The short answer
Weather, road conditions, flight schedules and festivals can all shift a plan in Nepal, especially in the mountains and during the monsoon. A spare day or two, particularly before an international flight or after a mountain flight, turns a delay into a minor change.
Mountain flights can be delayed by cloud, and roads can be slow after heavy rain. Build the buffer into the middle and the end of the trip, and keep an optional activity you can swap in or drop. A planner who explains what the backup plan is has thought about this properly.
Key facts
- Add
- 1 to 2 spare days
- Where
- Before long international flights
- Why
- Weather, roads, flights, festivals
- Bonus
- Optional activity to swap in
How it works
- Count your fixed datesInternational flights and special bookings.
- Add a spare day before themAnd another after mountain flights.
- Keep one optional activitySwap it in if time allows.
- Ask your planner for the backup planGet it in writing.
Insider tip
Put the buffer day right before your flight home.
Avoid this
Do not build every day around a fixed departure time.
Related questions
How many days should I add?
One to two for most trips, more for treks.
Is a buffer wasted time?
It often becomes a relaxed extra day.
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