Nepal Tour from Varanasi: Complete Planning Guide (Lumbini, Pokhara, Kathmandu)

Funny thing, half the people who call us about Nepal are surprised it's so near. Leave Varanasi after an early breakfast and you'll be at the border by lunch, give or take a chai stop in Gorakhpur. So yes, the city makes a pretty good launchpad for a Nepal tour. Our guests mostly want Lumbini (the Buddha's birthplace), or Pokhara and its lakes, or Kathmandu. Plenty want all three. Here's how we'd go about it.

Varanasi to Nepal: Route & Distance

Via Sunauli Border (Most Popular)

Almost everyone crosses at Sunauli, up through Gorakhpur. Roughly what our drivers reckon on for each leg:

Varanasi to Sunauli Border: ~280 km (5-6 hours via Gorakhpur)
Sunauli to Lumbini: ~25 km (30 minutes)
Sunauli to Pokhara: ~290 km (7-8 hours)
Sunauli to Kathmandu: ~350 km (8-10 hours)

Border Crossing Tips

Indians, good news, no visa. What you do need is the original Voter ID or passport in your pocket; we've seen people turned back with a photocopy, so don't risk it. For everyone else it's a Nepal visa, which they'll give you on arrival at the border for $30 (that covers 15 days).

You can cross at any hour, technically. The catch is that immigration only sits from 6 in the morning till 10 at night, which is why we leave Varanasi early. Change money at Gorakhpur or Sunauli; a Nepali rupee costs roughly ₹1.6. And if you're taking an Indian vehicle across, it needs a "Road Permit", which usually eats 30 to 60 minutes at the border. Bring some patience and a snack.

Vehicle Options for Nepal Tour

Our tempo traveller on rent in Varanasi fleet can take you right up to the border at Sunauli. For us that's a normal outstation cab from Varanasi booking. Inside Nepal, you've got two choices: we arrange a partner vehicle on the other side, or you carry on in ours (the extra road permit charges apply then).

Vehicle	To Sunauli (one-way)	Varanasi–Lumbini Return
Innova Crysta	₹5,040	₹10,800
12 Seater TT	₹6,720	₹14,400
Urbania	₹9,800	₹21,000

Sample 5-Day Itinerary

This is the loop we suggest to most families. Change it however you like.

Day 1: Varanasi to Lumbini (310 km). See the Maya Devi Temple, the Ashoka Pillar and the Peace Pagoda, and sleep in Lumbini.
Day 2: Lumbini to Pokhara (290 km). It's a long but lovely drive up into the hills. Check in and take it easy.
Day 3: Pokhara. A boat on Phewa Lake, sunrise from Sarangkot if you can face the early start, Davis Falls and the World Peace Pagoda.
Day 4: Pokhara to Kathmandu (200 km). Spend the evening wandering Thamel and Durbar Square.
Day 5: Kathmandu. Pashupatinath, Boudhanath Stupa and Swayambhunath, then fly home or drive back to the border.

What to Pack

Nepal's a good deal colder than Varanasi, especially from October to March, so pack warm layers even if it's hot when you leave. You'll want comfortable shoes for all the temple walking. Keep your original passport or Voter ID on you (again, not a photocopy), and carry cash in both rupees, Indian and Nepali, because ATMs up there don't always cooperate.

Planning a Nepal trip from Varanasi? Book with Varanasi On Wheels and our drivers will handle the border, the permits and the long hours on the road. Call us on 9250331290!