Road trip in Nepal
In summary
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Sports
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Duration8 days
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LevelAll levels
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DestinationAsia / Nepal
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AgeFrom the age of 18
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CO₂-Emissions132.71 kg CO2
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Type of stayIndependent traveler
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Languages
French
In a few words
Embark on a unique journey across Nepal , from Kathmandu to the far reaches of eastern Nepal , discovering an authentic and welcoming country. This trip immerses you in a pristine world, amidst verdant rice paddies , Ilam tea plantations , and traditional villages nestled in the heart of the subtropical hills. Staying with local families or in small, local establishments , you'll share special moments of daily life with the Limbu , Rai , and Brahmin communities.
The route begins with a spectacular drive through the eastern Terai , before reaching the Himalayan foothills covered in banana trees , bamboo , and cultivated terraces . Each walk reveals a diversity of landscapes and a rare richness of human connection. Along the way, spontaneous encounters , exchanged smiles, and shared traditions forge a unique bond with this sparsely populated and profoundly vibrant region.
The highlights
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Landscapes: countryside, hills, rice paddies, Himalayas
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Authentic villages and encounters
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Tea fields and giant rhododendrons
Photos
Sport
Level
Hiking / Trekking
In figures
Hiking
- Average duration/day: 4h
- Average daily elevation gain: 200 m
- Average daily descent: 240 m
Management
French
Program
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Kathmandu - Eastern Nepal (Morang)
- Transportation Minibus - 10h - 400km
- Accommodation Staying with a local resident
- Breakfast included
- Lunch included
- Dinner included
Early in the morning, the Nepalese road trip begins, and it's a full day's drive towards eastern Nepal. First, the mountains, then the plains of the Terai, Nepal's agricultural heartland. This is the Eastern Terai, located on the border with India, not far from Darjeeling. Upon arriving in Morang, you'll discover small, typical villages scattered among the rice paddies. You'll wander from village to village, soaking up the typical Terai atmosphere: rice paddies, palm trees, and banana trees create the authentic landscape of this region.
Day 1 -
Morang - Kanyam (1500m)
- Transportation Minibus - 03h - 105km
- Activity Hiking
- Duration of the activity 3h10
- Accommodation Cottage
- Breakfast included
- Lunch included
- Dinner included
We travel to the Kanyam region, in Ilam. We discover the first tea plantations in Jhapa, near the India-Nepal border. Lunch is served at the Indian border, in a bombubus grove overlooking the Indo-Nepalese border. We then leave the subtropical Terai region and ascend into the mountains to Kanyam, the tea capital of Nepal for 150 years. We explore the Kanyam tea plantations on foot and visit a factory to learn about the different stages of tea production.
Day 2 -
Kanyam - Samthang (2335m)
- Transportation Minibus - 05h10 - 125km
- Accommodation Staying with a local resident
- Breakfast included
- Lunch included
- Dinner included
Witness the magnificent sunrise over the mountains near Darjeeling! After breakfast, we'll drive to Samthang. En route, in Baghkhor, we'll visit a small local cheese factory. The road climbs to Pauwa (2700m), offering views of Mount Kanchanjangha (8586m) and Mount Kumbhakarna (7710m). In Phidim, a small town built into the red earth, we'll have lunch at a local restaurant. In Majhitaar, we'll cross the Tamor River, and the road will ascend to the heights of Samthang, a charming village where you'll spend two nights with Miss Manisha Dhungana.
Day 3 -
Samthang: Discovering the region
- Activity Hiking
- Duration of the activity 6h10
- Positive elevation gain 500 m
- Negative elevation 500 m
- Accommodation Staying with a local resident
- Breakfast included
- Lunch included
- Dinner included
Wake up early in the morning (two mornings depending on the weather) to witness the sunrise over Mount Kanchanjangha (8586m) and Mount Kumbhakarna or Mount Janu (7710m), and Mount Makalu is also visible to the west… You will spend two nights here. Explore the region on a long hike. There are several villages: Samthang, Khamlalung, Dandagaon, Lisibung, Muse Gaira, Tyammerung, Iwa, Hwaku… You will also see sculpted terraced rice paddies and cardamom fields.
Day 4 -
Route: Samthang - Gufa Pokhari (2900m) via Tehrathum
- Accommodation Refuge
- Breakfast included
- Lunch included
- Dinner included
A drive through mountains and valleys before arriving in Gufa Pokhari, the highest point of our adventure. It's a long day of road-tripping. Several stops along the way to meet the locals and share a cup of tea... Arrival in the pretty village of Gufa Pokhari, near a lake, in a local 4x4. We're greeted by Mr. Sherpa, who runs the Yak Hotel. He owns over 100 yaks!
Day 5 -
Gufa Pokhari and the region
- Activity Hiking
- Duration of the activity 4h10
- Positive elevation gain 100 m
- Negative elevation 100 m
- Accommodation Refuge
- Breakfast included
- Lunch included
- Dinner included
Gufa Pokhari is a place of otherworldly beauty! Sunrise over several Himalayan peaks, including two exceeding 8,000m: Mt. Makalu and Mt. Kanchanjangha. Explore the region on foot, with numerous viewpoints overlooking the Himalayas, rhododendron forests, yaks, and encounters with the Sherpa, Limbu, Rai, Magar, and Brahman peoples...
Day 6 -
Gufa Pokhari - Chowki (2800m)
- Activity Hiking
- Duration of the activity 4h05
- Positive elevation gain 150 m
- Negative elevation 350 m
- Accommodation Refuge
- Breakfast included
- Lunch included
- Dinner included
After spending two days in Gufa Pokhari, we trekked to Chowki: a sleepy village surrounded by natural grassland. Beautiful views of the Himalayas continued… We spent the night in a lodge run by a Buddhist family of the Tamang people.
Day 7 -
Chwoki - Biratnagar - Kathmandu
- Transportation Minibus - 05h05 - 130km
- Activity Hiking
- Duration of the activity 3h15
- Positive elevation gain 250 m
- Negative elevation 250 m
- Breakfast included
- Lunch included
- Dinner not included
We hiked along tracks and trails before reaching the paved road at Tute Deurali. We then drove to Biratnagar, a border town with India, where we spent the night before taking a domestic flight to Kathmandu. Arrival in Kathmandu.
Day 8
Note
Each day, there is the possibility of taking walks in the area surrounding the stage...
Accommodation
Access
Price details
The price includes
- Public/private ground transfers according to itinerary
- Domestic flight: Biratnagar - Kathmandu
- All accommodations include full board (7 nuts)
- The English-speaking management
- Local permits
- Staff insurance
- All local taxes
The price does not include
- Private airport/hotel/airport transfers
- Accommodation in Kathmandu
- International flights
- Nepalese visa (US$30) :: Passport valid for at least 6 months
- Repatriation, helicopter, hospital, medical insurance...
- Tips, all personal expenses and equipment, drinks (including water), sleeping bag and anything not listed under “THE PRICE INCLUDES”
Options
- Flex fare and insurance
Practical information
Specific formalities
Specifics
Before your departure, check with the embassy or consulate regarding the entry and stay requirements for your destination country. You can also find this information on the France Diplomatie website ( https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/dossiers-pays/ ).
In the case of flights with stopovers operated by different airlines, also check the entry requirements of the countries you are transiting through.
It is your responsibility to ensure you are in compliance, particularly regarding the validity of your identity documents (for example, some countries require your passport to be valid for at least six months after your return) , visa requirements, necessary vaccinations, and health recommendations. And don't forget to consider any customs restrictions and other potential requirements of your destination or transit country.
ℹ️ Information may change up to the departure date, remember to regularly check official websites.
Equipment
Equipment provided on site
- Trekking bag
Equipment to bring
- Water filter or tablets for water treatment
- Toiletries (preferably biodegradable products)
- Quick-drying towel
- Biodegradable cleaning wipes
- Sunglasses with a high protection rating
- High protection sunscreen
- Hand sanitizer
- Tissues
- Toilet paper
- Books, card games... to keep busy at the end of the day
- Sleeping bag (Recommended comfort temperature of -5°C/-15°C depending on the season and individual sensitivity to cold)
- Telescopic hiking poles
- Headlamp and spare batteries
- Water bottle or hydration pack (ideally 2 liters)
Clothing to bring
- Cap or hat
- Cap
- Neck warmer or scarf to protect yourself from the sun
- Gloves
- T-shirt or shirt made of synthetic material (quick-drying)
- Thermal underwear (t-shirt and tights) for the night
- Warm fleece jacket
- Waterproof and breathable windproof jacket with hood
- Puffer jacket for breaks or in the evening
- Long shorts
- Comfortable walking pants
- Walking socks
- Waterproof and sturdy walking shoes with a grippy sole
- Lightweight shoes for evenings and travel days
