Seven nights that travel west across Nepal by road instead of by air. Three nights in Kathmandu cover its old royal cities, one night in the car-free Newar town of Bandipur breaks the drive, and three nights at The Pavilions Himalayas outside Pokhara end the trip under Machapuchare.
The 200 km road from Kathmandu to Pokhara is slow, with roadworks on the Prithvi Highway, so most travellers fly. We think the drive is worth doing once if you break it at Bandipur, an 18th-century Newar trading town on the old India-Tibet route that sits on a saddle at about 1,030 m. Its main street is closed to cars, its brick houses still have carved windows, and from the Tundikhel viewpoint at dusk the Annapurna and Manaslu ranges line the northern sky.
Before Bandipur we spend three nights at Dwarika's Hotel in Kathmandu, with a private guide for Swayambhunath, Durbar Square, Patan and Bhaktapur. After it, a two-hour drive brings you to The Pavilions Himalayas, a group of eco-luxury villas on an organic farm outside Pokhara with a spa and pool. From there we take you to Sarangkot for sunrise, across Phewa Lake by boat, and up to the World Peace Pagoda. You fly back to Kathmandu at the end in 25 minutes.
Highlights
Why this route works
Patan Museum and the Golden Temple with a private guide
Nyatapola temple and Pottery Square in Bhaktapur
Sunset over the Annapurnas from Tundikhel in Bandipur
Sunrise at Sarangkot and a boat across Phewa Lake
Villa on an organic farm at The Pavilions Himalayas
Day by day
The journey
Day01
Arrive in Kathmandu
Overnight: Kathmandu≈ 3 km · 15 minMeals: Dinner
Our representative meets you at Tribhuvan International Airport and drives you to Dwarika's Hotel in Battisputali, a few minutes from the terminal. The hotel is built from salvaged Newari woodwork, with carved windows and doorways set around quiet brick courtyards, and its pool is a good place to spend the afternoon after a flight. In the early evening your guide calls in to go over the week, the road west and what to pack for Bandipur, where there is no luxury hotel. Dinner tonight is at the hotel.
Day02
Swayambhunath, Durbar Square and Patan
Overnight: Kathmandu≈ 25 km · 1.5 h in totalMeals: Breakfast
We start at Swayambhunath, climbing its long stone stairway to the hilltop stupa before the crowds. Then to Kathmandu Durbar Square, where your guide explains Hanuman Dhoka, the old palace, and the Kumari Ghar, home of the living goddess. After lunch we cross the Bagmati to Patan, 5 km south. The Patan Museum in Keshav Narayan Chowk holds the finest Himalayan religious art in Nepal; nearby are the stone Krishna Mandir of 1637, the Golden Temple and workshops where bronze is still cast by the lost-wax method.
Day03
Bhaktapur and the evening kora at Boudha
Overnight: Kathmandu≈ 40 km · 2 h in totalMeals: Breakfast, Dinner
Bhaktapur, 13 km east, is the best preserved of the three royal cities. We walk its Durbar Square with the 55-Window Palace and the Golden Gate, then Taumadhi Square with the five-tiered Nyatapola temple of 1702, and Pottery Square, where potters still work on hand-turned wheels. Try juju dhau, the local curd. A municipal entry fee applies; check current status before you travel. On the way back we stop at Changu Narayan, the valley's oldest temple, and end at Boudhanath for the evening kora among Tibetan families. Dinner is at Krishnarpan.
Day04
The road west to Bandipur
Overnight: Bandipur≈ 145 km · 5 hMeals: Breakfast, Dinner
We leave after breakfast and follow the Prithvi Highway down the Trishuli river valley, with a stop for tea and a riverside lunch. At Dumre the road climbs 8 km of hairpins to Bandipur. The town has no true luxury hotel, so we book the best of its heritage guesthouses, usually The Old Inn, a restored Newar house with simple, clean rooms and a terrace. Your guide walks you down the car-free bazaar and out to Tundikhel, the old trading ground, for sunset over the Annapurna and Manaslu ranges on a clear evening.
Day05
Bandipur morning, Pokhara by lunch
Overnight: Pokhara≈ 75 km · 2.5 hMeals: Breakfast, Dinner
Rise early for the 30-minute climb to Thani Mai, the hilltop temple above the town, where the first light reaches the Himalaya across the Marsyangdi valley. After breakfast you can walk an hour out to Ramkot, a Magar village of round thatched houses, or visit Siddha Gufa, a large cave reached by a steep 1.5-hour walk down. Then we drive west to Pokhara and The Pavilions Himalayas, villas spread across an organic farm outside the city. The afternoon is for the pool and the spa.
Day06
Sarangkot sunrise and Phewa Lake
Overnight: Pokhara≈ 45 km · 2 h in totalMeals: Breakfast, Dinner
We leave before dawn for Sarangkot, about 1,600 m, to watch Dhaulagiri, Annapurna I and the fishtail summit of Machapuchare 6,993 m turn pink and then white. After breakfast we drive down to Phewa Lake and row across in a wooden boat to Tal Barahi, a small two-tiered temple on an island. From the far shore a path climbs for about an hour through forest to the World Peace Pagoda, with the lake and the city laid out below and the Annapurnas behind. Lunch is by the lake before you return to the farm.
Day07
A quiet day on the farm
Overnight: PokharaMeals: Breakfast, Dinner
Today is open. The Pavilions Himalayas grows much of what its kitchen serves, and a walk around the farm with one of the team is a good start to the morning. The spa is the main reason many guests choose it. If you would like to see more, we can drive to the International Mountain Museum for the history of Himalayan climbing, or to Begnas Lake, quieter than Phewa, for a row among the rice terraces. Tandem paragliding from Sarangkot can be added for the morning, weather permitting.
Day08
Fly to Kathmandu and depart
Overnight: DepartureMeals: Breakfast
After breakfast we drive you to Pokhara International Airport for the 25-minute flight to Kathmandu. Sit on the left side of the plane for the Himalaya on a clear morning. We book the earliest sensible flight and leave at least four hours between landing and your international departure, because domestic flights are sometimes held by cloud. Our representative meets you in Kathmandu and takes you across to the international terminal. If you have a long wait, we can book a day room at Dwarika's Hotel.
Bandipur has no luxury hotel; rooms are simple and clean, and the night is about the town
The Prithvi Highway has frequent roadworks, so drive times can stretch by an hour or more
Pokhara flights are short but weather-dependent; we leave a buffer before international flights
Bhaktapur charges foreign visitors a municipal entry fee; check current status before you travel
Mountain views are clearest from October to February
Indian nationals need no visa; most others get a visa on arrival (check current status before you travel)
Questions travellers ask
Good to know
Is the drive from Kathmandu to Pokhara worth doing?
It is worth doing once if you stop at Bandipur, which splits 200 km into a five-hour and a two-and-a-half-hour leg. Without a stop the drive takes six to eight hours with roadworks, and the flight is the better choice. The route follows the Trishuli river, and the road views are of rivers and terraced hills rather than high peaks.
Where do we stay in Bandipur?
Bandipur has no true luxury hotel, and we say so plainly. We book the best of its heritage guesthouses, usually The Old Inn, a restored Newar house with simple, clean rooms. The town is the reason to stay: its car-free bazaar, carved Newar houses and the sunset from Tundikhel. One night is enough, and Pokhara is only two and a half hours on.
Can we fly from Kathmandu to Pokhara instead?
Yes. The flight takes about 25 minutes and runs several times a day, weather permitting. If you fly, you would miss Bandipur, so we would suggest replacing that night with a fourth night in Pokhara or a night at Dwarika's Resort Dhulikhel on the valley rim. The price changes little either way.
What is The Pavilions Himalayas like?
It is a group of eco-luxury villas on an organic farm outside Pokhara, also known as The Farm. Each villa stands apart, there is a pool and a spa, and the kitchen uses produce from the land. It is quieter than the Lakeside hotels and suits couples and anyone wanting rest. Phewa Lake and Sarangkot are a short drive away.
How fit do I need to be for this journey?
Moderately fit is enough. Walking days are two to four hours on brick lanes and temple steps, with optional climbs: Thani Mai in Bandipur takes 30 minutes, the World Peace Pagoda about an hour, and Siddha Gufa a steep 1.5 hours each way. Every climb is optional, and your guide adjusts the pace each day.
What is the best season for this route?
October to February is best, with the clearest mountain views from Bandipur and Sarangkot and dry roads. March and April are pleasant and bring rhododendron blossom in the hills, though haze builds by afternoon. We avoid June to September: monsoon rain causes landslides on the Prithvi Highway and cloud hides the Annapurnas most days.
Is Sarangkot sunrise worth the early start?
On a clear morning, yes. From about 1,600 m you see Dhaulagiri 8,167 m, Annapurna I 8,091 m and Machapuchare 6,993 m light up in sequence over 20 minutes. We leave around 5 am in winter, a little earlier in October. If the forecast is cloudy, we skip it and use the morning for the lake instead.
Can we add paragliding in Pokhara?
Yes, on day seven, and it is one of the best things to do in Pokhara. Tandem flights launch from Sarangkot and land by Phewa Lake after 20 to 40 minutes, depending on air conditions. Flights run most mornings from October to May. We book only licensed operators, and the flight is priced separately from this journey.
Is this journey suitable for families with children?
Yes, for children who can manage a five-hour drive. The Kathmandu days can be shortened, Bandipur is car-free and safe to wander, and the Pokhara boat ride and pagoda walk suit most ages. The Pavilions Himalayas has a pool and space to run around. For younger children, we would fly to Pokhara and add Chitwan for rhinos instead.
Kathmandu, Bandipur and Pokhara by road7 nights · from ₹2,90,000 per personCheck dates and price
