Kathmandu & Pokhara Self-Launched Adventure 6 Days
6 days · Nepal
Adventure Himalayan Travels charges £520
No-markup version: ~£222 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched 6-day version of Adventure Himalayan Travels' Kathmandu & Pokhara Holiday Tour, done independently for a fraction of the price. You'll cover the same ground — Kathmandu's UNESCO World Heritage sites (Pashupatinath, Swayambhunath, Bhaktapur), a Nagarkot sunrise, the Manakamana cable car, and Pokhara's Sarangkot sunrise, Bindawasini Temple, Davis Falls, Gupteswar Cave and Seti Gorge — using local buses, shared jeeps and self-booked day trips. Accommodation swaps 3-star hotels for well-rated guesthouses and budget hotels. All costs are approximate per person in GBP.
Day-by-day
Arrive Kathmandu — Thamel base
Kathmandu
Land at Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM). Pre-booked airport pickups cost around £6-8, or grab a metered taxi from the prepaid counter (Rs 700-1,000, ~£5). Check into a guesthouse or budget hotel in Thamel or nearby Paknajang — the backpacker hub with rooftop views, trekking shops and cheap eats. Spend the afternoon acclimatising on a gentle wander: pick up a local SIM (Ncell or NTC, ~£4 for data), sort cash (ATMs in Thamel), and orient yourself. In the evening eat dal bhat or momos at a local Thamel spot and book tomorrow's sightseeing.
🚌Prepaid taxi from KTM airport to Thamel (~£5)
🛏Thamel guesthouse or budget hotel (private room, en-suite)
- →Arrive KTM and transfer to Thamel
- →Buy local SIM and exchange cash
- →Evening orientation walk in Thamel
- →Nepali dinner (dal bhat, momos)
Kathmandu UNESCO sites + Nagarkot sunset
Kathmandu - Nagarkot
Do the classic Kathmandu Valley circuit yourself. Hire a taxi for the day (~£35-45 total, split between travellers, ~£15-20 each) or join a GetYourGuide/Klook small-group day tour covering Pashupatinath Temple (cremation ghats on the Bagmati), Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple) and Bhaktapur Durbar Square. Entry fees: Pashupatinath ~£8, Swayambhunath ~£2, Bhaktapur ~£12. Late afternoon, take a local bus or share taxi up to Nagarkot (Rs 100-150 bus, ~£1; taxi ~£15) for sunset over the Himalaya. Overnight in a Nagarkot guesthouse or hotel with a mountain-view terrace.
🚌Private taxi or shared day tour in Kathmandu; local bus or taxi Kathmandu to Nagarkot
🛏Nagarkot guesthouse/hotel with Himalayan views
- →Pashupatinath Temple
- →Swayambhunath Stupa (Monkey Temple)
- →Bhaktapur Durbar Square
- →Sunset viewing at Nagarkot hill station
Nagarkot sunrise → Manakamana cable car → Pokhara
Nagarkot - Manakamana - Pokhara
Wake early for sunrise over the Annapurna and Langtang ranges from Nagarkot (free viewpoint, or your hotel terrace). After breakfast, head down to the highway and catch a tourist bus or local bus to Kurintar, then ride the Manakamana cable car up to the hilltop temple (return ticket ~£10). Continue by tourist bus from Kurintar to Pokhara (Rs 800-1,200, ~£5-7; roughly 5-6 hours). Arrive Pokhara in the evening, check into a Lakeside guesthouse near Phewa Lake.
🚌Local/tourist bus Nagarkot area to Kurintar, tourist bus Kurintar to Pokhara
🛏Lakeside guesthouse in Pokhara
- →Sunrise viewing from Nagarkot
- →Manakamana Temple cable car
- →Scenic drive to Pokhara
Sarangkot sunrise + Pokhara city sights
Pokhara
Take an early taxi or shared jeep up to Sarangkot (~£8-10 return) for sunrise and panoramic Annapurna views. Optional paragliding can be booked locally in Pokhara (around £75-95 with a reputable operator — higher than the operator's quoted price, so shop around). Back in town, do the Pokhara city circuit by taxi or scooter: Bindawasini Temple, Davis Falls (Patale Chhango) and the Gupteswar Cave with its Shiva temple (entry ~£3-5 each), plus a look at the Seti River Gorge. Evening stroll along Phewa Lake; optional short boat ride (Rs 500-800, ~£3-5).
🚌Taxi/shared jeep to Sarangkot; scooter hire or taxi for city sights
🛏Lakeside guesthouse in Pokhara
- →Sarangkot sunrise tour
- →Bindawasini Temple
- →Davis Falls (Patale Chhango)
- →Gupteswar Cave & Shiva temple
- →Seti River Gorge
- →Optional: paragliding
Pokhara → Kathmandu (scenic drive)
Pokhara to Kathmandu
Choose your return: a tourist bus takes roughly 7-9 hours along the Prithvi Highway (Rs 1,000-1,500, ~£6-9) with river and mountain views — or a short domestic flight (Buddha Air/Yeti, ~£80-110) if you want to save time. Arrive Kathmandu, check into your Thamel guesthouse. Cap off the trip with a farewell Nepali dinner and cultural dance show — a set-menu evening at a Thamel cultural restaurant runs around £10-15.
🚌Tourist bus (or optional domestic flight) Pokhara to Kathmandu
🛏Thamel guesthouse or budget hotel
- →Scenic drive/flight Pokhara to Kathmandu
- →Farewell Nepali dinner with cultural dance
Depart Kathmandu
Kathmandu
Final breakfast and any last-minute souvenir shopping in Thamel (pashmina, singing bowls, tea). Transfer to Tribhuvan International Airport by taxi (~£5) or pre-arranged hotel pickup. Note: keep a buffer if you booked an early flight — Kathmandu traffic can be slow. End of trip.
🚌Taxi to KTM airport (~£5)
🛏N/A (departure day)
- →Last-minute souvenir shopping in Thamel
- →Transfer to KTM airport
Self-launched vs. Adventure Himalayan Travels
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Adventure Himalayan Travels | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£222 | £520 |
| Duration | 6 days | 6 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £298 per person (57%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Adventure Himalayan Travels-style trips? Check them out here.~£222
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Kathmandu & Pokhara Self-Launched Adventure 6 Days cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £222 per person for 6 days in Nepal. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Adventure Himalayan Travels?+
Yes — Adventure Himalayan Travels charges around £520 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £222 — a saving of roughly £298 (57%) per person.
How long is the Nepal trip?+
This itinerary runs 6 days, covering 6 day-by-day stops through Nepal.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, adventure, hiking trip through Nepal, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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