EXPLORING THE CAPITAL OF NEPAL

Kathmandu is a labyrinth of vibrant buildings and narrow streets entangled with wires. It's a city where serenity and chaos coexist, creating an atmosphere that is both enchanting and at times unpredictable. I think Kathmandu is an ideal place to spend about 3- 4 days in total.  If you are coming to Nepal for an outdoor experience, I highly recommend waiting until you get to Kathmandu to purchase anything as the prices here are truly out of this world and the shopping opportunities are abundant. The city itself is filled with so many friendly people ready to welcome foreigners but it can also be extremely overwhelming. Before you arrive in Kathmandu, be aware that you will need a visa. This can be obtained at the airport easily, or online in advance. The visa needs to be paid for in cash and the atms at the airport are not always reliable so save yourself the hassle and come prepared with cash to exchange.

Where To Stay / Explore 

I highly recommend staying in the Thamel area, this area is catered to tourism with tons of shopping, dining opportunities, and bars. It felt very safe to walk around and navigate during the day. Thamel has a plethora of shopping opportunities from clothing to trekking stores making it the perfect place to stock up on supplies for your time in Nepal or get gifts on your way out to bring home with you. If you want to be near the tourist opportunities but aren’t a huge fan of the chaos that can come with it, consider the Lazimpat area. Lazimpat is close to Thamel and in the center city close to many of the tourist destinations but a bit more laid back than the hectic streets of Thamel. 

Be Strategic About Traffic 

Wake up early and try to beat morning traffic before 8:30am. It’s very easy to spend far too long in traffic jams here and feel like you're wasting your day. An early day means you can try to be in the area you want to spend the evening in before 4pm when rush hour starts again. If you are claustrophobic or get overwhelmed in crowds I would also be mindful of walking the streets at this time. We were inches from motorcycles and cars walking through the streets of Thamel at nighttime, but after 7pm it calmed down. Kathmandu is definitely not a late night city, with many businesses closing around 9pm. 

Safety Advice

I felt completely safe walking around as a solo female traveler during the day but do not suggest walking around alone at night. At night walking around the streets of Thamel I was followed by men, but thankfully was with friends from a hostel. If you are a solo female traveler in Nepal I cannot recommend Flock Hostel Kathmandu more. They do a great job here of creating spaces to meet other travelers to explore with and the amenities were so nice. Even though hotels aren’t expensive in Kathmandu I loved staying in hostels just to meet other people to explore with because it’s safer and you can split taxis etc. The air quality in Kathmandu can also be extremely brutal and I recommend bringing a scarf to use as a mask if you find yourself in the back of a tuktuk in heavy traffic. 

My Top Experience Recommendations 

• Go For Momo at Momo Magic (momo are dumplings and you will be seeing them everywhere in Nepal) 

• Swayambhu Mahachaitya (people also called this monkey temple, there is an amazing mandala studio at the top that has one of the best views of the city on its rooftop). 

• Pathan Singing Bowl and Therapy Center  is definitely worth a visit, the craftsmanship behind their bowls is unlike anywhere else I have visited and a sound bath experience will leave you feeling peaceful even in the busy streets of Kathmandu. 

• Kalapathar Trekking Store had the best deals on trekking supplies out of all the vendors. I bought the supplies for my trek here and all the items held up extremely well. 

• Explore the Ason and Mangal Bazaars, here you will find everything from street food, to everyday items, and amazing souvenirs. Don’t be shy about negotiating prices.