Nepal is the one destination you do not need a passport, a visa or a currency exchange for, and yet most Nepali families have seen less of it than the tourists who fly in for two weeks. This guide is for Nepalis at home and for NRNs coming back to show their children the country: where to go, when, how to move between places, and what a Gomayu Nepal tour package from Kathmandu actually does for you. No trekking, no peak climbing. Just the best of Nepal, done comfortably, with one Kathmandu contact on WhatsApp.
Why tour Nepal with Gomayu when you can drive there yourself?
Because the hard part of a Nepal trip is not reaching Pokhara. It is knowing which lakeside hotel is quiet in Dashain week, which Chitwan lodge runs its own jeep safaris, whether the Jomsom flight will go tomorrow, and who to call when it does not. Gomayu plans the whole trip end to end: private vehicle and driver, hand-picked hotels and lodges, sightseeing, safaris, domestic flights or helicopter where they make sense, and every park entry and permit handled at Nepali rates before you arrive. You get one itinerary, one price in NPR, and one person in Kathmandu who answers on WhatsApp.
What you pay Gomayu for is curation, access and logistics. What you do not pay for is a middleman marking up things you could book in five minutes. If a trip is easier to do on your own, we will say so.
Standard vs Luxury: what actually changes?
Every Gomayu Nepal package comes in two tiers with the same itinerary. The difference is the property and the inclusions, not the places you see.
| Element | Standard | Luxury |
|---|
| Hotels | Clean, well-located 3-star-class hotels and good resorts | The best available property in each place: 4- to 5-star hotels, boutique resorts, in-park safari lodges |
| Vehicle | Private car or jeep with driver | Private SUV or 4WD with driver; upgraded where the route allows |
| Flights and heli | Road-based unless the package is fly-in | Flights over long road days where available; helicopter add-ons on request |
| Activities | Core sightseeing and safaris included | Core plus private guiding, extra safari drives and experiences where offered |
| Remote areas | Same for both tiers. Rara, Upper Mustang and Manang have no premium hotels. The best available option is a lodge, and we book the best one there is. We will not call it a luxury hotel. |
Where should you go in Nepal? The regions, honestly
Nepal packs jungle, lake, high desert and Himalaya into a country you can cross by road in two days. The short version: Kathmandu for heritage, Pokhara for easy beauty, Chitwan or Bardiya for wildlife, Mustang for the Himalaya without walking, Lumbini for pilgrimage, and a helicopter for the mountains you cannot drive to. Here is each, briefly.
Kathmandu Valley: heritage in three cities
The valley holds seven UNESCO World Heritage monument zones: Pashupatinath, Boudhanath, Swayambhunath, Changu Narayan and the Durbar Squares of Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur. Most Nepalis have visited one or two for a puja; very few have walked all seven with a guide who explains the Malla-era carving they have passed a hundred times. Add a sunrise at Nagarkot or a night in Dhulikhel for the Himalayan skyline. Best for NRNs re-introducing the city to children, and for anyone who wants Nepal's history before its scenery.
Pokhara: lakes, mountains and the easiest holiday in Nepal
Pokhara is where Nepali families and couples go to relax, and for good reason. Phewa Lake, Begnas Lake, sunrise over Machhapuchhre from Sarangkot, the World Peace Pagoda, Davis Falls and Gupteshwor Cave, all within a short drive of Lakeside. It is 25 minutes by air from Kathmandu or a long day by road. Pokhara suits every segment: honeymooners and anniversary couples, families with small children, elderly parents who want mountain views without altitude. It is also the gateway to Mustang and the Annapurna helicopter day.
Chitwan: the one-horned rhino from a jeep
Chitwan National Park is Nepal's classic jungle safari. Jeep drives and canoe rides on the Rapti give you a very good chance of the greater one-horned rhinoceros, plus gharial crocodiles, deer, wild boar, hundreds of bird species and, with luck, a Bengal tiger. Sauraha is the lodge town at the park's edge; a few in-park lodges offer full-board safari stays for the Luxury tier. Chitwan is a comfortable 5 to 6 hour drive from Kathmandu or a short flight to Bharatpur, which makes it the easiest first safari for families.
Bardiya: the wilder safari
Bardiya National Park in the far west is bigger, quieter and wilder than Chitwan, and it is the park most serious wildlife travellers choose for tigers. Fewer vehicles, longer drives along the Karnali river, and lodges around Thakurdwara that feel like the jungle rather than a town. Getting there means a flight to Nepalgunj and a drive of a couple of hours. Best for couples and adult groups who have already done Chitwan.
Mustang and Upper Mustang: the Himalaya without a trek
This is the region that changes what Nepalis think Nepal looks like. Drive from Pokhara up the Kali Gandaki gorge by private 4WD, as our Mustang tour does, or add the short Pokhara to Jomsom morning flight to save a day, and you arrive in a high, dry, Tibetan-style landscape: Kagbeni on the Kali Gandaki, Marpha's apple orchards, and Muktinath temple at roughly 3,700 metres, one of the most important pilgrimage sites for both Hindus and Buddhists. All of this is reachable by 4WD. No walking beyond the temple steps.
Beyond Kagbeni lies Upper Mustang, the former Kingdom of Lo, with its walled capital Lo Manthang, cave monasteries and the Tiji festival each spring. Upper Mustang is a restricted area. Foreign passport holders, including NRNs on foreign passports, need a Restricted Area Permit issued by the Department of Immigration through an authorised agency. Nepali citizens do not need that permit, but the original citizenship certificate is checked at the Kagbeni checkpost, so carry it. Accommodation up here is lodge-only in both tiers. The drive is rough, the altitude is real, and the reward is a landscape almost nobody in your family has seen.
Manang: the Annapurna region by road
Manang used to be a week's walk. Today a 4WD road from Besisahar climbs through Chame to Manang village at about 3,500 metres, under Annapurna III and Gangapurna. It is a rougher, longer road day than Mustang, and the lodges are simple, but you wake up inside the Annapurna range having carried nothing but a day bag. Best for fit adults and families with older children; the fast altitude gain means we build in rest and never rush the ascent.
Rara: Nepal's largest lake, and the honest truth about comfort
Rara Lake in Mugu district is remote, quiet and astonishingly blue, inside Rara National Park at just under 3,000 metres. Getting there means flying to Nepalgunj, then a small aircraft to Talcha airstrip and a short jeep ride or walk to the lake. There are no hotels of any premium standard at Rara. Both tiers stay in the best available lodge, which is clean and warm but basic. If you want a resort, Rara is not your trip. If you want the lake your grandparents talked about, it is.
Lumbini: Buddhist pilgrimage on flat ground
Lumbini, the birthplace of Gautam Buddha, is a UNESCO World Heritage site with the Maya Devi Temple, the Ashoka pillar and the monastic zone of temples built by Buddhist nations. It is flat, hot in summer and easy for elderly travellers, a short flight from Kathmandu to Bhairahawa or a road day from Chitwan. Lumbini combines naturally with Chitwan and Pokhara into a family loop.
Everest, Annapurna and Gosaikunda by helicopter, and the mountain flight
For elderly parents, pilgrims and anyone short on time, a helicopter day is the only way to stand in the high Himalaya without a week of walking. The Everest helicopter tour departs Kathmandu, follows the Khumbu valley past Lukla and Namche, and, where regulations and weather allow, lands in the Everest region for the view and a lodge breakfast. Which landing points are allowed changes with regulation and weather, so we confirm the plan for each departure rather than promise a spot. The Annapurna Base Camp helicopter day runs from Pokhara into the sanctuary at over 4,000 metres. The Gosaikunda helicopter takes pilgrims to the sacred lake at about 4,380 metres, most popular around Janai Purnima. And the one-hour Kathmandu mountain flight on a fixed-wing aircraft gives every passenger a window seat along the Everest range, with no altitude exposure at all.
When is the best time to visit Nepal, region by region?
Autumn, October to November, is the best season almost everywhere: clear skies, warm days, cool nights, and it lines up with Dashain and Tihar, when Nepali families and NRNs travel most. That also makes it the tightest booking window. Good Pokhara hotels, in-park Chitwan lodges and Jomsom flight seats sell out weeks ahead, so plan the Dashain trip by July. Spring, March to April, is the second-best season with rhododendrons and long days, and it includes Nepali New Year in mid-April. Monsoon and winter each have one region where they are the right answer.
For 2026, Dashain runs from Ghatasthapana on 11 October to Kojagrat Purnima on 25 October, with Vijaya Dashami on 21 October, and Tihar runs from 7 to 11 November, with Bhai Tika on 11 November. Winter school holidays are the other busy window for family trips to Chitwan, Pokhara and Lumbini.
| Region | Best months | Good for | Watch out for |
|---|
| Kathmandu Valley | Oct to Nov, Mar to Apr; fine year-round | Heritage, festivals, NRN homecoming | Winter mornings are hazy and cold; monsoon traffic |
| Pokhara | Oct to Nov, Feb to Apr | Couples, families, mountain views, Sarangkot sunrise | Monsoon hides the peaks; Dashain week fills up |
| Chitwan and Bardiya | Oct to Mar | Safaris, rhino and tiger sightings, families | Apr to May is very hot; parks limit access in monsoon; winter fog delays flights |
| Mustang (Jomsom, Muktinath) | Mar to Nov; Jun to Aug works as it is in the rain shadow | Pilgrimage, no-trek Himalaya, monsoon escape | Winter is very cold; afternoon wind; morning-only flights |
| Upper Mustang | May to Oct; Tiji festival in spring | Lo Manthang, caves, monsoon travel | Winter closes much of the region; restricted-area permit |
| Manang | Mar to May, Sep to Nov | Annapurna views by road, fit adults | Monsoon landslides block the road; winter snow |
| Rara | Sep to Nov, Apr to May | Remote lake, quiet, photography | Winter snow and cancelled flights; basic lodges only |
| Lumbini | Oct to Mar | Pilgrimage, elderly travellers | Apr to Jun heat |
| Helicopter days and mountain flight | Oct to Nov, Mar to Apr; clear winter mornings | Everest, ABC, Gosaikunda, Muktinath by air | Weather cancellations; always keep a spare day |
How do you get around Nepal: private vehicle, flight or helicopter?
Most Gomayu Nepal tours use a private vehicle with a driver, add a domestic flight where it saves a full day, and use a helicopter only where nothing else reaches. Each has a trade-off worth knowing before you choose a tier.
- Private vehicle. The default. Door to door, stops when the children need them, and the only way to see the countryside between cities. The honest downside is time: Kathmandu to Pokhara or Chitwan is a full day on roads that are being widened, and Manang and Upper Mustang need a proper 4WD on rough tracks. We use good drivers who know these roads, not the cheapest ones.
- Domestic flights. Kathmandu to Pokhara, Bharatpur, Bhairahawa or Nepalgunj turns a road day into under an hour. Pokhara to Jomsom is the key one for Mustang; it flies in the morning window before the valley wind and cancels when weather closes in. Rara depends on small aircraft to Talcha. Build in a buffer day on any flight-dependent trip and we will do the same.
- Helicopter. The only way to reach Everest, ABC or Gosaikunda without days of walking, and a real option for elderly pilgrims to Muktinath. Weight limits, weather windows and landing regulations apply, and they change; we confirm every detail per departure. A helicopter day is an add-on to a tour, not a replacement for it.
Kathmandu to Pokhara
By road, Kathmandu to Pokhara is about 200 km on the Prithvi Highway and usually takes six to seven hours with a lunch stop, which is how our Pokhara tour travels, in a private vehicle. By air it is a flight of about 25 to 30 minutes. Road conditions change with the monsoon and repair work, so check the News and Alerts box on this page before you travel; we contact every booked traveller before departure.
Kathmandu to Chitwan, Bardiya and Lumbini
Our Chitwan tours drive from Kathmandu to Sauraha in a private vehicle. The alternative is a flight of about 25 minutes to Bharatpur, around 30 minutes by road from the park. Bardiya is too far to drive comfortably, so our Bardiya package flies from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj, a flight of about 50 minutes, and drives on to the park. Lumbini is reached by flying to Bhairahawa or by road from Chitwan.
Kathmandu to Mustang and Manang
Our Mustang, Upper Mustang and Manang tours are road trips in a private 4WD. Mustang tours drive to Pokhara first, then up the Kali Gandaki to Jomsom, Kagbeni and Muktinath, and Upper Mustang continues north to Lo Manthang. The Manang tour climbs the Marsyangdi valley from Besisahar through Chame. Flights can be added on request to save a day, and both valleys lie in the Annapurna Conservation Area, whose entry permit is included at Nepali rates.
Your first domestic flight in Nepal
Carry your citizenship certificate or another valid photo ID; family members on foreign passports carry their passports. Mountain routes such as Pokhara to Jomsom fly only in the morning and are often delayed or cancelled by wind and cloud, so keep a buffer day and do not book an international flight for the same day. Small aircraft have tighter baggage limits, so pack a soft bag and keep medicines and valuables in your hand luggage.
Coming home from abroad
If you are flying into Kathmandu from Australia, the US, the UK, the Gulf or elsewhere, give us your arrival flight and we will plan the tour to start after you have rested, usually the next morning. We can meet you at Tribhuvan International Airport, and family members already in Nepal can join from home. Everything is agreed on WhatsApp before you land.
Who is a Nepal tour with Gomayu best for?
Nepal tours suit almost every Nepali traveller, but the trip looks different for each. Tell us which of these you are and we will shape the itinerary around it.
- Families and multi-generation groups. Pokhara, Chitwan and Lumbini in one loop, with a private vehicle sized for grandparents and car seats, hotels with connecting rooms, and a pace that does not exhaust anyone. This is the most common Dashain and winter-holiday request we get.
- Couples and anniversaries. Lakeside Pokhara, a quiet resort in Chitwan or a night in Dhulikhel, plus a Mustang fly-in or an Annapurna helicopter morning for the memory. The Luxury tier is built for this.
- Returning NRNs showing Nepal to their family. You want it to look as good as you remember and to run without you managing it from a foreign SIM. We handle the ground, you handle the stories. Family members on foreign passports are welcome on the same trip; entry rules for parks and restricted areas differ for them, and we sort it out in advance.
- Elderly parents and pilgrimage. Pashupatinath, Muktinath, Lumbini, Gosaikunda and Manakamana, planned around health, altitude and rest. Where the road is too hard, we use the helicopter. Where the altitude is too high, we say so.
- Adventure-minded adults. Bardiya, Upper Mustang, Manang and Rara. Lodge comfort, real distance, and landscapes most of the country has never seen.
Our Nepal tour packages
Gomayu's Nepal tour packages currently cover Chitwan, Pokhara, Chitwan with Pokhara, Bardiya, Mustang, Upper Mustang and Manang, each in Standard and Luxury. Tours for Rara Lake, Lumbini, Kathmandu Valley heritage, helicopter days to Everest, Annapurna Base Camp and Gosaikunda, and the Kathmandu mountain flight are being added; ask us on WhatsApp if you want one of these now. Every package includes private transport, hand-picked accommodation, sightseeing and safaris, and all park entries and permits at Nepali rates.
Tell us who is travelling, when, and which tier you prefer, and Gomayu will send a full plan with an NPR quote on WhatsApp. Message Gomayu on WhatsApp or call +977 9709047652. Gomayu is operated by Zeta Tours & Travels Pvt. Ltd., Kathmandu.
