Wonders of Nepal

Autumn (September to November) and spring (March to May) are the two peak seasons for Wonders of Nepal, giving clear skies for the mountain flight and comfortable temperatures in Kathmandu and Chitwan. Autumn is marginally better for the mountain flight, as the monsoon has just cleared the haze from the Himalayan skyline.

Winter (December to February) is cool and clear in Kathmandu, pleasant in the Terai lowlands, and quiet at the major heritage sites. The summer monsoon (June to August) brings warm, wet weather and occasional flight delays; the mountain flight has a lower chance of clear views in these months, though Chitwan is lush and green. The season cards above give the month-by-month breakdown.

Visitors enter Nepal on a tourist visa on arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport, available for 15, 30 or 90 days. Bring a passport valid for at least six months, one passport-size photo and the visa fee in cash (USD). Swotah sends current visa fee details before departure.

The tour includes two UNESCO World Heritage site fees handled for you: the Chitwan National Park entry fee and the Lumbini Sacred Garden entrance. Kathmandu Valley heritage sites (Pashupatinath, Boudhanath, Swayambhunath and the Durbar Squares) carry small entry charges included in the tour cost. No trekking permits are required on this itinerary.

3-star hotels serve all stops on the Kathmandu and Bhaktapur legs, with private bathrooms, hot water, Wi-Fi and city-centre or heritage-adjacent locations. In Lumbini, a heritage-style hotel near the sacred garden sets the right tone for the pilgrimage town. In Chitwan, a jungle lodge near the national park boundary gives easy access for the early morning activities.

Upgrades to boutique or 4-star properties are available at most stops on request. Rooms are confirmed in advance, so peak-season availability is secured before you travel. All the hotels on this route have been inspected by Swotah staff.

Food across the tour ranges from Nepali staples such as dal bhat (rice, lentils and vegetable curry), Newari dishes like yomari and bara, and Tharu cuisine in Chitwan, to continental menus at the city hotels. Breakfast is included daily; the Chitwan lodge provides full board as part of the jungle-stay experience.

Vegetarian and most common dietary needs are easy to accommodate in Nepal; tell Swotah in advance and the guide will brief each restaurant. Bottled and UV-treated drinking water is available throughout the tour. Kathmandu and Pokhara both have good cafes and bakeries for independent lunches and dinners.

A private vehicle with a dedicated driver covers all road legs on Wonders of Nepal, from city transfers to the five-hour Kathmandu-to-Lumbini drive and the three-hour leg into Chitwan. The route stays on well-maintained Terai highways for the longer stretches, and the drive back from Chitwan to Kathmandu is the final road leg before departure.

The mountain flight is operated by commercial domestic airlines from Tribhuvan airport at a separately stated cost; Swotah books the seat for you. Within Kathmandu and Bhaktapur, sightseeing is by private car with short walks between temple sites. No domestic flights are required for the main land route.

The Kathmandu day takes in five UNESCO-listed monuments in one circuit: Pashupatinath temple on the Bagmati River (Nepal's most sacred Hindu site), Boudhanath stupa (one of the world's largest Buddhist stupas), the hilltop stupa of Swayambhunath, and two of the valley's three Durbar Squares. Bhaktapur Durbar Square, 13 km east, holds the Malla-era 55-Window Palace and the five-storey Nyatapola temple, the tallest standing pagoda in the valley.

The mountain flight runs along the eastern Himalayan chain at cruise altitude, putting Everest (8,849 m), Lhotse, Makalu and Kanchenjunga into the right-side windows for about 40 minutes of viewing time. At Lumbini, the Maya Devi Temple marks the verified birth spot of Siddhartha Gautama, confirmed by Ashoka-era inscriptions; the sacred garden and the eternal flame are the focal points. Chitwan National Park activities include a dugout canoe ride on the Rapti River, a guided jungle walk and the Tharu cultural dance programme, with the jeep safari offering the best chance of a close rhino sighting.

Wonders of Nepal is led by a licensed English-speaking guide who holds a Ministry of Tourism certificate and carries first-aid training. For the Chitwan section, a specialist jungle guide takes over for the safari and jungle walk, bringing knowledge of the park's wildlife corridors and bird species. The mountain flight is handled by the airline's crew; Swotah accompanies you to the airport for check-in.

Group size of 2 to 7 people means the guide can adjust pace, hold longer at any site and answer questions without hurrying. If you prefer a guide who speaks French, German, Japanese or another language, ask when booking and Swotah will confirm availability.

Connectivity is reliable across all stops on Wonders of Nepal. Nepal Telecom (NTC) and Ncell both provide 4G coverage in Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, Lumbini and Chitwan, and Swotah can assist with a tourist SIM on arrival day. Wi-Fi is available at all the city hotels and the Chitwan lodge, though jungle-lodge speeds may be slower in the evenings.

Power sockets are available in all rooms; Nepal uses Type C and Type D plugs (230 V, 50 Hz), so a universal travel adapter covers most devices. A power bank is useful for full sightseeing days when you are away from the hotel for six or more hours.

Responsible travel on this circuit means following temple etiquette: remove footwear at Hindu and Buddhist shrines, dress with shoulders and knees covered at Pashupatinath and Lumbini, and ask before photographing worshippers or monks. In Chitwan National Park, stay within the guide's designated zones, keep noise low and do not approach wildlife on foot.

Tipping is customary and appreciated. A standard guideline is USD 5 to 10 per person per day for the main guide and USD 3 to 5 per person per day for the driver, split at the end of the tour. Jungle guide and Tharu cultural hosts appreciate a small separate tip. Booking through a registered operator like Swotah ensures that park entry fees, staff wages and insurance are handled to government standards.