Annapurna to Chitwan: Walks & Wildlife — Self-Launched

Land at Tribhuvan International Airport and pick up a pre-paid SIM and, if trekking, arrange your TIMS card and ACAP permit (Nepal Tourism Board office, Kathmandu, ~£35 combined). Stay in Thamel — the traveller hub — in a guesthouse such as Hotel Friends Home or Alobar1000 (~£12-20 dorm/private). Spend the late afternoon wandering Durbar Marg and Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple), then eat a dal bhat or momos at a local Thamel kitchen for around £4-6.

🚌Airport taxi ~£5; walking in Thamel

🛏Thamel guesthouse/hostel (e.g. Alobar1000 or Hotel Friends Home)

• →Airport taxi to Thamel (~£5)
• →Collect trekking permits at Nepal Tourism Board
• →Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple) sunset visit
• →Welcome dal bhat dinner in Thamel

Book a morning flight Kathmandu–Pokhara with Buddha Air or Yeti Airlines (~£85-110 one-way; sit on the right of the plane for Himalayan views). From Pokhara airport, take a taxi (~£3) into Lakeside, drop surplus luggage at a guesthouse, then a shared taxi or local bus to Nayapul (~£6, 1.5 hrs) — the classic Annapurna foothills trailhead. Walk 8 km along the ridgeline down into the Modi River Valley to Sanctuary Lodge (~£20-25 full board with meals), with views of Machhapuchhare.

🚌Flight ~£95; taxi ~£3; shared jeep to Nayapul ~£6

🛏Sanctuary Lodge, Birethanti (teahouse lodge)

• →Scenic domestic flight KTM–PKR
• →Shared jeep/bus to Nayapul trailhead
• →8 km trek to Sanctuary Lodge
• →Optional bird-watching walk to Birethanti

Leave the lodge after breakfast and follow the Modi River upstream through small farms, rice fields and rhododendron forest. Today is the longest climb — a sustained ascent up stone steps — but the reward is constant views of Annapurna South and Machhapuchhare ahead. 11 km, roughly 5-6 hours with lunch en route at a trailside teahouse (~£4). Arrive at Ghandruk, a traditional Gurung village, and check into Himalaya Lodge or a local teahouse (~£18-25 full board).

🚌On foot

🛏Himalaya Lodge, Ghandruk (teahouse lodge)

• →11 km trek up the Modi River Valley
• →Stone-step ascent through forest
• →Gurung village walk and museum

A short but punchy day: descend steeply to the river, cross the suspension bridge, then climb a stone staircase to Landruk village. Pass beneath the cliffs where honey hunters scale ropes to harvest wild bee honey — a striking local sight. 6 km, 3-4 hours. Lunch at La Bee Lodge (~£6), then spend the afternoon resting on the terrace or take a village sightseeing walk with your teahouse host. Overnight in La Bee Lodge or a comparable Landruk teahouse (~£15-20 full board).

🚌On foot

🛏La Bee Lodge, Landruk (teahouse lodge)

• →6 km trek to Landruk
• →Suspension bridge river crossing
• →Honey-hunter cliffs viewpoint
• →Village walk with a local guide (~£8)

An easier day on a wide, mostly flat trail through village and farmland, with the Annapurnas behind you the whole way — excellent birdwatching in the forest above the trail. 12 km, arriving by lunchtime. Afternoon is free: relax in the lodge garden or take an optional walk to Thanchok, a traditional Gurung village (~£8 for a local guide). Overnight at Gurung Lodge or neighbouring Mala Lodge in Tomijun (~£15-20 full board).

🚌On foot

🛏Gurung Lodge / Mala Lodge, Majgaon (teahouse lodge)

• →12 km forest and farmland walk
• →Birdwatching in the sub-tropical forest
• →Optional walk to Thanchok Gurung village

Sunrise on Annapurna South from the lodge, then a gradual wide forest-track ascent for a couple of hours to Potana, and on to Australia Camp — a cluster of lodges with panoramic views of Machhapuchhare, Lamjung Himal and Manaslu. Stop for tea (~£1), then descend the ridge to Dhampus for a hot lunch (~£5). Take a short walk through Dhampus village and stay for what many trekking guides call the best sunset of the route: Annapurna South, Hiunchuli, Machhapuchhare, Annapurnas 2 and 4, and Manaslu all visible. 10 km.

🚌On foot

🛏Dhampus/Basanta Lodge (teahouse lodge)

• →10 km trek to Dhampus via Australia Camp
• →Panoramic Himalayan viewpoint stop
• →Dhampus village walk

Depart along the ridge after breakfast and descend on a stone staircase through wooded hillside and terraced farmland for 90 minutes to two hours to the valley floor — the end of the Annapurna foothills walk. From Phedi, hop a local bus or shared jeep to Pokhara (~£2, 45 mins). The afternoon is free in the lakeside city: relax at your guesthouse, wander Lakeside browsing shops, hire a boat on Phewa Lake (~£3-5/hr) or rent a bike. 3 km walking.

🚌Local bus Phedi–Pokhara ~£2

🛏Pokhara Lakeside guesthouse (e.g. Hotel Barahi budget wing or Lakeside backpacker)

• →3 km descent to Phedi
• →Local bus to Pokhara
• →Phewa Lake boat ride or cycle
• →Lakeside evening stroll

Take a taxi 15 minutes out of town to the Tashiling Tibetan refugee camp (~£3 each way), established in the 1960s for families fleeing instability in Tibet. Meet residents, join a momo-cooking class (~£10-15, bookable locally or via GetYourGuide/Klook) and browse the carpet handicraft centre and Tibetan food shops — purchases directly support the community. In the afternoon, optional International Mountain Museum entry (~£3) or a second Phewa Lake boat trip. Overnight in Lakeside.

🚌Taxi to Tashiling ~£3 each way

🛏Pokhara Lakeside guesthouse

• →Visiting Tashiling Tibetan refugee camp
• →Momo cooking class (~£12)
• →International Mountain Museum (optional, ~£3)
• →Phewa Lake boat trip

Take a tourist bus or shared jeep from Pokhara to Sauraha, gateway to Chitwan National Park (~£8-12, 4-5 hours), travelling alongside the Marsyangdi and Trishuli rivers before the road turns south at Mugling. Arrive around lunchtime and check into a jungle guesthouse in Sauraha (~£10-18). Meet a local naturalist guide (most are from the indigenous Tharu community) at 4pm to plan the next two days, then a late-afternoon bird walk along the Rapti Riverbank.

🚌Tourist bus Pokhara–Sauraha ~£10

🛏Sauraha jungle guesthouse (e.g. Chitwan Forest Resort or equivalent)

• →Scenic Pokhara–Chitwan drive
• →Meet local naturalist guide
• →Late-afternoon bird walk

A full wildlife day. In the morning, ride a traditional dugout canoe carved from a single tree trunk along the Rapti River, spotting birdlife and marsh mugger and gharial crocodiles (~£8-12 for a shared canoe). After lunch, head out on a shared jeep safari through Chitwan National Park (~£25-35 including park entry and guide) — keep looking for spotted and hog deer, wild boar, endangered one-horned rhinos and, very rarely, Bengal tigers. In the evening, watch a Tharu stick dance performance in Sauraha (~£3).

🚌Walking and shared jeep within the park

🛏Sauraha jungle guesthouse

• →Dugout canoe ride on the Rapti River
• →Shared jeep safari in Chitwan National Park
• →Crocodile, rhino and bird spotting with a naturalist
• →Traditional Tharu stick dance performance

Optional early morning birdwalk along the river with your guide (~£5) — good for kingfishers, egrets and river lapwings. Then take a tourist bus back to Kathmandu from Sauraha (~£10-14, 5-6 hours). Arrive in the capital in the evening and check back into a Thamel guesthouse.

🚌Tourist bus Sauraha–Kathmandu ~£12

🛏Thamel guesthouse

• →Sunrise birdwatching walk
• →Tourist bus Chitwan–Kathmandu
• →Evening in Thamel

Optional early-morning Everest scenic flight from Kathmandu airport (~£150-180, bookable via Buddha Air or Yeti Airlines; the aircraft returns to base and you're back by breakfast). Otherwise, spend the day on Kathmandu's classic sights: Boudhanath Stupa, Pashupatinath Temple and Kathmandu Durbar Square (combined entry ~£8-10). Evening free for a final momo dinner and rooftop drinks in Thamel.

🚌Taxis or local buses around Kathmandu ~£5

🛏Thamel guesthouse

• →Optional Everest scenic flight (~£165)
• →Boudhanath Stupa
• →Pashupatinath Temple
• →Kathmandu Durbar Square

Breakfast at the guesthouse, then a pre-booked airport taxi to Tribhuvan International (allow 2 hours before an international flight). End of the self-launched Nepal adventure.

🚌Taxi to airport ~£5

🛏N/A (departure day)

• →Breakfast at guesthouse
• →Taxi to airport