Days 1 to 3: Kathmandu and Pokhara
Day 1: arrive in Kathmandu and rest. If you have energy, take an easy evening walk near your accommodation.
Day 2: travel to Pokhara. A short flight saves time; the road takes most of a day. Spend the late afternoon by Phewa Lake.
Day 3: a full day in Pokhara. On a clear morning, the Annapurna range can be seen from the lakeside and from viewpoints above the town. Keep the rest of the day loose.
Days 4 and 5: Tansen
Day 4: take the Siddhartha Highway south to Tansen, roughly four to five hours. Leave in the morning so you arrive at Bulbul Farm Retreat with time to settle in before dinner. Our Pokhara to Tansen guide covers the drive.
Day 5: walk into Tansen's old bazaar and the palace area in the morning, or visit Shreenagar Hill. Spend the afternoon back at the farm, meeting the ducks and goats or reading in the garden.
Days 6 and 7: Lumbini and home
Day 6: drive to Lumbini, around three hours, and spend the afternoon at the Sacred Garden and Maya Devi Temple. Stay the night nearby.
Day 7: revisit the monastic zone in the cool of the morning, then take a short drive to Gautam Buddha International Airport in Bhairahawa for a flight back to Kathmandu.
Adjusting the pace
This plan is full but not frantic. If your international flight leaves Kathmandu the same day as your return, add a buffer day, as domestic flights can be delayed by weather. With an extra day, give it to Tansen. During the monsoon, road delays are more likely, so keep Day 4 and Day 6 flexible. For a slower version that also includes Chitwan, see the ten-day itinerary.