaining for an introduction to the valley before the Tiger’s Nest hike the following day.

Kyichu Lhakhang, built in the 7th century and counted among the oldest temples in Bhutan, is the afternoon stop in Paro Valley. The temple predates the Bhutanese state itself and is one of 108 temples said to have been built simultaneously across the Himalayan region by Tibetan Emperor Songtsen Gampo. A short walk from Kyichu leads to Rinpung Dzong, the tour location’s centrepiece of Paro, which houses monastic quarters and district administrative offices within its whitewashed fortress walls.

Paro town is small, walkable, and unhurried, with a single main street lined with traditional painted shopfronts and a river running below the town bridge. This is the last settled evening of the Bhutanese tour before the Tiger’s Nest hike, and an early night is genuinely recommended. The hike the following day is the most physically demanding activity of the entire Nepal Bhutan travel, and starting rested makes a meaningful difference.

Activities: Scenic valley drive via Thimphu, Kyichu Lhakhang temple, Rinpung Dzong, Paro town walk

Included: Road transfer Punakha to Paro, hotel accommodation, Kyichu Lhakhang visit

Accomodation: Hotel Duration: 4.5 hours drive Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Ascent: +1,080 m Distance: Around 130 km drive & 2 km walking for sightseeing

Hike to Tiger's Nest Monastery (Paro, 3,120 m) and Return to Paro (2,280 m)

The hike to Tiger’s Nest Monastery is the centrepiece of the Bhutan section and one of the most recognisable experiences in the Himalayan world. The trail climbs from the valley floor at approximately 2,200 metres through blue pine forest, gaining 900 metres over a well-maintained path to the cliff ledge where the monastery complex sits. The guided tour to Tiger’s Nest is led by a licensed Bhutanese tour guide, and the ascent takes two to two and a half hours at a steady pace.

Tiger’s Nest Monastery clings to a sheer granite cliff face above a 900-metre drop into Paro Valley below. Built around the cave where Guru Rinpoche is said to have meditated in the 8th century, the monastery complex comprises four main temples connected by staircases carved into the cliff. Additionally, the interior paintings, butter lamp shrines, and meditation rooms are open to respectful visitors, and the tour guide provides context for each of the four major temples within the complex. Photography inside the temples is not permitted.

The descent returns by the same trail and takes approximately two hours. By the time the valley floor comes back underfoot, the full scale of the morning is apparent: Tiger’s Nest is not merely a viewpoint or a cultural stop. It is the defining experience of the bhutan tour and earns its prominence in every itinerary that includes Paro. The afternoon is free for rest, souvenir shopping in Paro town, or a quiet walk along the Paro Chu river before the farewell dinner.

Activities: Guided hike to Tiger’s Nest Monastery, Taktsang temple complex, meditation caves, valley views

Included: Hotel accommodation, guided Tiger’s Nest hike

Accomodation: Hotel Duration: 4-5 hours hike (round trip) Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Ascent: +840 m Descent: -840 m Distance: Around 10 km round hike

Fly Back to Kathmandu (1,400 m) from Paro (2,280 m)

The morning in Paro is free before the transfer to Paro Airport for the return flight back to Kathmandu. The Himalayan approach in reverse gives one final view of the mountain wall between Bhutan and Nepal before the aircraft descends into the Kathmandu Valley. The flight takes approximately 1 hour 20 minutes, and Kathmandu receives you in the mid-afternoon with the energy of a city that has been moving all day in your absence.

Nepal Hiking Adventure arranges the airport transfer and hotel check-in on arrival. The hotel in Kathmandu provides all standard facilities, and a final gear check before packing ensures nothing is left behind.

Activities: Morning at leisure in Paro, flight back to Kathmandu

Included: Paro to Kathmandu flight, airport transfer, hotel accommodation

Accomodation: Hotel Duration: 1 hours 20 minutes flight Meal: Breakfast Descent: -880 m Distance: Around 430 km flight distance

Final Departure

Departure day is open until the airport transfer, which Nepal Hiking Adventure schedules three hours before your international flight. The morning allows time for a final walk through Thamel, a visit to Boudhanath Stupa, or a slow breakfast before the journey home. Kathmandu on a final morning has a different quality than it did on arrival: the city is familiar now, its rhythms readable in a way they were not 13 days ago.

The drive to Tribhuvan International Airport takes 30 to 45 minutes depending on Kathmandu traffic. Check-in and security move at their own pace, and arriving three hours before departure gives an adequate buffer. For those extending their stay in Nepal before departing, Nepal Hiking Adventure can arrange additional hotel nights and activity options on request.

The visit to Nepal and Bhutan that this itinerary has delivered across 13 days covers more genuine cultural ground than most international travellers encounter in a single journey. The experience of travel in Nepal and Bhutan, compressed into a well-paced small group tour, leaves most participants considering a return before the aircraft has cleared Kathmandu Valley. Tribhuvan International Airport is the physical end. The rest of it takes longer to settle.

Activities: Morning at leisure, airport transfer, international departure

Included: Airport transfer

Accomodation: Breakfast Duration: 20-25 minutes drive to hotel Distance: Around 6 km