{"id":42,"date":"2007-12-28T06:21:04","date_gmt":"2007-12-28T06:21:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.itravelabout.com\/kathmandu-nepal\/"},"modified":"2007-12-28T06:21:04","modified_gmt":"2007-12-28T06:21:04","slug":"kathmandu-nepal","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.itravelabout.com\/kathmandu-nepal\/","title":{"rendered":"Kathmandu, Nepal"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Kathmandu<\/strong>,\u00a0the capital of <a href=\"\/travel-guide\/asia\/nepal\">Nepal<\/a><strong>, <\/strong> is a busy city with the sights, sounds and smells leading to sensory overload. Overflowing with<br \/>\n<strong>temples<\/strong> , Kathmandu, and the surrounding valley region is a fine place to stay for a few days to a week.\u00a0 Get by on US$20 per day.<\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s the largest, and pretty much the only city in <a href=\"\/nepal\">Nepal<\/a> . You can step away from the busy traffic polluted roads and the touts, and into back streets to reveal the old Kathmandu; amazing cultural and artistic heritage, temples, marigolds,<br \/>\ndrying chillies and people living in traditional ways.<\/p>\n<p>You&#8217;re more likely to see trekkers\u00a0than hippies today in Kathmandu.\u00a0 But tourist numbers are down, so discounts can be had.\u00a0 It is easy to spend too much time in Kathmandu; get out to see the real Nepal.<\/p>\n<p>Highlights<\/p>\n<p>Kathmandu&#8217;s sights are definitely the endless temples.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Visit the Unesco World Heritage sites around the valley\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Swayambhunath<\/strong> &#8211; This stupa is Nepal&#8217;s most recognizable sight.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Bodnath Stupa<\/strong> &#8211; One of the biggest Stupa in the world<\/li>\n<li><strong>Patan<\/strong> &#8211; Patan&#8217;s Durbur square, and the museum are excellent.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Pashupatinath<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>See the amazing architectural monuments in<br \/>\n<strong>Durbar Square<\/strong> .<\/li>\n<li>Stroll around the medieval like <strong>old<br \/>\ntown<\/strong> .<\/li>\n<li>Chill out in one of Thamel&#8217;s rooftop garden restaurants with good coffee and chocolate cake.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Sights<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Durbur Square<\/strong> &#8211; a fantastic collection of palaces, pagodas and temples, where the kings were crowned and legitimized.\u00a0 Durbur square remains the traditional heart of Kathmandu, even though the king no longer lives there.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Swayambhunath<\/strong> &#8211; One of the most popular and recognizable symbols of Nepal. This great Buddhist temple sits on top of a hill west of Kathmandu.\u00a0 Also\u00a0know as the Monkey Temple.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Bodnath Stupa<\/strong> &#8211; Similar to Swayambhunath, but much bigger.\u00a0 One of the worlds largest stupas, found In Bodnath, outside of Kathmandu.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Durbur Square,<br \/>\nKathmandu<\/strong> &#8211; A fine collection of palaces and temples.\u00a0 Where the city&#8217;s kings were once crowed and legitimized, and from where they ruled (durbar means palace).\u00a0 The traditional heart of Kathmandu.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Durbur Square,<br \/>\nPatan<\/strong> &#8211; This concentrated mass of temples is the most visually stunning display of Newari architecture to be seen in Nepal.<\/li>\n<li>Facilities<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>in Kathmandu<\/p>\n<p>Kathmandu has all of the facilities a travel could want.\u00a0There are travel agents galore offering flights, bus tickets, trekking, kayaking, and everything else Nepal has to offer.\u00a0 Be careful of unprofessional looking agents, and anyone on the<br \/>\nstreet.\u00a0 Wayfarers are a reliable agent for everything.<\/p>\n<p>There are lots of places offering Internet <strong><br \/>\naccess<\/strong> from NRS20 per hour. Hotels charge about NRS50 per hour. If you have your own laptop head to the New Orleans Cafe or Roadhouse Cafe in Thamel, which have free <strong>Wifi<\/strong> during the day, as well as a good atmosphere.\u00a0 Several<br \/>\nlarger Internet places have stations to plug in your laptop with a wired connection.<\/p>\n<h2>Around Kathmandu Valley<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>For the easiest views of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.itravelabout.com\/mount-everest\/\">Mount Everest<\/a> head to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.itravelabout.com\/nagarkot-nepal-view-of-mount-everest\/\">Nagarkot<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>With more time consider crossing overland into <a href=\"\/travel-guide\/asia\/tibet\">Tibet<\/a> .<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Accommodation in Kathmandu<\/h2>\n<p>Kathmandu has a great range of places to stay, from luxurious hotels to cheap and cheerful lodges. Prices are competitive, with basic places costing from NRSs300 per night. If you email a reservation you are unlikely to get a good discount, but you should<br \/>\nget a free airport pickup.\u00a0 For less hectic and more traditional surroundings consider staying in Patan or Bodnath.<\/p>\n<p>Thamel<\/p>\n<p><strong>Thamel<\/strong> is the busy backpacker area and a good base for a few days. It has everything a traveller might want, but is noisy.\u00a0 There are some hotels a little further away for a less touristy experience. It&#8217;s always worth seeing a free<br \/>\nrooms before choosing one.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Kathmandu Guest House<br \/>\n<\/strong>t: 4700800<\/p>\n<p>w: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ktmgh.com\">www.ktmgh.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p>A bit of an institution, and very central to Thamel. The first hotel in Kathmandu, now offering a great range of services including BBC TV in the foyer, wi-fi enabled courtyard, lovely rear garden, mini cinema and a sauna.\u00a0 The rooms vary greatly,<br \/>\nand you&#8217;ll find better value accommodation elsewhere. US$2- US$60.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Holy Lodge<br \/>\n<\/strong>t: 4700265<\/p>\n<p>e: <a href=\"mailto:holylodge@wlink.com.np\">holylodge@wlink.com.np<\/a><\/p>\n<p>A well run place with neat, clean rooms.\u00a0 Central, quietist location, with a small roof terrace, but no garden.\u00a0 Deluxe rooms have TV and AC.\u00a0 A good choice.\u00a0 NRS200 &#8211; NRS1050.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Acme Guest House<br \/>\n<\/strong>t: 4700236<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.acmeguesthouse.com\">www.acmeguesthouse.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p>A\u00a0good budget place with good size rooms and an open lawn area.\u00a0 The best rooms are overlooking the lawn.\u00a0 Close to, but away from the bustle of Thamel.\u00a0 Has a lawn, restaurant, laundry and Internet access. NRS600 &#8211; NRS1000.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Hotel Encounter Nepal<br \/>\n<\/strong>t: 4440534<\/p>\n<p>w: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.encounternepal.com\">www.encounternepal.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p>A good value place with a cheaper old block (NRS400) and newer nicer block (NRS1000). There is a great garden and an\u00a0OK restaurant bar. This hotel is a few minutes away from the main bustle, and amongst more Nepali surroundings.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Hotel Ganesh Himal<br \/>\n<\/strong>t: 4263598<\/p>\n<p>w:<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.hotelganeshhimal.com\/\">www.ganeshhimal.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p>A great comfort budget choice, well run and friendly. A 10 minute walk from Thamel &#8211; far enough to be out of range but close enough to restaurants for dinner.\u00a0 The rooms are amongst the best value in Kathmandu, with endless hot water, satellite TV and lots of balcony and garden seating, plus a sunny rooftop.\u00a0 The deluxe rooms are more spacious, a little quieter and come with a bath tub.\u00a0 It can be noisy as it&#8217;s a residential neighbourhood.\u00a0 Make a reservation to get a free airport pickup. US$7 &#8211; US$17.<\/p>\n<p>Eating and drinking in Kathmandu<\/p>\n<p>There is a massive choice of restaurants in Kathmandu, from traditional Nepali food too all western choices.\u00a0 Prices are pretty much the same everywhere.\u00a0 There are quite a few decent bars, but they don&#8217;t\u00a0generally stay open past 11pm.<\/p>\n<p>Transport<\/p>\n<p>Kathmandu is the central travel hub for the country. There is no rail network, but busses leave for all destinations.<\/p>\n<h3>International Flights<\/h3>\n<p>All Nepali International flights are all to Kathmandu, see the <a href=\"\/nepal#flights\">Nepal Flights<\/a> section.<\/p>\n<p>To and from the Airport<\/p>\n<p>Prepaid taxis are available outside the airport arrivals exit. These guys are associated with the Hotel Encounter Nepal, which is a good choice, so go for it if you want an easy life.\u00a0 Buses are available, but very crowded, so a taxi is the best<br \/>\nbet.\u00a0 Most hotels will arrange a airport pickup, many for free.<\/p>\n<h3>Domestic Airlines<\/h3>\n<p>Nepali airlines change addresses and phone numbers frequently, so it&#8217;s generally better to use an agent.\u00a0 Domestic airports are:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Kathmandu<\/li>\n<li>Pokhara<\/li>\n<li>Jomsom<\/li>\n<li>Lukla (for Mount Everest)<\/li>\n<li>Bharatpur<\/li>\n<li>Various mountain flights<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><a name=\"buses\"><\/a>Bus<\/h3>\n<p>There are generally several companies running each route. Most buses leave at 7am and vendors are always present selling snacks and drinks so that you can stock up before your trip. More expensive journeys include breakfast or lunch, a bottle of water<br \/>\nand a newspaper.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.itravelabout.com\/kathmandu-to-pokhara\/\">Buses from Kathmandu to<strong><br \/>\n<\/strong>Pokhara<\/a> &#8211; Most people jump on a bus straight to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.itravelabout.com\/kathmandu-to-pokhara\/\">Pokhara<\/a> , but there are <a href=\"\/places-between-kathmandu-and-pokhara-nepal\">several things on the way<br \/>\nto consider<\/a> .\u00a0 Buses leave the Janikpur stand, an easy walk from Thamel. The trip takes\u00a08 hours, the road is poor, the scenery is great. There are many bus companies operating on this road. Local buses cost from NRS300 and are basic. Tourist<br \/>\nbuses (Golden Tours &amp; GreenLine) include a meal, have AC and store luggage inside rather than on the roof, they cost NRS800. Greenline is more expensive, but has a depot in Kathmandu and drops you right into Pokhara.\u00a0 <a href=\"http:\/\/www.itravelabout.com\/kathmandu-to-pokhara\/\">Read more<\/a> .<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Taxis and rickshaws<\/h3>\n<p>Taxis and rickshaws are cheap, and the best option for getting to anywhere in the valley. If sightseeing negotiate a rate for the whole day.\u00a0 If going to a single temple negotiate a return fare and the driver will wait for you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Kathmandu,\u00a0the capital of Nepal, is a busy city with the sights, sounds and smells leading to sensory overload. Overflowing with temples , Kathmandu, and the surrounding valley region is a fine place to stay for a few days to a week.\u00a0 Get by on US$20 per day. It&#8217;s the largest, and pretty much the only [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.itravelabout.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/42"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.itravelabout.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.itravelabout.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.itravelabout.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.itravelabout.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=42"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.itravelabout.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/42\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.itravelabout.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=42"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}