Essence of magnificent India and Nepal
Recommended by 100% of travelers
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New Delhi, India
- 17 days (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Group discounts
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Northern India and Nepal are home to dozens of incredible cultural and historical attractions, but seeing everything in one trip is a tall order for most people. Ideal for anyone looking to maximize their vacation days, this epic 16-night private journey shows travelers the highlights in just over two weeks. Ground transportation, a one-way flight ticket, and air-conditioned accommodation are included.
- Sleep comfortably in a three-star hotel each night with ensuite bathroom
- Enjoy a tasty all-inclusive breakfast each day, plus bottled water
- Local guides are provided in most destinations to enrich each visit
- Tours include a Delhi rickshaw ride and Varanasi boat ride
What's Included
- Boat ride in Varanasi (morning and evening)
- Accommodation in 3 star hotels as per itinerary (Ac, private bathroom)
- Local guides in Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Orccha, Khajuraho, Varanasi, Kathmandu
- Pick up and drop off in Delhi
- Ricksaw ride in Delhi
- Transport by AC comfortable private vehicle with a personal English speaking driver
- Bottled water
- One international flight from Kathmandu to Delhi (20 kg mail luggage, 10 kg hang luggage)
- Breakfast (17)Breakfast
- MealsLunch and dinner
- Gratuities
- Admission Fee - Tickets to all monuments$200.00 per person
- Visa to Nepal$30.00 per person
- Himalaya flight on request
Meeting and Pickup
You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup
Operating hours.8:00 am
Itinerary
Day 1
Delhi
5 Stops
1
Swaminarayan Akshardham
2 hours • Admission Ticket Free
2
Jama Masjid
2 hours • Admission Ticket Not Included
3
Red Fort
2 hours • Admission Ticket Not Included
4
Raj Ghat
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
5
Gurudwara Bangla Sahib
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
Accommodation: Accommodation in a 3 star category hotel
Meals: Breakfast
Day 2
New delhi
5 Stops
1
India Gate
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
2
Lotus Temple
2 hours • Admission Ticket Free
3
Humayun's Tomb
2 hours • Admission Ticket Not Included
4
Qutub Minar
2 hours • Admission Ticket Not Included
5
Lodhi Garden
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
Accommodation: Overnight at 3 star hotel
Meals: Breakfast
Day 3
Jaipur
1 Stop
1
Monkey Temple
2 hours • Admission Ticket Not Included
Accommodation: Overnight at 3 star hotel
Meals: Breakfast
Day 4
Jaipur
5 Stops
1
Amber Palace
2 hours • Admission Ticket Not Included
2
Jal Mahal
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
3
Hawa Mahal - Palace of Wind
1 hour • Admission Ticket Not Included
4
City Palace of Jaipur
2 hours • Admission Ticket Not Included
5
Royal Gaitor Tumbas
1 hour • Admission Ticket Not Included
Accommodation: Overnight at a 3 star hotel
Meals: Breakfast
Day 5
Agra
2 Stops
1
Fatehpur Sikri Fort
2 hours • Admission Ticket Not Included
2
Agra Fort
2 hours • Admission Ticket Not Included
Accommodation: Overnigt at a 3 star hotel.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 6
Agra
2 Stops
1
Taj Mahal
2 hours • Admission Ticket Not Included
2
Orchha Fort
2 hours • Admission Ticket Not Included
Accommodation: Overnight at a 3 star hotel.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 7
Orchha
1 Stop
1
Orchha Fort
3 hours • Admission Ticket Free
Accommodation: Overnight at a 3 star hotel.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 8
Khajuraho
1 Stop
1
Khajuraho Temples
5 hours • Admission Ticket Not Included
Accommodation: Overnight at a 3 star hotel.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 9
Varanasi
1 Stop
1
Ganga Aarti
2 hours • Admission Ticket Free
Accommodation: Overnight at a 3 star hotel.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 10
Varanasi
3 Stops
1
Varanasi Boat Booking
3 hours • Admission Ticket Included
2
Sarnath
3 hours • Admission Ticket Not Included
3
Alamgir Mosque
1 hour • Admission Ticket Not Included
Accommodation: Overnigt at a 3 star hotel.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 11
Lumbini in Nepal, crossing the border
1 Stop
Lumbini (Pass By)
Accommodation: Overnight at 3 star hotel
Meals: Breakfast
Day 12
Lumbini sightseeing and travel to Pokhara
2 Stops
1
Lumbini Zone
2 hours • Admission Ticket Free
Pokhara (Pass By)
Accommodation: Overnight at 3 star hotel.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 13
Pokhara sightseeing
3 Stops
1
Phewa Tal
2 hours • Admission Ticket Included
2
Devi's Fall
1 hour • Admission Ticket Not Included
3
Bindhya Basini Temple
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
Accommodation: Overnight at the hotel in Pokhara.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 14
Trekking in Pokhara and travel to Kathmandu
2 Stops
1
Sarangkot
4 hours • Admission Ticket Free
Kathmandu (Pass By)
Accommodation: Overnight at 3 star hotel in Kathmandu.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 15
Kathmandu sightseeing
3 Stops
1
Kathmandu Durbar Square
2 hours • Admission Ticket Not Included
2
Swayambhunath
2 hours • Admission Ticket Free
3
Pashupatinath
2 hours • Admission Ticket Free
Accommodation: Overnight at 3 star hotel.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 16
Kathmandu - Patan and Bhaktapur
3 Stops
1
Patan (Lalitpur)
2 hours • Admission Ticket Free
2
Bhaktapur
2 hours • Admission Ticket Free
3
Boudhanath Stupa
2 hours • Admission Ticket Not Included
Accommodation: Overnight at 3 star hotel.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 17
Kathmandu Delhi flight and drop off to the airport in Kathmandu
1 Stop
Airport Gate (Pass By)
Accommodation: Not included
Meals: Breakfast
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Infant seats available
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Most travelers can participate
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Vegetarian option is available, please advise at time of booking if required
- Dress properly to the temples and mosques (arms and legs must be covered)
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
5.0
based on 45 reviews
Helena_C, Jan 2026
Summary: We recommend this tour from Payless Tours which offers a wide variety of experiences in both India and Nepal. However, the tour may require more guest involvement than a typical guided tour. We had quite a few communication/coordination glitches during our tour which were resolved satisfactorily but caused us unnecessary stress.
Highlights:
- Rickshaw ride in Old Town Delhi.
- Seeing the Taj Mahal.
- Getting an Ayeuretic massage in Kharjaro (optional recommendation from driver Sanjay).
- Seeing the Himalayas (including Mount Everest in the far distance).
- Unexpected Tuk Tuk ride in Varanasi (Guide took us by Tuk-Tuk to Aarti giving our driver a break).
- Being able to make real time changes with Payless (we opted for 2 nights in Pokhara instead of visiting Chitwan since we read that you don’t see much on the half day safaris).
Lowlights:
- Arriving in Delhi at night and having our driver (of unknown name) drive for 15 minutes before confessing he did not know where our hotel was. Google Maps (and Google Fi) on our phones got us there.
- The Aarti experience in Varanasi. We arrived in Varanasi too late for the Aarti on the day of arrival. We were told that instead of the boat ride in the morning along the Ganges, they were going to combine the boat ride with the Aarti experience in the afternoon of the next day. We were excited as we thought that was going to be a good way to be able to view the Aarti (since the priests are facing the water when they perform the ritual). However, the “boat ride” in Varanasi turned out to be a combination of Aarti Experience/Ghat Explanation/Hindi Sermon. We could only catch an occasional glimpse of the Aarti (in the far distance) because our boat was the last one to leave shore and so you had about 50 boats between you and the shore. Additionally, after the Aarti, the Ghat tour consists of the boat cruising up stream while the tour guide uses a spotlight to show you the Ghats (its at night and you can’t see much) while explaining everything in Hindi. Then you have to listen to a 30 minute sermon (also in Hindi, of course) and get sprinkled with “holy” water before they take you back to shore.
- Upon arrival in Kathmandu, checking into the hotel and being told AFTER check-in that we can’t get the keys until we pay the bill since Payless forgot to pay it. We paid for the room and notified Payless. Neeraj had the driver reimburse us . . . 15,000 Indian Rupee (after we left India and did not need any more Rupee) but ended up paying us the equivalent in US$ when I complained about it.
- On departure day in Kathmandu, having our local guide* who AGREED to pick us up at 11:30AM in a car, arrive at 11:50 on his motorcycle. No other vehicle in site. The small car he had arranged (we each had one checked bag and one carryon but not enough room in trunk so we had to place one of the checked bags in the front passenger seat) and driver showed up around noon. We DID make it on time for our flight but we were at the end of the queue at the check in instead of the front.
* Our designated driver transferred (with our agreement) responsibility for getting us to the airport to the local guide so that he could leave for home (India) the afternoon after our last tour in Kathmandu.
Minor Irritations:
- Having 5 different drivers for our tour - we were supposed to have one.
- Having our repeated requests to change our 500 INR notes into 50 and 100 INR notes ignored. One driver DID trade us several thousand INR in 200 INR notes for our 500 INR notes which, as he said, is better than no trade at all. And our guide in Agra (Jeet) DID help us get a nice collection of small (10-20-50-100) notes. We gave up trying to get smaller notes and ended up not tipping people we wanted to tip because we had no small bills.
- Being provided with small sealed water bottles only on the first day or so of the tour. We had purchased a case of 1 liter water bottles for use in the hotels and I guess the drivers figured we could refill from our bottles. Which we did but the daily water bottle was supposed to be provided. Reality is that it is better for the environment refilling our small disposable bottles with the larger bottles so we shouldn’t complain but the issue is worth noting.
- Having our requests to have “western style toilets” for stops ignored. Sometimes we got them, sometimes we didn’t. But if you gotta go, you gotta go.
- Getting scammed by the operator (Ele Jaipur) at the Elevago An Elephant Sanctuary in Jaipur. Our driver suggested the Elephant Sanctuary (and it is a legit operation in that it is run by the government and you pay a fee to enter). However, the contractor inside the park is unethical.
- Going to the Aarti in Varanasi and being told once you are on the boat that you have to pay for it. We did. Shortly thereafter, the guide came back and said that was a mistake and reimbursed us.
- Showing up for the boat ride in Pokhara and being told by our driver that we have to pay for it. We showed him the list of included activities from Viator and after a call to Payless, the driver came back and paid for a boat trip to the temple and back.
- Paying for a couple of meals/drinks for either guide/driver unintentionally (the driver/guide did not offer to pay and we did not want to anger anyone as the costs were reasonable) and not even being thanked for it.
Minor Enjoyments:
- If we had to pay for a toilet break (usually 20 INR), our drivers usually covered the cost since we had no small bills.
- Driver Sanjay suprising us with a big basket of snacks for our drive to Varanasi since we would not have time to stop for lunch.
- Enjoying the Masala tea at the toilet (“wash room”) breaks courtesy of driver Sanjay. He really liked stopping at small shops and we never had the small bills to pay so he paid for us to have tea.
- Guide Raj took us to Nagarkot on our last full day in Kathmandu so that we could see Mt. Everest (teeny tiny on the distant horizon but we saw it).
Recommendations for Payless Tours:
- Make it clear who to contact if there are issues. Sometimes we dealt with Neeraj, sometimes the driver of the day.
- Make sure the driver knows what is included and what is optional.
- Do the morning boat ride on the Ganges to show/explain the Ghats. If English explanation not available, make that clear up front.
- Offer travelers an option for viewing the Aarti on shore or on boat. Boat probably has better view IF you get one that leaves early. Maybe a high cost option for a location with an unobstructed view.
Recommendations for Future Customers:
- Double check hotel names and addresses before traveling.
- Convert the tour listing as provided into a day by day listing.
- Do research for the different locations BEFOREHAND so that you can make informed decisions about what to see/do and what to skip and then coordinate with Neeraj and/or assigned driver.
- If you want an elephant experience, research before hand as it may require an additional day in schedule depending upon activities planned and operator you deal with.
- Don’t assume your driver has a broad English vocabulary. They will understand the basics and, depending upon who you get, possibly a lot more.
- IF you go to the Elephant Sanctuary in Jaipur and do any of the expensive options (they are ALL expensive), pay by credit card. They will try hard to get you to pay cash (of any currency) or go to ATM. I figure they are probably skimming the cash off the top and using a credit card makes if harder for them to pocket the money as there is a paper trail. Additionally, be careful as they will show you a price in INR but then tack 5.3% onto it and charge you in US$ (but it is not obvious on the receipt).
General Comments:
- This is NOT a big budget operation like Colette or Intrepid so expect some hiccups along the way but it is also a much more personal and rewarding.
- You pay for the entrance fees. The note for $200 for entrance fees on the website is approximate. We thought we were suppose to give the money to the driver at the beginning of the tour but quickly found out that is not the case.
- We loved seeing the daily life outside the car window - People, people everywhere: buying, selling, waiting, walking, resting, washing, talking on the phone, eating, drinking, driving, riding, and unfortunately, . . . begging from you, especially at toll booths on the highways.
- We tipped the drivers more generously than the guides as driving in the big cities and between them required a lot of skill while the guides basically just regurgitated memorized information and did not have to deal with horrible traffic. That is not to discount the guides as all of them were good at their task.
- Don’t believe the Google Maps estimate for driving times between towns. Traffic and obstructions and road work add substantially to the drive time.
- DON’T be surprised by all the traffic driving TOWARD you on the divided highways. The median strip merely means that MOST (>50%) traffic will respect the law (drive on the left) but quite a few will drive on the right as it is more convenient for them to get to their destination.
- Most of the guides/drivers have “recommended” stores/restaurants in the big cities. Usually fine to take their recommendation but feel free to choose a different place or decline all together.
- Our understanding is that ethical elephant parks do not even offer a ride on the elephant. The operator at the Elephant Sanctuary does offer elephant rides and has Howdahs already attached to some of the elephants. I believe the ethical operators only do full day experiences and no rides.
- ATMs in India are limited to 10,000 INR per transaction but you can do multiple transactions per day up to 50,000 INR total.
- Upon arrival at the India/Nepal border, there are separate lines for individuals and for groups exiting India. The group line is always quite long but you should be able to go to the front (without your driver) and tell them you are individuals and get processed out of India quickly.
- For the Nepal visa, it was sufficient to do the online visa for that particular entrance station right before you arrive and show the confirmation number on your phone as you pay right next to the visa office. You do not need a paper copy. If your application date is too old, they have a computer right there that you can redo the visa application on and take a picture with your phone of the confirmation and show it at the payment window.
- For the Nepal visa, make sure your currency is pristine – A gentleman was denied his visa as his $100 US bill had a very slight tear on it. We bought some clear currency holders from Amazon to protect our bills during our travels which worked good.
From $580.00
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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