eSIM for South Asia (6 areas)

This plan covers six South Asian countries, including India, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka, on one eSIM. It suits a Delhi and Kathmandu trip, a Himalayan trek followed by Bhutan, or a tour of India and Sri Lanka. Cities have good 4G, but mountain trails, remote valleys and parts of the countryside have little signal. The Maldives is not on this plan.

A three-country route that pairs India's Golden Triangle highlights and Varanasi with Nepal's Kathmandu Valley and Pokhara, then flies into Bhutan for a guided few days in Paro, Thimphu and Punakha ending with the Tiger's Nest hike.

Length

14 days

Bases

8

When to go October to November is the best window, with clear Himalayan views after the monsoon and comfortable days on the plains; February to April also works, while December and January bring fog in Delhi and Varanasi, and June to September monsoon rain closes trails and delays flights.

1. 01

   Day 1 Delhi

   Old Delhi

   Start at the Red Fort, then walk to Jama Masjid and climb its minaret for the view over the old city. Take a cycle rickshaw through Chandni Chowk's lanes and the spice market on Khari Baoli. In the evening, visit the Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, where the community kitchen serves free meals.

   Signal Strong 4G and 5G on Airtel across Delhi, though the narrowest Chandni Chowk lanes can be slow at peak times.

2. 02

   Day 2 Delhi

   New Delhi: Humayun's Tomb and the Qutub Minar

   Visit Humayun's Tomb, the garden tomb that inspired the Taj Mahal, and the Nizamuddin shrine next door. Drive down Rajpath, now Kartavya Path, past India Gate, then see the Qutub Minar complex in the south of the city. Finish at Lodhi Garden or Hauz Khas at sunset.

   Signal Excellent across New Delhi and on the Delhi Metro.

3. 03

   Day 3 Agra

   Train to Agra: Agra Fort and Mehtab Bagh

   → Gatimaan Express or Vande Bharat from Delhi to Agra, about 1 hour 40 minutes to 2 hours 30 minutes.

   Take a morning express train to Agra. Visit Agra Fort, the red-sandstone Mughal citadel with views downriver to the Taj Mahal, then the tomb of Itimad-ud-Daulah, known as the Baby Taj. At sunset, go to Mehtab Bagh across the Yamuna for the Taj Mahal from the far bank.

   Signal Good along the Delhi–Agra line and in Agra; slower in the older parts of the city.

4. 04

   Day 4 Delhi

   The Taj Mahal at sunrise and Fatehpur Sikri

   Be at the Taj Mahal's east gate before sunrise; it is closed on Fridays. Spend two hours there, then drive to Fatehpur Sikri, Akbar's abandoned capital, for the Buland Darwaza and the Jama Masjid courtyard. Return to Delhi by train or road in the evening, ready for the flight to Varanasi.

   Signal Good at the Taj Mahal and Fatehpur Sikri, though crowds at the Taj can slow data; patchy on rural stretches of the expressway.

5. 05

   Day 5 Varanasi

   Fly to Varanasi: the evening aarti

   → Flight Delhi to Varanasi, about 1 hour 20 minutes.

   Fly to Varanasi. In the late afternoon, walk the ghats along the Ganges from Assi Ghat northwards, then watch the Ganga Aarti ceremony at Dashashwamedh Ghat after dark, with fire, bells and chanting. Be respectful near Manikarnika Ghat, the main cremation site, and do not take photos there.

   Signal Good 4G along the main ghats, though the evening aarti crowds slow data heavily.

6. 06

   Day 6 Varanasi

   Varanasi: a dawn boat and Sarnath

   Take a rowing boat on the Ganges at dawn to see bathers and rituals on the ghats. Walk through the old city's lanes towards the Kashi Vishwanath temple area. In the afternoon, visit Sarnath, where the Buddha gave his first sermon, for the Dhamek Stupa and the Ashoka lion capital in the museum.

   Signal Good on the river near the ghats and at Sarnath; the old city's narrow lanes are weaker.

7. 07

   Day 7 Kathmandu

   To Kathmandu: Durbar Square and Swayambhunath

   → Flight Varanasi to Kathmandu, direct on some days or via Delhi, about 1 hour direct.

   Fly to Kathmandu, getting a Nepal visa on arrival or online in advance. In the afternoon, visit Kathmandu Durbar Square and its rebuilt temples, then climb the steps to Swayambhunath, the monkey temple, for sunset over the valley. Stay in or near Thamel.

   Signal Your phone switches to Ncell or Nepal Telecom on landing. Good 4G in central Kathmandu, though power cuts can affect some towers.

8. 08

   Day 8 Kathmandu

   Bhaktapur, Pashupatinath and Boudhanath

   Spend the morning in Bhaktapur, walking its Durbar Square, Taumadhi Square and the Nyatapola temple, and try the local curd. In the afternoon, visit Pashupatinath on the Bagmati River, then end at Boudhanath, where pilgrims walk clockwise round the great stupa at dusk.

   Signal Good across the Kathmandu Valley, including Bhaktapur and Boudhanath.

9. 09

   Day 9 Pokhara

   Fly to Pokhara: Phewa Lake

   → Flight Kathmandu to Pokhara, about 25 minutes.

   Take the short flight to Pokhara for views of the Annapurna range on a clear day. In the afternoon, row a boat on Phewa Lake to the Tal Barahi temple on its island, then walk up to the World Peace Pagoda on the ridge opposite for sunset over the lake and the mountains.

   Signal Good in Pokhara's Lakeside area; weaker on the trail up to the Peace Pagoda.

10. 10

    Day 10 Kathmandu

    Sarangkot sunrise and back to Kathmandu

    → Flight Pokhara to Kathmandu, about 25 minutes.

    Drive up to Sarangkot before dawn for sunrise over Machapuchare and the Annapurnas. Later, visit Davis Falls and the Gupteshwor Cave, or try paragliding from Sarangkot. Fly back to Kathmandu in the afternoon and prepare for Bhutan: your visa and guide must be arranged in advance.

    Signal Good at Sarangkot's viewpoint; patchy inside the Gupteshwor Cave. Flights are often delayed by cloud, so keep airline apps updated.

11. 11

    Day 11 Thimphu

    Fly to Paro and on to Thimphu

    → Drukair or Bhutan Airlines from Kathmandu to Paro, about 1 hour; then about 1 hour by road to Thimphu.

    Fly to Paro, sitting on the left for Everest and Kanchenjunga on clear days. Meet your guide, visit Paro's Rinpung Dzong and the bridge below it, then drive to Thimphu. In the evening, walk the Memorial Chorten, where locals circle in prayer.

    Signal Your phone switches to TashiCell in Bhutan. Good 4G in Paro and Thimphu, with gaps on the river road between them.

12. 12

    Day 12 Punakha

    Thimphu to Punakha over the Dochula Pass

    → About 3 hours by road from Thimphu.

    Visit the giant Buddha Dordenma statue above Thimphu, then drive over the Dochula Pass, with its 108 chortens and Himalayan views on clear days. Descend to Punakha and walk the short trail through rice fields to Chimi Lhakhang, the fertility temple.

    Signal Patchy on the Dochula Pass and the descent; good in Punakha town.

13. 13

    Day 13 Paro

    Punakha Dzong and back to Paro

    → About 4 hours by road from Punakha to Paro.

    Visit Punakha Dzong at the meeting of the Pho Chhu and Mo Chhu rivers, crossing the wooden cantilever bridge. Walk the suspension bridge upstream, then drive back to Paro for the evening, stopping at Dochula again if you missed the view.

    Signal Good at Punakha Dzong; patchy on the mountain road back.

14. 14

    Day 14 Paro

    Tiger's Nest

    Hike up to Paro Taktsang, the Tiger's Nest monastery clinging to a cliff about 900 metres above the valley. Allow four to six hours return, with a teahouse halfway. In the evening, visit Kyichu Lhakhang, one of Bhutan's oldest temples, before flying out from Paro.

    Signal Some signal at the trailhead and the teahouse; weak or none on the upper trail and inside the monastery.