PLAN YOUR TRIP

Welcome to Nepal .......... 2Map .................................. 415 Top Experiences ........ 6Need to Know ................. 14If You Like ........................ 16Month by Month ............. 19Itineraries ........................ 23Plan Your Trek ................. 28Bike Tracks & White Water .............. 38Volunteering ................... 46Regions at a Glance ....... 49

YOUR PLANNING TOOL KIT

Photos, itineraries, lists and suggestions to help you put together your perfect trip

UNDERSTAND NEPAL

Nepal Today .................... 304History ............................. 306Religion ............................ 319The People of Nepal ....... 326Arts & Architecture ........ 334Environment & Wildlife ....................... 340Responsible Travel ......... 351

1814–16 Anglo-Nepali War ends

in victory for Britain. The ensuing Treaty of

Sugauli establishes Nepal’s boundaries

and gives Britain the right to recruit Gurkha

soldiers in Nepal and maintain a residency

in Kathmandu.

1815 5000 Nepalese

soldiers, later known as Gurkhas,

begin serving as troops in the East

India Company after impressing the

British with their valour and loyalty.

name to the more restigious Rana. He later extended his title to ara a hereditary. The Ranas became a par

royal family’ within the kingdom and held the reins of power – the Shah

TRANS-HIMALAYAN TRADE For centuries, hardy caravans of yaks and goats crisscrossed the high Himalaya, bring-ing salt harvested from Tibet’s great salt lakes to barter for rice and barley carried up from the Middle Hills of Nepal. Wool, livestock and butter were exchanged for sugar, tea, spices, tobacco and Indian manufactured goods. Twelve major passes linked Nepal and Tibet, the easiest of which were in Mustang, ensuring that the Kali Gandaki Valley be-came the main entrepot for transferring, storing and taxing the trade.

Over the last half-century much of the traditional border trade has dried up. The ar-rival of the Indian railway line at the Nepali border greatly aided the transportation of cheap Indian salt, sounding a death knell for the caravan trade. The real nail in the co n came in the 1960s, when the Chinese closed the borders to local trade.

Ironically the Chinese are currently leading a resurgence of trade and road construc-tion. Chinese truckers now drive over the passes to Lo Manthang in Mustang and in 2012 another road border crossing opened at Rasuwaghadi, linking the Tibetan Kyirong Valley with Nepal’s Langtang region along a route long used for trade and invasion. You’ll see the occasional yak caravan headed for the Tibetan border, as well as tell-tale cans of Lhasa Beer on trekking routes in the Mansalu, Everest and Mustang regions.

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Arts &Architecture Wander around the towns of the Kathmandu Valley and you’ll comeacross priceless wood carvings and stone sculptures at every turn, insurprisingly accessible places. Nepal’s artistic masterpieces are nothidden away in dusty museums but are part of a living culture, to betouched, worshipped, feared or simply paid no heed.

Architecture & Sculpture Architecture and the sculpting arts in Nepal are inextricably intermin-gled. The nest woodcarvings and stone sculptures are often part of a building. Indeed a temple is simply not a temple without its deity statue and its nely carved adornments.

The earliest architecture in the Kathmandu Valley has faded with history. Grassy mounds are all that remain where Patan’s four Ashoka stupas once stood (p 131 ), and the impressive stupas of Swayambhunath(p 108 ) and Bodhnath (p 160 ) have been rebuilt many times over thecenturies.

The Licchavi period from the 4th to 9th centuries AD was a go en age for Ne a , and while the temples may have isa eare , magni

Kathmandu Valley’s Unesco World

Heritage Sites

» Durbar Sq, Kathmandu » Durbar Sq,

Patan» Durbar Sq

Mountain Adventures Ever since Nepal rst opened its borders to outsiders in the 1950s, this tiny moun-tain nation has had an irresistible mysti-cal allure for travellers. Today, legions of trekkers are drawn to the Himalaya’s most iconic and accessible hiking, some of the world’s best, with rugged trails to Ever-est, the Annapurnas and beyond. Nowhere else can you trek for days or even weeks in incredible mountain scenery, secure in the knowledge that a hot meal, cosy lodge and warm slice of apple pie await you at the end of the day. Nepal is nirvana for mountain lovers. Other travellers are drawn here by the adrenaline rush of rafting down a roar-

ing Nepali river or bungee jumping into a bottomless Himalayan gorge. Canyon-ing, climbing, kayaking, paragliding and mountain biking all o er a rush against the backdrop of some of the world’s most dramatic landscapes.

Temples & Tigers Other travellers prefer to see Nepal at a more gentle pace, admiring the peaks over a gin and tonic from a Himalayan view-point, strolling through the temple-lined medieval city squares of Kathmandu, Pa-tan and Bhaktapur, and joining Buddhist pilgrims on a spiritual stroll around the centuries-old stupas and temples that lie scattered across the Kathmandu Valley.

Wedged between the high wall of the Himalaya and the steamy jungles of the Indian plains, Nepal is a land of snow peaks and Sherpas, yaks and yetis, monasteries and mantras.

Welcome to Nepal

“All you’ve got to do is decide to go and the hardest part is over. So go!”TONY WHEELER, COFOUNDER – LONELY PLANET

PAGE

2

PAGE

303GET MORE FROM YOUR TRIP

Learn about the big picture, so youcan make sense of what you see

need to know

Currency » Nepali Rupee (Rs)

Language » Nepali

High Season (Oct–Nov)

» Clear skies and warm days make autumn the peak season. Thousands of people hit the trails in the Everest and Annapurna regions and accommodation in Kathmandu gets booked up as prices peak.

Shoulder(Mar–Apr)

» The second-best time to visit brings warm weather and spectacular springtime rhododendron blooms.

Low Season (Jun–Sep)

» The monsoon rains bring landslides and clouds obscure mountain views, though hefty hotel discounts are common. Rain and leeches deter most trekkers, but this is a popular time to travel overland to Tibet.

When to Go

#

#

#

#

#

KathmanduGO Sep–Apr

PokharaGO Oct–Apr

ChitwanNational ParkGO Oct–Mar

Everest Base CampGO Mar–May Oct–Nov

JomsomGO Jun–Nov

Subtropical warm winters, hot wet summersCool winters, warm wet summersHigh altitude freezing winters, cool summers

Your Daily Budget Budget less than

US$40 » Budget hotel room in

Kathmandu US$5-20 » Dinner & breakfast in a

trekking lodge US$10-12 » Trekking porter/guide

US$13/20 per day » Bottle of Everest Beer

in a restaurant US$4-5

Midrange US$40-100

» Organised camping trek US$50-80 per person per day

» Midrange meal in Kathmandu US$7-10

» Flight Kathmandu to Pokhara US$98

» Midrange hotel $20-80

Top End Over

US$100 » Top-end hotel in

Kathmandu or lodge in Chitwan US$150-250

» Mountain flight US$171 » Mustang trekking

permit US$500 per week

4

Getting O the Beaten Track It’s easy to nd your own private corner of Nepal. You’ll likely have the follow-ing towns all to yourself, especially if you visit outside of October. Gorkha Historically important town huddled 1500 steps below the ridgetop former palace of the Shah dynasty (p 185 )

Nuwakot You’ll nd Newari palace architecture in this charming village that o ers a great stopover en route to a Langtang trek (p 180 )

Himalayan Views Mountain panoramas are not hard to come by in Ne-pal. That said, the following stand out for their stirring views. Come at dawn for a spectacular light show. Daman Billed as Nepal’s widest mountain panorama, revealing a 300km-long chain of peaks from the Annapurnas to Everest (p 246 )

Nagarkot The best mountain views close to Kathmandu, on the edge of the valley rim and visible from your hotel bed ( 167)

A Life of Luxury There’s no need to rough it in Nepal. Top-end accom-modation includes luxury jungle lodges, converted traditional mansions and wonderful rural retreats, all o ering organic food and spa treatments. Dwarika’s Kathmandu’s most romantic hotel is all oiled brick and carved woods, linked by lovely traditional pools (p 90 )

Tiger Tops Chitwan’s rst and nest jungle lodge o ers the

height of luxury and even comes with its own resident elephants (p221)

» Nagarkot (p 167 ) backed by the Himalaya

PLANYO

URTRIP

IFYO

ULIK

E

I SBN 978 -1 -74179 -723 -7

9 781741 797237

99725

Around the Kathmandu Valley Temples Outdoor Activities Traditional Towns

Temples O ering the world’s densest collection of World Heritage Sites, almost every town in the valley is blessed with stunning temples and ex-quisite statuary.

Outdoor Activities The valley’s web of ne hiking and mountain-biking trails o ers the best way to explore this area. To up the ante, head for the Tibetan border for some wild rafting and canyoning.

Traditional Towns Bhaktapur wins the prize here but there are dozens of other charming villages to explore, from Kirtipur and Bungamati in the south to sleepy Nuwakot in the

Kathmandu to Pokhara Temples Outdoor Activities Traditional Towns

Temples Blood sacri ces at the hilltop temple at Manaka-mana are a macabre draw, especially on Saturdays, while Nepal’s rst capital at Gorkha boasts an historically important and impressive royal fort palace, with dozens of local temples littering the backstreets.

Outdoor Activities Rafting and kayaking on the warm waters of the Trisuli River are the most popular excursions and there are some exciting canyoning add-ons at the Royal Beach Camp.

Traditional Towns Bandipur’s Newari-style old town is one of the most at-

PLAN YO

UR TRIP REG

ION

S AT A

GLA

NC

E

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Paper in this book is certified against the Forest Stewardship Council™ standards. FSC™ promotes environmentally responsible, socially beneficial and economically viable management of the world’s forests.

Get the right guides for your trip

COUNTRY• The original• Comprehensive• Adventurous

DISCOVER• Best-of• Photo-packed• Inspirational

PHRASEBOOKHEALTHY TRAVEL

Looking for other travel resources?

LONELYPLANET.COMFor travel information, advice, tips & digital chapters

MAGAZINEFor travel stories, inspiration & ideaslonelyplanet.com/magazine

EBOOKSGuidebooks for your readerlonelyplanet.com/ebooks

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TREKKING

REGIONAL• Cultural• Day trips & itineraries• In-depth

THIS EDITION WRITTEN AND RESEARCHED BY

Bradley Mayhew,Lindsay Brown, Trent Holden

p54Kathmandu

Pokharap191

Range p216The Terai & Mahabharat

Pokhara p182Kathmandu to

Valley p112Around the Kathmandu

YOUR COMPLETE DESTINATION GUIDE

In-depth reviews, detailed listings and insider tips

SURVIVAL GUIDE

Directory A–Z ................. 358Transport ........................ 373Health .............................. 382Language ........................ 388Index ................................ 398Map Legend .................... 407

VITAL PRACTICAL INFORMATION TO

HELP YOU HAVE A SMOOTH TRIP

ON THE ROAD

Kathmandu has the best health facilities in the coun-try, but standards at clinics and hospitals decline the further you get from the capital. In mountainous ar-eas, there may be no health facilities at all. Trekkers who become unwell in the moun-tains are generally evacuated to Kathmandu, or overseas in the event of something re-ally serious. Always take out travel insurance to cover the costs of hospital treatment and emergency evacuations.

Many of the most popu-lar areas for visitors are remote and inaccessible, so

ou should read up on the ssible health risks. While

ing, it makes sense to n emergency medical

t you can treat any ntil you reach

O

Recommended Vaccinations You do not o cially require any immunisations to enter the country, unless you have come from an area where yellow fever is present – in which case, you must show proof of immunisation.

It is best to seek medical advice at least six weeks before travelling, since some vaccinations require multiple injections over a period of time.

Note that some vaccina-tions should not be given during pregnancy or to people with allergies.

Vaccinations you might consider:Diphtheria and tetanusVaccinations for these two diseases are usually com-bined and are recommended for everyone. After an initial course of three injections

given in childho

(JBE)borne viraloccurs in the Tcasionally in the KValley, particularly duthe monsoon. JBE vaccis given as three injectionsover three to four weeks and usually boosted at three years. Recommended for prolonged stays.Meningococcal meningi-tis A single-dose vaccine boosted every three to five years is recommended for individuals at high risk and for extended stays.Polio This serious, easily transmitted disease is still found in Nepal. Everyone should keep up to date with this vaccination, which is normally given in childhood. A booster every 10 years maintains immunity.Rabies Vaccination should be considered for long-term visitors, particularly if you plan to travel to remote areas. In Nepal the disease is carried by street dogs and monkeys. Vaccination is strongly recommended for children, who may not report a bite. Pretravel rabies vacci-nation involves having threinjections over 21 to 28 days. If someone who been vaccinated is or scratched bythey will reqbooste

Health

PAGE

52

PAGE

357

p266Trekking Routes

p292Biking, Rafting & Kayaking

00-title-nepal9.indd 100-title-nepal9.indd 1 19/04/2012 12:25:44 PM19/04/2012 12:25:44 PM

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KATHMANDU . . . . . . 54AROUND KATHMANDU . . . . . . . . . . . 107Swayambhunath . . . . . . . . . .107Around Swayambhunath . . . . . . . . . . 110

AROUND THE KATHMANDU VALLEY . . . . . . . . . . . 112AROUND THE RING ROAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115Pashupatinath . . . . . . . . . . . . 115Chabahil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118Bodhnath (Boudha) . . . . . . . . 118Around Bodhnath . . . . . . . . . .123

THE NORTHERN & NORTHWESTERN VALLEY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124Ichangu Narayan . . . . . . . . . .124Nagarjun Hill (Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park). . . . . . . . . . . . .124Budhanilkantha . . . . . . . . . . .124Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park . . . . . . . . . . . . .125

PATAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126BHAKTAPUR . . . . . . . . . . . .140AROUND BHAKTAPUR . . . . . . . . . . . . 155Suriya Binayak Temple . . . . .155Thimi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .155Changu Narayan Temple . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .156

THE NORTHEASTERN VALLEY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157Gokarna Mahadev Temple . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157Gokarna Forest . . . . . . . . . . . .158

Sankhu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .159

THE SOUTHERN VALLEY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .160Kirtipur . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .160Chobar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161Pharping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .162Around Pharping . . . . . . . . . .164Bungamati . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .164Khokana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .165Chapagaon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .165Godavari . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .166Around Godavari . . . . . . . . . . 167

THE VALLEY FRINGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167Nagarkot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167Banepa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171Dhulikhel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172Panauti . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175Around Panauti. . . . . . . . . . . . 177

BEYOND THE VALLEY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177Arniko Highway to Tibet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177The Road to Langtang . . . . . . 179

KATHMANDU TO POKHARA . . . . . . . . .182Kathmandu to Abu Khaireni . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .184Gorkha . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .185Bandipur . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .186Dumre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .190

POKHARA . . . . . . . . . 191AROUND POKHARA . . . . . . 212Sarangkot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .212Bat Cave & Mahendra Gufa . . . . . . . . . . . .213Begnas Tal & Rupa Tal . . . . . .213

On the Road

See the Index for a full list of destinations covered in this book.

THE TERAI & MAHABHARAT RANGE . . . . . . . . . . . .216Central Terai . . . . . . . . . . . . 217Narayangarh & Bharatpur . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220Around Narayangarh . . . . . . .221Chitwan National Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .221Sunauli & Bhairawa . . . . . . . 234Lumbini . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236Around Lumbini . . . . . . . . . . .241The Siddhartha Highway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242The Tribhuvan Highway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246

WESTERN TERAI . . . . . . . .247Nepalganj . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .247Bardia National Park . . . . . . 249Sukla Phanta Wildlife Reserve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253Mahendranagar . . . . . . . . . . 253

EASTERN TERAI . . . . . . . . .254Birganj . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254Janakpur . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259Itahari . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260Biratnagar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260Dharan to Hile . . . . . . . . . . . . .261Ilam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263Around Ilam . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264Kakarbhitta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264

TREKKING ROUTES . . . . . . . . . . 266Choosing a Trek . . . . . . . . . . 266Short Treks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266Life on the Trail . . . . . . . . . . . .267

Everest Base Camp Trek . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .267Annapurna Circuit Trek . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .274Annapurna Sanctuary Trek . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .281Other Annapurna Treks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282Langtang Valley Trek . . . . . . 283Tamang Heritage Trail . . . . . 285Gosainkund Trek . . . . . . . . . . 287Helambu Trek . . . . . . . . . . . . 289Restricted Area & Other Treks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290

BIKING, RAFTING & KAYAKING . . . . . . . . 292MOUNTAIN-BIKE ROUTES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .292The Scar Road from Kathmandu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292Kathmandu to Pokhara . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293Upper Mustang – Jomsom to Lo Manthang . . 294Muktinath to Pokhara . . . . . 295Kathmandu Valley Loop via Nagarkot & Namobuddha . . . . . . . . . . . . 295The Rajpath from Kathmandu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296Hetauda to Narayangarh & Mugling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296Pokhara to Sarangkot & Naudanda . . . . . . . . . . . . . .297

RAFTING & KAYAKING ROUTES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .297Trisuli . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .297Bhote Kosi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298Upper Sun Kosi . . . . . . . . . . . 298Seti Khola . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299

Upper Kali Gandaki . . . . . . . 299Marsyangdi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299Karnali . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300Sun Kosi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300Tamur . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .301Other Rivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . .301

LumbiniSerene birthplace

of the Buddha (p236)

PokharaKick back over lakesideHimalayan views (p191)

Annapurna CircuitNepal’s most popular‘apple pie’ trek (p274)

Dunai

Pokhara

Tansen (Palpa)

Butwal

Jomsom

Baglung

Kusma

Beni

Ghorepani

Mustang

BhairawaSunauli

Lumbini Nautanwa

Taulihawa

LibanDhorpatanSallyan

Tulsipur

Lamahl

Jumla

Dillikot

Nepalganj

SurkhetDhangadhi

Kohalpur

Chisopani

Dadeldhura

Jogbura

Bilauri

Mahendranagar

Pithoragarh

Muktinath

Manang

Purang

Kusum

Bhojpur

Bajura

Simikot

Meghauli

Banbassa

(Taklakot)

Jamunaha

BesiSahar

DhorpatanHuntingReserve

Rara

Sukla PhantaWilderness Reserve

KhaptadNational Park

Shey PhoksumdoNational Park

BardiaNational Park

NationalPark

Annapurna(8091m)

Dhaulagiri(8167m)

Kanjiroba(6883m)

Saipal(7050m)

G R E A TH I M A L A

Y AR A N

GE

T H E T E R A I

TH

E

T E R A IMachhapuchhare

(6997m)M A H A B H A R A T R A N G E

CHU R E

H I LLS

TR

AN

SH

I M A L A Y A

P A H A RMugu Karnali

Humla

Karnali

Seti

Karna

li

Thuli

Bheri

Kati

KaliG

anda

ki

Seti

Ganges

Ghaghara

LakeManasarovar

LakeRakastal

Rv

Rv

U T T A RP R A D E S H

I N D I A

C H I N A

U T T A RP R A D E S H

I N D I A

T I B E T

Mahendra Hwy

Siddh

artha

Hwy

PrithviHwy

› Nepal

BhaktapurNepal’s best-preserved

medieval architecture (p140)

Chitwan National ParkTrack rhinos and tigers on

elephant-back (p221)

Langtang National ParkAlpine valleys, community

trails and sacred lakes (p283)

Kathmandu’s Durbar Sq Temples, pagodas andold-town walks (p55)

Everest Base CampAdmire the iconic peak (p267)

BodhnathAsia’s largest stupa and a

home to Tibetan exiles (p118)

SwayambhunathIconic ‘Monkey Temple’, withviews over Kathmandu (p107)

PatanHidden temples and

fascinating backstreets (p126)

Simara

Panauti

KATHMANDU

Patan

Bhaktapur

Hetauda

Birganj

Naubise

Daman

Bardibas

JanakpurJaleshwar

Biratnagar

Itahari

BirpurJogbani

Dharan

Rajbiraj

Chatara

Darjeeling

Ilam

Kakarbhitta

TaplejungTumlingtar

Dhankuta

Lamidanda

Hile

NamcheBazaar Lukla

Phaplu

Bhadrapur

Jiri

CharikotDolalghat

Kodari

Barabise

LangtangDhunche

TrisuliMugling

Dumre

Gorkha

Narayangarh

Raxaul

Dhulikhel

Bazaar

Ramechhap

Mahanpur

Jaynagar

Panitanki

Bharatpur

Pathlaiya

Sindhuli

Bazaar

Bandipur

Kalimpong

Nuwakot

Basantapur

Sauraha

Sagarmatha

ChitwanNational Park

Langtang

Koshi

Shivapuri

Parsa

Tappu

WildernessReserve

NationalPark

NationalPark

NationalPark

WildlifeReserve

KanchenjungaConservation

Area Kanchenjunga(8598m)

Makalu(8462m)

Cho Oyu(8153m)Gauri

Shankar(7145m)

Langtang Lirung(7246m)

Ganesh Himal(7406m)

Manaslu(8156m)

T H E T E R A I

G R E A T H I M A L A Y A R A N G E

DorjeLakpa

(6966m)

M A H A B H A R A TR A N G E

Nuptse(7879m)

Mt Everest(8848m)

LIH LSERUHC

ROLWALING

(7892m)Himalchuli

P A H A R

Lhotse (8516m)

Tam

ur

Kos

iSa

pt

Sun

KosiDudh

Kosi

Arun

Tri

suli

Marsyangdi

Bur

iG

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ki

Bho

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osi

Tam

baK

osi

B I H A R

W E S TB E N G A L

S I K K I M

I N D I A

C H I N AT I B E T

B A

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L A

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Top Experiences ›

OUR STORYA beat-up old car, a few dollars in the pocket and a sense of adventure. In 1972 that’s all Tony and Maureen Wheeler needed for the trip of a lifetime – across Europe and Asia overland to Australia. It took several months, and at the end – broke but inspired – they sat at their kitchen table writing and stapling together their fi rst travel guide, Across Asia on the Cheap. Within a week they’d sold 1500 copies. Lonely Planet was born.

Today, Lonely Planet has offi ces in Melbourne, London and Oakland, with more than 600 staff and writers. We share Tony’s belief that ‘a great guidebook should do three things: inform, educate and amuse’.

Bradley Mayhew Coordinating Author, Kathmandu, Around the Kathmandu Valley, Trekking Routes A self-professed mountain junkie, Bradley has been travelling to Nepal and the Himalaya for almost 20 years, including several months each in Paki-stan, Ladakh, Tibet, Bhutan and Sikkim. Bradley has coordinated several edi-tions of this guide and is also the coordinating author of Lonely Planet guides to Tibet, Bhutan, Central Asia and Trekking in the Nepal Himalaya. For this edition

he focused on the Kathmandu area but still managed to sneak off for treks around Manaslu and the Tamang Heritage Trail. He was most recently seen starring in a fi ve-part Arte TV documentary retracing the route of Marco Polo.

Lindsay Brown Pokhara, The Terai & Mahabharat Range (Central and Western), Arts & Architec-ture, Environment & Wildlife Nepal is a favourite destination for Lindsay, a former conservation biologist and Publishing Manager at Lonely Planet, who is as much at home on a mountain trail as on the back of an elephant swaying through the jungle. Lindsay has trekked, jeeped, ridden and stumbled across many a moun-tain pass, and has contributed to Lonely Planet’s Bhutan; South India & Kerala;

India; Rajasthan, Delhi & Agra; and Pakistan & the Karakoram Highway guides, among others.

Trent Holden Around the Kathmandu Valley, Kathmandu to Pokhara, The Terai & Mahabharat Range (Eastern), Biking, Rafting & Kayaking During his travels, Trent has found that nowhere quite compares to the craziness and serendipity of the subcon-tinent, so it was with great delight that he returned to Nepal to update another edition of this title. His fi rst trip here was in 2001, which coincided with the trag-edy of the royal-family massacre. Despite that shocking event, Nepal is a place

that never fails to impress him more upon each visit. A freelance writer from Melbourne, Trent is currently based in Laos. This is his seventh assignment for Lonely Planet; other titles he’s co-authored include India and East Africa.

Read more about Bradley Mayhew at:lonelyplanet.com/members/nepalibrad

OUR WRITERS

Although the authors and Lonely Planet have taken all reason-able care in preparing this book, we make no warranty about the accuracy or completeness of its content and, to the maxi-mum extent permitted, disclaim all liability arising from its use.

Published by Lonely Planet Publications Pty LtdABN 36 005 607 9839th edition – July 2012ISBN 978 1 74179 723 7© Lonely Planet 2012 Photographs © as indicated 201210 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1Printed in SingaporeAll rights reserved. No part of this publication may be copied, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, except brief extracts for the purpose of review, and no part of this publication may be sold or hired, without the written permission of the publisher. Lonely Planet and the Lonely Planet logo are trademarks of Lonely Planet and are registered in the US Patent and Trademark Office and in other countries. Lonely Planet does not allow its name or logo to be appropriated by commercial establishments, such as retailers, restaurants or hotels. Please let us know of any misuses: lonelyplanet.com/ip.

36-our-writers-nep9.indd 40836-our-writers-nep9.indd 408 19/04/2012 11:20:09 AM19/04/2012 11:20:09 AM

Itiner-aries

Whether you’ve got six days or 60, these itineraries provide a starting point for the trip of a lifetime. Want more inspiration? Head online to lonelyplanet.com/thorntree to chat with other travellers.

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One WeekThe Kathmandu Valley

A week gives you time to see the great cultural highlights of the Kathmandu Valley, including no less than six Unesco World Heritage Sites.

Start off in Kathmandu with the walking tour south from Thamel to the stun-ning medieval temples and palaces of Durbar Sq. On day two, walk to the towering

stupa of Swayambhunath and the quirky National Museum. You can fill the afternoon with a walk around the famous stupa at the Tibetan centre of Bodhnath.

Make time for a day trip to Patan for its spectacular Durbar Sq and Patan Museum, com-bined with another great backstreet walking tour and dinner in Jawalakhel. Complete the tril-ogy of former royal kingdoms with a full-day visit to Bhaktapur, ideally with an overnight stay.

Next get your Himalayan kick with dawn mountain views at Nagarkot or Dhulikhel before returning to Kathmandu on foot via temples at Changu Narayan or Sankhu. Fill another day by mountain biking to the southern valley towns of Kirtipur and Bungamati.

On your last day, take time for some serious shopping in Kathmandu or the fair-trade shops of Patan.

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Two WeeksFrom Buddha to Boudha

Mixing contemplative temple tours with a healthy dose of wilderness and adven-ture, this 500km route across Nepal is one part meditation mixed with two parts adrenaline.

To catch some culture as you head northeast from the Indian border to Kath-mandu, kick off at Lumbini, the birthplace of the Buddha, 20km from the border crossing. Take your time exploring this world map of Buddhist temples, then spend the next day at the little-visited archaeological site of Tilaurakot, where Siddhartha Gautama, later to be known as the Buddha, once ruled as a pampered prince.

From Lumbini make a beeline for Chitwan National Park, budgeting two or three days to make dawn and dusk safaris among the prolific wildlife. Even if you don’t spot a rhino, you can still get up close and personal with the wildlife by helping out at elephant bath time.

From Chitwan take the day-long tourist bus to Pokhara for your first proper peek at the mountains. While enjoying the shops and cocktail bars of Lakeside, take a few days to hike up to the World Peace Pagoda, enjoy the views at lofty Sarangkot or glide past the peaks at eye-level on a tandem paraglide.

Another long bus trip will take you to Kathmandu, where you can fill up three or four days with the pick of the Kathmandu Valley itinerary. If you want to break the trip, consider an overnight stay at either Bandipur or the charming and little-visited historic hill town of Nuwakot.

Once in the valley, make time to explore the backstreets of Bhaktapur on a walking tour, gain a deeper understanding of Buddhist art at Patan Museum in Patan and enjoy the views over the city at dusk from Swayambhunath.

Figure on three or four nights in Kathmandu or, better still, base yourself in Bodhnath, Bhaktapur or Patan to escape the traffic and pollution.

There should just be time for a two-day adrenaline rush near the Tibetan border, combin-ing some white-water rafting and canyoning at the Last Resort or Borderlands Resort, both a half-day drive from the capital.

On your last day, give thanks for a head-spinning trip at Bodhnath (Boudha), where you can hit the shops and pick up a Buddha statue or a bundle of prayer flags to take home.

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»» (above) Street scene, Bhaktapur (p140)»» (left) One-horned Indian rhinoceros, Chitwan National Park (p225)

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Three to Four WeeksOnce Around the Middle

Many of Nepal’s most interesting and seldom-visited attractions are scattered like pearls around the dense hills of central Nepal. This off-the-beaten-track, 400km-loop route combines the best of the hills and the plains and offers lots of opportunities for great day hikes.

Start with a few days visiting the temples and stupas of Kathmandu, then book a rafting trip or kayak clinic on the Trisuli River, staying in one of the riverside adventure camps. After a day or two churning on the rapids or canyoning down rushing waterfalls, enjoy a smoother ride on the Manakamana cable car to experience the medieval atmosphere of this blood-soaked Tantric temple.

Next stop is Bandipur, a little-visited gem of a village where you can stroll to eerie cav-erns and relax among some wonderfully preserved traditional Newari architecture. From here, roll on to Pokhara for a row-boat ride around the lake and a quick jaunt across to Begnas Tal.

Take the winding Siddhartha Hwy southwest to charming Tansen, the base for some great day hikes. Continue south to peaceful Lumbini in the sultry Terai plains to amble around the Buddhist monasteries by bicycle.

Having come this far, it would be a shame to miss Chitwan National Park. If your budget allows, stay at one of the lodges deep inside the park for the most atmospheric digs. You might also consider a guided uphill tramp to the Chepang hills or a reflective stroll to the village of Devghat, at the sacred confluence of the Trisuli and Kali Gandaki Rivers.

The logical return route to Kathmandu would be to follow the snaking Tribhuvan Hwy north to Daman, one of Nepal’s most impressive viewpoints, and rise at dawn for a 300km-wide panorama of majestic Himalayan peaks.

Alternatively, if your ultimate destination is India you could dive off the beaten track, heading east to the temple town of Janakpur (especially during the Sita Bibaha Panchami festival in November or December) and then on to Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve for some fine birdwatching opportunities. Continue east to the tranquil tea fields of Ilam for some off-map adventure before continuing to the border and the delights of Darjeeling and Sikkim, beyond, in India.

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One MonthKathmandu & Everest

With a month to spare, you can ex-plore the Kathmandu Valley and fit in a trek into the mighty Himalaya.

From Kathmandu, fly east to Luk-la (book return flights from Lukla to Kath-mandu before arriving in Nepal) to start the Everest Base Camp trek. This is perhaps the definitive Himalayan trek, climbing from teahouse to teahouse among snow peaks to the base of the tallest mountain on earth. The trek takes at least two weeks be-cause of the gain in altitude.

With an extra week to play with, consider doing an Everest loop, detouring to the spec-tacular glaciers and lakes of the Gokyo Val-ley en route to Base Camp for a total trek of about 21 days.

Because of the changeable weather in Ne-pal, it’s wise to leave yourself a buffer at the end of the trip in case flights are cancelled. Finish off by exploring the highlights of the Kathmandu Valley itinerary, but do your sightseeing after the trek, not before.

After the thrills and chills of the moun-tains, finish off with a four-day excursion to steamy Chitwan National Park, where you can scan the jungle for rhinos and tigers.

One MonthAnnapurna Circuit Trek

The most popular alternative to Ev-erest is the Annapurna region. From Pokhara (or Kathmandu) take the morning bus to Besi Sahar or Bhul-

bule to set off on the Annapurna Circuit. The full circuit takes about 20 days but you can shorten it to 12 days by flying to Pokhara from Jomsom, or taking the bus back from Tatopani (16 days).

The highlights of the trek are around Manang, and it’s worth tacking on a few extra days to walk the high route between Pisang and Mungji and visit the lovely vil-lage of Bragha. The trek’s major physical challenge is crossing the high pass of Tho-rung La, and it’s vital that you acclimatise sufficiently between Manang and the pass.

Muktinath on the other side of the pass is a major Hindu pilgrimage site and there are some fine short walks to the nearby Tibetan-style villages of Jhong and Purang. The medieval village of Kagbeni is another highlight, as is the charming village of Mar-pha and nearby Chhairo Gompa.

Back in Pokhara it’s worth taking it easy for a couple of days. Get clean clothes, enjoy a hearty yak steak and have a shave and/or head massage at the barbers.

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