Maybe it's due to the terrible IB Beta Search Function, but I haven't been able to find any good threads on Kathmandu and Nepal. I'm looking for advice on what to do in and around Kathmandu for a few days. Thanks!

Just in case any of you don't usually keep up on deals, I just booked four days in Kathmandu in the Crowne Plaza Presidential Suite, which comes up on Pointbreaks for 5k PC points. As for transport to Kathmandu, the best option seems to be TG from BKK (20/30k US miles in Y/C, quite reasonable).

Hi,

It's very difficult to get the award flights to KTM (Kathmandu) thru US or UA on Tg so please call and well in adavnce for the same.

As for hotels the Soaltee Crowne Plaza is one of the best and has the best eating joints in the city.

As for things to do around kathmandu if you let me know what types of things intrest you I can advise you on the same.

Another option would be to fly or take a bus (5-6 hrs) to Pokhra from kathmandu as the scenic beauty si better around Pokhra.

One of the ost popular activities is taking the mountain fligth which takes you very close to Mt. Everest so that you can see the peak its roughly 40-45 flight.

What time period are you planning to be there?

Feel free to message me on any more specific info you may need.

Thank you for the information! ^

I'll only be there for 3 days in late March (which seems to be an acceptable season), so I think I'll stay in and around Kathmandu. I like the idea of taking a scenic flight (if the weather is right); I assume the hotel could organize this, or do you have a recommendation? Also, the Wiki lists some daytrips (Nagarkot, etc.) which sound enticing.

Most tarvel agents can book the mountain flight. It will be cheaper to book through at ravel agent than to book through the hotel.

Nagarkot is roughly an hours drive and good to see the sunrise etc. There is good resort there called Club Himalaya to spend the night. It may make more sense to spend either the first or the last night in Nagarkot and go there directly from the airport or vice versa. At present I am in india and plan to return to Nepal around the 20th of March.

Will you be in Kathmandu? It would be great if we could meet up for dinner or a drink!

Check the weather before heading up to Nagarkot. If it is not clear, you'll be disappointed. I went up there about three weeks ago, and it was quite hazy.

The mountain flights on Buddha Air usually depart early, about 7am. You won't know the weather situation until you're at the domestic terminal, and even then, it could be a guessing game. This time of year the RVRs often take some time to come up in the morning at KTM, so delays are not infrequent. I've taken the flight before, but my wife hadn't so we gave it a shot on our recent visit, but ultimately the flight was canceled (due to heavy overcast through out the eastern Himalayas) after about two and a half hours. However, it is most definitely worth a try.

If you ever have a few extra days for Nepal, I recommend heading to Pohkara. It is nestled in the foothills of the mountains far 'better' than Kathmandu, and is a bit less crowded and polluted. Fly out, spend a night or two, and then rent a 4x4 and driver and head back to Kathmandu. The drive will take you along a river valley, the northern slopes of which was the inspiration of James Hilton's Lost Horizons. Out of that novel came the term 'Shangri-La.'

Happy travels

jpdx - how was Nepal?

Yes - I'm thinking of going there next year so I'd love to know as well.

KiwiPanda

I'm sending my parents there in January for some R&R... I know it's going to be cold, but apparently the air is clear and dust-free allowing for spectacular views.

If anyone has any other inputs and comments on what to do on a 1 week stint in Kathmandu - please post!

I am going to Kathmandu between Christmas and New Year's. Staying, at the moment at the Crowne Plaza. Recommendations as to whether this is still considered to be "one of the best" or would I be better off in the Hyatt? Or a "local" one. Is there anything to do there at that time of the year in general.

Sorry for the clueless questions, but decided to go there on a whim.

Not sure what celebrations are like that time of year, but if you need a good Kat local tour guide, I invite you to PM me. I was there in April and thoroughly enjoyed it, although 2-3 days in Kat was enough, and am glad we made it to Pokhara and Sarangkot on other days.

My (then) husband and I will be in Kathmandu for a few days prior to the start of an overland Nepal - Tibet (via base camp) trip as part of our honeymoon. The Crowne Plaza seemed to be a bit away from the action when we looked online. We booked the top rated hotel from tripadvisor - Hotel Courtyard - which seems to be in a good location.

As we have to give up our passports for these few days while the tour agency obtains our visas for entry into Tibet and onward into mainlaind China, we are looking for suggestions of off-the-beaten-path-FT-approved places to visit / restaurants not to miss, etc within Kathmandu itself. Our official tour begins in Kathmandu on the 10th, and I assume they'll take us to some of the biggies - like Durbar Square, etc. So stuff not in our guidebooks!

We'll be there May 8-10, 2011, if that helps.

i wish if you can stay longer in Pokhura and try to go by any domastic airline as Bhudda Air which is very cheap and the fligth will take 40 min.

Hi Memphis Queen,

Your hotel is in the extremely touristy area Thamel so my first recommendation is - if you would like to see Nepal (or even Kathmandu) try to leave this area as much as possible. It is fun for a little while but is really overcrowded with tourists, touts, and not the best side of Nepal.

In Thamel there is a good Banana Leaf restaurant across the road from Pilgrim's guest house serving local food.

As far as local beverages - the beer is just standard but there are some home brews (tongpa (a barley based drink) and chang (rice beer)). Also try to find some "rak-si" which is moonshine.

Stuff probably not in the guidebooks...

If you decide to stay a bit longer and are around for a full moon (This year May 17th) then head to Pashipati temple for a free Nepali classical music concert at one of the smaller temples starting late afternoon (usually around 3) and going into the night (7-9). There is usually an assortment of tablas, sitars, and singers that rotate through. It's a casual event but is a great time to experience the temple. Also on the full moon- May is the time of the Buddha's birthday which is a fairly large event throughout Nepal but especially in Boudhanath. In the evenings there will be many butter lamps around the stupa and prayer ceremonies.

In Boudha most Saturdays there is a free lecture on varying topics in Buddhism at the Rangjung Yeshe Institute. starting at 11am. An awesome local place to eat is an unsuspecting place across from the Stupa main gate "Stupa Thakali" (The thakali set is highly recommended here)

If you want to go for a mini trek for a few days then check out the Indigenous people's trail . You can start at Nepalchowk and just trek up for a few days and see waterfalls, caves, local villages, etc. It is one of the nicest treks that is within a few hours of Kathmandu.

This is probably in your guidebook but if you would like to experience a small bit of the mountains for a day or two and get out of the city then places of interest are Nagarkot, Dhulekel (Namo Buddha), Shivapuri park, and Parphing.

Hope some of this helps. Let me know if you have specific questions.

We plan to visit Nepal this fall during our trip to India. Timing will be early October.

- Does anyone know of a good travel booking site that will show all of the 5 or 6 airlines who fly DEL-KTM? There seem to be a bunch of Indian non-alliance airlines flying this route. Querying two airline sites directly I find pretty cheap flights. I'm more interested in seeing all of the schedules and options than finding the absolute rock-bottom price.

- I'm just assuming because I know nothing about Nepal (yet): the international flights primarily go into KTM, right?

- Thinking of spending three full days there...no real plans yet...but know we want to see the mountains, temples, monasteries, etc. Other than the general idea that you can always do more if you stay longer, is there a specific itinerary that would require 4 or 5 total days to complete? Or is it mainly daytrips out of Kathmandu... The trade-off is more time in and around Delhi (including the Taj Mahal), where we currently plan to spend 1 week.

Thanks!