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Quick FactsLanguageNepali, Hindi, English.

Time15 minutes ahead of IST.

CurrenCy Nepali Rupee (Rs). The Indian Rupee (`) is also widely used.

mobiLe PhonesIndian mobiles work if international roaming is enabled. Local SIM cards are available at the airport or at NCell/Nepal Telecom offices.

inTerneT aCCessInternet services and wi-fi access easily available in Kathmandu, Pokhara and most other towns.

TourisT informaTion nepal Tourism board (%01-4256909, 24hr tourism hotline 01-4225709; www.welcomenepal.com) operates offices in Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan Airport and at the Tourist Service Centre in central Kathmandu.

Need to Know

When to Go• october–november – high season: Clear skies and warm days. Trekkers flock to the Everest and Annapurna regions and accommodation in Kathmandu gets booked up; prices rise.

• December–april – mid season: Winter sees chilly nights in Kathmandu; mist sometimes delays flights and snowfall can close passes on high trekking routes. February is a good time for a low- altitude trek or to visit Chitwan National Park. In spring, the weather is warm and spectacular rhododendrons bloom.

• June–september – low season: The monsoon rains bring landslides and clouds obscure mountain views, though hefty accommodation discounts are common. The plentiful rain and leeches deter most trekkers.

For detailed information, see Travellers' Helpdesk on p204

A monk ritually circles Swayambhunath stupa

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First Time in Nepal• Passport: Carry your passport or voter ID card, which must be shown to the authorities at Kathmandu airport for identification.

• Visa: Indians do not need a visa for Nepal.

• flights: Air India, IndiGo and SpiceJet operate direct flights from Delhi (return fares usually range from Rs 9000–14000 if you book in advance) and Kolkata (Rs 13000–16000).

heaLTh & safeTy• Avoid drinking tap water.

• Kathmandu has the best health-care facilities in the country, but standards decline the further you get from the capital.

• Be aware of the risks of Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS, p211) before going on a trek. While trekking, it makes sense to carry an emergency medical kit.

• Don’t trek alone. Lone women should avoid travelling alone with a male guide.

aDVanCe PLanning• Three months before: If you're going high-altitude trekking, begin a fitness regime and get a general medical check-up.

• one month before: Book your air tickets; reserve accommodation. Plan your itinerary and contact tour operators for adventure activities.

WhaT To PaCk• Warm clothes in the winter and for high-altitude places. Synthetic pile and fleece are ideal fabrics.

• Earplugs for travel on noisy turboprop planes and local buses, plus noisy hotel rooms.

• Lip balm and sunscreen.

• Hiking boots or shoes – buying footwear in Nepal is a shortcut to blisters.

• A padlock to lock your bag to bus baggage racks.

• LED torch

• Insect repellent

• A reusable water bottle and iodine tablets to purify your own water, especially when trekking.

• Swimsuit for rafting trips.

Dos and Don’tsWhen visiting

monasteries or temples, avoid smoking and remove your shoes and hat before you enter.

Always walk clockwise around Buddhist stupas and mani walls, even if this involves detouring off the trail.

Locals always leave a donation in a gompa or temple and you should follow their example.

Always remove your shoes before you enter a private house.

Do not wear short shorts, sleeveless tops and other revealing items of clothing.

Do not engage in public displays of affection.

Don’t point at someone or beckon them with a single finger.

Don’t litter the trail while trekking in the mountains.

When eating in a group, do not get up until everyone else has finished their meal. If you must leave early, make your apologies by saying ‘bistaai khaanus’ (please eat slowly).

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but several upmarket restaurants in Kathmandu now offer good Newari cuisine (p77). Desserts: Familiar favourites such as burfi, jalebi and kheer are widely available; anyone who visits Bhaktapur should try the juju dhau (king of curds), wonderfully creamy thick yoghurt. Sikarni is a popular traditional dessert of whipped yoghurt with cinnamon, nuts and dried fruit. The lodges around Jomsom and Namche Bazaar specialise in delicious apple pie, a trekkers’ staple these days.

Indian CuisineThere are several dedicated Indian restaurants in Nepal, but the food at other local eateries and bhojanalayas is quite similar to what you’d get back home, so you’ll never really feel any lack of Indian food. Also look out for the vegetarian misthan bhandars, which serve Indian sweets and dosas.

Vegetarian FoodMost Hindu Nepalis are vegetarians, so you will have no trouble finding food to suit your needs. Other than the regular dal-bhaat, most restaurants serve vegetarian dishes. In Kathmandu don’t miss the mozzarella and tomato pizza at Fire & Ice Pizzeria (p84) or the herbal teas and dosas at Thamel’s Pilgrims Feed ‘n’ Read (www.pilgrimsbooks.com/restaurant.html). The mushroom momos at Bodhnath’s Saturday Café are a class apart from the usual veggie momos, while for a desi punch, try the paneer curry and naan at Pokhara’s Punjabi Restaurant (p141).

DrinksTea is available everywhere, including masala chai, and an increasing number of places in Pokhara and Kathmandu serve up proper espresso coffee. If you're looking for

A platter of steamed momos,

a popular Himalayan

delicacy

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something a bit headier, you will not be disappointed. Tuborg (Danish), Carlsberg (Danish) and San Miguel (Spanish) are brewed under licence in Nepal; local brands include Gorkha, Everest and Kathmandu Beer. The supermarkets in Thamel have a complete range of foreign liquor, including wines. On trekking routes, look out for the traditional homebrews of the hills. One drink you’ll find everywhere is chhang, a mildly alcoholic Tibetan concoction made from fermented barley or millet and water. It can be drunk hot or cold.

Expert Recommendation Must-try Nepali dishes

Kedar Nagar Koti is the chef at Bhanchha Ghar (p77), a restaurant specialising in Newari cuisine.

•Aloo ko achar: This is an exquisite twist on the pedestrian potato salad, and there are as many versions of aloo ko achar as there are homes. Boiled potatoes are cut into cubes and then hand-tossed with roasted sesame seeds, fenugreek, green chillies and spices. Tomatoes and cucumber are sometimes added, but every recipe will contain plenty of lemon juice for that citrus tang.

•Sukuti sadeko: Carnivores should look out for this dried meat delicacy.Typically,buffalomeat(there are lamb and duck variations) is dried, after being coated with an assortment of spices, and smoked. Then in the lean winter months, it is fried and tossed with onions and tomatoes and topped with chopped green chillies and coriander leaves. This chewy and super-spicy

snack is usually washed down with beer or chhang (rice, barley or millet wine).

•Chatamari: This savoury pancake is prepared from a base of rice dough and topped with minced chicken (or other meat), egg, onions, chillies and tomatoes. It's almost like a pizza!

•Bandhel sadeko: Nepalis eat pork and bandhel (wild boar) in a variety of ways. In this dish, the wild boarisboiledfirstandcutintothinslices. Marinated with cumin, ginger, garlic, timur (Szechuan pepper) and mustard oil, it is then fried with onions, chilly powder and garnished with coriander.

•Khasi ko bhutuwa: Diced and deep-fried pieces of marinated mutton with ginger, cumin, coriander, timur and red chillies.

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P130

P170AnnApurnA

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Nepal at a Glance

Nepal’s Best treks The famous Everest Base Camp, Annapurna and Langtang treks draw adventure lovers from the world over.

the terai Fabulous Chitwan and Bardia national parks both offer big game wildlife watching, while Lumbini and Janakpur are magnets for pilgrims.

pokhara The perfect place to take a break and soak in spectacular views of the Annapurnas.

From the sublime temples of the Kathmandu Valley to the mountain views of Pokhara and the wildlife reserves of Terai to high-altitude treks, Nepal's regions provide distinct experiences. We have pulled out the top highlights.

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kathmaNdu to pokhara Rafting on the Trisuli, traditional architecture and a gentle pace in Gorkha and Bandipur.

the kathmaNdu Valley & arouNd The world’s densest collection of World Heritage Sites drips medieval charm.

kathmaNdu Ancient stupas, sculptures and courtyards compete with shops, cafes and casinos.

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Sandy white beaches and lush foliage fringe the Trisuli River

Why Go?Most visitors sprint from Kathmandu to Pokhara, and only see the views fl ashing by. It’s worth it to stop. The hills fl anking the 206km-Prithvi Highway between Kathmandu and Pokhara are dotted with historic villages, atmospheric towns and ancient temples. Those craving adventure can grab a paddle and join a whitewater rafting trip down the Trisuli River, which runs parallel to the highway.

Getting There & AwayBus: Several dozen public and tourist buses and minivans run daily between Kathmandu and Pokhara (Rs 360–500), linking most of the important towns en route. The buses leave Kathmandu from the Gongabu bus station.

Taxi: Taxis can be hired for Rs 2500 plus fuel for trips out of Kathmandu.

Kathmandu to Pokhara

Top 5 Highlights• Rafting on Trisuli (p122): Tumble downriver, laze at a beach camp.

• Gorkha Durbar (p123): Magnifi cent hilltop palace.

• Manakamana (p125): Soar up to a hilltop temple in a cable car.

• Bandipur (p126): Living museum of Newari culture.

• Paragliding at Bandipur (p129): Fly at sunset for stunning views.

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Kathmandu to PokharaBegin the journey to Pokhara with an adrenaline rush. Just a couple of hours from Kathmandu, embark on a rafting trip on the Trisuli that usually ends at the dusty highway town of Mugling. TheatmospherictownsofGorkhaandBandipurarebothoffthe highway stretch between Mugling and Pokhara. Gorkha is distinguished by its hilltop palace and historic temples. A detour from here goes to the 17th-century Manakamana Temple (p125), accessible by a cable car. Then there is Bandipur, a slice of Europe in the countryside.

Itineraries1 Rafting on the

Trisuli (1 to 2 days)

2 Gorkha (1 day)

3 Bandipur (2 days)

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GETTING AROUND THE REGION

Buses are the best way to travel around this region. Several dozen public and tourist buses and minivans run daily between Kathmandu and Pokhara, linking most of the important towns en route, including the junction towns of Mugling, Abu Khaireni and Dumre; check before you board. The winding journey takes at least seven hours.

The Trisuli starts in Tibet, fl ows through Nepal, and then joins the Ganges in India

FOR THE INDIAN TRAVELLER

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