Nepal Highlights Self-Launched: Kathmandu, Nagarkot, Pokhara & Chitwan (9 Days)

Land at Tribhuvan International Airport, buy a local SIM (Ncell or NTC, ~£2-4 for data), withdraw NPR at an ATM and take a prepaid airport taxi to Thamel (~£5-7, agree the price first or use Pathao/InDrive). Check into a Thamel guesthouse, then wander the backpacker district to sort onward bus tickets. In the evening join a cultural dinner show at a restaurant like Nepali Chulo or Thamel House (~£12-15) — the self-launched version of the tour's welcome dinner.

🚌Airport taxi ~£6; walking in Thamel

🛏Thamel guesthouse or budget hotel (private room, ~£15/night)

• →Thamel orientation walk
• →Nepali cultural dinner show (~£13)

A full day covering the same four UNESCO sites as the guided tour. Start early at Pashupatinath (entry ~£7) for the ghats and Bagmati River, then walk or grab a Pathao bike (~£1) to Boudhanath Stupa (~£3 entry) for kora circuit and momos. After lunch visit Kathmandu Durbar Square (~£7) seeing Kumari Ghar, Hanuman Dhoka and Kastha Mandap, then climb to Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple, ~£1.50) for sunset. Audio guides or a locally hired guide at each site cost ~£8-10 if you want the commentary the group tour includes.

🚌Pathao app bikes/taxis between sites ~£4 total; local bus option ~£1

🛏Thamel guesthouse or budget hotel (~£15/night)

• →Pashupatinath Temple (~£7)
• →Boudhanath Stupa (~£3)
• →Kathmandu Durbar Square (~£7)
• →Swayambhunath Monkey Temple (~£1.50)
• →Optional site guide (~£9)

Book the one-hour Everest scenic flight directly with Buddha Air or Yeti Airlines (~£150-170, cheapest real cost of the trip and far below the tour's packaged rate) — early morning departures from Kathmandu domestic terminal. Back by 9am, then take a local bus or taxi to Bhaktapur (~£1-8) to explore the medieval Durbar Square, Nyatapola Temple and Potter's Square (entry ~£10). Continue by local bus up to Nagarkot (~£2) for the night — a hilltop guesthouse with Himalayan views from the terrace.

🚌Mountain flight included in activity; local bus Kathmandu–Bhaktapur ~£1, Bhaktapur–Nagarkot ~£2

🛏Nagarkot hilltop guesthouse with mountain view (~£18/night)

• →Everest scenic mountain flight (~£160)
• →Bhaktapur Durbar Square (~£10 entry)

Wake for sunrise over Langtang, Ganesh Himal and, on clear days, Everest on the horizon from the Nagarkot view tower — free and the highlight of the stop. After breakfast descend by local bus to Kathmandu's Kalanki or Balaju bus park, then take a tourist coach to Pokhara (~£8-10, 6-7 hours) or a night/afternoon flight if you prefer (~£65). Settle into a Lakeside guesthouse and take an evening wander along Phewa Lake with dinner at a lakeside restaurant (~£6-8).

🚌Local bus Nagarkot–Kathmandu ~£2; tourist coach Kathmandu–Pokhara ~£9

🛏Lakeside Pokhara guesthouse (~£15/night)

• →Nagarkot sunrise viewpoint (free)
• →Phewa Lake evening walk

Hire a taxi or take a shared jeep up to Sarangkot before dawn (~£8 round trip) for sunrise over the Annapurna range and Machhapuchhre. Optional paragliding from Sarangkot can be booked direct with operators in Lakeside (~£65-80, vs. tour's optional add-on). Back in town, do the classic Pokhara loop by scooter or taxi: Seti River Gorge, Davis Falls, Gupteshwor Cave (~£1), Peace Pagoda (free, hike or boat across the lake) and the old bazaar. Dinner on Lakeside.

🚌Shared jeep/taxi to Sarangkot ~£8; scooter hire ~£8/day

🛏Lakeside Pokhara guesthouse (~£15/night)

• →Sarangkot sunrise
• →Davis Falls & Gupteshwor Cave (~£1)
• →Peace Pagoda
• →Optional paragliding (~£70)

Take a morning tourist bus from Pokhara to Sauraha, the gateway village to Chitwan National Park (~£8-10, 5-6 hours, sometimes via the Trisuli/Dumre route). Check into a Sauraha guesthouse or jungle lodge and arrange your park activities for the next day directly with the lodge or the park ticket office. Spend the afternoon walking the Rapti River bank looking for rhinos and gharials, and book a Tharu cultural dance show in the village (~£3).

🚌Tourist bus Pokhara–Sauraha ~£9

🛏Sauraha guesthouse or budget jungle lodge (~£16/night)

• →Rapti Riverbank wildlife walk
• →Tharu cultural dance show (~£3)

Full day of jungle activities arranged locally in Sauraha. Start with a dugout canoe ride down the Rapti at dawn (~£6) to spot crocodiles and water birds, then a guided jungle walk with a licensed nature guide (~£12). After lunch take a shared jeep safari into the park buffer zone (~£25-30 including park fees) for rhino, deer and the chance of a sloth bear or tiger, plus a visit to the elephant breeding centre (a more ethical alternative to the original tour's elephant safari). Birdwatching at Kasara or the park towers rounds off the day.

🚌Local jeep and walking within Sauraha and park buffer zone

🛏Sauraha guesthouse or budget jungle lodge (~£16/night)

• →Dawn canoe ride (~£6)
• →Guided jungle walk (~£12)
• →Jeep safari with park fees (~£28)
• →Elephant breeding centre visit
• →Birdwatching

Morning bus back to Kathmandu (~£9-11, 6-7 hours, following the Trisuli River much of the way). Check back into a Thamel guesthouse, then spend the late afternoon souvenir shopping — pashmina, thangka paintings, singing bowls, trekking gear in Thamel's backstreets. Farewell dinner of Newari food in Patan or a rooftop in Thamel (~£10).

🚌Tourist bus Sauraha–Kathmandu ~£10; local taxis ~£3

🛏Thamel guesthouse (~£15/night)

• →Souvenir shopping in Thamel
• →Farewell dinner (~£10)

Breakfast at the guesthouse, last-minute shopping or a café morning in Thamel, then prepaid taxi to Tribhuvan International Airport (~£5-7) in good time for your international departure. If your flight is late in the day, consider a short morning walk to the Garden of Dreams (~£1).

🚌Prepaid airport taxi ~£6

🛏—

• →Optional Garden of Dreams visit (~£1)