Nepal, Bhutan & Tibet

8 nights 9 days tour to Nepal and Bhutan

Our family journey through Nepal and Bhutan began Aprill 11, 2026, ending nine days later on April 19, 2026. On arrival, we spend our half day in Kathmandu. Waiting at the airport stood Dipak, our local guide, holding garlands made of bright marigold, given upon meeting as a welcome into Nepal, which was thoughtful. Walking beside him toward the central stupa, the biggest one there, he spoke about spiritual meaning tied deeply to daily life in the capital.

Not far from the market, we walked into Pashupatinath Temple, oldest and holding deep religious sentiment, allowing for peaceful place for praying and reflection.

We flew to Paro, Bhutan on April 12, 2026 and met our guide and driver at the airport. They welcomed each of us with a white scarf; according to Bhutanese culture, it is a good blessing, which was a very touching gesture.

Starting off, we headed toward Thimpu, Bhutan’s capital, staying two nights while exploring local cultural spots like the Dochula Pass, Punakha, several Dzongs, and ancient temples. Cloudy skies blocked any sight of Bhutan’s tallest mountain peak. Even so, pausing at Dochula turned out worthwhile thanks to the 108 stupas nestled among misty hills.

Inside Thimpu, the Amodhara hotel stands out because it of its tidiness. Staffs are friendly and handle requests without delay. Meals taste fresh, while guests pick dishes ahead so nothing gets wasted. Just off the central road, stores line each side of the path leading there. Five minutes on food brings you straight there.

The only thing that concern us is that the bathroom lacks hooks for clothes and towels. Despite that, we still recommend this hotel.

Up in the hills, Dochula Pass catches the eye first. Crossing into Punakha, a hanging bridge swaying lightly and then there’s the still figure of the Buddha, watching over that valley below.

In April 14, 2026 in Paro, two overnight stays began with a walk across the aged wooden planks of Tachogang Lhakhang, said to be Bhutan’s oldest hanging bridge. While there, our two days unfolded at the Fertility Temple, Tiger Nest Monastery, National Museum (Ta Dzong) and others.

Spacious rooms greeted us at Rema Resort in Paro. Breakfasts and evening meals mixed local flavors with Indian and Western dishes. Getting around proved tricky though as the place sits a long way from the city center. Local tour providing transfer to downtown and back would have made things easier.

Out there, our guide, Sonam showed us around, speaking good English, unpacked stories behind every temple gate, even prayer flag line and other historical sites. Our driver, Jimmy also helped us during our tour to Tiger Nest. Each stop: Thimpu, then Punakha, later Paro, came with meals set by them at trusted spots. Wanting the well-known chili cheese, both green and dried red chili, we mentioned it once and got fully answered on our plates soon after. We were also provided local trough fresh water fish and Tibetan noodles soup.

Two big thumbs up go straight to the guide and driver. Hats off, each one nailed their job. They deserve every bit of praise we can offer.

Note: People working at immigration and customs at Paro airport are quite approachable. Double-check your visa and pay close attention to the passport number and name for any mistakes.

We flew back to Nepal on April 14, 2026 connecting the local flight to Pokhara. After spending 2 nights in Pokhara, we met our guide at the airport and they led us straight to the Landmark Hotel on Main Street. Shops line both sides where we stayed.

A stay here feels average with different varieties of choices on the buffet. Because of flight delay, we reached Pokhara late. Our day two kicked started with an early morning hot air balloon ride at a charge of USD 150.00 per person, a once in a lifetime experience. Clouds hung thick that day, so no view of Annapurna’s peaks was seen. Still, floating above the land felt steady and worth it so we recommend this.

Next, we visited Lord Shiva statue in Sarangkot, hoping for early sunrise view. Later, around 6:30 am, golden rays finally broke through, later than expected. We also visited Peace Pagoda, Phewa Lake, Devi’s fall, Gupteshwor Mahadev Cave, local market and several other spots that day.

Thumb up for this stretch goes to tour guide Umesh. He handles things well through here.

We return to Kathmandu on April 18, 2026 and spent our final evening at Kantipur Village Hotel. Just a short walk away lie the bustling Ason and Thamel markets. Centuries blend here; Hindu temples sit beside Buddhist shrines, Muslim mosques nearby, all standing together since, 500 years ago. Name any object, chances are you’ll get it in this market, be it spices, copper, brass, metal wares, gold, silver, and diamond, clothing, etc.

On our last day on April 19, 2026, we visited Patan Durbar Square and the Monkey temple. Our well informed guide, Dipak leads the Kathmandu part of the trip- solid choice. He explained multiple cultures residing in Kathmandu like Hindu, Buddhist, and Islamic traditions clearly.

Overall, Kathmandu is a good place to visit, yet watch out for the messy streets. Traffic here feels wild, clearly they should improve.

Arriving at Kathmandu airport was like a maze of people during arrival and check-in. Traffic crawls here, so be prepared for it.