Nepal: Our itinerary, Country Travel Guide & Budget
Here is our itinerary in Nepal for 21 days (July 2016, in full monsoon). As we are around the world and have a lot of time, we aren’t looking for the shortest way, nor the ideal duration of visit, but according to the weather and what makes us want at the moment t
- Kathmandu (2 nights at World Heritage Hotel & Apartments overlooking Durbar Square): we visited Durbar Square and its local market, Pashupali Temple, Buddha Temple
- Bhaktapur (2 nights at Namaste Bhaktapur Guest House overlooking the beautiful Nyatapola Temple). 1h cab ride from Kathmandu. We just visited Durbar Square, Pottery square, Nyatapola Temple. The city is as if frozen in the Middle Ages. I love it!
- Nagarkot (2 nights at Mount Paradise). 1 hour cab ride from Bhaktapur. We walked in the surroundings. The sight was not very clear during the monsoon but it was very nice.
- Birgunj (7 nights in a private home). 7 hours by Jeep from Balkhu, south of Kathmandu. The city has no touristic interest and looks a lot like a normal Indian city. If we went there, it was to give lessons in French, English, craft, cooking in a Nepalese school – in voluntary mode
- Patan (2 nights) : 7h by Jeep from Birgunj, or 30mn by cab from Kathmandu. We simply visited the city center
- Pokhara (4 nights). 6 hours by bus from Kathmandu. A little more activities: Walk, rest, massage, trek, boat on the lake, paragliding. It is a very touristic city, the prices also, it isn’t necessary to stay there for a long time but rather to leave as soon as possible to make trek (not like us)
- Kathmandu (1 night) : 6h from Pokhara by bus. Then flight to Bangkok.
Note : the shortest and most logical route would have been Varanasi (India) -> Birgunj -> Chitwan -> Pokhara -> Kathmandu -> Patan -> Bhaktapur -> Nagarkot -> Kathmandu but we were fed up with the heat of India. Spending a week in Birgunj first would have exhausted us
If you are interested in volunteer projects, against board and lodging, contact us, we have addresses to give you for Kathmandu and Birgunj. You give the courses you want, and set the duration of your stay with the local people
Budget
- 100 rupees = 0,83€
- IN TOTAL, we’ll be doing well for
- 133 153 rupees or 1100€ for 21 days (knowing that the 7 days of Birjunj are particularly economical since we are accommodated and fed), transport, tours, bus between different cities included
- Average = 52€/day
- Transportation
- Airport -> Kathmandu : 600 rupees by cab
- Kathmandu -> Bhaktapur : 1200 rupees by cab
- Bhaktapur -> Nagarkot : 1100 rupees by cab
- Nagarkot -> Balkhu : 2500 rupees by cab
- Balkhu -> Birgunj by jeep: 600 rupees/person
- Birgunj -> Balkhu by jeep : 500 rupees/person
- Balkhu -> Patan : 200 rupees by cab
- Patan -> Thamel (Kathmandu) : 500 rupees by cab
- Thamel (Kathmandu) -> Pokhara : 700 rupees/person
- Downtown Pokhara -> Bus station: between 200 and 300 rupees by cab (I know, tourist catchers)
- Pokhara -> Thamel (Kathmandu) : 800 rupees/person
- Center of Kathmandu -> Airport: 500 rupees by cab
- Telecommunication
- One SIM card: 100 rupees
- 2G : 1000 rupees
- Trek : 35$/person for a day trek in Pokhara
- Paragliding: 10 000 rupees/person, photos included
- Massage: between 1500 and 2000 rupees/hour
- Food: between 400 rupees and 600 rupees/person/meal
- Hotels: we only put you in the hotels we liked
- Kathmandu: World Heritage Hotel & Apartments $16/night, shared bathroom (ask for room with view on Durbar Square)
- Bhaktapur: Namaste Bhaktapur Guest House 13$/night (ask for Annapurna room)
- Patan: Boutique Heritage Home $35/night (ask for a room upstairs, the ceiling will be higher)
And here is a detailed dispatch of the expenses
What we liked
- Bhaktapur and its squares
- Walking in Nagarkot
- Mangoes, cheap and juicy
- The smile of our students in Birgunj
- Watch an Indian movie in Nepal
