Nepal trip report - independently using public transport
 

Within November 2010 we have been to Nepal, travelling independently without using any travel agency and getting around by public transport. Our route included Lantang/Helambu trek, Annapurna Sanctuary trek, Pokhara, Tansen, Chitwan NP, Namo Buddha gompa, and Kathmandu. It was my second trip to Nepal after some ten years and I have found travelling in Nepal as easy as always - yet, real shock for me was a marked deterioration of Nepal environment, esp. an incredible pollution existing in Kathmandu valley.

When preparing the trip I used information often gathered at this site - to repay this help I have put a report on my experience for others to use on the internet - if interested check it out at my site:

http://www.freewebs.com/vaclav-trips/nepal.htm


Happy travels to everyone.

Your report is wonderful - thank you. I have a couple of families and also orpahns I have financially assisted in Nepal for more than a decade and nothing gets better for them. The political and econ. situation constantly worsens and it has a marked affect on the countryside. Many of the men are away from their families years at a time working in places like UAE where they are treated badly - to see the least. When the "financial crisis" occurred a couple of years ago, thousands were dismissed and many who remained had to take pay cuts of 50-75% of their wretched wages to hold their jobs. Life in Nepal is indeed difficult, but travel is informative and exciting.

Thank you for your very interesting trip report. I too have made a number of trips to Nepal. My last one was last year at the same time as your visit, before that it was in 1996, things certainly have change since that time. In 1996 I did the trek up to Muktinath as well as to Annapurna Base Camp. On my last visit I did the Annapurna Circuit, I had planned on going up to Annapurna Base Camp, but because of the low clowds I changed my plans and went to Chitwan. Roads are now being built on the Manang side, but so far do not go very far and are only suitable for jeep type vehicle. On the Jomson side you can now go as far as Muktinath, you do see some cars on the road, but they are only suitable for jeeps and buses. Parts of the road are very rough and dangerous. In most parts trails are often still available and you need not walk the road, however when you need to walk the roads, you do not see much traffic. Now many tourist fly into Jomson, take the jeep to Kagbeni, spend some time, take jeep to Muktinath, then jeep back to Jomson and then fly out the next day. Kagbeni has become like a Disney Land for many of them, they do not respect the local culture. I saw them pick up a very young lamb and were walking around with it, upsetting it's mother very much.

I am heading back to Nepal and am heading into the restricted Upper Mustang region.

The entrance to Dubar Square in Kathmandu is 300NPR and to the monkey temple 200NPR. For Dubar Square you can go to the office on the square and get a multiday pass for free.

The exchange rate for NPR is about 70NPR for 1USD

Hi. Thanks guys for reading my report and especially for your interesting comments/insights.

Nice to read merckxxx you are trying to help Nepal children. Actually, we do the same by paying schooling to two Nepal children. Yet, we have been little surprised during our stay in Nepal that as we were passing quite a few schools we have actually never seen any children just taking some lessons in them - I hope November is a time of school holidays in Nepal.

Great information. Thank you for sharing with us. I have printed out your Kathmandu section for our trip. Yes, I am using LP guidebook.

We are planning a trip to Nepal, and the linked trip report I just read is one of the most informative I've ever seen. Give it a read!

Thank you for this report. We are also planning a trip to nepal in November 2014.
Is the road to Pokhara from Kathmandu a nervewracking ride? Is it better in a tourist bus or taxi or how?