Posted: Sat Apr 30, 2005 10:24 am Post subject: TOURISM IN NEPAL GUIDE (places, attractions, etc...)
TOURISM IN NEPAL GUIDE (places, attractions, etc...)
Facts for the Traveler
Visas: All foreigners (except Indian nationals) require visas, which can be obtained in advance or on arrival. Single-entry tourist visas costing 30.00 are issued for up to 60 days and can be extended for a maximum of three months (for an extra 50.00). Double and multiple-entry visas are also available. Visas permit travel around the Kathmandu Valley, Pokhara and Chitwan National Park in the Terai. Trekking permits are required if you intend striking out from the main areas; they can be obtained from immigration offices in Kathmandu and Pokhara. National park and conservation fees have risen substantially: it now costs 2000.00 to enter the Annapurna Conservation area.
Health risks: altitude sickness (In the thinner atmosphere above 3000m (9842ft), or even lower in some cases, lack of oxygen causes many individuals to suffer headaches, nausea, shortness of breath, physical weakness and other symptoms that can lead to very serious consequences, especially if combined with heat exhaustion, sunburn or hypothermia. Acute mountain sickness (AMS) can affect anyone and care should be taken to avoid ascending mountain peaks above 3000m too quickly. Sleep at a lower altitude than the greatest height reached during the day, if possible), hepatitis (Several different viruses cause hepatitis; they differ in the way that they are transmitted. The symptoms in all forms of the illness include fever, chills, headache, fatigue, feelings of weakness and aches and pains, followed by loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dark urine, light-coloured faeces, jaundiced (yellow) skin and yellowing of the whites of the eyes. Hepatitis A is transmitted by contaminated food and drinking water. Seek medical advice, but there is not much you can do apart from resting, drinking lots of fluids, eating lightly and avoiding fatty foods. Hepatitis E is transmitted in the same way as hepatitis A; it can be particularly serious in pregnant women. Hepatitis B is spread through contact with infected blood, blood products or body fluids, for example through sexual contact, unsterilised needles (and shaving equipment) and blood transfusions, or contact with blood via small breaks in the skin. The symptoms of hepatitis B may be more severe than type A and the disease can lead to long-term problems such as chronic liver damage, liver cancer or a long-term carrier state. Hepatitis C and D are spread in the same way as hepatitis B and can also lead to long-term complications. There are vaccines against hepatitis A and B, but there are currently no vaccines against the other types. Following the basic rules about food and water (hepatitis A and E) and avoiding risk situations (hepatitis B, C and D) are important preventative measures), malaria (This disease occurs in low-lying areas of Nepal. If you are travelling in endemic areas it is extremely important to avoid mosquito bites and to take tablets to prevent this disease. Symptoms range from fever, chills and sweating, headache, diarrhoea and abdominal pains to a vague feeling of ill-health. Seek medical help immediately if malaria is suspected. Without treatment malaria can rapidly become more serious and can be fatal. If medical care is not available, malaria tablets can be used for treatment. You should seek medical advice, before you travel, on the right medication and dosage for you. If you do contract malaria, be sure to be re-tested for malaria once you return home as you can harbour malaria parasites in your body even if you are symptom free. Travellers are advised to prevent mosquito bites at all times. The main messages are: wear light-coloured clothing; wear long trousers and long-sleeved shirts.; use mosquito repellents containing the compound DEET on exposed areas (prolonged overuse of DEET may be harmful, especially to children, but its use is considered preferable to being bitten by disease-transmitting mosquitoes); avoid perfumes and aftershave; use a mosquito net impregnated with mosquito repellent (permethrin) – it may be worth taking your own and impregnating clothes with permethrin effectively deters mosquitoes and other insects), meningococcal meningitis (This occurs in the Kathmandu Valley region - but remember that not every headache is likely to be meningitis. There is an effective vaccine available which is often recommended for travel to epidemic areas. Generally, you're at pretty low risk of getting meningococcal meningitis, unless an epidemic is ongoing, but the disease is important because it can be very serious and rapidly fatal. You get infected by breathing in droplets coughed or sneezed into the air by sufferers or, more likely, by healthy carriers of the bacteria. You're more at risk in crowded, poorly ventilated places, including public transport and eating places. The symptoms of meningitis are fever, severe headache, neck stiffness that prevents you from bending your head forward, nausea, vomiting and sensitivity to light, which makes you prefer the darkness. With meningococcal meningitis, you may get a widespread, blotchy purple rash before any other symptoms appear. Meningococcal meningitis is an extremely serious disease that can cause death within a few hours of you first feeling unwell. Seek medical help without delay if you have any of the symptoms listed earlier, especially if you are in a risk area. If you've been in close contact with a sufferer it's best to seek medical advice), typhoid (Also known as enteric fever, Typhoid is transmitted via food and water, and symptomless carriers, especially when they're working as food handlers, are an important source of infection. Typhoid is caused by a type of salmonella bacteria, Salmonella typhi. Paratyphoid is a similar but milder disease. The symptoms are variable, but you almost always get a fever and headache to start with, which initially feels very similar to flu, with aches and pains, loss of appetite and general malaise. Typhoid may be confused with malaria. The fever gradually rises during a week. Characteristically your pulse is relatively slow for someone with a fever. Other symptoms you may have are constipation or diarrhoea and stomach pains. You may feel worse in the second week, with a constant fever and sometimes a red skin rash. Other symptoms you may have are severe headache, sore throat and jaundice. Serious complications occur in about one in 10 cases, including, most commonly, damage to the gut wall with subsequent leakage of the gut contents into the abdominal cavity. Seek medical help for any fever (38C and higher) that does not improve after 48 hours. Typhoid is a serious disease and is not something you should consider self-treating. Re-hydration therapy is important if diarrhoea has been a feature of the illness, but antibiotics are the mainstay of treatment)
Climatic factors are very important in deciding when to visit Nepal. October-November, the start of the dry season, is in many ways the best time of year: the weather is balmy, the air is clean, visibility is perfect and the country is lush following the monsoon. February-April, the tail end of the dry season, is the second-best period: visibility is not so good because of dust, but the weather is warm and many of Nepal's wonderful wild flowers are in bloom. In December and January the climate and visibility are good but it can be chilly: trekkers need to be well prepared for snow, and for cheaper hotels in Kathmandu - nonexistent heating makes for rather gloomy evenings. The rest of the year is fairly unpleasant for travelling: May and early June are generally too hot and dusty for comfort, and the monsoon from mid-June to September obscures the mountains in cloud and turns trails and roads to mud.
Events
Nepal's festive calendar is hectic. Dasain, celebrated nationwide in October, is the most important of all Nepalese celebrations and features the biggest animal sacrifice of the year. Running a close second is Tihar (November), but unlike Dasain, animals are honoured rather than slaughtered. Other festivals celebrated nationally include the water-tinged Holi (March) and Chaitra Dasain (April), which is yet another bad day for animals. Hindu festivals include the Haribodhini Ekadashi (November) and Maha Shivaratri (March), both celebrated in Pashupatinath, the Gai Jatra (August) in Kathmandu and the Krishna Jayanti (August/September) in Patan. Buddhist celebrations are just as thick on the ground, and include Mani Rimdu (November) in Solu Khumbu, Buddha Jayanti (May) in Kathmandu, and Losar (Tibetan New Year) (February) in Swayambhunath, Jawalakhel and highland communities.
If you stay in rock-bottom accommodation and survive on a predominantly Nepalese diet, you could live in Nepal on US$5 a day. If you prefer to stay in comfortable lodgings, eat in tourist-oriented restaurants and take the occasional taxi, your living costs are likely to be between US$15 and US$40 a day. The high-life, including an organised trek thrown in will sting you US$40-US$50 a day. An independent trek between village inns, should cost between US$10 and US$15 a day, as long as you don't indulge in too many 'luxury' items, like beer and chocolate.
There are effectively three exchange rates in Nepal: the rate set by the government's Nepal Rastra Bank, the slightly more generous (but still legal) rate set by the private banks, and the even more generous black-market rate set by carpet shops and travel agents. The daily Rising Nepal newspaper lists the Nepal Rastra Bank's rate, which is a useful reference point. Exchange rates and commissions can vary quite significantly, so shop around.
When you change money legally, you are issued with a Foreign Exchange Encashment Receipt showing the amount of hard currency you have exchanged. If you leave Nepal via Kathmandu airport and haven't spent all your rupees, you can exchange up to 15% of the amount shown on these unused receipts back into hard currency.
Major international currencies such as the US dollar and pounds sterling are readily accepted, and the Indian rupee is also considered a 'hard' currency. Outside the Kathmandu Valley, it may be difficult to use large-denomination Nepalese notes, so keep a decent portion of your money in small-denomination notes. If you're trekking, take enough small-denomination cash with you to last the whole trek.
Tipping is becoming fairly common in upmarket restaurants in Kathmandu, so leave around 10% of the bill if service was good. There's no need to tip in cheaper establishments or to tip taxi drivers. Porters on treks, however, should be tipped around Rs 100 per day. Bargaining is commonplace in markets and tourist shops, but treat it as a form of polite social discourse rather than a matter of life and death.
Travel and trips in Nepal
When you travel to Nepal, make sure to visit destinations like Kathmandu, Annapurna and Chitwan National Park. In addition, Nepal offers a wide range of adventure travel activities, including trekking the Himalayas, and climbing Mount Everest. But before you travel to Nepal, be sure to educate yourself on all that you can expect with this Nepal travel guide.
Nepal is still a heady place, whether you're a trekker on a trail to Annapurna, a climber on your way to Everest or a seeker on the path to enlightenment. There are few countries on Earth that can match its combination of spectacular scenery, exotic culture and hospitable people. Along with the world's deepest canyon and eight of the world's 10 highest mountains, Nepal has steamy jungles and terraced valleys laced with ancient villages, remote temples and wildlife preserves.
For all its dizzying beauty, though, there are plenty of problems in Nepal these days that can bring you down to earth in a hurry: Smog and pollution fill its valleys, piles of trash litter its peaks, and robbery has increased on several of its most popular trekking trails. More important, Maoist rebels have attacked government positions in about half of the country's 75 districts, and even the Kathmandu Valley cannot be considered fully safe. Though the good hearts and spiritual nature of most Nepalis remain unchanged, the situation is too unstable for casual tourists at this time. Budding Siddharthas or would-be Edmund Hillarys should wait to visit Nepal.
Geography
The country can be divided into three different regions. The south consists of plains, swamps and forests. The north is covered by the Himalaya, the mountain range that includes the world's tallest peak, Mt. Everest, which rises to 29,000 ft/8,850 m. Kathmandu and most of the country's population can be found in the (relatively) low mountains of central Nepal.
PLACES IN NEPAL : Where to go?
Dhulikel
This impressive town is worth a day trip from Kathmandu to see the countryside and beautiful architecture (several hundred years old). Arrive early in the morning to see the sun rise over the mountains. It's possible to go on a locally organized short trek (three hours or more). The region around Dhulikel offers good training for longer treks. 20 mi/30 km east of Kathmandu.
Kathmandu
Everywhere you look in Nepal's capital city (pop. 535,000) there is something of interest - perhaps a small ancient temple tucked in a row of shops, an old stone figure set in the middle of the pavement, a religious sadhu in bright saffron robes meditating on the steps of a building or a Tibetan refugee spinning his prayer wheel as he walks down the street. Although their lives are guided by ancient tradition, the residents of Kathmandu are not walking anachronisms, and visiting there is not like a trip back in time. Citizens live very much in the present but have thoroughly integrated their traditions into their modern lives.
The highest concentration of attractions is within the area of Durbar Square (small admission charge). There are dozens of buildings, monuments and shrines of interest within less than a square mile. Among the most impressive structures are the 16th-century pagoda-style Taleju Temple, the old Royal Palace (which has the best view of the city) and the Kumari Bahal, or Temple of the Living Goddess. (A girl is chosen at the age of five to be the living form of the goddess Taleju until she reaches puberty. After that, she returns to normal life and another is selected.) Be sure to stop at the Jagnath Temple to see the erotic carvings and at the Shiva-Parvati Temple, where statues of the gods stand in an ornately carved window and look down on the action in the square below. Just off the square is Freak Street, which is well past its prime but still has a bit of the flavor it had when it was a hangout for Western hippies during the '60s and '70s.
A short rickshaw ride north of Durbar Square is the neighborhood of Thamel. Thanks to an abundance of cheap (but quite serviceable) hotels and eateries, the area is flooded with tourists of every nationality, but the neighborhood's energy and abundance of useful shops make it an enjoyable experience. Souvenir stands, craft shops, bookstores, bars, trekking companies and Internet cafes crowd the narrow streets, as do scores upon scores of roving vendors who will offer you everything from Tiger Balm to Hindu statuettes to hashish.
A 30-minute walk west of Durbar Square in Kathmandu (taxis are also available) brings you to the base of a wide staircase leading up to the Buddhist Swayambhunath Temple. It'll take another 7-10 minutes to scale the 300 stairs (it's also called the Monkey Temple, and any visitor will quickly see why: The little guys are everywhere). From the top, you'll have a panoramic view of the Kathmandu Valley from one of the oldest and most impressive stupas in Nepal. The Nepal Natural History Museum is located behind Swayambhunath Hill.
Kathmandu's many shops and restaurants serving international cuisine make it seem, in many respects, as sophisticated and cosmopolitan as the far larger cities of Delhi or Beijing. Nightlife centers around the bars in Thamel and the casinos along the nearby boulevard of Durbar Marg (most are in the upscale hotels that tower over the wide thoroughfare). A week in Kathmandu should be enough to see the city and some of its "suburbs."
One of the suburbs, Bhaktapur, is definitely worth visiting (tourists must pay an entrance fee of about US$10). Bhaktapur can be reached by public transport (on the Chinese-built electric trolley system) or by a short taxi ride. The town is a bit more relaxing than Kathmandu and has three interesting squares: Taumadhi Tole, Durbar and Potter's. There are several nice gompas (Buddhist temples) in Taumadhi Tole - our favorite is the five-story Nyatapola Temple, which has large stone animal figures flanking its staircase. You can get a view of the temple and the rest of the square from the multilevel cafe just across from the temple. It's a good place to relax and have a drink.
Other attractions include an art gallery at the Royal Palace, the famous Golden Gate that forms the entrance to the 55 Window Palace, and the stone sculptures and 12 temples of Durbar Square. Look for the carved peacock window in Pujahari Math, a monastery with excellent wood carvings. Potter's Square is, of course, a center of pottery manufacture - even the chief priest of the Jeth Ganish Temple (in the square) is a potter. The town also has a wood-carving museum and a brass and bronze museum. You can shop in the side streets leading up to the squares (among the best items are Nepalese puppets and bone figurines).
One of our favorite excursions from Kathmandu is a visit to Bodhnath, which is the center of Tibetan culture in the valley. Its main attraction is a gigantic stupa (religious spire). Try to visit the town during a festival, when the stupa is the focus of activity. The Tibetan new-year celebrations (Losar), which usually take place in February or March, are an especially stirring blend of worldly merrymaking and religious activity. For those interested in knowing more about Tibetan Buddhism, Bodhnath - which has more than 20 monasteries - is the place to go. Most of the monasteries welcome visitors. Free introductory discourses are given every Saturday morning at Ka-Nying Shedrup Ling monastery, which is a two-minute walk north of the stupa. (Expect to see many other Westerners there.) An hour's walk north through green rice fields is the Buddhist monastery in Kopan, where a monthlong meditation course is given every November.
On the way to Bodhnath from Kathmandu is Pashupatinath, one of the most famous Hindu sites in the world. It contains numerous ancient temples and draws pilgrims from all over the region. Non-Hindus can't enter the main Shiva temple, but stationing yourself on the opposite bank of the Bagmati River (which, like the Ganges, is considered holy) affords a nice view of the courtyard and the gilded roofs surrounding it. In front of the temple and farther downstream are ghats, platforms used for cremating bodies. (Although the cremation is performed in public, it's important to remember that it is essentially a very private ritual. Feel free to watch, but do so respectfully.) The temple area and the surrounding forest are also home to quite a few ash-pale sadhus, holy men who have cast away their possessions and devoted their lives to religious contemplation (which, in some cases, involves smoking abundant marijuana). On Shivaratri, the Great Night of Shiva, which usually falls in early March, as many as 400,000 pilgrims gather in Pashupatinath to celebrate. The temples are also home to many monkeys, who occasionally will scamper down from their perches to make off with travelers' food and cameras - so hold them tight.
Located south of the Bagmati River, Kathmandu's sister city, Patan, is within bicycling distance of the capital. (It's also easily reached by taxi.) Patan's attractions are similar to those in Kathmandu, but the atmosphere is not quite as lively (if Kathmandu didn't exist, however, people would rave about Patan). Patan's Durbar Square is in some ways more picturesque and orderly than Kathmandu's, and the temples lining it are definitely worth exploring. (If you have time, stay and enjoy the sunset from one of the many rooftop restaurants lining the square.) In addition to its Royal Palace and the inevitable souvenir stalls, the square boasts Patan Museum, a wonderfully renovated 18th-century building housing a rich collection of cultural artifacts. Next to the museum, look for the sunken-tap area, where water flows out of the mouths of metal buffalo and crocodile heads. Also in town is the Hiranya Varna Mahabihar (Golden Temple), which has a gold-leaf roof and superb ancient wall paintings. Patan is also home to the only zoo in Nepal, the Jawalakhel Zoo, which holds tigers, rhinos and lesser critters.
Manakamana Temple
En route to either Pokhara or Royal Chitwan National Park, you can opt for a stopover at the famed Manakamana Temple, home to the goddess Bagwati and a major Hindu pilgrimage site. Situated at an altitude of 4,200 ft/1,300 m, the temple itself is not especially impressive, but Bagwati's ability to fulfill the wishes of her visitors makes this a popular destination. A cable car runs between Cheres, near the road to Pokhara, and Manakamana, making it possible to do the 3-hour trek in 15 minutes. The view from the cable cars is well worth the cost of the ticket. 75 mi/125 km northwest of Kathmandu.
Nagarkot
This village is just a small collection of houses and guest houses - it barely exists. But its location, atop the mountains ringing the Kathmandu Valley, gives it a unique perspective. On clear mornings October-May, you can see Mt. Everest from Nagarkot. Though far off in the distance, the world's highest peak is worth a peek - especially if you're not getting any closer and want to go home saying you've seen Everest. (No guarantees issued - dawn is your best chance to spot the mountain, but if it's a foggy morning, you'll be out of luck.) 20 mi/30 km east of Kathmandu.
Pokhara
Most tourists stay in Pokhara or environs for a day or two to relax along the lake, but the main reason to go there is that it's the starting point for treks into the Himalaya - you can see the Annapurna range from town on a clear day. There's not much in Pokhara itself. The resort area on Lake Phewa has better accommodations generally, although Pokhara has been undergoing a building boom, so visitors now have a wider selection of accommodations from which to choose. You can rent a rowboat and paddle out to a temple, located on one of the lake's islands (birds are sometimes sacrificed before the altar there). Spelunkers might also enjoy an excursion to nearby Mahendra Cave, once believed to house Nidhini, a female demon who devours people and cattle.
If you're not planning a full trek, a day trek can be made to Sarangkot, a small village about a two-hour walk into the mountains. The mountain panorama you get from Sarangkot is far superior to what you can see in town, and in the other direction there's a fine view of the Lake Phewa resort area. Those who can tolerate some discomfort may want to stay in a villager's home (the price is negotiable, but it'll probably be less than you've ever paid for a room - a dinner of lentils and potatoes may even be included). You'll likely sleep on a mat in a smoky loft. The night view of Lake Phewa is impressive, and sunrise showers the snowcapped mountains with exquisite color. 90 mi/145 km northwest of Kathmandu.
Royal Chitwan National Park
This major tourist area in the southern lowlands (called the Terai), is a world apart from the mountainous region - hot, humid and often quite lush. It's home to tigers, leopard, rhinos, crocodiles, deer, boar, monkeys and more than 400 species of birds.
Because it sits well outside the Kathmandu Valley, Chitwan is somewhat closer to the areas of rebel activity than the capital. Although the national park has not experienced any attacks, there have been some incidents of violence along the highway between Chitwan and Kathmandu. Travelers should check the latest safety information before booking a trip.
Most visitors to the park stay at one of the Tiger Tops jungle lodges (in either the village setup or the tent camp). The lodges aren't cheap, but they are usually comfortable and staffed with excellent naturalists. Elephant rides are offered, but your chances of a tiger sighting now rely chiefly on luck and the experience of your guide. (The practice of baiting parts of the park to attract tigers and leopard has been abolished.) White-water raft trips are also offered (ending up at Tiger Tops). A few similar, locally operated lodges at the other end of the park are slightly less expensive (and less sophisticated). They can be booked through a Kathmandu-based tour operator. (A good mid-range lodge is Machan, which offers jungle tours on elephant or by jeep. There is a Machan office on Durbar Marg in Kathmandu.)
The village of Sauraha is the nearest populated area to Chitwan and is used by more adventurous travelers as a jumping-off point for self-planned tours of the wildlife park. The village can be reached from Kathmandu via a combination of public buses or by one of the private bus companies operating out of Kathmandu. (We prefer the Green Line.) Several small hotels are in the village. Those taking the public elephant rides into the jungle from there often see rhinos, but tiger sightings are rare - you'll have much better luck at Tiger Tops. In Sauraha, beware of unauthorized guides offering to take you for jungle walks (on foot) - they are not always as knowledgeable as they claim to be, and not a few tourists have accidentally encountered angry rhinos (a very scary and sometimes deadly experience) by trusting the wrong people. We recommend that you go to Chitwan with an established tour company.
Also in the Terai region is Lumbini, where Buddha was born, but it will only be of interest to pilgrims. Kapilasvatu, where Sakyamuni Buddha grew up, is also nearby. The park is 90 mi/150 km southwest of Kathmandu.
Transportation in Nepal
Getting There & Away
There are few direct flights to Nepal, which means most travellers 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. If you want to see the mountains as you fly into Kathmandu, make sure you sit on the right-hand side of the plane. The departure tax for international flights is 15.00, or 10.00 to destinations on the Indian subcontinent.
The classic overland routes between Nepal and India are still popular. Buses are usually the quickest and easiest form of transport between Nepal and India. There are three main crossing points: Sunauli-Bhairawa, Birganj-Raxaul Bazaar and Kakarbhitta-Siliguri. The Sunauli border crossing is the best one from Varanasi, the Birganj crossing is the easiest from Kolkata, and Kakarbhitta is the obvious choice from Darjeeling. A trickle of travellers enter Nepal at the Mahendrenagar-Banbassa border crossing in the extreme west of Nepal, which is handy for travellers coming overland from Delhi who do not want to visit Varanasi. The crossing between Nepal and Tibet via Kodari is open to organised groups but not to individual travellers heading north. Be prepared with alternative plans if you're thinking about using this route, because landslides regularly make it impassable during the monsoon.
Getting Around
Royal Nepal Airlines and several private companies offer domestic air services, but flights are relatively expensive and often delayed or cancelled due to inopportune weather. It's advisable to book domestic flights a week in advance and keep re-confirming your ticket just to make sure you don't slip off the passenger list if the flight is full. Airlines only accept payment in hard currency from visitors. Kathmandu's domestic airport is a shabby, chaotic place usually full of stressed tourists whose flights have been delayed.
Public buses are the main form of transportation and are incredibly cheap, incredibly uncomfortable and tediously slow. Buses ply almost every paved road (not that there are many), as well as some of the unpaved ones, and nearly every visitor comes back with horror stories about 'almost' plunging into a ravine. There are several services between Kathmandu and Pokhara aimed specifically at tourists. Those who dislike having chickens and goats supplementing their human travelling companions will prefer them. There are no trains and no drive-yourself rental cars in Nepal. Cars with drivers can be hired.
Bike-riding is quickly gaining popularity with visitors for short jaunts; a bike is often quicker than using local buses, especially in the Kathmandu Valley. Walking is still the most important and most reliable method of getting from A to B and for moving cargo. In most of Nepal walking is the only option. More goods are carried by human porters than by every other form of transport combined.
Local transport in the Kathmandu Valley and around Pokhara includes metered and unmetered taxis, buses, tempos (three-wheeled buses), auto-rickshaws, bicycle rickshaws and bicycles.
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