Trekking in Pokhara

The best part of Nepal is Nature: Among 14 highest mountains (above 8000Meters) in the world, 8 locate in Nepal( 1 in Sikkim India, 5 in Pakistan). So trekking around Annapurna is one of the highlights in Nepal. People say Annapurna is the best for trekking. You can choose 2-day up to 21-day's trekking. I was suggested to take at least 10 days' trekking, otherwise couldn't see many real special scenes. I didn't do trekking of Annapurna, but luckily went a 2-days trekking to a newby mountain named Panchassee, where the ancient yoga formed originally. Let me know which trekking route you prefer. If going to Panchassee, maybe I can ask local friends to guide you. For Annapurna trekking, go to formal local agency, to hire English speaking porters is enough, no need to hire a guide(normally they ask you to hire one porter and one guide). The trekking route is quite routine I guess.

Pay 2000NRS each for entrance fee. You may will meet Maoist in the mountain, they ask for 100 RS/Day as "revolution tax", you can bargain down to 100-200RS probably, keep the receipt, in case you meet them again. Some friends told me they refused to pay, and no big problem, but 100NRS is nothing, I would pay to reduce unnecessary troubles.
(100USD=7150NRS, Nepal Rupees)

In Kathmandu

Accommodation: Strongly recommend Kathmandu Guest House to you to stay, locates at heart of Thamel (tourist area). 6USD/Day for a double room (the cheapest room, 4USD/sigle room), 40USD/week, plus 13% tax. KGH is the oldest guest house in Kathmandu, nice garden, worthwhile to stay. www.ktmgh.com

Also I would recommend you Hotel DragonII, which is a Chinese community, 300RS/night, no tax; white bed sheet, rather clean; 24-hours hot shower, probably the best you can find in Thamel. You can join them for Chinese dinner, just to share the cost of kitchen for the meal. (Ricky is the Chinese guy who managing it, now he is traveling in India or somewhere else, another guy from Shanghai named Alex is in charge of it now.) You can call them to pick up from airport. The tel is 977-1-425 4419, Chetrapati, Thamel, KTM. (Notice: there are two Hotel Dragon, I and II; DragonII is new and clean, the location is not at center of Thamel, which is not bad at all, at not that many venders try to approach you, those street venders are quite bothering sometimes) PLUS, Dragon II has free internet access, you can use the computers freely, and even free wireless is available! KGH has wireless too, but you have to pay 60RS/hour.

There are some nice restaurants. I do like a small one named Mitho at corner of Chetrapati, the sizzler and steak are cheap and good, also like its buffo momo very much. There is a Muslim restaurant (with Chinese characters) nearby, the cheese naan and garlic naan are very good. I am kind of missing their foods.

There is a rooftop restaurant, (on the entery road from King palace to Thamel), 95RS for a set of Nepali food: Dal Bat, you can go there at least once.

Helena's roof top terrace is not bad for breakfast, the highest one( you have to climb up to top though), pay 5 Rupee if you want more hot water for your black tea... otherwise have to wait one hour ...you may try to see the difference...

Masala tea is good in KGH garden, 50RS/pot. If you don't stay there, but at least go there for tea sometimes, quite nice atmosphere.

Roadhouse Pizza is good, but not sure of your taste, I mean if you like to have western food in Nepal, Italians usually would not do that.

Don't like much the Thai food there, Neither Yin-yang, or four seasons. The Sulatimi(the sweet) at downstairs of Yin-yang is good, have it at the garden, otherwise you have to pay much more at Yin-yang.

Rum-doodle is a popular bar, many groups going there; live music is available there. For nightlife, New Orleans is good, very good live music. Another one I went is Stella(might wrong, I will check the name again), small but busy.

For sight seeing, don't missing: the monkey temple, Bodhanath (Tibetan temple, better go on full moon night if you can, notice: Nepali's full moon is one day earlier than other¡¯s); you may go to Pathpawati(riverside temple, where they burn dead people) in the early afternoon, then walking to Bodhanath. Less than 100RS for taxi going both, no more than 120RS to get back Thamel. You don't have to enter through the front door if you are not willing to pay. I wasn't intended to avoid paying, but always found myself already there without pay. Not hard to get in. Same to Dubar square in Kathmandu, Saturday is free entry for everyone; also you can say you are going to the hotel inside(forget the hotel name). The entry fee is 200RS; you can use the ticket for a week. Don't miss to see kumari, the living godness at her temple, free entry, locates in side of Dubar square. She usually appears around 3-4pm when more people gathering there waiting for her to show up. I like what I have seen, she looks cool, although very short time, like 10 secs.

I have some local friends, they took me to some nearby places, like star hotels, resorts, food are rather good there, but kind of too far to go, anyway, not really necessary to go. One place I like is Vishnu snake temple; he lies on the water, with snake behind him (not really snakes, stone sculptures). Take a taxi to go maybe.

There is a CD shop locates opposite to KGH(Kathmandu Guest House). 40Rs to choose one CD of Nepali music or other types, they will help to convert into MP3 and burn on one CD, you can put many on one CD. If you choose 10, then pay 400RS, and so on.

KTM(Kathmandu) is a good place to buy out-door stuff, quite cheap, see more shops to find real good quality ones. Many Koshimire businessmen to sale scarf, don't be too kind to bargain, I bought my red wool scarf by 1000RS, which he asked for 1500RS, people say 750RS could be the best price, but I am happy with the pattern. People say Pokhara is cheaper than Thamel, but I don't think so.

For Pokhara, stay at Hotel Angel, kind of related to Hotel DragonII, the manager is Dev, a nice Nepali young man. He is very nice, room208 is where I stayed, good one. He can pick you up from bus station if inform in advance. Not sure if Suresh is still working there, a nice Nepali fellow, if you mention my name, he definitely will be helpful to you. 

Busy bee is a busy night bar; Amsterdam is not bad; Paradiso is full of local young girls and boys on weekends. The food in Pokhara is not very impressive. We ever went to Lakeside "Cheap and best Restaurant" run by Ram.K.C, location is good, the food is good, 3 lovely kids of Ram, really fond of them, it locates at another side of Lakeside (if you stay at Hotel Angel), about 20mins by walking.

Basically, the hotels in Pokhara are nice and cheap, more or less. Try the Paragliding!! It should be fun, I have vertical problem, not have enough courage to do it, but I wish I had done it. People who did it all say it is amazing. There are two companies run this business, try the Sunrise(I will check the name). The office is at the middle of the road. I watched its video program in their shop, very good, impressive.

Maybe you can try the boating on the lake, but really not impressed. To see the mountain at sunset time is great if the day clear enough.

For Pokhara, if you don't go trekking, then 50% of its charming lost...wish the weather will be good when you get there. I stayed 2 weeks there, the last 2 days were foggy, nothing to complain, as another 12 days were very good; when I went to Panchassee, the weather was incredible clear. 

Go to Patan 

by taxi for a day tour, no need to stay over night. I like Patan Museum very much, the best Hinduism museum you can find, indeed, the ones I visited in India are crabs. There is a nice cafe inside the museum garden. Same about enter the Dubar square: if you can get in by other entrance then you don't have to pay. In Patan there is a Golden temple nicto see, wish you can meet the cute and handsome boy to be your guide, he is about 10-12 year old, speaks good English, work as a guide to earn small money, I do like him and encourage "work and get paid"(too many just ask for money from tourists, I always wonder why they think we will give them).

I love Baktipur the best! 

About 30 mins from KTM, 200-300RS by Taxi, 10Rs by local bus, --check with hotel guys for local bus station, from 7am-5pm, every 20 mins (you should check with local for details). Nice experience to take bus with local people, I like it. Nagarkor is another hour from Bakitipur. You can stop at Bakitipor first or make stop on way back KTM. Nagarkot is a good place to see the whole range of Himalayan, stay two nights (at least) if possible, very quite and beautiful. Too wish the weather will be clear enough for you. Get up early one morning to see sunrise, about 5:30, hotel can arrange cars for you to get the tower, 100RS/car. A bit cold in morning and night, so take warm clothes with you (maybe March will be warm, not that cold as Dec). You can stay at Snowman or Elephant Head hotel, 200-250RS/double room. Don't eat at "savethemoney", it's cheap but too small, the pancake was the smallest I ever had. There is a Hindu temple you can go, 5 mins walking. A Japanese style restaurant on the way to the temple is nice, run by an honest and hard working Nepali man, try the special offer: Oyagudon, if he still has.

One more thing: Nepal visa. It said till last Dec, no visa-on-arrival in airport, but I heard it still could do. You pay about 30USD for 2 months.  If by land, you can get visa at the boarder. We cross Sanauli, take train to a place closeby, then bus to Sanauli, cross the boarder before 6pm, either to stay at Nepal or India part, a bit hassles, but Nepal will be a quiet place to relax afterwards. 

Well, these are the things in Nepal I would recommend to you. Please feel free to ask if you have more questions. I spent 2 months in Nepal, till the last day my Nepal visa finished. Nepali culture are much mild than Indian's. If you ask me to describe Nepali with 3 words, I would say: Humble, joyful, simple.

Wish you a good trip!

PS: this email was written to Kate in Feb 2007. Quite much has been changed since then, but just put it here for your reference.