Nepal, Bhutan & Rajasthan: A Month from the Himalayas to India
31 days from £10,926 pp
Our Nepal, Bhutan & Rajasthan Tour is a private, 31-day tailor-made journey across three countries, designed for a sabbatical, retirement trip or long holiday. Start in Kathmandu and Pokhara beneath the Annapurnas, then fly to Bhutan for Thimphu, Punakha, Gangtey and the hike to Tiger’s Nest. Finish in India with the Taj Mahal, river safaris in Chambal, tigers in Ranthambore, leopards in Jawai and the palaces of Jaipur, Jodhpur and Udaipur. Prices start from £10,926 per person and include private guides and drivers throughout, your Bhutan visa and the daily Sustainable Development Fee. Short on time? Our 23-day Rajasthan & Bhutan Tour follows a similar route without Nepal. Only have 2 weeks? Our 15-day Nepal and Bhutan tour covers the Himalayan highlights. Can’t decide between them? Read Bhutan or Nepal?
Trip Highlights
- Temples, culture and cuisine in Nepal
- Experience peace in the pristine valleys of spiritual Bhutan
- Contrast vibrant cities with rural tranquillity in Rajasthan
- Exciting sunrise safaris in search of tigers and leopards
Our Expert Tip
”This is our longest trip to the Indian subcontinent. Take the time to soak up the quieter calmer moments with a good book, or cold g&t”
Holly, India and Bhutan Expert
Nepal, Bhutan & India Itinerary: Day by Day
Day 1-2: Kathmandu, Nepal
Arrive in Kathmandu and settle into boutique Inn Patan Hotel for two nights. Most UK travellers can get a Nepal visa on arrival or apply online before travelling.
Start with a half-day walk through the old heart of the city with your private guide, from the temples and palaces of Durbar Square to the market streets around Ason Tole, busy with traders since medieval times.
Next day, visit Pashupatinath, Nepal’s holiest Hindu temple, on the banks of the Bagmati River, and the great white dome of Boudhanath, where pilgrims walk clockwise beneath strings of prayer flags. Your guide can also show you the best markets, and how to haggle with a smile.
Day 3-5: Pokhara, Nepal
Reach Pokhara by a short scenic flight [around 25 minutes] or by road which takes around 6–7 hours. Framed by the Annapurna range, Pokhara feels a world away from Kathmandu—calmer, greener and perfectly placed for Himalayan adventures. You’ll spend three nights at one of our favourite hotels, Temple Tree Resort.
Your days are tailored to your pace: gentle lakeside walks or more challenging hikes on nearby trails, with plenty of time for a boat ride across Lake Phewa, colourful markets, small museums and standout local restaurants.
Looking to add on a Nepal hiking holiday? Speak to our specialists about adding a private 4–6 night trek from Pokhara. You’ll stay in simple mountain lodges, supported by an expert trekking guide and sherpas—an ideal extension for travellers who want a more immersive, point-to-point adventure.
Day 6: Kathmandu, Nepal
Return to Kathmandu by private transfer or a short domestic flight. Spend your final night in a comfortable hotel close to the airport, perfectly positioned for your onward journey to Paro, for your flight to Bhutan.
Day 7-8: Thimphu, Bhutan
Next comes Bhutan, the Land of the Thunder Dragon. Your Bhutan visa is arranged in advance and included in your price. Ask for a left-hand window seat for a chance to see Everest on the flight to Paro. As you begin your Bhutan journey, the pace shifts: crisp mountain air, prayer flags and forested valleys set the tone for this remarkable kingdom.
Drive to Thimphu (around one hour) for two nights at Norkhil Hotel. With your guide, take in the giant Buddha Dordenma above the city, step inside a traditional farmhouse at the Folk Heritage Museum, and meet the takin, Bhutan’s curious national animal. If there’s a match on, stop to watch the archers at Changlimithang: the cheering and good-natured heckling are half the fun. Find more ideas in our pick of the best things to do in Bhutan.
Day 9-10: Punakha, Bhutan
Travel to the Punakha Valley (around two hours), where the landscape softens into rivers, rice terraces and subtropical greenery. En route, pause at Dochu La Pass for panoramic Himalayan views and a photo stop among the 108 chortens. You’ll spend two nights at Meri Puensum Resort, looking out over the valley.
Spend a full day exploring with your guide. Punakha Dzong, painted gold, red and white, is perhaps the most photogenic fortress in Bhutan, and Chimi Lhakhang, the fertility temple, sits on a little hill among the paddy fields. Feeling active? Raft the river with an expert team, or climb to Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten for a view up the valley.
Before you leave, your guide can take you to a hilltop nunnery for a blessing from the nuns: a quiet, moving experience.
Day 11-12: Gangtey, Bhutan
Climb out of the warm Punakha Valley to the high, open Phobjikha Valley (Gangtey), where you’ll stay two nights at Gangtey Tent Resort or similar. It’s one of the most peaceful places in Bhutan, and the best way to see it is on foot.
Walk the Gangtey Nature Trail with your guide, visit the hilltop Gangtey Goemba and, if your timing’s right, sit in on evening prayers with the young monks at the Shedra. In winter the valley is home to rare black-necked cranes, and the Crane Centre explains how local families protect them.
Day 13-14: Paro, Bhutan
A longer drive (around six hours) brings you back to Paro, and Olathang Cottages, for your final two nights in Bhutan: an evocative finale to your Himalayan journey before India and Rajasthan await.
Spend a morning in Paro town, where the main street is lined with painted wooden shopfronts, and visit Rinpung Dzong above the river.
And then, the icon: Tiger’s Nest Monastery (Taktsang). With your guide, hike the classic route (around 4–5 hours return) to the cliffside sanctuary, pausing at viewpoints for extraordinary photographs. The moment you reach the monastery is pure travel magic: spiritual, dramatic and unforgettable.
Day 15-16: Delhi, India
Fly to Delhi to begin the Rajasthan chapter of your journey. On arrival, meet your private guide and driver and transfer to your hotel to relax and reset. UK travellers need an Indian e-visa, applied for online before you travel; we’ll guide you through it.
Next day, your guide takes you into Old Delhi, starting at the Jama Masjid and continuing by rickshaw and on foot through the lanes of Chandni Chowk, where some shops have been run by the same families for generations.
In the afternoon, see the grand government buildings of New Delhi, designed by Lutyens, and visit Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, where volunteers serve free meals to thousands of people every day, before ending at Humayun’s Tomb.
Day 17-18: Agra – Chambal, India
An early train takes you to Agra for the Taj Mahal (closed on Fridays). However many photos you’ve seen, the scale and detail of Shah Jahan’s tribute to his wife still take your breath away.
Then drive on to Chambal Safari Lodge for two nights in the countryside. Head out by boat on the Chambal River with a naturalist to look for gharials, turtles and birds and, with luck, the rare Gangetic river dolphin.
Wander through Holipura, a village of grand old havelis, and visit the riverside temple complex at Bateshwar.
Day 19-20: Ramathra Fort, India
Drive around five hours deeper into rural Rajasthan for two nights at Ramathra Fort. The welcome is warm, the food is home-style Rajasthani cooking at its best, and the views across the lake and farmland are wonderful at sunset.
Spend your time on a jeep trip to nearby forts and caves, out on the lake with a birding guide, or visiting the homes of herding families in the village. It’s one of our favourite places to slow down, and a great way to travel responsibly in India. Sam’s guide to Rajasthan off the beaten track has more of the rural India we love.
Day 21-22: Ranthambore National Park, India
Ranthambore National Park is one of the best places in the world to see wild tigers. Stay in Khem Villas, a charming cottage-style lodge near the park.
Join early-morning and afternoon jeep safaris through dry forest and around old lakes, past ruined pavilions and the walls of Ranthambore Fort high on its hill. As well as tigers, look out for sloth bears, crocodiles and a wealth of birds.
Day 23-24: Jaipur, India
Swap the jungle for Jaipur, Rajasthan’s capital, around three hours away.
Begin at Amber Fort, where the mirrored ceilings of the Sheesh Mahal sparkle in the light, then visit the City Palace, still home to Jaipur’s royal family, and the 18th-century astronomical instruments of the Jantar Mantar.
A guided walk through the old city’s bazaars ends with your guide’s pick of the best street food stalls.
Day 25-26: Jodhpur, India
Travel around five hours to Jodhpur, on the edge of the Thar Desert, and check in at RAAS Jodhpur, a beautiful hotel right beneath the fort.
Spend a morning inside Mehrangarh, whose museum is one of the finest in Rajasthan, then visit the marble cenotaph of Jaswant Thada.
Later, wander through the blue-washed old town at your own pace, with your guide to point out the stepwells and hidden courtyards.
Day 27-28: Jawai, India
Head into the granite hills of Jawai, around three hours away, where leopards live among the rocks and Rabari herders still graze their animals as they have for centuries.
Stay at Jawai Leopard Camp, our favourite tented camp in India, and head out on sunrise and afternoon jeep safaris; leopards are often seen lounging on the boulders as the sun goes down. Between drives, enjoy the pool, a massage or a sundowner. For more ideas, see all our Rajasthan holidays.
Day 29-30: Udaipur, India
On the way to Udaipur, stop at Ranakpur, whose 15th-century Jain temple has more than 1,400 carved marble pillars, no two the same.
Then check into your hotel in Udaipur, Rajasthan’s city of lakes. With your guide, visit the City Palace, the largest in Rajasthan, Jagdish Temple and the gardens of Saheliyon-ki-Bari, and, if you can, take a boat out on Lake Pichola at sunset.
Day 31: Depart
Your month-long journey comes to an end, as you are transferred back to the airport. Fly from Udaipur to Delhi or Mumbai to connect with your international flight home.
Short on time? Our 23-day Rajasthan & Bhutan Tour follows a similar route without Nepal.
When to Go
Best time to visit Nepal, Bhutan and India
The best months for this trip are October and November, when Himalayan skies are clearest and Rajasthan’s national parks have reopened after the monsoon. Starting in late February or early March also works, but Rajasthan is hot by April. December and January bring cold mountain nights, but ideal weather in Rajasthan. June to September is monsoon season across all three countries. With a month to plan, ask us which start date suits you best.
Includes
- All accommodation
- Excursions
- Transport
- Private guides
- Bhutan visa cost and daily SDF
Excludes
- International flights
- Travel insurance
- Visa cost aside from Bhutan
- Tips
Why Book With Travel Differently
Passionate and experienced
- Each member of the team has over a decade of experience in the industry
- Our 5* client reviews reflect our service & standards
- We are a fully independent & owner-run tour operator
- Our holidays include full financial protection & ATOL coverage
- We are destination experts, ensuring authentic & reliable advice
Committed and Responsible
Tailor-made and Personal
- No two trips are the same, our holidays are 100% bespoke
- We design personal, genuine cultural connections & experiences
- From planning to travel, you’ll have one dedicated point of contact
- Our support is available around the clock during your holiday
- We take care of the details, so you don’t have to
Need More Inspiration?
Want to combine multi-countries, take less flights, or include a hike in Patagonia? Thinking of a longer sabbatical holiday, or staying in some luxury yurts? It’s all possible; all our holidays are tailor-made with a focus on responsible travel. Take a look at more ideas below, and contact our experts.
