Ancient temples, serene lakes and peaks that pierce the clouds. From the spiritual heart of Kathmandu to the lakeside calm of Pokhara and legendary Himalayan trails.
Four reasons we keep coming back to Nepal
Temples that never stopped being temples
Pashupatinath, Boudhanath, Swayambhunath — these aren't museums. Cremations happen at Pashupati daily, monks circle Boudha at dawn. You're a guest in a living city, not a visitor to a heritage property.
Annapurna from a lakeside café
Pokhara gives you 8,000-metre peaks reflected in Phewa Lake while you're drinking filter coffee at 8 am. No trek required. Sarangkot sunrise (30 min from the hotel) is still the easiest Himalayan sunrise anywhere.
Jungle that isn't a safari park
Chitwan is properly wild — rhinos, Bengal tigers, gharials. Jeep and walking safaris in the same day. A world apart from the mountains but only 5 hours from Kathmandu.
Dal bhat power, 24 hour
The national meal — lentils, rice, vegetables, pickle — is unlimited refills across the country. Cheap, clean, nutritious, and oddly addictive after three days. Plus Newari food in Patan, which almost nobody outside Nepal knows about.
When to come — month by month
Nepal's year splits neatly into four: spring, monsoon, autumn, winter. Autumn (October-November) is the gold standard — clear mountains, comfortable temperatures, every trek route open. Spring (March-May) is second — rhododendron bloom, warm days, occasional pre-monsoon haze. We plan most of our Nepal trips into these windows. Monsoon is wet but the Kathmandu valley and Chitwan are still workable; winter is dry and clear but cold at altitude.
Dry, clear, cold. Great for Kathmandu + Pokhara; treks tough.
Warming up. Low-altitude treks opening.
Rhododendron season. Mountains still clear.
Peak spring trekking. Warm days, cool nights.
Warm, pre-monsoon haze reduces mountain clarity.
Monsoon starts. Flights cancelled regularly.
Wettest month. Leech country for treks.
Festival season but still monsoon.
Rain easing. Dashain crowds mid-month.
Post-monsoon perfection. Our top pick.
Clearest air of the year. Book 3+ months ahead.
Cold, clear, fewer crowds. Good for culture focus.
Aim for mid-October through mid-November if dates are flexible. The air is washed clean by the monsoon, temperatures are perfect, and every flight to Lukla or Pokhara is actually running. If autumn isn't possible, early April is the next best — warmer nights, full rhododendron bloom, mountains still sharp. Avoid June through August unless you're specifically travelling for festivals like Indra Jatra.
Getting there
Nepal has one international airport in Kathmandu. From India there are also road crossings; from most other countries it's a direct flight in.
By air
Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM) in Kathmandu is the main entry. Direct flights from Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Chennai — Air India, IndiGo, Vistara, Nepal Airlines all operate. From Delhi it's 100 minutes; from Kolkata 90 minutes. Most Indian nationals fly in on their voter ID or passport (no visa needed). Pokhara now has its own international airport (PKR) opened 2023, but flight options are still limited — most guests fly into KTM and either fly to Pokhara (25 min, Buddha Air) or take the scenic 7-hour drive. Bhairahawa (BWA) near Lumbini handles a few Indian routes. Book domestic legs through us — Nepal domestic flights are small aircraft, weather-cancellation-prone, and need local rebooking contacts.
By rail
Nepal has no meaningful rail network for tourists. The railhead for Indians crossing overland is Raxaul (Bihar) or Gorakhpur (UP), then bus/taxi across the Sunauli border to Bhairahawa, onwards to Pokhara or Kathmandu. This is a 24-hour-plus journey from most Indian cities and we only recommend it for backpackers. From Kolkata, the Mithila Express to Raxaul is the classic route — overnight train, then a 20-minute border crossing. Nearly all our clients fly.
By road
The main Indian road entry is the Sunauli-Bhairahawa border crossing, open 24/7. From there it's 6 hours to Pokhara, 8-9 hours to Kathmandu. The Raxaul-Birgunj crossing (from Bihar) is another option and the main freight route. Driving your own vehicle in requires a Carnet — not worth it for most. Inside Nepal, the Kathmandu-Pokhara highway is the main artery — 200 km but often 7 hours due to traffic and road quality. New expressway under construction. Chitwan is a 5-hour drive from either Kathmandu or Pokhara. Road travel in monsoon is risky — landslides block the Prithvi highway regularly.
Towns & villages we love
Places we send travellers again and again
Sample journeys we run
Starting points, not templates. Every itinerary gets rebuilt around your dates, pace and interests.
What it costs
Nepal is cheaper than most people expect, especially at the mid-range. Prices below are per person on twin-sharing, INR equivalent, excluding international flights. One important note: Nepali Rupees (NPR) are roughly 1.6× Indian Rupees — so NPR 1,000 is about INR 625. Most places in tourist areas accept INR and cards, but always carry some local cash.
- 3-star hotels in Thamel & lakeside Pokhara
- Shared airport transfers
- Breakfasts only
- Drive Kathmandu-Pokhara (no domestic flight)
- English-speaking driver in both cities
Good for solo travellers and budget-minded couples.
- 4-star boutique (Kantipur Temple House, Waterfront Pokhara tier)
- Private AC Innova or Scorpio
- All breakfasts, 3 special dinners
- Kathmandu-Pokhara flight (Buddha Air)
- Chitwan jungle lodge with all meals & safaris
- Local city guide in Kathmandu
Where most families and couples settle. Fair value.
- Dwarika's Kathmandu, Temple Tree Pokhara, Kasara Chitwan
- Private luxury vehicle + back-up
- All meals + curated Newari dinners
- Helicopter ride over Everest (optional ₹28k extra)
- Dedicated guide throughout
- Spa treatments at all hotels
Anniversaries and once-in-a-lifetime trips. Dwarika's alone is worth the category.
What isn't in these numbers: international flights (₹12,000-25,000 round-trip from most Indian cities), Nepal entry fee for foreigners (US$30 for 15 days), TIMS card & permits if you're trekking (about US$50-60 combined for Annapurna region), travel insurance (we strongly recommend it, about ₹900 per person), and the Everest scenic flight (₹10,500 per person — worth it on a clear morning). Cash: INR is widely accepted in Thamel and Pokhara lakeside, but not everywhere — carry some NPR. ATMs are reliable in Kathmandu and Pokhara.
What you're walking into in Nepal
Nepal is culturally Hindu-majority (~80%) with a strong Buddhist presence (~10%) that dominates the north and the trekking regions. But the categories blur — Pashupatinath (Hindu) and Boudhanath (Buddhist) sit 3 km apart and both are active daily. Newari culture, centred in the Kathmandu valley, has its own festivals, food and architecture distinct from the broader Nepali mainstream. Gurkha military heritage runs through the hills; you'll hear about it often in Pokhara.
Dal Bhat
The national meal. Lentils, rice, seasonal vegetable curry, pickle, sometimes meat. In trekking lodges it comes with unlimited refills — 'dal bhat power, 24 hour' is a real saying. Properly good at Thakali Kitchen in Thamel.
Momo
Steamed or fried dumplings — the Nepali version is plumper than Tibetan, often with water buffalo (buff), chicken or vegetable filling. Served with sesame-based achar. Every corner shop does them.
Sel Roti
A sweet ring-shaped rice doughnut, deep fried, common at festivals and breakfasts. Crispy outside, soft inside. Best with tea on a cold morning at a Newari bakery.
Newari Khaja Set
The full Newari platter — beaten rice, buffalo meat, chhoila (spiced grilled meat), boiled eggs, aloo achar, greens. Bhojan Griha in Kathmandu does a proper one with cultural performance.
Chatamari
Sometimes called 'Newari pizza' — a thin rice crepe topped with minced meat, egg, spices. Light, savoury, specific to Patan and Bhaktapur. Honey Silver in Patan is reliable.
Dhindo
Thick millet/buckwheat porridge eaten with lentils and greens. Traditional hill food, heavier than rice but warming and filling at altitude. Rarely in tourist restaurants — ask for it at family-run lodges.
Nepali greeting is 'namaste' with palms pressed — works everywhere. At temples: remove shoes and leather items (belts too, for Pashupatinath), walk clockwise, don't touch statues, ask before photographing. Non-Hindus cannot enter the main Pashupatinath sanctum. At Buddhist stupas, keep the stupa on your right when walking around. Dress modestly — shoulders and knees covered at temples. Photography: always ask before photographing people, especially sadhus (many now charge). Tipping is increasingly expected in tourist areas — 10% in restaurants is fine, ₹300-500 per day for drivers, ₹100-200 for guides per activity. Nepal is generally safe for solo travellers including women, but Kathmandu has more petty crime than Sikkim — keep valuables close in Thamel crowds. Alcohol is freely available except on a few religious days. Smoking is banned in public buildings. The left hand is considered unclean for eating or handing things over — use the right.