There are many places to visit in Nepal. It starts with Kathmandu Valley which is the gateway to the Himalayan Kingdom. The highlight of a visit to Nepal is the experience of the mighty mountains. Visitors can choose from the different regions of Nepal where they can see tall peaks or go mountaineering.
North Nepal is guarded by mountains while one needs to go toward the south to see the jungles of Terai. Famous tourist places in Central Nepal including Kathmandu Valley are Pokhara, Gorkha, Janakpur, Tansen, Lumbini, Chitwan, Langtang, Manaslu and Mustang.
In East Nepal the most attractive for tourists is the Sagarmatha region considering this is where they get to see Mt. Everest. Taplejung, Illam, Koshi Tappu, Dhankuta/Hile are other tourist destinations in the east. In West Nepal Dolpo, Rukum, Banke, Bardiya, Khaptad, Kanchanpur offer tourists ample opportunity to experience the taste of Nepal. For more information please read from the sections of Trekking, Tours, Adventures, and Expeditions on our web site.
What to do :
There is much to do in Nepal. Visitors
start with Kathmandu Valley. Kathmandu Valley offers ample historical sites to
pacify the curiosity of historians and archeologists. The city itself is like a
big open museum ever ready to unfold its age-old sagas to the interested. The
juxtaposition of modernity among the ancient make it a little city of
bemusement. There are several avenues for sport, adventure and entertainment in
Kathmandu.
Outside Kathmandu too there are numerous things to do for
visitors. Pokhara, is another popular tourist city from where most trekking
heads in the region can be reached. Visitors are fascinated by the enchanting
Pokhara Valley glistening with numerous lakes and crowned by the famous
Himalayan peaks in the north. Many visitors come to Nepal specifically with the
purposes of mountaineering and trekking. Nepal also offers popular sport
activities like bungy jumping, paragliding, hot-air ballooning and mountain
flying.
From the wild to the more sophisticated, Golf games are also
played in Nepal. Courses in the country's capital and a few other cities provide
good golfing facilities. For entertainment there are discotheques, bars and pubs
in the country's main cities. For those who want to take back home a bagful of
souvenirs and rare Nepali goodies along with memories, a guide to good shopping
is required.
Accommodation :
Nepal has every category of accommodation
facilities that range from the international standard star hotels to budget
hotels and lodges. In order to have an assured quality service, it is advisable
to use the facilities and services of government registered hotels, lodges,
travel agencies, licensed tour guides only and engage an authorized trekking
guide or porter only through a registered travel and trekking agency.
In
the last few decades Kathmandu and Pokhara with the rest of Nepal has seen
mushrooming of world class hotels. During spring and fall, the better hotels
work at near full capacity and are booked well in advance. There are, however,
plenty of less glamorous but decent hotels to suit everyone's fancies and
finances.
Most hotels offer choice of: bed and breakfast; bed, breakfast
and one other meal; or room and full board. Rates listed however, are for room
only, unless otherwise indicated. Besides officially recognized hotels, there
are a number of small lodge accommodation available between US $10 and $20 a
night depending on facilities; toilets and showers are generally communal and
heating is extra. These small hostelries are located in the old parts of
Kathmandu and in the Thamel district.
Even in remote parts of Nepal, the
coming of tourists over the years has led to the local population paying
attention to tourist facilities, hence making accommodation and meals for
tourists more easily available than before
Climate:
Nepal has a typical
monsoonal two-season year. There's the dry season from October to May while wet
season of the monsoons last from June to September. The start of dry season
September and November is the best time of the year in Nepal. With the end of
monsoons and onset of fall the countryside is green and lush. Nepalese celebrate
their two popular festivals, Dashain and Tihar during this time. Summer months
in Nepal are from April to September while winter months are from November to
March. In the north summers are mild and winters harsh while in south summers
are extreme and winters mild.
Clothing:
Lightweight cotton
clothing is recommended from May through October. Warm clothes are needed for
winter. An umbrella or a raincoat is a necessary for the monsoons. For those
planning to take trips around the nation, appropriate clothing is required
depending on location and weather conditions of the area at the
time.
Time and business hours: Nepal is Five hours 45 minutes ahead of
GMT. Government offices within Kathmandu Valley open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in
summer and from 9 a.m. till 4 p.m. in the winter. Outside the Valley, government
offices open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in summer and from 10 a.m. till 4 p.m. in
winter.
Holidays:
Except public holidays, Saturdays and Sunday are the weekend
holidays in the Kathmandu Valley when most government offices are closed. In
other places, government offices are closed only on Saturdays. Most businesses
are closed only on Saturdays
