Nepal is a heartbreakingly beautiful country you must visit at least once in your lifetime. Hilltops covered in ice merging with clouds, dusty city roads, adorable toddlers playing and rolling with street dogs in the central square are colourful sights you rarely see in another country. And according to reviews online and also through my first-hand experience, Nepal is perhaps the safest country for a girl to travel alone. Of course it helps to know someone in country beforehand to ensure security and the online platforms such as Airbnb or Booking.com definitely came in handy while planning the trip.
My trip to Kathmandu, Nepal was scheduled for the month of October. Given that this is the peak month for tourism the flight rates were extremely high. The best time for travel with reasonable air ticket rates would be in March or April, when it is slightly cold but manageable. However, if one is looking for the cheapest flights to Nepal, December would be the best month to consider travelling although it is the winter season. My first thoughts however when landing in Kathmandu were: this does not look like an international airport, are we landing at the wrong airport? Of course it is wrong to judge a book by its cover, the Tribhuvan International Airport is smaller in size, and rustic in style caters to a diverse range of international flights as well as an influx of tourists every day. Visa procedures was on arrival and as a first time traveler was free of charge, thus my first steps in the country was extreme happiness while being expectant about the rest of my stay.
Kathmandu is the nerve centre of Nepal’s tourism and the country’s economy. The city is situated in the bowl-shaped Kathmandu Valley, surrounded by four major mountains of Shivapuri, Phulchoki, Nagarjun and Chandragiri. In the historical context the Kathmandu valley and the adjoining areas were also known as the Nepal Mandala (Mandala also meaning country). Kathmandu Valley comprises of three districts Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur, home to about a twelfth of Nepal’s population and seven World Heritage sites. Thamel Chowk situated a little over 5 km from the Tribhuvan International Airport is the tourist hub of Kathmandu. This is a haven for tourists visiting the country where most budget hotels and the shopping district of Kathmandu which caters to tourists exist. You can spend hours on end just walking around, getting lost in the experience and exploring not only shops with trinkets or souvenirs but also be immersed in second hand book shops. Rustic coffee places that offer delicious breakfast platers and at night, pubs with live music are the thing of Thamel. The night life is as bustling as the day in this tourist hub. The culture shock was indeed minimal given that it is quite similar to that of Pettah at mid-day without definitely the cat-calling. Following the tragic earthquake in 2015 although much work has been done Kathmandu, is still recovering from its after effects.
In terms of accommodation booking.com is a reliable source, and so is Airbnb. I would recommend to use Airbnb if you are traveling with a partner, if not booking.com would be the best and safer option. However ensure to read through all the reviews before making a booking. However, given that it is Nepal and the opportunity for bargaining is immense, it will not be difficult to find a cheap yet quality location within the tourist hub of Thamel. In terms of planning, a mistake I made was having a set plan with limited options for flexibility. As a result of booking online a cancellation fee was included on the accommodation options providing me with little to no option but having to stick to ‘the plan’. Therefore it is advisable to only book for your accommodation for the first day and go with the flow based on your liking and preference. My recommendations for Kathmandu would be Himalayan Oasis Hotel as an option for comfortable accommodation on a budget. Tibet Peace Inn is also another recommendation although not directly situated in Thamel, was also quite reasonable however comfort-wise not so, the staff however was very helpful.
Nepali cuisine is exquisite in its own unique way. Unlike the general combination of rice and curries with spices in the South Asian countries, Nepal has very distinguished dishes which you do not get elsewhere. The ‘Momo’ (secretly I have been wishing to try this since forever) is a type of South Asian dumpling with a meat or other form of filling that is a traditional delicacy in Nepal. One of the most popular fast foods it is served with one or two varieties of dipping sauce with either steamed momo immersed in meat broth or fried. Momo’s with buffalo filling was probably my favourite from the vast range available at almost every restaurant in Kathmandu. In addition, I tried out a platter of scrumptious Newari cuisine, which tantalized my taste buds. The dish was centered on beaten rice (like rice flakes, very crispy), with a variety of roasted and cooked meat (one of which was buffalo), and vegetables. It was extremely spicy but definitely yummy! Dhau or traditional yogurt in an earthen bowl is very much similar to the Sri Lankan ‘mee kiri’ with a pinch of ‘paani’. There is also a very small place close to the Basantapur Durbar Square where I tried a very filling and tasty Lassi. If ever in Kathmandu, one must definitely have tea at ‘Mama’s Tea Shop’ at the Basantapur Durbar Square. Sitting under the stars on a night with a clear sky amidst the bustling crowds at the Square, while sipping hot hot tea and engaged in ripe conversation was definitely a treat beyond compare, and probably one of the best parts of the trip. The tea and conversation were both delicious and I positively went back for more.
Traveling in Kathmandu especially is difficult, as the roads are in quite a bad condition. Given that they also do not have railway network, the easiest way to travel as I would rate is either by foot, if the location is close, bike or scooty if you can rent one, or by taxi (bargain, bargain or ask for a meter). And ensure to equip yourself with a shawl or a mask as a result of the dust and pollution. I was lucky to have a very special friend who ensured safe passage throughout the entire trip. So thank you Dilip for taking the trouble to help me in navigating around Nepal.
Walking through the streets of Kathamandu is very diverse, where you are exposed to magical medieval temple strewn alleyways as well as very modern shops, bazars and street vendors at the same time. Traveling alone can be both an exhilarating and scary experience that you must expose yourself to at least once in your life to fully perhaps understand one’s behaviour traits on a deeper level. It was indeed an exquisite and exhilarating experience.
Written by Hasangani Edema