Nepal Travel Guide : Everything to Know Before You Go
Nepal has a way of rearranging your expectations. You land in Kathmandu expecting mountains and get chaos, incense, and honking motorbikes first — the Himalayas show up later, usually when you least expect them, framed at the end of a street or over a rooftop. We landed at Tribhuvan International Airport on a hazy morning and the first thing that struck us wasn’t the peaks — it was how small and hands-on the arrival process felt, immigration officers counting our cash visa fee by hand while a queue of trekkers in brand-new hiking boots shuffled behind us.
This guide is built from that trip, plus a lot of digging into the numbers that actually matter: what the visa costs in 2026, what permits you’ll really need, what a day in Nepal costs whether you’re eating dal bhat in a teahouse at 4,000 metres or having coffee in Pokhara’s lakeside cafés. Nepal is not one trip — it’s several different trips wearing the same passport stamp, and the first job of this guide is helping you figure out which one you’re actually planning.
Why Visit Nepal (And What Kind of Trip You're Actually Choosing)
Ask ten people what Nepal is “for” and you’ll get ten different answers, and most of them are right. Nepal is home to eight of the world’s fourteen peaks over 8,000 metres, including Everest, so the trekking draw is real and well-earned. But it’s also a deeply layered cultural destination — Hindu and Buddhist traditions overlap so thoroughly in the Kathmandu Valley that the same temple courtyard can serve both faiths without anyone finding that unusual. And then there’s the flatter, greener Nepal most first-timers forget exists: Chitwan’s jungle and rhino population, Lumbini’s quiet pilgrimage sites, the terai plains along the Indian border.
So before you build an itinerary, it helps to be honest about which trip you’re taking:
- The cultural trip — Kathmandu, Pokhara, temples, food, mountain views from a distance. Five to seven days is enough.
- The trekking trip — Everest Base Camp, the Annapurna Circuit or Base Camp, Poon Hill. Twelve days minimum, often more.
- The combo trip — a few days of culture bookending a shorter trek. This is what most first-timers actually end up doing, and it’s what most of this guide is written for.
We’ll come back to this decision at the end with a clearer framework. For now, keep it in mind — nearly every cost, packing, and timing decision below depends on which of these three trips you’re planning.
Best Time to Visit Nepal
Nepal has four genuinely distinct seasons, and unlike a lot of destinations where “best time to visit” is marketing fluff, here it actually changes what you can safely do.
Autumn (Mid-September to November)
This is the season nearly every trekking guide, agency, and returning visitor will point you toward, and the reasoning holds up: the monsoon has just washed the dust and haze out of the sky, days are dry and stable, and mountain visibility is at its best all year. October in particular draws the crowds — it was the single busiest month of 2025 for the country, with over 128,000 visitor arrivals according to Nepal Tourism Board statistics. That popularity is a double-edged sword: expect fuller teahouses, busier trails, and higher demand on domestic flights to Lukla. If you can shift even slightly toward late September or mid-to-late November, you’ll get most of the same clear-sky benefit with noticeably thinner crowds.
Spring (March to May)
Spring is autumn’s quieter, warmer sibling. Rhododendron forests bloom across the hills — genuinely one of the most photogenic things about trekking in Nepal, and something most first-time visitors don’t know to expect. Days are warm and long, ideal for both high-altitude trekking and lower-elevation hiking. May starts to get genuinely hot in the lowlands and increasingly cloudy as the monsoon approaches, so if you’re choosing within spring, March and April are the sweet spot.
Winter (December to February)
January is Nepal’s coldest month, and while lower-elevation trekking is still doable, high passes and the classic long treks become considerably harder and colder. What winter is genuinely good for: city and cultural travel. Kathmandu and Pokhara stay pleasant during the day, skies are typically clear and dry, and you’ll have far fewer tourists competing for the same temple courtyards and viewpoints. This is also peak season for wildlife viewing in Chitwan, since the dry months from October through April are when animals are easiest to spot.
Monsoon (June to Early September)
Heavy, near-daily rainfall, landslide risk on mountain roads, and limited mountain visibility make this the season most guides tell you to skip — and for most of the country, that’s fair advice. The one real exception is the rain-shadow region behind the main Himalayan range, places like Upper Mustang and the Nar Phu Valley, which sit in a geographic pocket that receives far less rain than the rest of the country and remain trekkable through the wet months.
| Season | Months | Best For | Watch Out For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Autumn | Mid-Sept – Nov | Trekking, mountain views | Crowds, higher prices, flight demand |
| Spring | March – May | Trekking, rhododendrons | May heat and haze |
| Winter | Dec – Feb | City/cultural trips, Chitwan wildlife | Cold at altitude, short daylight |
| Monsoon | June – early Sept | Rain-shadow treks (Mustang, Nar Phu) | Landslides, poor visibility elsewhere |
Sources: Nepal Tourism Board monthly arrival statistics; Nepal Department of Hydrology and Meteorology seasonal data.
Nepal Visa Requirements for Tourists
Nepal’s visa system is one of the more accessible in Asia — most nationalities can get a visa on arrival without any pre-approval — but the fee structure trips people up because so many outdated numbers still circulate online. Here’s what’s actually current, confirmed against Nepal’s Department of Immigration figures.
Visa-on-Arrival Fees
| Duration | Fee | Entry Type |
|---|---|---|
| 15 days | US$30 | Multiple entry |
| 30 days | US$50 | Multiple entry |
| 90 days | US$125 | Multiple entry |
Every tier is multiple-entry, meaning you can leave and re-enter Nepal without paying again until the visa’s validity runs out — useful if your trip includes a side trip to India or Tibet. Children under 10 are generally exempt from the fee (US citizens are a stated exception, so double-check if this applies to your family).
Applying Online (eVisa) vs. the Airport Counter
You have two practical routes. The first is applying online through the official portal in the seven days before you fly, which lets you pre-pay by card and print your confirmation — this is genuinely faster if you land during a busy arrival window. The second is the traditional airport process: fill out the arrival form (ideally pre-filled online to save time), get your photo taken at the kiosk, and pay in cash at the counter. [At the counter, we paid in fresh USD bills — it’s worth knowing the officers do reject worn, torn, or heavily marked notes, so check your cash before you fly rather than at the window.] Most travelers clear the whole process in under twenty to thirty minutes if they’ve pre-filled the arrival form; without it, budget for a longer queue, especially in October.
Who Doesn't Pay — Or Pays Nothing At All
Indian citizens do not need a visa to enter Nepal at all, a longstanding arrangement under the 1950 Indo-Nepal Treaty — a passport or approved alternate ID is sufficient. Citizens of Bangladesh, Bhutan, the Maldives, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka receive one free 30-day “gratis” tourist visa per calendar year; a second visit in the same year reverts to the standard paid fee.
Extensions and Overstaying
If Nepal grows on you and you want to stay longer, extensions are processed at the Department of Immigration offices in Kathmandu or Pokhara, in minimum blocks of 15 days, up to a total stay cap of 150 days within a single calendar year. Extension pricing is charged per additional day on top of a base processing fee — expect to pay in the range of a few dollars per day, plus a flat processing charge, so confirm the current rate at the office before you commit. Overstaying without an extension carries a daily fine, so if your trip runs long, sort the paperwork before your current visa expires rather than after.
Nepal Trip Cost Breakdown (Budget, Mid-Range, Luxury)
This is the section where most Nepal guides get vague, and it’s frustrating, because the range between a shoestring trip and a comfortable one is enormous. The honest answer depends entirely on whether you’re staying in cities or heading up a trekking trail, so here are both.
Daily City Budget (Kathmandu / Pokhara)
| Category | Backpacker | Mid-Range | Comfort/Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation | $6–15/night (guesthouse dorm/basic room) | $25–60/night (3-star hotel) | $100+/night (boutique/luxury) |
| Food | $8–12/day (local dal bhat, momos) | $20–35/day (mix of local + tourist restaurants) | $50+/day (Western/fine dining) |
| Local transport | $2–5/day (local buses, shared taxis) | $10–20/day (private taxis) | $30+/day (private driver) |
| Estimated daily total | ~$20–30 | ~$60–110 | $180+ |
Trekking-Specific Costs
Trekking adds its own line items that a straightforward city trip doesn’t have, and they matter for planning:
- ACAP permit (Annapurna region): NPR 3,000 for foreign nationals (roughly US$23), NPR 1,000 for SAARC nationals, free for children under 10.
- TIMS card (Annapurna and general trekking regions): NPR 2,000 for individual trekkers, or NPR 1,000 if trekking as part of a group.
- Combined Annapurna cost (ACAP + TIMS): around NPR 5,000, roughly US$38 per person.
- Everest region (Sagarmatha National Park entry): NPR 3,000, plus a separate Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality entry fee of NPR 3,000 — a combined roughly NPR 6,000 (~US$45). No TIMS card is required in the Khumbu.
- Restricted-area treks (e.g., Upper Mustang, parts of Dolpo): these are charged per day rather than a flat fee — Nepal replaced the old flat US$500 charge in late 2025 with a US$50-per-person-per-day rate, which works out cheaper for shorter restricted-area visits.
- Licensed guide: mandatory for Annapurna region treks since a rule change in April 2023 — independent solo trekking there is no longer permitted. Budget roughly $25–35/day for a guide, more if you also hire a porter.
- Teahouse lodging: often just a few dollars a night on trekking routes (sometimes effectively free if you eat your meals at the same teahouse), but meals along the trail get more expensive the higher you climb, since everything is carried up by porter or mule.
Hidden Costs First-Timers Miss
- A 13% VAT is added to most national park and conservation permit fees — factor it in when budgeting, since some quoted prices online don’t include it.
- Domestic flights to Lukla (the gateway for Everest Base Camp) are notoriously weather-dependent; build in one or two buffer days and a small contingency budget in case of delays or a forced overnight in Kathmandu or Ramechhap.
- Tipping guides and porters is customary and expected on organized treks, and it’s a real line item — plan for it rather than treating it as optional pocket change.
- Nepal’s departure and domestic airport processes sometimes carry small handling or security fees not always included in your original ticket price. [We were caught slightly off guard by a small additional charge at departure — worth budgeting a few extra dollars in cash just in case.]
[Here’s roughly what we spent across a mixed trip — a few days in Kathmandu and Pokhara plus a shorter trek: insert your actual per-day spend log here, broken down by accommodation, food, and permits, with real numbers from your trip.]
For gear that isn’t Nepal-specific — packing cubes, a good daypack, a universal adapter — our general packing guide covers what to bring on any international trip, and it’s worth a read before you start Nepal-specific shopping.
Top Regions and Things to Do in Nepal
Rather than a flat list, it’s more useful to think of Nepal in regions, since each one answers a different kind of “what should I do here.”
Kathmandu Valley
Kathmandu is where almost every trip starts and ends, and it rewards slowing down rather than rushing through. The valley holds several UNESCO World Heritage Sites within a short taxi ride of each other: Kathmandu Durbar Square and the neighboring Durbar Squares of Patan and Bhaktapur, each a dense cluster of temples, palace courtyards, and centuries-old woodwork. Swayambhunath — known to most visitors as the “Monkey Temple” for its resident macaques — sits on a hilltop with sweeping views over the city and is one of the oldest religious sites in the valley. Boudhanath, one of the largest stupas in the world, anchors a Tibetan Buddhist community and is genuinely moving to walk around at dusk when the butter lamps are lit. Pashupatinath, a major Hindu temple complex on the Bagmati River, is a working cremation site as well as a pilgrimage destination — approach it with the same quiet respect you’d bring to any active place of mourning, not just a photo stop.
Pokhara
Pokhara is Kathmandu’s calmer counterpart, built around Phewa Lake with the Annapurna range visible on clear days as a backdrop. It functions as the launch point for most Annapurna region treks, but it’s also a legitimate destination on its own — paragliding over the lake is one of the most popular adventure activities in the country, and the lakeside strip has a relaxed, traveler-friendly rhythm that’s a nice contrast to Kathmandu’s density.
Everest Region (Khumbu)
This is the trip most people picture when they think “Nepal trekking.” Everest Base Camp starts with a short, dramatic flight into Lukla’s cliffside airstrip, followed by a multi-day trek through Sherpa villages, monasteries, and increasingly thin air. It’s a serious undertaking — allow 12–14 days round trip with acclimatization days built in — and not one to attempt without proper altitude planning.
Annapurna Region
The Annapurna Conservation Area offers more route flexibility than Everest: the shorter, hugely popular Poon Hill trek for sunrise mountain views in just a few days, the multi-day Annapurna Base Camp trek, and the longer classic Annapurna Circuit. Remember that a licensed guide is now mandatory here, which changes the planning and cost calculus compared to older “go it alone” advice you’ll still find on outdated blogs.
Chitwan National Park
A complete change of scenery — lowland jungle and grassland instead of mountains. Chitwan is one of the better places in Asia to see one-horned rhinos in the wild, along with elephants, deer, and, with luck, tigers. Guided jungle walks and canoe trips through Tharu communities round out a visit here, and it pairs naturally with a Kathmandu or Pokhara trip as a 2–3 day add-on.
Lumbini
The birthplace of the Buddha, and a genuinely peaceful pilgrimage site if you’re drawn to Nepal’s Buddhist heritage rather than its Hindu temples specifically. It’s further off the standard tourist circuit, which means fewer crowds but also requires a bit more planning to reach.
Trekking Permits and Practicalities (TIMS, ACAP, and the Guide Rule)
Permit confusion is one of the most common sources of bad information about Nepal online, largely because the rules changed meaningfully between 2023 and 2025 and a lot of older content never got updated. Here’s the current, region-by-region picture.
Do You Need a Guide to Trek in Nepal?
It depends entirely on where. In the Annapurna Conservation Area, yes — a licensed guide has been mandatory since April 2023, and fully independent solo trekking is no longer permitted there. In the Everest region, requirements differ by route and altitude, so check current rules for your specific trek before assuming you can go solo. For restricted areas (Upper Mustang, parts of Dolpo, and similar zones), permits can only be filed through a registered trekking agency, which effectively requires you to book with an operator regardless of guide preference.
Which Permit Applies Where
- Annapurna Conservation Area: ACAP permit (NPR 3,000 foreign / NPR 1,000 SAARC) + TIMS card (NPR 2,000 individual / NPR 1,000 group).
- Everest / Khumbu region: Sagarmatha National Park entry (NPR 3,000) + Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality fee (NPR 3,000). No TIMS card required here.
- Other national parks (Langtang, Shey Phoksundo/Dolpo, etc.): Standard national park entry, generally around NPR 3,000 plus VAT.
- Restricted areas (Upper Mustang, Nar Phu, parts of Dolpo): US$50 per person per day, filed only through a registered agency — replacing the old flat US$500 fee as of late 2025.
Permits are available online through the NTNC e-permit portal, in person at Nepal Tourism Board offices in Kathmandu and Pokhara, or through your trekking agency if you’ve booked one. Bring your passport, two passport-size photos, and (for some permits) a copy of your visa — and confirm current rates before you go, since fees have shifted more than once in recent years.
Sample Nepal Itineraries
Every guide throws out region names, but it’s much more useful to see how they actually fit together on a calendar. Here are two realistic frameworks — adjust the trekking days based on your fitness and how much buffer you want around flights.
7 Days: The Cultural + Short Trek Combo
- Days 1–2: Kathmandu — Durbar Square, Swayambhunath, Boudhanath, Pashupatinath, settle into Thamel.
- Day 3: Fly or drive to Pokhara; afternoon at Phewa Lake, evening lakeside.
- Days 4–5: Poon Hill trek (sunrise viewpoint over the Annapurna range) — a shorter, well-marked route that doesn’t require weeks of preparation.
- Day 6: Rest day in Pokhara, optional paragliding.
- Day 7: Return to Kathmandu, departure.
14 Days: The Proper Trekking Trip
- Days 1–2: Kathmandu — sightseeing, permit paperwork, gear check, guide/agency meeting.
- Day 3: Fly to Lukla, trek to Phakding (Everest Base Camp route) — or fly/drive to Pokhara if choosing Annapurna instead.
- Days 4–11: Trek toward Base Camp with built-in acclimatization days (Namche Bazaar is the standard rest stop on the EBC route; Chhomrong or Manang serves a similar role on Annapurna routes).
- Days 12–13: Descend, fly back to Kathmandu, buffer day for weather delays.
- Day 14: Departure (or extend with a Chitwan add-on if your dates allow).
Note the buffer days on both ends of any flight-dependent leg — this isn’t overcautious planning, it’s the single most common reason first-timers miss their international flight home.
Health, Safety and Altitude Sickness
Nepal’s biggest genuine health risk for visitors isn’t food or water — with reasonable care (bottled or filtered water, cooked food at altitude), most travelers stay fine — it’s altitude. Acute Mountain Sickness can affect anyone regardless of fitness level once you’re climbing above roughly 2,500–3,000 metres, and it has nothing to do with how many marathons you’ve run.
- Ascend gradually. The standard guidance is not to increase sleeping altitude by more than about 300–500 metres per day once above 3,000 metres, with a rest/acclimatization day built in every few days.
- Know the symptoms. Headache, nausea, dizziness, and fatigue that don’t improve with rest are signals to stop ascending, not push through.
- Buy proper travel insurance. Standard policies often exclude high-altitude trekking and emergency helicopter evacuation — check the fine print specifically for altitude coverage before you fly, not after you need it.
- Basic food and water precautions. Stick to bottled, boiled, or properly filtered water, and be a little more cautious with raw vegetables and unpeeled fruit in more remote teahouses.
- Kathmandu air quality. The dry pre-monsoon months (roughly March–May) can bring noticeably poor air quality in the valley; if you’re sensitive to pollution, factor this into how much time you spend in the city versus higher, cleaner air.
Money, SIM Cards and Staying Connected
Nepal’s currency is the Nepali Rupee (NPR), and while USD is standard for visa fees and some permit costs, everyday spending is in rupees. ATMs are reliable in Kathmandu and Pokhara but become sparse once you’re on a trekking trail — withdraw enough cash before you head up, since teahouse card payments are rare to nonexistent. Many ATMs also cap withdrawals per transaction, so budget for multiple withdrawals (and multiple small fees) rather than one large one.
For connectivity, a local SIM (Ncell and Nepal Telecom are the two major providers) is cheap and easy to buy at the airport or in Thamel with your passport. Coverage is solid in cities and along the more popular trekking routes, including much of the way to Everest Base Camp, though it thins out in remote valleys and disappears entirely at the highest points. If you’re relying on connectivity for work or emergency contact, don’t assume you’ll have signal above Namche Bazaar or similar high-altitude towns.
Getting Around Nepal
Domestic flights are the fastest way to reach trekking gateways like Lukla (for Everest) — but they’re also the most weather-dependent part of any Nepal itinerary, prone to delays and cancellations, especially in the shoulder seasons. Build buffer days around any flight-dependent leg of your trip rather than booking your international departure for the day after you’re due to fly out of a mountain airstrip.
For travel between Kathmandu and Pokhara, tourist buses are affordable and comfortable enough for the roughly six-to-seven-hour drive, while a short domestic flight covers the same route in about 25 minutes for a higher price. Within cities, taxis and ride-hailing apps are the simplest option for visitors; local buses are cheaper but crowded and not always clearly signed in English.
What to Pack for Nepal
Packing for Nepal really depends on which of the three trips from earlier you’re taking — a Kathmandu/Pokhara cultural trip needs a fraction of what a high-altitude trek requires.
For a City/Cultural Trip
- Modest clothing for temple visits (shoulders and knees covered)
- Slip-on shoes, since you’ll remove them frequently at temples and homes
- A light scarf or shawl, useful for both temple etiquette and cooler evenings
- Standard adapter (Nepal uses Type C/D/M plugs, 230V)
For Trekking
- Layered clothing — base layer, insulating mid-layer, waterproof/windproof outer shell
- Broken-in hiking boots (never trek in brand-new boots — blisters at altitude are miserable)
- A good sleeping bag rated for below-freezing temperatures if trekking above 3,000 metres, even in “warm” seasons, since teahouses are unheated
- A headlamp, water purification tablets or a filter bottle, and a basic first-aid kit including altitude-relevant medication (discuss options like acetazolamide with a doctor before you travel)
- Trekking poles — genuinely more useful on steep, uneven Himalayan trails than most first-timers expect
- A portable power bank, since charging stations along the trail often charge a per-device fee and aren’t always reliable
Where to Stay in Nepal
Kathmandu and Pokhara offer the full range, from $6-a-night dorm beds in the Thamel backpacker district to genuinely luxurious boutique hotels with mountain views. Trekking accommodation is a different world entirely — teahouses along the major routes are simple by design: a basic room, shared bathrooms at lower-budget options, and a communal dining room that doubles as the social hub of the evening. Don’t expect hotel-standard comfort on the trail; the value is in location, not amenities, and the higher you climb, the more basic (and more expensive, per item) things get.
Food and Culture Essentials
Dal bhat — lentil soup, rice, vegetable curry, and often a pickle or two — is the trekking staple for a good reason: it’s filling, it’s usually available for a refill, and it gives you the calories you need at altitude. In the cities, momos (Nepali dumplings) are everywhere and worth trying from a few different spots to compare styles. A few etiquette notes that matter more than most first-timers expect: remove shoes before entering temples and homes, avoid pointing your feet at people or shrines, and dress modestly at religious sites. At Pashupatinath specifically, remember it’s an active cremation site — keep a respectful distance and lower voice, and ask before photographing anything near the ghats.
Pros and Cons of Traveling to Nepal
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Extremely affordable relative to the trekking and cultural experience on offer | Infrastructure — roads, power, WiFi — can be unreliable outside Kathmandu and Pokhara |
| World-class trekking accessible to a wide range of fitness levels and trip lengths | The 2023 mandatory-guide rule raises costs and reduces flexibility for solo trekkers in Annapurna |
| Rich, layered culture where Hindu and Buddhist traditions coexist | Altitude sickness is a real risk on high treks and needs genuine acclimatization planning |
| Easy visa-on-arrival access for most nationalities | Air quality in Kathmandu can be poor, especially in the dry pre-monsoon months |
| Genuinely warm hospitality, especially in teahouses and smaller towns | Domestic flights (especially to Lukla) are frequently delayed by weather |
Common Mistakes First-Time Visitors Make in Nepal
- Assuming cards work everywhere. Outside Kathmandu and Pokhara’s more touristy strips, cash is king, and even in the cities, plenty of smaller restaurants and shops are cash-only. Carry enough Nepali rupees for a few days at a time, especially before heading up a trekking trail.
- Not budgeting for the mandatory-guide rule in Annapurna. Older blog posts still describe solo trekking there as routine — it isn’t anymore, and skipping this line item will throw off your budget.
- Skipping acclimatization days on high-altitude treks. Altitude sickness doesn’t care how fit you are. Build rest days into any itinerary above roughly 3,000 metres, and take symptoms seriously if they appear.
- Bringing worn or torn USD bills for the visa fee. Immigration counters are strict about note condition — bring clean, newer bills specifically set aside for this purpose.
- Not building in buffer days around the Lukla flight. Weather delays here are common enough to be the rule rather than the exception during busy months — a same-day connection to your international flight home is a genuine risk.
- Underestimating how expensive things get with altitude. A bottle of water or a plate of noodles costs progressively more the higher you climb, since everything is carried in by porter or mule — budget accordingly rather than being surprised on day six of a trek.
Pro Travel Tips for Nepal
- Pre-fill your arrival card and visa application online in the days before you fly — it meaningfully shortens your time at the immigration counter, especially in busy October.
- Buy a local SIM card at the airport or in Thamel rather than relying on international roaming; data coverage is decent in cities and along major trekking routes, though it drops off in remote sections.
- Pack a physical map or offline map download for trekking routes — signal and paper signage aren’t always reliable once you’re a few days in.
- If you’re combining Nepal with an India trip, note the visa-free entry for Indian citizens and check current land-border crossing points in advance, since not all of them operate consistently.
- Travel insurance that specifically covers high-altitude trekking and emergency helicopter evacuation is worth the cost if you’re heading above 3,000 metres — standard travel insurance policies often exclude this.
Who Should Choose What
If you have five to seven days and want a taste of Nepal without a serious trek, spend it between Kathmandu and Pokhara, with a short Poon Hill trek or a Chitwan add-on if you want a bit of both mountains and wildlife. If you have twelve or more days and trekking is the whole point of your trip, commit properly to either Everest Base Camp or the Annapurna Circuit/Base Camp — don’t try to squeeze a major trek into a week; altitude and weather delays don’t respect tight schedules. If you’re traveling on a tighter budget and flexible on dates, aim for the shoulder edges of the best seasons — late September or late November instead of peak October, or March instead of the busier April window — to get most of the good weather with fewer crowds and slightly lower prices. And if wildlife and pilgrimage sites interest you as much as mountains, don’t skip Chitwan and Lumbini just because they’re less famous online — they’re some of the least crowded, most rewarding parts of a Nepal trip precisely because most visitors overlook them.