Is Nepal your next destination? Are you thinking of visiting the country with the most eight-thousanders on Earth? Do you want to trek through the Himalayas or visit a natural park in search of rhinos, elephants and tigers?
If the answer is yes to any of these questions and you want to do it independently, you have come to the right place.
In this travel guide, which compiles information from various trips to Nepal, you will find everything you need to know to prepare for your adventure on your own. Shall we go on a trip?
If you are thinking about travelling to Nepal and are looking for information, here we tell you everything you need to know, including an approximate budget of what the trip will cost you.
1. WHAT TO VISIT
Nepal is not an easy destination to explain. What to do and how much time to spend will depend on how much you want to spend at historical sites and trekking (which is a must!). So here we tell you the geographical points to visit in order from most to least essential.
Kathmandu Valley
Kathmandu Valley is a mixture of several Asian civilizations that stands out for its great architectural value and the good state of conservation of its three main cities:
Kathmandu
The capital of the kingdom will be your base of operations, specifically Thamel, which is the central area. This is where the trekking shops, restaurants and all the action are.
Among the things you can't miss are the beautiful Boudhanath stupa and the Pashupatinath Temple, dedicated to Pashupati, the incarnation of Shiva. Also, don't miss the Durbar Square, a common name used to describe squares, temples and gardens that are located in front of the royal palaces in Nepal.
In the Nepalese capital, Durbar Square is also known as Hanuman Durbar Square, but we can find two other squares in the Kathmandu Valley, Patan and Bhaktapur , which are also World Heritage Sites.
Look for accommodation in or near this neighborhood for at least three nights; two to see its historical areas and one to visit the neighboring city, Patan.
This is the kingdom's little sister. There will be more temples and architecture to see in a day trip.
Bhaktapur
In our opinion, the most authentic of the three. A quieter and more authentic place to visit for one or two days.
Apart from the Everest route (12-18 days), from here you can take some short excursions to places such as:
– Champadevi (1 day)
– Chisapani (2-3 days)
– Nagarkot, which leaving from Bhaktapur is 2/3 days if you add Dhulikhel and Panauti.
Pokhara
This is the most popular place for mountain lovers, as most of the routes start from here. There is not much to do except visit a couple of temples and relax by the lake or in its bars and prepare for trekking.
The peaceful Phewa Tal is the perfect place to unwind after a hard day's walk, a lake where you can relax with a paddle and without the hassle of a boat motor, while the Fishtail never stops watching, even if it doesn't always let itself be seen.
The summit of this mountain, known locally as Machapuchare, looms over Sarangkot on clear days, when the sky is filled with paragliders and tourists take advantage of the opportunity to climb the Peace Pagoda.
The main mountain routes here are as follows.
Annapurna circuit (13-14 days)
Annapurna Base Camp (9-10 days)
Poon Hill (5-7 days)
Mardi Himal (4-7 days)
On your way back from the mountains we recommend spending a couple of days at Lake Begnas to replenish your body.
Chitwan
In the south of the country we find a jungle landscape that you would never think is Nepal. Here we will spend a couple of days in the Chitwan National Park to see crocodiles, rhinos, elephants and, if you are lucky, some tigers.
If you decide to go on an elephant safari, make sure that they are the government elephants used to patrol the park, as the private ones, although cheaper, are very exploited and live in very poor conditions. Another option to avoid riding them is to watch them bathe in the river when the evening falls. Very fun, although full of tourists.
Bandipur
Halfway between the three previous cities is this small mountain town, whose main attraction is the landscape and being able to see the original architecture of the area, as this was one of the few places that was not destroyed by the 2015 earthquake. One night is enough, but perhaps you are so relaxed that you decide to spend another!
This is undoubtedly one of the main reasons why it has so well preserved the architecture and culture of Newars, one of the main ethnic groups in Nepal. Apart from enjoying incredible views of the mountains on clear days, in Bandipur you can get a taste of local life and go on some excursions.
Tundikhel viewpoint or Gurunche hill are some of the closest points to the village. But if you fancy a nice walk you can go to Ramkot or Siddha Gufa cave. Give this relaxed destination a try before moving on to other more popular destinations in Nepal.
Lumbini
A little further away is Buddha's birthplace. The only thing to do here is to rent a bike and spend a day touring Buddha's birthplace and the amazing temples that each Buddhist country has built around it. If you have time to spare, take a walk through the fields and small villages nearby to see the rural atmosphere. No maps or guides, just go where the wind takes you!
2. WHEN TO GO
The peak season is from September to late November, as this is just when the monsoon is over and the air is dry and allows for good visibility. This is the best time in general and especially for trekking, although seeing wild animals is a bit more difficult.
December to February is the coldest season, with snow in the mountains and nearby towns and many power cuts. Animals become more visible from January onwards, but their peak is in spring.
From late February to April we have the second best season to visit. The weather gets warmer as we get closer to April and, although there is sporadic rain and visibility is not at its best, the valley is freshly in bloom and there is plenty of animal life.
May to June is the pre-monsoon season, and July and August are the full monsoon season. Generally, too much heat and rain.
3. ACCOMMODATION
Accommodation in Nepal is very varied and cheap , although it does not meet international standards. If a hotel says it is 4 stars, it is probably what its owner thinks. It is best to use Booking.com or Hostelworld to guide you through other travelers.
You must take into account the following:
There are usually no accommodation problems in Nepal, you will always find a place.
The cheapest places may not have hot water.
Most hostels and hotels have Wi-Fi, although the top ones may charge you for it.
Power outages do happen sometimes, if this is of vital importance to you, confirm with your accommodation that they have a backup generator.
4. GASTRONOMY
Don't expect expensive and fancy restaurants, but street food and local restaurants have very good quality food that is suitable for vegans.
The most widespread cuisines are Newari (be careful because it can be spicy), Indian, Chinese and Tibetan, where noodles with vegetables are abundant.
You will be able to find Western cuisine, although don't expect your pizza to resemble your idea of Western pizza.
Traditional dishes you can't miss are Momos and Dhal Bat , which you can have as many times as you like for free!
5. TRANSPORTATION
The roads in Nepal are some of the worst you will find in Asia. The poor quality of the construction materials will mean that a 100km trip can take up to 7 hours.
To travel between cities, the only option is by bus and minibus. The local buses barely leave any leg room and are packed to the rafters. The best option is the Tourist Buses, which you can find in Kathmandu, Pokhara and Chitwan. They will not have air conditioning, although they advertise it as such.
Taxis do not have meters, so set a fair fare before getting in.
We do not recommend driving yourself, as this is the Wild West and the right of way belongs to the person who is least afraid of death.
6. VISA AND NECESSARY DOCUMENTS
To enter Nepal we will need:
Valid passport with a minimum of 6 months validity.
Visa: it is very easy to obtain. You can do it online, upon arrival in the country or by requesting it at an embassy or consulate (although we do not recommend the latter). The online form is nothing more than the validation of the form that you will later have to submit upon arrival in the country. The visa on arrival will be done upon arrival at the airport or border and for this you will need money in dollars or Nepalese rupees, two passport photos and the visa form that they will give you there or you will bring with you if you did it online. The prices are as follows depending on the days:
Multi-entry 15 Days ($25 USD)
Multi-entry 30 Days ($40 USD)
Multi-entry 90 Days ($100 USD)
TRAVEL INSURANCE
But since anything can happen on this type of trip, we do not recommend going to Nepal without good travel insurance.
What to put in your backpack?
Mountain boots
Flip flops or sandals
Sunscreen and lip balm
Passport photos
Bandana or dust mask
Front light
Batteries
Power adapter
10 or 20,000 mAh power bank
Medications
In Pokhara or Kathmandu you can buy most of these things, as well as water purification tablets or thermal clothing if you need them.
7. MONEY AND BUDGET
In Nepal, almost everything is done in cash, although you can use credit cards in expensive places or in the few ATMs that will charge you a commission. If someone takes your card from a store, don't worry, they will go to a neighboring store that has a credit card machine.
If you don't mind travelling with a lot of cash, it's best to change your money little by little at the many exchange shops you'll find. Don't just change money at the first one you see, take a walk around and choose the one with the best exchange rate!
Of course, when you go to the mountains, make sure you bring extra rupees, as they do not accept cards or other currencies there.
Thank You.
Glad u chose this as a sub of your post !!
Nice read :)