Two-Week Nepal Itinerary — Kathmandu + Trek + Wildlife Without an Agency

Two weeks is the sweet spot for a first Nepal trip. You can see the Kathmandu Valley, do a meaningful trek, visit Chitwan for wildlife, and have buffer days for travel and unexpected delays. Most agency package tours compress these into a tight schedule and skip the slow time that makes Nepal worth visiting.

This is the honest 14-day independent itinerary — what to do, how to book it yourself, and what the daily logistics look like.

The shape of the trip

Days 1-3:   Kathmandu Valley (3 nights)
Day 4:      Travel to Pokhara
Days 5-11:  Annapurna Base Camp trek (7 days)
Day 12:     Pokhara to Chitwan
Days 13-14: Chitwan + return to Kathmandu (depart day 14 evening or day 15 morning)

Adjust to your interests:

• Swap ABC trek for Mardi Himal (5 days) and add 2 days in Pokhara
• Replace Chitwan with Lumbini if Buddhism interests you more than wildlife
• Add Bandipur between Kathmandu and Pokhara for a quieter pace

Day-by-day

Days 1-3: Kathmandu Valley

Day 1 — Arrival

• Land at Tribhuvan Airport (most flights arrive evening)
• Prepaid taxi to Thamel (NPR 700)
• Hotel check-in
• Easy walk to Thamel main streets, get oriented
• Casual dinner at a Thamel restaurant
• Early bed

See the Where to Stay in Kathmandu guide for neighborhood choice.

Day 2 — Kathmandu old city

• Morning: walk Thamel to Asan, Indra Chowk, Durbar Square (3-4 hours)
• Lunch at a casual local restaurant
• Afternoon: visit Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple) — Pathao there, walk down
• Evening: dinner in Thamel

Day 3 — Patan + Boudhanath

• Morning: Pathao to Patan — Durbar Square, Patan Museum, Newari lunch at Honacha
• Afternoon: Pathao to Boudhanath — walk the stupa kora, butter tea at a cafe, monastery visit
• Evening: return to Thamel for dinner

Optional Day 3 swap: replace Boudhanath with Bhaktapur (the largest Newari old city, separate day trip from Patan).

Day 4: Travel to Pokhara

• Morning: tourist bus from Thamel (departure 7-8 AM)
• 7-8 hours travel, lunch stop in Mugling
• Arrival in Pokhara (Lakeside) mid-afternoon
• Check into hotel
• Sunset at Lakeside

See the Kathmandu to Pokhara transport guide for options.

Days 5-11: Annapurna Base Camp Trek (7 days)

Day 5 (Trek Day 1) — Pokhara to Tikhedhunga via Nayapul + Birethanti

• Morning: ACAP permit + TIMS card in Pokhara
• Taxi/bus to Nayapul (2-3 hours)
• Trek to Tikhedhunga (3 hours, NPR 2,000)

Day 6 (Trek Day 2) — Tikhedhunga to Ghorepani

• 6-7 hours trekking through rhododendron forest
• Steep climb up the famous "stone steps"
• Stay Ghorepani (2,860m)

Day 7 (Trek Day 3) — Ghorepani to Poon Hill to Tadapani

• Dawn climb to Poon Hill (3,210m) for panoramic Annapurna views
• Trek to Tadapani (2,700m) — 5-6 hours

Day 8 (Trek Day 4) — Tadapani to Sinuwa

• 4-5 hours through forest, into the Modi Khola valley
• Stay Sinuwa (2,360m)

Day 9 (Trek Day 5) — Sinuwa to Deurali

• 5-6 hours of steady ascent, entering the sanctuary
• Stay Deurali (3,200m)

Day 10 (Trek Day 6) — Deurali to MBC to ABC

• 5-6 hours to Machhapuchhre Base Camp (3,700m) then up to Annapurna Base Camp (4,130m)
• Sunset at ABC

Day 11 (Trek Day 7) — ABC sunrise, descent to Bamboo or Sinuwa

• 5:00 AM: sunrise at ABC — the iconic mountain amphitheater shot
• Long descent through the same trail back down

Day 12 (Trek Day 8) — Descent to Nayapul, return to Pokhara

• Continued descent, hot springs at Jhinu Danda optional
• Reach Nayapul afternoon
• Taxi/bus to Pokhara

Tipping the porter and any guide: NPR 5,000-10,000 per person at trek end. See the tipping guide.

If trekking solo isn't your preference, Mardi Himal is a great 5-day alternative.

Day 13: Pokhara to Chitwan

• Morning: Pokhara to Sauraha (Chitwan) by tourist bus — 5-6 hours
• Afternoon arrival in Sauraha
• Check into hotel
• Evening: Tharu cultural show

Days 14: Chitwan safari + return to Kathmandu

• 5:30 AM: pre-dawn canoe ride
• 9:00 AM-1:00 PM: jeep safari
• 2:00 PM: lunch
• Afternoon: walking safari or elephant breeding center
• Evening: Tharu show

See the Chitwan safari guide for what to expect.

Day 14 evening or Day 15: Return to Kathmandu

• Morning bus to Kathmandu (4-5 hours)
• Afternoon: shopping in Thamel for souvenirs
• Evening flight home (if booked for Day 14) or hotel night before Day 15 departure

Booking strategy

What to book in advance (from home)

• International flights
• Kathmandu hotel for nights 1-3
• Pokhara hotel for night 4 and post-trek night 12
• Trekking permits and porter (can be arranged after arrival in Pokhara, but pre-booking saves time)
• Chitwan hotel package (Sauraha hotels offer combined transfer+safari+meal packages)
• Tourist bus tickets for the long-distance legs

What to book on arrival

• Local transport (Pathao app, taxis) — pay as you go
• Restaurant meals — walk in
• Day trips within the Valley — book day-of through your hotel

Cost estimate

For a couple traveling mid-range (good but not luxury):

| Category | Cost per person | |---|---| | International flights | $800-1,500 (depends on origin) | | Visa (30-day) | $50 | | Kathmandu hotels (3 nights, mid-range) | $150 | | Tourist bus to Pokhara | $20 | | Pokhara hotels (2 nights) | $80 | | ABC trek (7 days, all-inclusive porter+permits) | $500 | | Tourist bus to Chitwan | $20 | | Chitwan package (2 days, all-inclusive) | $200 | | Bus back to Kathmandu | $20 | | Food + drinks (14 days) | $200 | | Local transport (taxis, Pathao) | $50 | | Tips for guides/porters | $80 | | Souvenirs/buffer | $100-300 | | Total per person (excl. international flight) | ~$1,400-1,800 |

For backpackers: $1,000-1,200. For comfort travelers: $2,200-3,000.

Pre-departure checklist

• Passport with 6+ months validity
• Travel insurance with trekking + altitude coverage
• Vaccinations (see Nepal vaccinations 2026)
• Trekking gear (down jacket, sleeping bag, boots — broken in)
• US dollars in clean bills for visa + initial expenses
• Two passport-size photos
• The packing list for the trek
• A few Nepali phrases — start with the eight trail phrases
• Pathao app installed on phone

What can go wrong

• Lukla flight cancellation (if EBC instead) — build a buffer day
• Trek extension for weather/AMS — keep one flexible day
• Stomach issues day 1-3 — common, manageable with rest + hydration
• Tourist bus delay — usually 30 mins to 2 hours

For all of these, the 2-week itinerary has slack. A 7-day or 10-day itinerary doesn't.

A few useful Nepali phrases per stage

Kathmandu:

• Yo kahaan ho? — "Where is this?"
• Kati paisa? — "How much?"
• Pathao Hospital jaane? — "Going to Patan Hospital?" (for directions)

Trek:

• The eight trail phrases
• The teahouse script

Chitwan:

• Rhino dekhne sambhavana? — "Chance of seeing rhino?"
• Walking safari kati paisa? — "How much for walking safari?"

Pre-trip checklist

• 14 days allocated, with arrival night and departure flight built into the count
• All hotels and bus tickets pre-booked (or first 4 nights and let the rest be flexible)
• Travel insurance confirmed
• Vaccinations completed
• Permits + porter arranged before flying (or first day in Pokhara)
• The eight Nepali phrases
• The scam-defence script

Two weeks in Nepal is enough to feel like you've experienced the country — Kathmandu's culture, the trekking, the wildlife, the slowness. Three weeks would be better. Two weeks is the realistic compromise that most travelers can fit.