 Nepal is a land of sublime scenery, time-worn temples, and some of the best hiking trails on earth. It's a poor country, but it is rich in scenic splendor and cultural treasures. The kingdom has long exerted a pull on the Western imagination.
When?
Climate factors are very important in deciding on a visit to Nepal. October-November, the start of the dry season, is in many ways the best time of the year in Nepal. With the monsoon only recently finished the countryside is green and lush and Nepal is at its most beautiful. In December-January the temperatures and visibility are still good, though it can get very cold.
How to Reach
?
There are few direct flights to Nepal, which means most travelers from Europe, North America and Australia have to change aircraft and/or airline en route. Nepal's only international airport is Kathmandu's Tribhuvan Airport - several airlines fly here with a stop in western Europe or the Gulf, or you can fly into India and change to a local shuttle.
Visa
All foreigners (except Indian nationals) require visas, which can be obtained in advance or on arrival with one passport photo and payment in cash (US dollars are best). Single-entry tourist visas cost US$30.00 for up to 60 days, or US$80.00 if you require multiple entry.
Currency
The currency of Nepal is called Nepalese Rupee in English or Nepali Rupayiaah in Nepalese language. The smallest unit of a Rupee is called Paise. 1 Paise is equal to 100th part of 1 Rupee. The coins are generally in 5 denominations, 10 Paise, 25 Paise, 50 Paise, 1 Rupee and 2 Rupees.
Things To Do in
Nepal
Kathmandu
Most of the interesting things to see in Kathmandu are clustered in the old part of town, focused around the majestic Durbar Sq and its surrounding back streets.
Durbar Square
Kathmandu’s Durbar Square was where the city’s kings were once crowned and legitimised, and from where they ruled (durbar means ‘palace’). As such, the square remains the traditional heart of the old town and Kathmandu’s most spectacular legacy of traditional architecture, even thought the king no longer lives in the Hanuman Dhoka – the palace was moved north to Narayanhiti about a century ago. It’s easy to spend hours wandering around the square and watching the world go by from the terraced platforms of the towering Maju Deval; it’s a wonderful way to get a feel for the city.
Hanuman Dhoka
The inner palace complex of the Hanuman Dhoka (hrs 9.30am-5pm Tue-Sun Feb-Oct, 9.30am-3pm Tue-Sun Nov-Jan) was originally founded during the Licchavi period, but as it stands today most of it was constructed by King Pratap Malla in the 17th century. The royal palace was renovated many times in later years. The oldest parts are the smaller Sundari Chowk and Mohan Chowk at the northern part of the palace (both closed). The complex originally housed 35 courtyards and spread as far as New Rd but the 1934 earthquake reduced the palace to today’s 10 chowks (courtyards). Cameras are allowed only in the courtyards, not inside the buildings of the complex.
Mahakala Temple
On the eastern side of Kantipath, just north of New Road, the Mahakala Temple was very badly damaged in the 1934 earthquake and is now of little architectural merit. If you can see inside the darkened shrine you may be able to make out the 1.5m-high figure of Mahakala, the ‘Great Black One’, a particularly ferocious form of Shiva.
Jaisi Devel Temple
The south of Kathmandu’s old city was the heart of the ancient city in the Licchavi period (4th to 9th centuries) and its major temple is the tall, triple-roofed Jaisi Deval Temple, built just two years before Durbar Sq’s famous Maju Deval (which is one platform higher). It’s a Shiva temple, as indicated by the bull on the first few steps and the mildly erotic carvings on some of the temple struts. Right across the road from the temple is a stone lingam rising a good 2m from a yoni (female equivalent of a phallic symbol). This is definitely a god-sized phallic symbol and a prayer here is said to aid fertility.
Bhimsen Tower (Dharahara)
Towering like a lighthouse over the old town, this white, minaret-like tower (8am-8pm), is a useful landmark near the post office. The views from 61.88m up – 213 steps above the city – are the best you can get. There is a small Shiva shrine right at the very top.
Pachali Bhairab & the Southern Ghats
The northern banks of the Bagmati River south of the old town are home to little visited temples and shrines.
Dhum Varahi Shrine
In an unprepossessing schoolyard just inside Kathmandu’s Ring Road to the northeast of Kathmandu, a huge pipal tree encloses a small shrine and a dramatic 5th-century sculpture of Vishnu as a wild boar with a human body, holding Prithvi, the earth goddess, on his left elbow.
Pokhara
Imagine a perfect triangular mountain, capped by snow and buffeted by the icy winds of the Himalaya. Imagine a millpond calm lake, perfectly reflecting the snowy peaks. Now imagine a village on the lakeshore, thronged by travellers and reverberating to the sound of ‘om mani padme hum’ from a hundred shops selling prayer flags, carpets, masks, singing bowls and CDs of Buddhist mantras. That’s Pokhara.
Phewa Tal
Spreading majestically westwards from Pokhara, Phewa Tal is the second-largest lake in Nepal. On calm days, the mountains of the Annapurna Range are perfectly reflected in the mirrored surface of the tal. Away from the shore, the water is clean and deep and the dense forest along the south side of the lake provides shelter for brilliant white egrets.
The best way to appreciate Phewa Tal is by rowboat. Many people walk or cycle around the lakeshore - the trek up to the World Peace Pagoda affords breathtaking views over the tal and the mountains beyond.
Mountains
Most people come to Nepal for the Himalaya and Pokhara is one of the best places to get an up close view of the peaks. From west to east, the peaks are Hiunchuli (6441m), Annapurna I (8091m), Machhapuchhare (6997m), Annapurna III (7555m), Annapurna IV (7525m) and Annapurna II (7937m). The dramatic Annapurna Massif looms over the city and the lake. There are few places in town where you can't see one or other of the snow-capped peaks jutting up into the clear blue sky.
Old Pokhara
For a taste of what Pokhara was like before the rafting agencies and German bakeries set up shop, head to the old town, north of Mahendra Pul. The best way to explore is on foot or by bike.
Varahi Mandir
Pokhara's most famous Hindu temple, the two-tiered pagoda-style Varahi Mandir stands on a small island near the Ratna Mandir (Royal Palace). Founded in the 18th century, the temple is dedicated to Vishnu in his boar incarnation, but it's been extensively renovated over the years. Rowboats to the temple leave from near the city bus stand in Lakeside.
Karma Dubgyu Chokhorling Monastery
Overlooking Pokhara on the east side of the Seti River, this huge gompa is worth visiting just for the views. The main prayer hall has a gilded statue of Sakyamuni (the historical Buddha) and there are more Buddhist statues in the monastery gardens. To get here, take the road leading east across the river from Mahendra Pul.
Seti River Gorge
The roaring Seti River passes right through Pokhara, but you won't see it unless you go looking. The river has carved a deep, narrow gorge through the middle of town, turning the water milky white in the process. At points, the gorge is less than a metre across and the river gushes by more than 50m below street level.
Devi's Falls
Also known as Patale Chhango, this waterfall (hrs 6am-6pm) marks the point where the Pardi Khola stream vanishes underground. When the stream is at full bore, the sound of the water plunging over the falls is deafening, but the concrete walkways don't add much to the atmosphere.
Tibetan Settlements
Most of the Tibetan refugees who hawk souvenirs in Lakeside live in the Tibetan refugee settlements north and south of Pokhara. Both settlements make interesting detours from Pokhara by bike, bus or on foot.
Around Pokhara
Trekking in the Annapurna Conservation Area is easily the biggest attraction around Pokhara but you don't have to be a seasoned trekker to appreciate the glory of the peaks. There are several dramatic viewpoints on the rim of the Pokhara Valley that can be reached by taxi, mountain bike or rented motorcycle from Pokhara, and gorgeous Begnas Tal and Rupa Tal offer similar lake and mountain vistas to Phewa Tal, but without the crowds.
Sarangkot
The view of the Annapurna Himalaya from Sarangkot is almost a religious experience. From here, you can see a panoramic sweep of Himalayan peaks, from Dhaulagiri (8167m) in the west to the perfect pyramid that is Machhapuchhare (6997m) and the rounded peak of Annapurna II (7937m) in the east. Most people come here at dawn or dusk, when the sun picks out the peaks in brilliant colours.
Mahendra Gufa & Bat Cave
The first large cave to be discovered near Pokhara, Mahendra Gufa is popular with Indian and Nepali tourists, but the main tunnel is lit by electric bulbs and it doesn't have much atmosphere. Several stalactites are revered as Shiva lingams. The cave is about 6km north of Lakeside in the suburb of Batulechaur.
Begnas Tal & Rupa Tal
About 10km southeast of Pokhara, a road leaves the Prithvi Highway for Begnas Tal and Rupa Tal, two gloriously serene lakes that see few foreign visitors, despite their proximity to Pokhara. The hiking trail between the lakes forms the final leg of the popular Annapurna Skyline Trek.
Short Treks Around Pokhara
Without the Himalaya, there would be no Pokhara, at least in tourist terms. You'll need at least a week to reach the snowline on the Jomsom or Annapurna Sanctuary Treks, but there are some fascinating short treks in the lower foothills that afford epic views of the Annapurna
Himalaya.
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