Kathmandu and Pokhara are the classic first trip to Nepal from Bangladesh. The flight from Dhaka takes about an hour and a half, Bangladeshi passport holders can get a visa at the airport, and in six days you can see the old royal squares of the Kathmandu Valley, watch the sunrise over the Annapurnas from Sarangkot and spend an evening by Phewa Lake. This guide follows a typical 5-night, 6-day plan and works out what it costs, first as a ready-made package and then if you book everything yourself.
All prices are per person in Bangladeshi taka (BDT) and US dollars (USD), assuming two people sharing a room. We have converted at roughly 1 USD = 122 BDT = 135 NPR (Nepali rupees), and rounded the results. Fares and fees change often, so treat these figures as a guide and check current prices before you book.
The plan at a glance
- Day 1: Fly Dhaka to Kathmandu, transfer to the hotel, free evening in Thamel.
- Day 2: Drive Kathmandu to Pokhara (about 200 km, 7 hours).
- Day 3: Sarangkot sunrise, then Pokhara sightseeing and Phewa Lake.
- Day 4: Drive back to Kathmandu, with an optional stop at Manakamana Temple.
- Day 5: Kathmandu city tour: Kathmandu Durbar Square, Patan Durbar Square and the Narayanhiti Palace Museum.
- Day 6: Transfer to the airport and fly home to Dhaka.
That is 3 nights in Kathmandu and 2 in Pokhara.
Day 1: Arrive in Kathmandu
Flights land at Tribhuvan International Airport on the eastern edge of the city. Bangladeshi citizens can get a visa on arrival, and as SAARC nationals they get a free visa of up to 30 days on their first visit in a visa year. Queues at the visa counters can be long, so a pre-booked hotel pickup is worth it. The drive to Thamel, where most visitors stay, takes 20 to 40 minutes depending on traffic.
Spend the rest of the day settling in. Thamel's lanes are full of cafés, trekking shops and money changers, and are easy to explore on foot.
Day 2: Kathmandu to Pokhara by road
Leave early, around 7 am, to beat traffic out of the valley. The road follows the Trishuli and then the Marsyangdi rivers past terraced fields and hill villages, and the trip takes about 7 hours with breaks for tea and lunch. You have two choices:
- Tourist bus: comfortable, air-conditioned coaches leave from Kantipath in Kathmandu each morning. Expect about NPR 1,250 to 1,700 (USD 9 to 13) one way depending on the class of bus.
- Private car: quicker and more flexible, with stops wherever you like. A sedan or jeep costs roughly NPR 12,000 to 25,000 (USD 90 to 185) one way for the vehicle, so it gets much better value with three or four people.
Domestic flights take about 25 minutes but cost several times as much as the bus.
Day 3: Sarangkot sunrise and Pokhara sightseeing
Be in the hotel lobby by about 5:30 am for the drive up to Sarangkot. On a clear morning, especially from October to April, the first light turns Machhapuchhre and the Annapurna range pink and then gold. You are usually back at the hotel by 7:30 am for breakfast.
After breakfast, see the sights on the southern side of town:
- Davis Falls (Patale Chhango): a waterfall that drops into an underground channel.
- Gupteshwor Mahadev Cave: a Shiva cave across the road from the falls, where steps lead down behind the waterfall.
- International Mountain Museum: exhibits on the Himalayas, mountaineering and mountain communities.
- Phewa Lake: take a rowing boat to Tal Barahi Temple on its island, then stroll along Lakeside in the evening.
Davis Falls and Gupteshwor each charge a small entry fee of around NPR 100 (under USD 1). If you want to try paragliding, which takes off from Sarangkot, plan it for the morning when conditions are best and do the sightseeing in the afternoon.
Day 4: Back to Kathmandu
The drive back takes about 7 hours on the same road. With a private car you can stop at Manakamana Temple, reached by a cable car from Kurintar on the highway. The ride up gives sweeping views of the Trishuli valley, but allow two to three hours for the stop. In the evening, walk through Thamel or Asan bazaar for dinner and shopping.
Day 5: Kathmandu city tour
Start between 9 and 10 am for a 5 to 6 hour tour. A hired car with a driver is the easiest way to connect the sights:
- Kathmandu Durbar Square (Basantapur): the old royal palace complex, temples and the house of the Kumari, the living goddess.
- Patan Durbar Square: across the river in Lalitpur, with some of the valley's finest Newar architecture. The ticket also covers the Patan Museum.
- Narayanhiti Palace Museum: the former royal palace, preserved as it was when the monarchy ended in 2008.
Entry fees are not usually included in tour packages. SAARC nationals pay reduced rates at the Durbar Squares, which various 2026 sources put at around NPR 150 to 500 (USD 1 to 4) for Kathmandu Durbar Square and NPR 250 (about USD 2) for Patan. Foreigners from outside SAARC pay NPR 1,000 (about USD 7) at each. Carry your passport to show at the ticket counter.
Day 6: Fly home to Dhaka
Pack the night before and check out after breakfast. Allow plenty of time for the drive to the airport and for security at Tribhuvan, which can be slow at peak times. Plan to arrive about three hours before an international flight.
What it costs
Return flights Dhaka–Kathmandu
Biman Bangladesh Airlines, US-Bangla Airlines and Himalaya Airlines fly non-stop between Dhaka and Kathmandu. Flight-search sites in 2026 show return fares from about 31,000 to 35,000 BDT (USD 255 to 290) at the cheapest. One Bangladeshi booking site lists Himalaya Airlines return fares from about 33,000 BDT (USD 270). Expect 40,000 BDT (USD 330) or more around Eid, Puja and the December holidays, and book early for those dates. November is often one of the cheapest months to fly.
Visa
Free for Bangladeshi passport holders on their first visit in a visa year, for up to 30 days. Check the latest rules with the Embassy of Nepal in Dhaka before travelling, as fees and conditions do change.
Hotels
- Budget guesthouse: about USD 15 to 25 a night for a double room, so 900 to 1,500 BDT (USD 8 to 12) per person per night when shared.
- Mid-range 3-star hotel: about USD 30 to 60 a night, so 1,800 to 3,700 BDT (USD 15 to 30) per person per night.
Most hotels in Thamel and Pokhara Lakeside include breakfast. See our guide to Kathmandu hotels for first-time visitors for where to stay.
Getting around
- Airport transfers: a taxi to Thamel usually costs about NPR 800 to 1,200 (USD 6 to 9) each way. Agree the fare before you get in.
- Kathmandu–Pokhara–Kathmandu: about 2,300 to 3,100 BDT (USD 19 to 25) per person by tourist bus, or roughly 11,000 to 23,000 BDT (USD 90 to 190) per person by private car split between two people.
- Sightseeing by car: hiring a taxi for the Sarangkot sunrise plus Pokhara sights, and another for the Kathmandu city tour, costs around NPR 7,000 to 11,000 (USD 52 to 81) in total. Split between two, that is about 3,200 to 5,000 BDT (USD 26 to 41) each.
Entry fees
Kathmandu and Patan Durbar Squares, Davis Falls, Gupteshwor Cave, the Narayanhiti Museum and a Phewa Lake boat together come to roughly NPR 1,100 to 1,700, or about 1,000 to 1,500 BDT (USD 8 to 12) at SAARC rates. Add the Manakamana cable car if you go.
Food
Meals at local restaurants and cafés cost about NPR 1,500 to 3,000 (USD 11 to 22) per person a day, or 8,000 to 16,000 BDT (USD 65 to 130) for six days. A plate of dal bhat or momos is cheap; Western food on Lakeside costs more.
SIM card and extras
A local Ncell or Nepal Telecom tourist SIM with data, tips and small purchases add about 1,500 to 3,000 BDT (USD 12 to 25).
Package or DIY?
Ready-made package: about 42,500 BDT (USD 350) plus extras
Bangladeshi tour operators sell this exact route as a 5-night, 6-day package. One Dhaka operator lists a 3-star version at 42,500 BDT (USD 350) per person sharing a double room (50,500 BDT or USD 415 single), with 4-star at 48,500 BDT (USD 400) and 5-star at 55,500 BDT (USD 455). That typically includes:
- Return airfare Dhaka–Kathmandu
- 3 nights in Kathmandu and 2 in Pokhara with breakfast
- Airport transfers and the Kathmandu–Pokhara road transfers
- Sarangkot sunrise, Pokhara sightseeing and the Kathmandu city tour, with transport
What is usually not included: lunches and dinners, entry fees, the Manakamana cable car, paragliding and other activities, and tips. Add about 10,000 to 18,000 BDT (USD 80 to 150) for those, which brings a 3-star package to around 52,000 to 60,000 BDT (USD 425 to 490) all in.
Package prices often don't show the travel dates they apply to. With return flights alone costing over 30,000 BDT (USD 245), a 42,500 BDT price is likely for off-peak dates. Confirm the dates, airline and hotel names in writing before you pay.
DIY budget trip: about 52,000 to 64,000 BDT (USD 425 to 525)
- Return flights: 31,000 to 35,000 BDT (USD 255 to 290)
- Budget guesthouses, 5 nights shared: 4,500 to 7,500 BDT (USD 37 to 61)
- Airport transfers, shared: 700 to 1,100 BDT (USD 6 to 9)
- Tourist bus both ways: 2,300 to 3,100 BDT (USD 19 to 25)
- Sightseeing taxis, shared: 3,200 to 5,000 BDT (USD 26 to 41)
- Entry fees: 1,000 to 1,500 BDT (USD 8 to 12)
- Food: 8,000 to 9,000 BDT (USD 65 to 75), eating mostly local
- SIM and extras: 1,500 BDT (USD 12)
DIY comfort trip: about 72,000 to 108,000 BDT (USD 590 to 885)
- Return flights: 33,000 to 40,000 BDT (USD 270 to 330)
- 3-star hotels, 5 nights shared: 9,000 to 18,500 BDT (USD 74 to 152)
- Airport transfers, shared: 700 to 1,100 BDT (USD 6 to 9)
- Private car Kathmandu–Pokhara and back, shared by two: 11,000 to 23,000 BDT (USD 90 to 190)
- Sightseeing taxis, shared: 3,200 to 5,000 BDT (USD 26 to 41)
- Entry fees: 1,000 to 1,500 BDT (USD 8 to 12)
- Food: 12,000 to 16,000 BDT (USD 98 to 130)
- SIM and extras: 2,000 to 3,000 BDT (USD 16 to 25)
Our verdict: for two people on a first trip, a package is hard to beat on price, because operators buy flights and rooms in bulk and the road transfers are built in. Going it alone makes sense if you travel in a group of four (private car costs fall by half), want to choose your own hotels, or plan to add a trek or extra days in Pokhara.
Best time to go
October to early December is the best season, with clear skies and the sharpest mountain views. February to April is also good, with rhododendrons in bloom, although haze can hide the peaks by late spring. The monsoon, from June to September, brings cheaper hotels but cloud, rain and landslides that can delay the Pokhara road.
Frequently asked questions
Prices are indicative and set by the booking sites. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
