7-Day Kathmandu, Pokhara Tour with Hike to Australian Camp

Australian Camp to Dhampus is the day you remember. This 7-day Kathmandu and Pokhara trip strings together Kathmandu Valley UNESCO sights and mountain views from Australian Camp, then adds a walk that moves you out of the city and into real jungle trail. The one thing to consider is that Day 4 starts with steep stone stairways from Kande, so you’ll want comfy shoes and a slower pace if stairs tire you.

What makes this plan feel good is the pacing: you get a mix of guided culture days, viewpoint mornings, and a relaxed hiking segment, with English-speaking guides and luxury private transportation throughout. You also stay in twin-sharing hotels on bed and breakfast in Kathmandu and Pokhara, and you’ll have most meals covered, so your day-to-day stress stays low.

Quick hits before you commit

• Australian Camp views: you’ll look out toward the Annapurna range and peaks like Machhapuchhre, Dhaulagiri, Manaslu, Lamjung Himal, and Hiunchuli.
• A practical Day 4 hike: steep stone stairs up, then a dense-forest descent to Dhampus in about an hour.
• Kathmandu Valley UNESCO focus: Durbar Square, Swayambhunath, Pashupatinath, and Bouddhanath are all part of the mix.
• Sarangkot sunrise in Pokhara: you start before sunrise at 1,592 m for views over Annapurna Massif and Machhapuchhre.
• Pokhara sights plus lake time: Devi’s Fall, Gupteshor Cave, World Peace Pagoda, International Mountain Museum, and boating on Phewa Lake.
• Guide support you can rely on: Day 4 trekking guidance is provided by an experienced English-speaking guide (Kunjan shows up as a standout name in real feedback).

The big picture: how this 7 days really feels

This tour is built for travelers who want the classic Nepal highlights without turning the whole trip into a fitness boot camp. You’ll spend the first half on the Kathmandu-Pokhara circuit, with guided temple time and scenic driving, then hit the hike that gives you those big-mountain panoramas.

In practical terms, you’re never left on your own for navigation. You’ll have guiding on the culture day, a trekking guide on Day 4, and private transport between cities. That matters if you want the views and photos, but you also want to keep the logistics simple.

At the same time, it is not a flat stroll. Day 4 includes steep stone stairways up from Kande and a jungle trail down, so you should go into it knowing that you’ll be using your legs. If you’re okay with stairs and a half-day walk, this works.

Day 1 in Kathmandu: arrival, hotel check-in, and orientation

Your trip starts with a representative meeting you at Tribhuvan International Airport and transferring you to your Kathmandu hotel. From there, you get help with check-in and a detailed briefing about the program.

You’ll sleep in twin sharing accommodation in Kathmandu on a bed-and-breakfast basis, in a hotel like Kantipur Village or similar. That setup is practical because you’re likely coming in jet-lagged or travel-tired, and breakfast being included takes one decision off your plate.

One small but helpful detail: the tour includes a medical kit. You probably won’t need it, but it’s a sign the operator plans for real-world travel issues.

Day 2 Kathmandu Valley temples: UNESCO day with real structure

Day 2 is your Kathmandu Valley day, often called the city of temples. You’ll cover key UNESCO World Heritage sites in the valley, including Kathmandu Durbar Square, Swayambunath, Pashupatinath, and Bouddhanath.

I like how this isn’t just a drive-by. The tour includes an experienced English-speaking tour guide, and that changes how the day lands. When you’re standing in front of major religious and historical sites, context helps you understand what you’re seeing, not just where it is.

After sightseeing, you’ll also get trekking basics and time to configure your backpack for the next morning. That’s a smart move. Even on a short trek day, the backpack setup can make the difference between feeling comfortable and feeling annoyed by small things all afternoon.

Day 3 drive to Pokhara: Prithvi Highway plus Phewa Lake calm

On Day 3, you leave Kathmandu early and take the drive to Pokhara via the Prithvi Highway. The drive is described as scenic, with green valleys, terraced fields, rivers, and rocky gorges along the way, and the trip is about 6 hours.

This is one of the underrated parts of the itinerary. Nepal’s mountain region doesn’t only show itself in viewpoints. Roads like this often give you a moving patchwork of hills, farms, and river valleys, and it sets your expectations for what you’ll see once you’re closer to the Annapurna region.

In Pokhara, you’ll stay in a twin sharing hotel on bed and breakfast (like Hotel Mount View or similar) and spend the afternoon walking around Phewa Lake at an easy pace. It’s a good reset day before the hike.

Day 4 Kande to Australian Camp to Dhampus: the hiking heart of the trip

This is the day that earns the photos.

You’ll drive about an hour to Kande, where your trek begins with steep stone stairways. Yes, it’s steep at the start. That’s also why I like that the hike is set up for most travelers who can participate, including routes described as safe and not too difficult for younger or less experienced hikers. It’s still a hike, so don’t treat it like a casual walk in a park.

As you move upward, the trail becomes easier as you pass through shaded dense forest. You’ll also go through a few small settlements along the way, which gives the hike more texture than a straight line into the wilderness.

Then you reach Australian Camp, a hilltop area with colorful tents and big mountain views. From here, you’ll get sweeping sights toward the Annapurna range and peaks including Machhapuchhre, Dhaulagiri, Manaslu, Lamjung Himal, and Hiunchuli. Even if you have seen photos before, this is the moment where it feels real, because you’re standing among the scale.

After enjoying the view, you hike down along a dense jungle trail for about an hour to Dhampus, a Gurung village. The descent is shorter than the ascent, which helps. You’ll get lunch in Dhampus at this village setting, where slate-roofed houses and local life create a different feel than the trail.

If stairs are a challenge for you, this is still doable, but you’ll want to pace yourself on the first section. The guide can help you keep it manageable.

Day 5 Sarangkot sunrise and classic Pokhara sights

Day 5 is a big viewpoint day, starting before sunrise. You head to Sarangkot, at 1,592 m, known for spectacular sunrise views over the Annapurna Massif and Mt. Machhapuchhre.

The early start is the trade-off. You’re up early, but you get rewarded with the kind of morning sky that makes a mountain trip feel special. After that, you return to the hotel for breakfast.

Then you add a mix of spiritual, geological, and museum stops around Pokhara:

• Bindhyya Basini Temple, perched on a tiny hill in Old Pokhara, a shrine dedicated to Lord Durga (an incarnation of Parvati)
• Devi’s Fall
• Gupteshor Cave
• World Peace Pagoda
• International Mountain Museum

In the afternoon, you get lake time with boating on Phewa Lake. This is a nice way to balance the walking-heavy morning. You’ll be tired from the early start, and boating lets you see the shoreline without rushing.

Day 6 back to Kathmandu: Thamel time plus farewell dinner

After breakfast, you ride back to Kathmandu early, retracing the route via Prithvi Highway. Once you arrive, you’re escorted to your hotel.

You’ll have the rest of the day for flexible Kathmandu time. The itinerary suggests either strolling around Thamel for souvenirs or simply relaxing at the hotel. I usually recommend mixing one short shopping loop with downtime, because it’s easy to over-plan a return day.

In the evening, you’ll have a farewell dinner. That’s one more meal handled for you, and it gives the trip a clean wrap-up point.

Day 7 departure: airport transfer based on your flight schedule

On your final day, you’ll transfer to the airport according to your flight schedule. Your representative picks you up from the hotel and takes you to Tribhuvan International Airport for departure.

It’s a simple ending, which is exactly what you want after a week of city days plus one real trekking day.

Price and value: what you’re paying for at $791.67 per person

At $791.67 per person, this tour sits in the midrange for Nepal and it feels more valuable than the sticker price suggests, mainly because a lot of essentials are already folded in.

Here’s what’s included:

• Twin sharing accommodation in Kathmandu (Kantipur Village or similar) and Pokhara (Hotel Mount View or similar), both on bed and breakfast
• Guides: an English-speaking tour guide for Kathmandu and an English-speaking trekking guide for Day 4
• Luxury private transportation throughout the trip
• Entrance fees to sightseeing sites in Kathmandu and Pokhara
• Meals: lunch and dinner are included, plus breakfast (6), and you also get a farewell dinner
• Medical kit and local and government taxes

What is not included:

• International airfare and Nepal visa fee
• Travel insurance and rescue insurance
• Lunch and dinner in Kathmandu and Pokhara (the tour does include meals like the farewell dinner, but you still need to plan for meals not listed as included)
• Personal expenses during the trek

My take: the value is in the combination of private transport, guided UNESCO temple time, and the organized trek day. If you were to do Kathmandu and Pokhara independently, you could still spend less, but you’d be doing more coordinating, and you’d likely pay for separate guides and transport anyway. This package is built for fewer headaches.

Accommodation quality: clean rooms and a view when you wake up

Your Kathmandu and Pokhara stays are twin sharing hotels on bed and breakfast. The specific properties are listed as Kantipur Village or similar and Hotel Mount View or similar.

From real feedback, people liked that the accommodations were clean and that the Pokhara stay came with an excellent view, plus a relaxing feel after a sightseeing or trekking day. That matters, because with a hike day and an early sunrise day, you’re going to want a comfortable place to recover.

Who this tour suits best (and who should think twice)

This is a good fit if you want:

• A classic Nepal combo of Kathmandu culture plus Pokhara viewpoints
• A short trek that is considered safe and manageable for a wide range of visitors
• English-speaking guides and private transfers so you’re not piecing things together yourself
• A day of mountains that ends in a local village experience at Dhampus

It may be less ideal if:

• You struggle with steep stair climbs, since Day 4 starts with stone stairways up from Kande
• You dislike early mornings, because Sarangkot sunrise means you’ll start before sunrise

Before you go: practical tips based on how the days are built

Keep your expectations realistic on hiking effort. Day 4 has an ascent with steep stair sections and a forest trail, followed by a descent and lunch in Dhampus. The hike is not all-day strenuous, but your legs will work.

Also, plan for meals not included in Kathmandu and Pokhara. The tour covers several meals and has a farewell dinner, but you may still need to pay for some lunch and dinner time on your city days.

Finally, remember that the itinerary is tight in a good way. You’ll have sightseeing plus travel days, so it helps to keep your energy steady, especially on Day 5 when the morning begins early.

Should you book this Kathmandu and Pokhara tour with Australian Camp and Dhampus?

If you want one week that covers the big Nepal hits, plus a short hike with strong mountain payoff, I think this is a solid booking. The biggest win is the way it balances guided culture, scenic driving, and a clearly defined hike day.

Book it if you like structured days and you want mountain views without committing to a long, high-altitude trek. Consider passing or asking questions first if you have concerns about stair climbs on Day 4 or if early mornings feel like a dealbreaker.

FAQ

Where does the tour start and what time?

The tour meeting point is Nepali Ghar Hotel, Amrit Marg 26, Kathmandu 44600, Nepal, with a start time listed as 7:15 am.

How long is the Kathmandu and Pokhara tour?

The itinerary is listed as 7 days (approximately).

Is pickup included?

Yes, pickup is offered. The Day 1 plan also includes a representative meeting you at Tribhuvan International Airport and transferring you to your hotel.

What kind of accommodation do you get?

You get twin sharing accommodation in Kathmandu on a bed-and-breakfast basis (Kantipur Village or similar) and twin sharing accommodation in Pokhara on bed-and-breakfast (Hotel Mount View or similar).

What meals are included?

Breakfast is included for 6 days. The tour also includes lunch and dinner, plus a farewell dinner. Lunch and dinner in Kathmandu and Pokhara are listed as not included.

Do you have guides during the trip?

Yes. You’ll have an experienced English-speaking tour guide for Kathmandu sightseeing on Day 2, and an experienced English-speaking trekking guide for Day 4.

What are the main sights in Kathmandu?

The Kathmandu Valley sightseeing includes Kathmandu Durbar Square, Swayambunath, Pashupatinath, and Bouddhanath.

What is the hiking route on the mountain day?

You drive to Kande, hike up steep stone stairways to Australian Camp, then hike down through a dense jungle trail to Dhampus. Lunch is included at Dhampus.

What sightseeing do you do in Pokhara?

You’ll visit Devi’s Fall, Gupteshor Cave, World Peace Pagoda, and the International Mountain Museum. You also go to Sarangkot for sunrise views and have boating time on Phewa Lake.