Nepal itineraries: 1 week, 2 weeks and 3 weeks

Pick the row that matches your nights, then read the route notes below. Night counts exclude the international flight and assume you land in Kathmandu.

Book the international flight into Kathmandu first, then decide whether you are trekking. Treks set everything else: permits, guide, insurance and the number of nights you can spend in the valley. If you are not trekking, the 7-day route is the default and the 14-day route is the comfortable version.

For 7 days, sleep three nights in Kathmandu and use one full day for Boudhanath and Pashupatinath, one for Swayambhunath and Durbar Square, and a half day for Patan. Move to Bhaktapur for one night, then fly to Pokhara for three nights: one for the lake and Sarangkot sunrise, one for a day hike, one spare. Fly back the evening before your international departure.

For 10 days, keep the same valley block and add the Poon Hill loop from Pokhara: three trekking nights via Ghorepani and Tadapani, with a licensed guide. Come back to Pokhara for one night, then Kathmandu. For 14 days, insert Bandipur between Kathmandu and Pokhara and finish with three nights in Chitwan at Sauraha; in winter, Lumbini is the warmer swap.

For 21 days, the Everest Base Camp trek takes 12 trekking nights from Lukla, with acclimatisation days at Namche and Dingboche and two buffer days for Lukla weather. Langtang, 7–9 nights, is the fallback when mountain flights are cancelled.

Two rules save most trips. First, never plan to fly out of Kathmandu on the same day you return from a trek or a mountain flight; weather cancels Lukla and Pokhara flights often enough that a buffer day is standard practice. Second, check the festival calendar before booking: Dashain and Tết-style holiday peaks fill domestic flights and buses, and some trekking lodges close in the monsoon.

Trekking in Nepal normally requires a TIMS card and, in national park areas, a permit; the rules and fees change, so confirm with the Nepal Tourism Board or a licensed agency before you pay anyone. Solo trekking is restricted in some areas, and a licensed guide is required on many routes.

Altitude is the other variable. Above 3,000 m, plan a rest day for every 600–900 m of sleeping-altitude gain, and turn around if symptoms of acute mountain sickness appear. Travel insurance that covers helicopter evacuation at your maximum altitude is worth the cost.

Domestic flights are weight-limited, so pack a soft bag and leave surplus luggage in Kathmandu. Roads between Kathmandu and Pokhara are slow and landslide-prone in the monsoon; the flight is short but cancellable.