Kathmandu and Pokhara in 4 Days: A City Tour Itinerary That Works

Last updated 9 October 2026.

Short answer: four days is enough to see the best of both cities if you keep it tight: one night in Kathmandu for the four big heritage sites, a short flight to Pokhara, and two nights beside Phewa Lake with a full sightseeing day and a sunrise at Sarangkot. It suits a short visit, a first trip, or anyone who wants culture and a lake without trekking. There is no high altitude, but expect cobbled squares, steps and one very early start.

Our Kathmandu and Pokhara City Tour, 4 Days runs exactly this way, with a licensed heritage guide, a private vehicle, both flights and the entrance fees included. Below is how the days run and what I would think about before you book.

Is 4 days enough for Kathmandu and Pokhara?

For a first look, yes. You will not see everything, and I would rather say so than pretend. Kathmandu alone can fill a week, and Pokhara rewards a slow day with no plan. But if you have four days, the order matters more than the length. We put the temples first, when you are fresh, fly to Pokhara after them, and leave the lake and the sunrise for the end.

If you have more time, a longer tour lets you slow down. If you have less, I would do only Kathmandu and use the extra day there.

How do the four days run?

What happens on day 1?

We meet you at Tribhuvan International Airport and take you to your hotel to rest. In the afternoon we go up to Swayambhunath, the hilltop stupa whose painted eyes look over the valley, and walk through Kathmandu Durbar Square, the old royal square, with the Hanuman Dhoka palace and the house of the Kumari, the living goddess. If your flight lands late, we move the afternoon visits into day 2. You are at about 1,400 m, so altitude is not a concern. If you want the history of the sites in more detail, read our guide to the valley's World Heritage sites.

What happens on day 2?

Pashupatinath is the holiest Shiva temple in Nepal, on the bank of the Bagmati river. Only Hindus may enter the main temple, but you can watch from the terraces on the far bank. Boudhanath is one of the largest stupas in the world and the centre of Tibetan Buddhist life in Kathmandu. We walk the kora, the circuit, clockwise with the local people. For more on the temples, read our guide to Kathmandu's temples in one day.

We then take you to the airport for the short flight to Pokhara, and where the schedule allows we choose a flight that leaves after the temples. A driver meets you there. Pokhara is lower and warmer than Kathmandu, at about 820 m. After you rest we walk along the lakeside path and watch the sunset over the water.

What happens on day 3?

This is the full Pokhara day. We start in the Old Bazaar, the original trading street of the city, and visit the Bindhyabasini temple above it. We then go to the Seti river gorge and Davis Falls, where the water drops into a narrow channel, and on the way back visit one of the two caves, Gupteshwor Mahadev or Mahendra. You choose on the day.

After lunch we spend an hour or two in the International Mountain Museum, which is managed by the Nepal Mountaineering Association and tells the story of Himalayan climbing and of the mountain peoples. In the late afternoon a private boat takes us out on Phewa Lake, with the water-side temple on its small island. The stops can change with the weather and the water level in the gorge. If you want more ideas for a free afternoon, see things to do in Pokhara.

What happens on day 4?

We collect you from your Pokhara hotel at about 5:00 am and drive up to Sarangkot, about 1,600 m. We watch the sun come up on the Annapurna range and Machhapuchhre from a viewpoint, and have breakfast there. On a cloudy morning we still go, but we cannot promise the mountains. Our note on Sarangkot sunrise says what to expect.

We then take you to Pokhara airport for the flight to Kathmandu, and a vehicle takes you to your hotel or to the airport for your onward flight. If your flight leaves in the morning, tell us when you book and we will change the order.

When is the best time to go?

September to November and February to May. Summer is hot and wet, and winter mornings are cool and often hazy. Flight times and weather can change the order of the days, and your guide travels with you.

What should you wear?

Comfortable shoes for cobbles and steps, and clothes that cover your shoulders and knees at temples. Shoes come off at some entrances, and leather items are not allowed inside a few Hindu temples. Bring your passport.

What does it cost and what is included?

Every tier includes airport pick-up and drop-off in Kathmandu, both domestic flights for you and your guide, the entrance fees at every site, the private boat on Phewa Lake, a first aid kit with a pulse oximeter and bottled water in the vehicle. Not included: international flights, the Nepal visa, travel insurance, tips, and Kathmandu hotel nights before or after the programme. Unlike our treks, the tour does include your hotels, from the Kathmandu night to the last Pokhara night.

The deposit is 10 per cent and it is non-refundable, with no refund if you cancel. You can reschedule free of charge with at least 72 hours notice, to any date within one year. The balance is paid on arrival in Kathmandu in US dollars or euros, cash or card. Card carries 3.5 per cent and cash in Kathmandu none. We do not take Nepali rupees from foreign clients. Group size is 2 to 20, and you can also travel solo.

Questions people ask

Is this tour tiring? It is a full programme, with one early start on day 4 and a lot of walking on cobbles and steps, but nothing is steep or high.

What if the flight to Pokhara is delayed? Flight times and weather can change the order of the days. Your guide adjusts the plan and tells you what moves.

Can I add trekking afterwards? Yes. Several short treks start from Pokhara, and I would be happy to suggest one for your dates.

Do I need a visa? Most visitors get a visa on arrival at Kathmandu airport. Our visa on arrival guide walks through the steps.

Written by Shreejan Simkhada, CEO of The Everest Holiday, from a family of three generations of family guides. TAAN Member #1586. WhatsApp +977 9810351300.