What works in Nepal if you travel with limited mobility
Most of the country is hard going, but a fair amount of it is possible. We go through which is which, without cheering you on and without writing it off.
By the Lakeshore team · 6 min read · Updated 5 October 2026
We get this enquiry a few times a season, and what you find online doesn't help much in either direction. Either Nepal is impossible, or it's a cheerful list that forgets about the stairs.
Nepal has almost no accessible infrastructure, but a well-planned trip is still very possible for many people with limited mobility. Those are the two things we say first on the phone, and the rest is below.
What's hard
Where there are pavements, they're uneven, broken up and often blocked. Kerb cuts are rare, and Kathmandu in particular is hard going on wheels.
Outside a handful of newer international hotels there are almost no accessible toilets. That shapes most itineraries more than anything else on this list.
Trekking routes are steps. We mean stone staircases, for hours, with no gentler way round. There's no wheelchair-accessible teahouse trek anywhere in the Annapurnas.
Heritage sites were built with steps. Kathmandu's durbar squares, Swayambhunath and the upper levels of Boudhanath all mean stairs.
What works well
Lakeside in Pokhara is flat, and with its lakeshore road, restaurants and hotels it's the easiest place in the country to get around. Several hotels have lifts and ground-floor rooms.
Phewa's boats are reachable with some help, and being on the water is a highlight in itself.
A road goes up Sarangkot, and from there it's a short flat walk to a sunrise viewpoint. You see the mountains without the climb.
You can reach the World Peace Pagoda by road from the far side, which skips the forest stairs completely.
Chitwan's jeep safaris are excellent. You're seated the whole time, and the rhinos don't care how you got there. Several lodges have ground-floor rooms and easy grounds.
Bandipur's main street is flat, short and free of cars, which you rarely find together anywhere in Nepal.
Seeing the mountains from the air
A mountain flight, or a longer ultralight flight, puts you level with the Annapurnas without any walking. If you came for the Himalaya and can't trek, it's the best answer we have.
Helicopter tours can land at places that would otherwise take days to walk to. They're expensive and depend on the weather, but for the right trip they're worth it, and a traveller who can't walk in is the case they exist for.
People with a range of disabilities have flown tandem paragliders, with the right operator and notice in advance. Ask about your own case before assuming yes or no, because it depends on the operator and on the day.
Transport and the practical side
Always take a private vehicle, not the tourist bus. A car and driver from Kathmandu to Pokhara, stopping at Bandipur, is comfortable and lets you break the journey wherever you like.
Domestic flights are short, but small aircraft mean steps up to the door and limited help. We tell the airline ahead of time for you, and that makes a big difference.
Kathmandu airport is manageable with assistance, as long as it's arranged beforehand and not requested when you land.
How we'd plan it
Stay in Pokhara instead of moving on every day. With Lakeside as your base and day trips by private vehicle, the trip is far more comfortable than a touring itinerary.
Add Chitwan for the wildlife, Bandipur for the old town and a flight for the mountains, and you have a good ten days in Nepal with no stairs beyond a hotel entrance. If something on your list won't work, we'll say so. That conversation is more useful than a booking, and it's the one part of this we're certain about. Send us your dates and what you need, and we'll plan from there.
Walk it with us
Private departures on your dates, guided by the people who wrote this page.
Questions we get asked
Is any trekking possible?
Not on wheels, and not on the standard routes, because they're stone stairs. A few specialist operators run adapted treks with porters. That's a different kind of trip, and we'd point you to them instead of pretending we run it ourselves.
Are there accessible hotels?
A handful of the larger hotels in Pokhara and Kathmandu have lifts and adapted rooms. We check the specific hotel instead of trusting a booking-site filter, which is often wrong here.
Can I hire a wheelchair or equipment?
Hard to find and not reliable. Bring your own, with spares of anything that could fail, because repairs are scarce.
What about a visual impairment instead of limited mobility?
That's quite different, and much more workable. Blind and partially sighted trekkers have walked major Nepali routes with guides. The hard part is the trail surface. Tell us, and we'll plan the pace and how many guides walk with you.
Will people be helpful?
Very, and often more hands-on than you may be used to. Three strangers lifting you up a step is a common Nepali solution. Accept it if you want it, and it's fine to say no.
Still deciding?
Tell us your dates, and we'll tell you whether Pokhara Highlights Day Tour is right for you. If it isn't, we'll say so.
Nothing to pay online. We confirm your dates first.
Or call the office +977 61-457830