Nepal 11-Day Self-Guided Tour: Complete Guide to Kathmandu, Pokhara, and Chitwan

Nepal 11-Day Independent Travel Guide: The Complete Guide to Kathmandu, Pokhara, and Chitwan

Origins Because I love traveling and planning trips, I had several experiences in the past planning and going on self-guided trips with friends. However, taking family on a self-guided trip was the first time for us, and fortunately, it turned out very successfully! This time, the group consisted of my mom, two aunts, and two of my mom's friends. The Nepal trip planning started brewing at the end of last year. At that time, a relative mentioned wanting to join a 13-day in-depth travel group tour costing over 90,000, with some expenses to be covered out of pocket. Later, due to other factors, it didn't work out, and that's when I started researching and gathering information about Nepal. Coincidentally, a fellow traveler from Macau on my Iceland trip recommended this local travel agency, Himalaya Trip, which specializes in Pokhara trekking. After buying the Thai Airways tickets, I got in touch with the agency and started planning the itinerary. Day 1 - Thai Airways 14:05-16:50 Taiwan》Bangkok, 21:15-23:23 Bangkok〉Kathmandu, the travel agency will arrange airport pickup to the hotel, the Kathmandu hotel will be booked by ourselves. Day 2 - The travel agency will help arrange the Kathmandu》Pokhara flight, as well as airport pickup in Pokhara to the hotel (hotel to be booked ourselves), free time to wander around the city in the afternoon. Exploring Pokhara: Must-visit attractions and activities in Nepal's most beautiful lake city Day 3~6 - Trekking. This part is entirely arranged by the travel agency, including a Chinese-speaking guide, two porters, accommodation, meals, and transfers along the way. Poon Hill Trekking First Experience: A Detailed Guide to the 2024 Nepal 4-Day 3-Night Itinerary (Part 1) Poon Hill Trekking First Experience: A Detailed Guide to the 2024 Nepal 4-Day 3-Night Itinerary (Part 2) Day 7~8 - The travel agency arranged a car to Chitwan (the quality of the car really matters here, because the road conditions are very poor; the car arranged by the travel agency was quite comfortable to ride in). After arriving in Chitwan, the local hotel arranged four package activities: a Tharu village tour, a Tharu cultural performance, an elephant ride/jeep jungle safari, and a canoe adventure. Accommodation and meals for these two days were also included in the itinerary. Nepal Chitwan National Park Guide: Wildlife, Jungle Safari, and Must-Do Experiences Day 9 - The travel agency arranges a car from Chitwan to Kathmandu, with the afternoon free for activities in Kathmandu. Day 10 - The travel agency arranges a full-day guided tour of Kathmandu (also with a Chinese-speaking guide), and in the evening arranges a car to take us to the airport. Exploring Kathmandu: The Complete Guide to Cultural Heritage, Temples, and Urban Charm Day 11 - Return flight with Thai Airways at 00:25, arriving back at Taoyuan Airport at 1pm. The above costs are $800 per person; we purchased plane tickets for 19,139, including local meals and self-arranged accommodations, plus tips for guides and porters, etc., totaling around 53,000 per person. What's particularly thoughtful about this travel agency is that on the first day, the manager personally rushed to the airport to pick us up and presented us with a khata scarf. On the second day, he also personally came to ensure the driver picked us up from the airport on time. The Chinese-speaking guide also picked us up at Pokhara airport and accompanied us from the third day through the ninth day. With him there, I just needed to serve as the tour leader. The Chinese-speaking guide also taught us many Nepali words and helped us communicate our requests for vegetarian meals.On the ninth day, the manager came again to our hotel in Kathmandu to check whether we had any issues with the itinerary these past few days, and then came once more on the last day to see us off at the airport! Also, the travel agency provided us with a set of sweatshirts and wool hats, so we could take group photos wearing matching outfits while hiking 👍 Our Pokhara guide, A-Chen, was such a thoughtful guide — besides constantly checking on the elders' physical condition while leading the group, when Mom wasn't feeling well he even helped carry our bags to lighten the load. With his help, this Nepal trip was so much less of a burden for me! Each of Nepal's three cities has its own distinct character. The capital, Kathmandu, is home to remnants of the ancient royal palace as well as many famous temples, and it's also the liveliest city in Nepal. Pokhara sits at an altitude of over 800 meters with fresh air, and it's a supply and rest stop for trekking groups — many foreigners come here to slow down and relax. Chitwan has a lot of wildlife, and jungle adventures are one of its biggest draws. If you're thinking about planning a trip to Nepal, do consider these spots! https://himalayatrip.com 2025 Update: To celebrate this article being featured on Google Search's homepage, the Himalayatrip boss said that when you book your itinerary, friends who mention booking through this strategy guide can enjoy a 95% discount! Things to Pay Attention to for Self-guided Tours and Hiking Budget Preparation: Nepal is currently still mostly cash-based transactions, with only a few hotels and restaurants accepting card payments (be careful as some hotels charge additional fees for card payments, so make sure to ask clearly). Therefore, exchanging for local rupees is still necessary. However, don't worry—in the three major cities we visited (Kathmandu, Pokhara, and Chitwan), we didn't encounter any problems exchanging money at roadside money changers. Just remember to bring US dollars; Taiwanese dollars cannot be exchanged! Exchange rates vary by location: Kathmandu > Chitwan > Pokhara > Airport Electrical appliances: Nepal's voltage is 220V, and standard outlets typically have 2 round holes. However, whether in mountain lodges or hotels, I found that all were equipped with universal sockets—Nepal has made great efforts to accommodate tourists! It's recommended to bring an extension cord and a power bank, because mountain huts often only have 1-2 outlets available. Also, if you'd feel uncomfortable not being able to shower, you can prepare a hair dryer that works with 220V, since none of the three mountain huts I stayed at provided one. Best travel (hiking) season: October to May of the following year, which is Nepal's dry season. Visa: Taiwanese citizens can apply for a visa on arrival. You can fill in the information online in advance, and after entering the country, go directly to pay the fee. Refer to the visa form guide. https://tatahenso.com/nepal-travel/#google_vignette Basically, as long as the money is in place, we didn't run into any problems applying for the visa. (Some customs officers didn't even ask us to attach a photo!) Also, here's an experience I want to share: if you directly google "Nepal visa on arrival," an English website will show up — this one is actually a travel agency service, not the official site!!!

After I filled everything out and the payment popped up, I noticed the price was wrong just one second before checkout! For 15 days, it should be $30 per person, but according to their pricing it was over $70 per person. Thankfully I immediately hit cancel, or I almost got ripped off... SIM card: We got ours at the airport, which required providing a 2-inch photo. It was 400 NPR for 14 days with 7GB, which is very cheap. Nepal has two telecom companies, Ncell and Namaste. When we were in the mountains, Ncell often had no signal, while our guide's Namaste always had signal, so I'd recommend getting the latter. Food: Nepalese cuisine combines Tibetan and Indian cooking, so curries and masala sauces are very common. Also, vegetarians should pay special attention — Nepalese vegetarian dishes usually contain garlic, onions, and the like, so if you can't eat these, be sure to ask the restaurant specifically. As for water, everyone buys bottled water — a 1000ml bottle costs around 20 Nepalese rupees at a regular supermarket, but up in the mountains it can cost 100-150 rupees. You can refer to this introduction to Nepalese food: Nepal 11-Day Semi-Independent Trip - Food Introduction What to Wear: We visited in October when the weather was cooling down. Temperatures in Kathmandu were around 15-24°C, Pokhara was 17-27°C, and in the mountains about 12-20°C. For hiking, we highly recommend wearing a crew-neck moisture-wicking shirt with a short-sleeved shirt layered over it (all our guides dressed this way). We recommend crew-neck moisture-wicking shirts because they offer sun protection, moisture-wicking, and warmth—all in one.

In the evenings on the mountain and when going to see the sunrise, I always wore a short-sleeve shirt as a base layer with a sweater on top, then a light down jacket outside, plus a scarf and a wool hat. Once my body started warming up, I'd slowly take layers off. While hiking, the scarf and wool hat worked amazingly well — as long as my head and neck were covered, I could wear just a short-sleeve shirt even when it was around 10 degrees outside. Accommodation: In Pokhara I stayed at Hotel Hidden Kingdom right next to Phewa Lake. This area is the tourist hub, with lots of restaurants and shops, and on clear days you can even see Machapuchare (Fishtail Peak). It's about NT$1,400 a night — definitely worth recommending. Hotel Yambu in Kathmandu is located in the Thamel area, which similarly offers plenty of shops and restaurants. This hotel costs around 1000 Taiwan dollars per night, though the rooms are quite ordinary. The main advantage is its location in the Thamel area. Transportation: 1. If you're taking the domestic flight from Kathmandu to Pokhara, remember to request a seat on the right side when checking in (or directly ask for a seat with a mountain view). This way you'll be able to see many high peaks above the clouds. (This flight costs 105 US dollars) 2. We traveled from Pokhara to Chitwan, and from Chitwan to Kathmandu, all by car. The first trip took 5 hours, the second trip took 6.5 hours. Because the road conditions were very poor, I couldn't imagine taking a bus or an even worse vehicle. The advantage of driving is that it's inexpensive, but the disadvantage is naturally that commuting is tiring and time-consuming. Tips: Based on my research of others' shared experiences online, here is 2024 experience for reference Guide/Tour guide: $10 USD per person per day Porter: $5 USD per person per day Driver: We follow the same standard as tour groups and also give long-distance drivers a tip of 10-12 USD 🌏 More Independent Travel and Shopping Guides to Explore Want to discover more exciting travel inspiration and practical shopping information? Here are a few articles recommended for you: 🔹 【Australia 10-Day Independent Travel Itinerary Summary】Sydney, Melbourne Attractions Guide + Transportation 👉 Visit the Opera House, the Great Barrier Reef, and city food all in one comprehensive guide to the classic Australia itinerary 🔹 【Nepal 11-Day Self-Guided Tour】Complete Guide to Kathmandu, Pokhara, and Chitwan 👉 A deep journey of mountain hiking, ancient cultural cities, and wildlife experiences 🔹 【Nepal Food Sharing】Authentic flavors and culinary culture from an 11.5-day journey 👉 From street food to traditional restaurants, experience Nepal's unique culinary charm 🔹 【Australia Must-Buy Recommendations】15 health, beauty, and daily essentials unboxing & review 👉 Australia supermarket and pharmacy must-buy list—practical items perfect for bringing back home 🔹 [15-Day Turkey & Greece Self-Guided Travel Guide] Itinerary Planning × Must-Visit Attractions × Transportation & Accommodation Budget Cheat Sheet 👉 Magnificent sights and cultural experiences spanning Europe and Asia — a complete route plan