Nepal & Bhutan Explorer — Self-Launched

Land at Tribhuvan International and grab a pre-paid taxi (~NPR 800-1,000 / £5-6) to a Thamel hostel. Sort your Nepal e-Visa online before flying (US$30 for 15 days, ~£24) to skip the airport queue. In the late afternoon walk or take a £2 taxi to Patan Durbar Square (entry NPR 1,000 / £6) for the Newari pagodas and golden temples as the light fades — you can wander this at your own pace far better than a group walk.

🚌Airport taxi ~£5-6; local taxi to Patan ~£2

🛏Hostel private twin or budget guesthouse, Thamel (~£14/night)

• →Patan Durbar Square (NPR 1,000)
• →Thamel orientation wander

Catch a local bus or Pathao/InDrive ride to Bhaktapur (bus NPR 50 / £0.30, taxi ~£5) and spend the morning in the car-free old town — Nyatapola Temple, Pottery Square, King's Curd (juju dhau). Entry NPR 1,800 (£11). Then back toward Kathmandu for Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple, NPR 200 / £1.20) and the long stair climb for valley views. Later, book a momo-making session through GetYourGuide or with a Thamel cooking school (~£18-22) — the same 'G for Good' style experience of learning from local women, without the group markup.

🚌Local bus to Bhaktapur ~£0.30; taxi return ~£5

🛏Hostel private twin or budget guesthouse, Thamel (~£14/night)

• →Bhaktapur Durbar Square (NPR 1,800)
• →Swayambhunath Temple (NPR 200)
• →Momo cooking class (~£20)

Two ways west: the tourist bus (7-8 hrs, ~NPR 1,500-2,200 / £9-13) leaving from Kantipath near Thamel around 7am, or the newer day train-ish option of a shared jeep. The bus is scenic and cheap — sit on the left for river views. On arrival, walk the 20 minutes down to Phewa Lake for the sunset over the Annapurnas and pick up a lakeside dal bhat (NPR 350 / £2).

🚌Tourist bus Kathmandu–Pokhara ~£11

🛏Lakeside guesthouse, Pokhara (~£12/night)

• →Scenic overland drive
• →Phewa Lake sunset walk

Set an alarm — hike or take a 45-minute dawn taxi (NPR 1,500 / £9 split) up to Sarangkot for sunrise over Machhapuchhre and Annapurna South. Back down for breakfast, then rent a boat on Phewa Lake (~NPR 700 / £4.50) or a scooter (~NPR 1,200 / £7.50/day) to reach the World Peace Pagoda and Davis Falls. Optional paragliding from Sarangkot is ~US$80-100 (£65-80) booked direct or via Klook — often cheaper than through a hotel.

🚌Dawn taxi ~£9 split; scooter rental ~£7.50

🛏Lakeside guesthouse, Pokhara (~£12/night)

• →Sarangkot sunrise hike/viewpoint
• →Phewa Lake boating
• →Optional paragliding (~£70)

Morning tourist bus Pokhara–Sauraha (~5 hrs, NPR 1,000 / £6.50). Book a Tharu community homestay directly — the Barauli/Amaltari community-run guesthouses in the buffer zone take independent bookings, or ask at the Sauraha tourist office (~£15-20/night incl. meals). Afternoon cycling through Tharu villages and farmland, then an evening cultural show with stick dance and a home-cooked Tharu dinner in the family dining area.

🚌Tourist bus Pokhara–Sauraha ~£6.50; bike hire ~£2

🛏Community homestay, thatched cottage, Sauraha (~£18/night with meals)

• →Village cycling
• →Tharu cultural dance evening
• →Traditional Tharu dinner

Book a shared 4x4 jeep safari direct with a Sauraha operator or at the park HQ (~NPR 5,500-7,000 / £29-37 incl. park fee) — full day, four to five hours in the core zone looking for rhino, gharial, sloth bear and, if you're lucky, tiger. Alternatively a guided jungle walk with two licensed naturalists (~£20) is a quieter, wetter-grass alternative. Afternoon free: birdwatching along the Rapti River at dusk is one of the best free activities in Nepal.

🚌Jeep included in safari

🛏Community homestay, Sauraha (~£18/night with meals)

• →Full-day 4x4 jeep safari
• →Rapti River birdwatching

Bus back to Kathmandu (~5-6 hrs, NPR 1,000 / £6.50) or, if you'd rather save the day, a 25-minute flight from Bharatpur (Buddha Air/Yeti, ~£85 — book ahead). Evening free in Thamel for last-minute gear, pashminas and books, or an optional trip to Boudhanath Stupa (NPR 400 / £2.50) for the evening kora walk and butter lamps.

🚌Tourist bus Sauraha–Kathmandu ~£6.50 (or domestic flight ~£85)

🛏Hostel private twin or budget guesthouse, Thamel (~£14/night)

• →Optional Boudhanath Stupa kora (NPR 400)
• →Thamel shopping

Today's the big one: the Druk Air or Bhutan Airlines flight from Kathmandu to Paro (~£185-230 booked direct on drukair.com.bt — book 4-8 weeks out) is one of the world's great approaches, skimming Himalayan peaks. You'll need your Bhutan visa (US$40, applied via the official Department of Immigration portal with a licensed tour operator's sponsorship) and the Sustainable Development Fee paid up front (US$100/day = ~£79/day, count 6 days = ~£470). A licensed guide and driver are mandatory — hire direct via a local Bhutanese operator (~US$50-70/day total for guide + vehicle, split two ways ~£25/person/day). Shared transfer to Thimphu (~1.5 hrs, included with your guide). Dinner in town.

🚌Flight KTM–PBH ~£205; guide/vehicle included

🛏Budget hotel, Thimphu (~£22/night)

• →Druk Air Himalayan flight
• →Thimphu evening stroll

With your guide, do the classic Thimphu loop at your own pace: the National Memorial Chorten at prayer-hour (free), the giant Buddha Dordenma at Kuenselphodrang (free), the Motithang Takin Preserve (free) to see Bhutan's odd national animal, and Tashichho Dzong in the late afternoon as monks file in (free). Lunch at a local Bhutanese spot — try ema datshi and red rice (~£4). Optional: the Simply Bhutan living museum (NPR/BTN 500 / £4.50).

🚌Guide + private vehicle (shared cost ~£25)

🛏Budget hotel, Thimphu (~£22/night)

• →Memorial Chorten
• →Buddha Dordenma
• →Motithang Takin Preserve
• →Tashichho Dzong
• →Optional Simply Bhutan museum

Drive east over Dochula Pass (3,100m) — if the weather plays ball you get a wall of Himalayan peaks from the 108 chortens, plus a coffee stop. Descend into the subtropics for the 30-minute flat walk to Chimi Lhakhang, the fertility temple of the 'Divine Madman' (free). Afternoon at Punakha Dzong at the river confluence (BTN 500 / £4.50), Bhutan's most photogenic fortress. Stay in a Punakha Valley guesthouse — cheaper than Thimphu and with better views.

🚌Guide + private vehicle over Dochula (~£25 shared)

🛏Valley guesthouse, Punakha (~£20/night)

• →Dochula Pass viewpoints
• →Chimi Lhakhang hike
• →Punakha Dzong (BTN 500)

Drive back west with stops en route (Punakha suspension bridge over the Pho Chhu is worth 20 minutes). In Paro, visit Paro Rinpung Dzong (BTN 500 / £4.50) and — if there's a match on — watch local archers at the national sport on the town archery ground (free). Optional: the Ta Dzong National Museum (BTN 500 / £4.50) and Kyichu Lhakhang, one of Bhutan's oldest temples (free). Evening free in Paro town.

🚌Guide + private vehicle (~£25 shared)

🛏Budget guesthouse, Paro (~£22/night)

• →Punakha suspension bridge
• →Paro Rinpung Dzong
• →Archery grounds
• →Optional Ta Dzong museum

Start early (7-7.30am) for the 7km round-trip hike to Taktsang, ~900m of gain, 4-5 hours with stops. Take it slow at 3,000m — the cafe halfway is the classic turnaround point for anyone struggling. Entry BTN 1,000 (£9). Your guide's commentary on the 13 holy relics and the Guru Rinpoche legend is the value-add here. Back down by early afternoon for a late lunch; the rest of the day is yours for a hot-stone bath (traditional Bhutanese dotsho, ~£15) and a final dinner.

🚌Guide + vehicle to trailhead (~£25 shared)

🛏Budget guesthouse, Paro (~£22/night)

• →Tiger's Nest hike (BTN 1,000)
• →Optional traditional hot-stone bath

Fly out of Paro — Druk Air to Kathmandu (~£185), Delhi or Bangkok. Note that flights are weather-dependent and frequently rescheduled, so build a buffer day if you have a tight onward connection. If time allows, do the short walk to Paro town for breakfast before your transfer to the airport (taxi ~BTN 300 / £2.70, or included with your guide).

🚌Airport transfer ~£3; onward flight ~£185 (not in total)

🛏N/A

• →Paro town wander
• →Departure flight