Where to sleep, eat and what to see while in Kathmandu in a short time span before heading on your trek? I would recommend the Thamel area which is vibrant, full of hotels, restaurants and shops.
The Thamel area is about 6km from the Tribhuvan airport and the duration can be from 20 to 30 minutes when there is no heavy traffic. Plan your trip accordingly as the duration can increase up to an hour when in peak times. First check with your hotel in advance if transfers are included and if not, you can book an airport taxi on arrival or get a metered taxi outside the airport. If you would like to book in advance, you can also make use of your Booking.com App.
Where to stay?
I opted to stay at Norbulinka Boutique Hotel which is situated in central Thamel and walking distance to great food, coffee and shopping. Rooms are modern, clean and spacious with a private bathroom and comes with a free transfer from the airport to your hotel. Furthermore, the rooms are equipped with an air-conditioner, hairdryer and free Wi-Fi. Should you need to have laundry done, the hotel provides this service at an extra cost. I also found the room to be very quiet, even in a busy part of Thamel. My room option included breakfast at the restaurant at the hotel. The restaurant also has a good variety on their menu for lunch or dinner which includes Nepalise, Tibetan and Indian cuisines. There is an onsite bar to enjoy inside the hotel.
What to do?
There was an earthquake in 2015 with a magnitude of 7.8 which left a lot of damage and will take many years to repair. You will come across a few restorations while travelling, so best would be to research the sites you would like to visit beforehand. Kathmandu Durbar Square is located 1.3km from Norbulinka Boutique Hotel and 6km from the Boudha Stupa which I would recommend as attractions to see.
Boudha Stupa is one of the largest stupas not only in Nepal, but also in the world and it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. For the Buddhists people, this is a holy place as well as a reminder of Buddha’s path towards enlightenment. The plinths represent the elements earth, water and fire and the 13 levels of spire, represents the stages to achieve nirvana. It is beautiful to see the Buddhists people come on a daily basis to a spiritual place of worship to begin a series of clockwise circumambulations. While walking clockwise, mantras are recited and the prayer wheels are spinned while making wishes and offerings.
Kathmandu Durbar Square is not only a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it used to be a palace and now used as a museum but it was severely damaged in the earthquake. One can still see the elaborately-carved wooden windows and panels while under reconstruction. A popular attraction in Durbar Square is the Kumari Chowk which houses the living goddess of Kathmandu. A Kumari is a young girl who represents the Goddess Kumari which undergoes a strict selection process which includes hair and eyes to be very black, no blemishes or loss of teeth, to be calm and show no signs of fear just to name a few. The chosen Newar girl will be the Kumari until she reaches puberty.
Other attractions to look at while in Kathmandu:
- Swayambhunath Stupa (Monkey Temple) – one of the holiest Buddhist stupas in Nepal;
- Bhaktapur Durbar Square which includes Taeju Bhawani Temple and Taumadhi Square;
- Scenic flight past Mount Everest offered by Buddha Air and Yeti Airlines
There is various of shopping in the Thamel area which consist out of:
- Trekking gear for your last minute, cost effective trekking gear;
- Clothing, pashmina and wool items;
- Singing bowls, kukuri’s, beads and handicrafts;
- Souvenirs, rice paper and Nepali tea
You will also find numerous restaurants, travel agencies, hotels, taxi’s, cycle rickshaws and ATM’s in walking distance from Norbulinka Boutique Hotel.
Where to eat in Thamel, Kathmandu?
Roadhouse Cafe with a big variety of food – I loved their wood-fired pizza;
Third Eye Restaurant for some great Indian speciality foods;
Yin Yang Restaurant for great Thai or continental food;
Gaia Restaurant and Coffee Shop specializing in Eurasian cuisine;
For some good coffee, visit Himalayan Java Coffee shop.
Lastly, be sure to try Momo’s and Dal Bhat while in Nepal and enjoy every moment!
Happy Travels
Chrisyy