The Triangle Nobody Draws on the Map
Kathmandu gets the flights, the Instagram posts, and the five days most Indian travellers budget for Nepal. Pokhara, Lumbini, and Chitwan, a rough triangle in the western and southern stretches of the country, get the leftover half-day or the vague promise of "next time." That is a planning failure, and it costs money as well as experience.The three cities sit within striking distance of each other. Pokhara is roughly 200 kilometres west of Kathmandu by road, about six hours on the tourist bus or 25 minutes on a domestic flight. Lumbini, the birthplace of the Buddha, is another 75 kilometres south of Pokhara, under two hours by road. Chitwan National Park sits between Lumbini and Kathmandu, accessible from either direction. The geography practically draws the route. The problem is that most Indian travellers arrive in Kathmandu, spend three days there, and then either fly home or add a single Pokhara day-trip that satisfies nothing.A proper run through the triangle needs seven nights minimum. Eight is better. That sounds like a long trip until you price it: mid-range hotels in Pokhara run between Rs 2,500 and Rs 4,500 per night, food along Lakeside is cheap enough that a full meal with drinks rarely crosses Rs 800, and the domestic Kathmandu-Pokhara flight on Yeti Airlines or Buddha Air costs less than a Mumbai-Delhi ticket on most dates.
