Adventure · couple · 25–30 Dec 2024

Nepal

Kathmandu → Pokhara → Kathmandu

Dates

25–30 Dec 2024

Duration

6 days

Travelers

couple

Budget

NPR 125,200

Includes flights, for 2

SwayambhunathSky ParaglidingPhewa Lake

Wed 25 Dec

Arrive → Kathmandu

6 stops

Flight4:30 PM

Depart Dhaka DAC Terminal 2 — BG373, Biman Bangladesh Airlines. Boeing 737-800. 1h 45m.

Flight6:00 PM

Arrive Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM), Terminal 1. Clear immigration + bags. Tourist visa on arrival: USD 30/person (15 days).

Transport7:00 PM

Taxi: KTM airport → Flock Kathmandu, Paknajol. ~20 min, NPR 700–900. Fixed-price prepaid taxis at the airport are safest.

Rest7:30 PM

Check in: Flock Kathmandu, Paknajol (near Thamel). Check-in from 1:00 PM — late arrival fine.

Food8:30 PM

Christmas dinner in Thamel — 5-min walk from hotel. Rooftop restaurants: dal bhat, momo, or wood-fired pizza. NPR 500–800/person.

Evening10:00 PM

Thamel Christmas night — the backpacker district is alive with live music, fairy lights, and rooftop bars. Tom & Jerry's or the Purple Haze for live Nepali rock.

Full text · 6 days · couple · adventure

Itinerary

Day 1 — Arrive → Kathmandu

Wed 25 Dec

  1. 4:30 PMFlightDepart Dhaka DAC Terminal 2 — BG373, Biman Bangladesh Airlines. Boeing 737-800. 1h 45m.
  2. 6:00 PMFlightArrive Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM), Terminal 1. Clear immigration + bags. Tourist visa on arrival: USD 30/person (15 days).
  3. 7:00 PMTransportTaxi: KTM airport → Flock Kathmandu, Paknajol. ~20 min, NPR 700–900. Fixed-price prepaid taxis at the airport are safest.
  4. 7:30 PMRestCheck in: Flock Kathmandu, Paknajol (near Thamel). Check-in from 1:00 PM — late arrival fine.
  5. 8:30 PMFoodChristmas dinner in Thamel — 5-min walk from hotel. Rooftop restaurants: dal bhat, momo, or wood-fired pizza. NPR 500–800/person.
  6. 10:00 PMEveningThamel Christmas night — the backpacker district is alive with live music, fairy lights, and rooftop bars. Tom & Jerry's or the Purple Haze for live Nepali rock.

Day 2 — Kathmandu — Temples & Stupas

Thu 26 Dec

  1. 6:30 AMActivitySwayambhunath (Monkey Temple) — just 15 min walk from Flock Kathmandu. Climb 365 steps to the hilltop stupa for sunrise over the Kathmandu Valley. NPR 200/person. Hundreds of monkeys; all-seeing Buddha eyes on the spire.
  2. 8:30 AMFoodBreakfast back in Thamel — Himalayan Java coffee or OR2K café. Eggs benedict, granola, fresh juice. NPR 400–600/person.
  3. 10:00 AMTransportTaxi: Thamel → Pashupatinath Temple. ~15 min, NPR 300–400.
  4. 10:30 AMActivityPashupatinath Temple — the most sacred Hindu site in Nepal, on the banks of the Bagmati River. SAARC entry NPR 100/person. Ghats, sadhus in saffron robes, cremation rituals visible from across the river. Deeply moving.
  5. 12:00 PMActivityBoudhanath Stupa — 10-min walk from Pashupatinath. One of the largest stupas in the world; UNESCO site. NPR 400/person. Tibetan monasteries surround it; prayer flags, butter-lamp offerings, monks circumambulating. ~1.5 hrs.
  6. 2:00 PMFoodLunch at a Tibetan restaurant around Boudhanath — thukpa (noodle soup), shapta (stir-fried beef), butter tea. NPR 400–600/person.
  7. 3:30 PMTransportTaxi: Boudhanath → Kathmandu Durbar Square. ~20 min, NPR 400.
  8. 4:00 PMActivityKathmandu Durbar Square — ancient royal palace complex with Kumari Ghar (living goddess), Taleju Temple, and Hanuman Dhoka. NPR 1,000/person (full heritage zone pass). ~1.5 hrs.
  9. 6:00 PMActivityThamel evening shopping — thangka paintings, pashmina shawls, prayer bowls, trekking gear. Good-natured bargaining expected.
  10. 8:00 PMFoodDinner: Nepali thali at Thakali Kitchen or grilled buff momos at a local stall. NPR 400–700/person.

Day 3 — Kathmandu → Pokhara

Fri 27 Dec

  1. 7:30 AMFoodEarly breakfast at hotel. Check out of Flock Kathmandu by 11:00 AM.
  2. 9:00 AMTransportPrivate car: Kathmandu → Pokhara via Prithvi Highway. ~200 km, 6–7 hrs. The road winds through river gorges (Trishuli), terraced hillsides, and mountain valleys — a scenic drive in itself. NPR 12,000–15,000 total (one way).
  3. 10:30 AMFoodRoadside stop at Mugling or Abu Khaireni — famous for fresh fish curry and chicken. NPR 300–500/person.
  4. 3:30 PMRestArrive Pokhara. Check in: Hotel Middle Path & Spa, Lakeside. Check-in from 12:00 PM.
  5. 5:00 PMActivityPhewa Lake waterfront — stroll the Lakeside promenade as the Annapurna range turns golden at dusk. Free. Rent a rowboat: NPR 400–600/hour.
  6. 7:30 PMFoodDinner at Lakeside — Moondance Restaurant or Busy Bee Café. Steaks, pasta, Nepali BBQ. NPR 600–900/person.

Day 4 — Pokhara — Paragliding & Lake

Sat 28 Dec

  1. 5:30 AMTransportTaxi: hotel → Sarangkot Hill. ~20 min, NPR 500. Arrive before sunrise.
  2. 6:00 AMActivitySarangkot Sunrise — watch the sun rise behind Machhapuchhre (Fish Tail), Annapurna I, II, and IV turn pink above the clouds. One of the finest Himalayan panoramas in Nepal. NPR 100/person.
  3. 8:00 AMActivitySky Paragliding from Sarangkot — 30-min tandem glide from 1,600 m over Phewa Lake and the Pokhara Valley with the Annapurna range as the backdrop. NPR 8,000–9,000/person. GoPro video package available. Best thermals in the morning.
  4. 9:30 AMTransportTransfer back to Lakeside after landing (paragliding ends near Phewa Lake shore). NPR 200.
  5. 10:00 AMFoodCelebratory brunch at a Lakeside café. Pancakes, eggs, fresh lassi. NPR 400–600/person.
  6. 12:00 PMActivityPhewa Lake boating — rowboat to Tal Barahi Temple (island shrine in the middle of the lake). NPR 600/hour. Crystal clear reflections of the Annapurna range on calm mornings.
  7. 2:00 PMActivityDavis Falls (Patale Chhango) — the Pardi Khola river disappears underground in a dramatic cascade. NPR 50/person. Adjacent Gupteshwor Mahadev Cave: NPR 100/person — stalactites and a Shiva shrine.
  8. 4:00 PMActivityWorld Peace Pagoda — white Japanese stupa on a hilltop above the southern shore of Phewa Lake. Free (NPR 100 boat across lake + 30-min hike). 360° views: lake below, Himalayas above.
  9. 7:00 PMFoodDinner at Lakeside — fresh Phewa trout with garlic butter, a Pokhara speciality. NPR 700–1,000/person.
  10. 9:00 PMEveningLakeside bars — Club Amsterdam, Busy Bee. Live Nepali folk music in the evenings.

Day 5 — Pokhara → Kathmandu

Sun 29 Dec

  1. 8:00 AMActivityLast morning on Phewa Lake — early row on the glassy water before the tourist crowds. Optional: Begnas Lake (30 min away, quieter). NPR 400/hour rowboat.
  2. 10:30 AMFoodFinal Pokhara breakfast + check out of Hotel Middle Path & Spa by 12:00 PM.
  3. 12:00 PMTransportPrivate car: Pokhara → Kathmandu. ~7 hrs return via Prithvi Highway. NPR 12,000–15,000.
  4. 3:00 PMFoodLunch stop at Mugling — riverside dhabas. Dal bhat or mutton curry. NPR 300–500/person.
  5. 7:00 PMRestArrive Kathmandu. Check in: Flock Kathmandu, Paknajol. Check-in from 1:00 PM.
  6. 8:00 PMFoodLast dinner in Thamel — Fire & Ice Pizzeria (Kathmandu's best pizza) or a farewell Nepali thali. NPR 500–800/person.
  7. 9:30 PMActivityFinal Thamel shopping — last-minute pashminas, spices, and thankas for gifts. Pack tonight.

Day 6 — Departure

Mon 30 Dec

  1. 8:00 AMFoodQuick breakfast at hotel. Check out of Flock Kathmandu by 11:00 AM.
  2. 10:00 AMTransportTaxi: Flock Kathmandu → Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM). ~20 min, NPR 700–900.
  3. 10:30 AMActivityArrive KTM airport, Terminal 1. Check-in + immigration + security. Biman BG372.
  4. 12:35 PMFlightFlight BG372 departs KTM — Biman Bangladesh Airlines. Boeing 737-800. 1h 25m.
  5. 2:15 PMFlightLand Dhaka DAC Terminal 2 — Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.

Flights

Outbound · DAC → KTM
Wed 25 Dec · 4:30 PM → 6:00 PM · BG373 · Biman Bangladesh Airlines · Boeing 737-800 · Economy-Y(B)
Return · KTM → DAC
Mon 30 Dec · 12:35 PM → 2:15 PM · BG372 · Biman Bangladesh Airlines · Boeing 737-800 · Economy-Y(H)

Accommodation

Flock Kathmandu · Kathmandu
2 nights · 25–27 Dec · Check-in: 25 Dec 1:00 PM · Check-out: 27 Dec 11:00 AM
Hotel Middle Path & Spa · Pokhara
2 nights · 27–29 Dec · Check-in: 27 Dec 12:00 PM · Check-out: 29 Dec 12:00 PM
Flock Kathmandu · Kathmandu
1 nights · 29–30 Dec · Check-in: 29 Dec 1:00 PM · Check-out: 30 Dec 11:00 AM

Route

  1. DAC
  2. Kathmandu · via flight
  3. Pokhara · via car
  4. Kathmandu · via car
  5. DAC

Budget estimate · NPR

Flights — round trip (for 2)
NPR 48,000
Accommodation — 5 nights (for 2)
NPR 15,000
Private car KTM↔Pokhara (return)
NPR 28,000
Sky Paragliding (for 2)
NPR 17,000
Entry fees (for 2)
NPR 6,700
Food — 6 days (for 2)
NPR 8,000
Transport within cities (for 2)
NPR 2,500
Total estimate
NPR 125,200

Includes flights, for 2

Notes

Visa
Tourist visa on arrival at KTM airport: USD 30 for 15 days. Bring USD cash or card. Queues can be long — fill in the online form at immigration.gov.np before travel to save time.
Currency
1 USD ≈ NPR 133 · 1 BDT ≈ NPR 1.21 (approx, Dec 2024). Indian Rupee (INR) is widely accepted at 1.6 NPR. ATMs in Thamel and Lakeside Pokhara dispense NPR. Carry cash for temples and street food.
Paragliding
Book with certified operators in Lakeside Pokhara (Blue Sky, Sunrise, or Avia Club). Minimum age 5; no upper weight limit in most cases. Morning flights (8–11 AM) give the clearest Himalayan views before afternoon clouds build.
Road Trip
KTM↔Pokhara via Prithvi Highway takes 6–7 hrs by private car. A scenic but winding mountain road — avoid night driving. Mugling and Abu Khaireni are popular midway food stops.
Dress Code
Remove footwear at all temple sites. At Pashupatinath, non-Hindus are restricted to the eastern bank. Dress modestly — cover shoulders and knees. Light layers for December; Pokhara mornings can be cold (8–12°C).