Nepal Travel Guide @ TravelNotes.org

Travel Notes: Asia: Nepal Travel Notes

Nepal tourist information with details about travel to and around the country. Where to stay and what to see is made easier with insider tips and hand-selected Nepal links, by dedicated editors and visitors to TravelNotes.org - The Online Guide to Travel.

Order Nepal Travel Brochures - for Free.

Nepal Budget Travel

Nepal is popular with budget travellers, who loathe paying $200 a day to visit Bhutan.

Nepal is locked between China and India and needs to keep on friendly terms with them both.

The Nepalese monarchy was abolished on 28th May, 2008.

Kathmandu Weather:
View a graphical weather forecast for the week ahead in Kathmandu.

Getting To Nepal

Many people fly from Delhi to Kathmandu for around $150. Be warned though, this is a popular route so book well in advance.

If you're adventurous, and have time on your hands, then the overland route is always the most exciting.

There are buses from Delhi to Kathmandu, although you might prefer to take the night train from Delhi to Gorakhpur, in northern India, and then a bus to Sunauli on the Nepalese border.

A short walk across the border and you're in Nepal. From here you will need to take another bus to Pokhara  or Kathmandu. Pokhara is about 200km west of the capital, Kathmandu.

Nepal can be similarly reached from Calcutta.

Nepal Visas

Visitors need to pay about $10 for a fifteen-day transit visa on entry. This can be extended to a thirty-day tourist visa, at no extra cost, at the immigration office in Kathmandu or Pokhara.

Thirty-day tourist visas can be purchased from Nepalese embassies around the world (rates vary), and may be extended in Nepal.

If you're going to stray into the hills then you'll need a trekking permit too.

When To Visit Nepal

The best time to visit Nepal is between October and May, unless you especially want to be there during the monsoon.

October and November are considered the best months to be in Nepal, but then it is also the most crowded.

Festivals in Nepal:
Nepalese are said to observe more festivals than there are days in the year. Hardly a day passes without some festivities, ceremonial observances or pilgrimages occurring in some part of the country or the other.

Religion in Nepal

Although Nepal is predominantly Hindu, there are still many places of worship important to Buddhists.

Lumbini is believed to be the birth place of Lord Buddha and is an important pilgrimage site. 250kms. west of Kathmandu valley, special attractions are, the Sacred pond, May Devi temple, Ashok Pillar and Buddhist Monasteries.

Nepal Tourism Guide:
The Temple of Pashupatinath is Nepal's most scared Hindu shrine and one of the four most important cities in the world for Shiva worshippers. Lord Buddha, the light of Asia, was born in Lumbini in Nepal's southern plains, which makes Nepal a scared pilgrimage destination for Buddhists as well.

Kathmandu

Kathmandu seems to be modernising too rapidly, and at times it looks like every overland traveller in Asia is in one of the guest houses.

Durbar Square

The residential area of the old kings is located in Kathmandu. The Kasthamandap, built by King Laxmi Narsingh Malla in the early 16th century is believed to have been constructed from the wood of single tree.

The Kathmandu Valley is the heart of the Kingdom of Nepal.

Outside of Kathmandu nature speaks for itself, and who doesn't want to listen to the wise words of the Himalayas.

The Himalayas

The Himalayas is the highest mountain system in the world, and extends through most of Nepal to form its northern border.

Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world; straddling Nepal and Tibet.

In all, Nepal has nine of the 14 highest mountains of the world within its territory.

Himalayan FAQ's:
The quarterly newsletter of the Himalayan Explorers Club. Most of these were written by David Reed, author of the Rough Guide to Nepal.

Trekking In Nepal

Nepal Trekking:
Ranging from lush terraced fields to the highest mountain on earth, the scenery is breath-taking. There are trekking possibilities to suit all budgets - from independent trekkers on a shoestring staying in simple lodges with Sherpa families, to travellers on all-inclusive guided treks with every luxury provided.

Trekking Tours in Nepal:
Find the trekking tour that's right for you.

Tenzing Norgay:
Group treks to Nepal and Sikkim and an online design your own trek page -- operated by Jamling Tenzing Norgay; featured in the Imax Everest movie.

Trekking Agencies:
The list is large, and you're probably better off waiting until you get to Nepal and see the possibilities for yourself.

Trekking in Nepal:
Go2Nepal offer useful trekking tips for visitors to Nepal.

Around Nepal

The Chitwan National Park, 120km south of Kathmandu, is the most popular safari park in Nepal.

Info Nepal:
Comprehensive directory of information on Nepal with links to other Nepal-related links as well.

Pokhara:
Good information to help you with your visit to Pokhara.

Nepal Accommodation

Nepal Hotel Reservations:
No need to arrive in Nepal without a place to stay! Choose your destination in Nepal and reserve your hotel online before you leave home.

Buddha Maya Gardens:
Three star category hotel with all A/C rooms, restaurant, conference hall, prayer room and meditation centre. Spread in 4 acres of land, Maya Gardens is located just behind the sacred garden; 10 minutes walk to the birthplace of Lord Buddha.

Kathmandu Guest House:
A Rana palace built by the first Nepalese civil engineer, Kumar Narshing Rana, and converted into a hotel by the Sakya family - the most popular budget hotel outside Europe and North America.

Park Village Hotel: (Lumbini)
An Eco-friendly hotel built in duplexes and spread in 4 acres of woodland with lots of birds and butterflies at the foot of the Mountain Wildlife Reserve - in Budanil-Kantha.

Nepal Tours

Ang Rita Trek:
Run by Ang Rita Sherpa, ten times Everest Summit. Fixed departures for peak climbing and arranges climbing on any peaks in Nepal on any dates.

Buddha Treks:
A group of passionate young travel professionals with many years of accumulated experience in organising and leading groups in Nepal, Tibet, Bhutan and Sikkim.

Golden Hill Travel:
A range of trekking styles from comfortable adventures in the Himalayan foothills to more demanding trekking in the remote regions of the mountain kingdom.

Nepal Travel Guides

Books on Nepal Travel:
Browse Amazon's best-selling list of books on travel in Nepal.