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Nepal Travel Planning

13 Sep

Nepal Travel Planning is the summary of my two-month trip to Nepal during the autumn of 2016 (October and November). The pace of traveling was slow, in accordance with the buses’ speed in Nepal.

Nepal Travel Planning

Nepal Travel Planning – General Planning

My travel planning for Nepal started somewhere around six months before the trip. I used only the Lonely Planet Guide and randomly read some articles about Nepal on the internet. I said that if by chance I had bumped into an article about Nepal, I’d have read it as a sign from the Universe. If not, I wouldn’t make any efforts in search of them. I’d just let the information come to me. I considered that the guidebook offered me enough, well-synthesized information to plan my trip. From the guidebook, I could choose the places where I wanted to go during two months – touristic places, UNESCO heritage sites, and off-the-beaten-track places as well.

Nepal Travel Planning – Fixed Plans

When I left for Nepal, I had only a few fixed plans such as:

– my flight ticket, which I had bought almost nine months in advance when Qatar Airlines had good discount offers

– the first accommodation in Kathmandu for one week (I could have canceled it for free until two days before my arrival)

– a driver from a travel agency who should have waited for me at the airport, but that didn’t happen because his boss had forgotten about me (great !)

– a spot reserved and half paid for the Introductory Buddhism Course at the Kopan Monastery (this one had fixed dates, so I had to book it in advance)

– two vaccinations: one for typhoid fever and one for diphtheria, poliomyelitis, and tetanus (I had the hepatitis A+B vaccination from the previous year trip to Morocco)

– a tourist visa on arrival allowed me to stay for a maximum of three months in Nepal (I needed only two months)

Nepal Travel Planning – Intentions, but nothing fixed

When I traveled to Nepal, I wanted to do/to go to the following places (but I hadn’t fixed dates for them):

– trek the Tamang Heritage Trail (I had only talked with a guide on FB to assist me as a porter if we would agree on the price, dates, etc)

– cycle through/to some of the Nepalese villages in the Kathmandu Valley

– explore the jungle in the Chitwan National Park

– go to Lumbini and Pokhara

– go for ten days to Tibet: fly from Kathmandu to Lhasa and return overland to the Nepalese border (unfortunately, the Tibet-Nepal border was closed for tourists in October 2016, so I had to drop this plan)

Nepal Travel Planning – Final Result

The final result of the trip to Nepal, where I stayed for two months, is a series of 12 travelogues. Enjoy your reading and let me know your opinion about Nepal. Which is your favorite place in Nepal? Why?

Nepal Travel Planning 2016 (orange – bus trip, green – treks)

Nepal Travel Planning 2016 (orange – bus trip, green – treks)

Kathmandu and surroundings (8 days) –

  • flight from Bucharest (Romania) to Kathmandu (Nepal) with a short layover in Doha (Qatar)
  • walked through Durbar Square and surroundings (the route south and north of the main square)
  • relaxed in the Garden of Dreams and walked through Thamel
  • rented a bike and cycled to Swayambhunath and Ichangu Narayan Temple (a nearby village) 
  • walked to Pashupatinath and Bodhnath heritage sites, in Kathmandu
  • explored Budhanilkantha, near Kathmandu
  • explored Gokarna and walked to Bodhnath, near Kathmandu

Kathmandu in one week (I): sites, villages, and local people – Nepal

The version in Romanian can be found at O saptamana in Katmandu (partea 1) 

Kathmandu in one week (II): sites, villages, and local people – Nepal

The version in Romanian can be found at O saptamana in Katmandu (partea a 2-a)

Kopan Monastery – Introductory Buddhism Course (10 days), on the outskirts of Katmandu –

Kopan Monastery: Introductory Buddhism Course – Nepal

The version in Romanian can be found at Curs introductiv de Budism – Manastirea Kopan, Nepal

Tamang Heritage Trail, Langtang National Park (8 days) –

Nepal Travel Planning 2016 - Tamang Heritage Trail (6 days)

Nepal Travel Planning 2016 – Tamang Heritage Trail (6 days)

  • 1st day: bus trip Kathmandu – Syaprhu Besi
  • 2nd day: Syaprhu Besi – Bahun Danda Pass – Gotlang Village
  • 3rd day: Gotlang Village – Chilime Village – Cherka Hamlet – Gonggang Village – Tatopani Village
  • 4th day: Tatopani Village – Brimdang Hamlet – Nagthali Ghyang
  • 5th day: relaxation in Nagthali Ghyang
  • 6th day: Nagthali Ghyang – Thuman Village – Lingling Village – Briddhim Village
  • 7th day: Briddhim Village – Wangal Hamlet – Syaprhu Besi
  • 8th day: bus trip Syaprhu Besi – Kathmandu – Patan

Tamang Heritage Trail (I), Langtang National Park – Nepal

The version in Romanian can be found at Tamang Heritage Trail, Parcul National Langtang, Nepal (partea 1)

Tamang Heritage Trail (II), Langtang National Park – Nepal

The version in Romanian can be found at Tamang Heritage Trail, Parcul National Langtang, Nepal (partea a 2-a)

Patan and the Kathmandu Valley (10 days) –

  • walked through Patan historic town (a suburb of Kathmandu)
  • explored Chobar village and walked to Kirtipur town, near Patan
  • explored Dakshinkali Temple and hiked to Pharping village
  • explored Durbar Square in Bhaktapur historic town
  • walked through Bhaktapur historic town
  • explored Changu Narayan Temple, near Bhaktapur
  • explored Bashgari – took part in a death ceremony in Kuttal village
  • explored Panauti – took part in the Light Festival in Dhulikel
  • explored Dhulikel village/small town
  • bus trip from Dhulikhel to Patan, via Kathmandu (Radna Park)

Kathmandu Valley (I) – exploring towns, villages, and local families – Nepal

The version in Romanian can be found at Sate si orase din jurul katmandu-ului, Nepal (partea 1)

Kathmandu Valley (II) – exploring towns, villages, and local families – Nepal

The version in Romanian can be found at Sate si orase din jurul katmandu-ului, Nepal (partea a 2-a)

Chitwan National Park, Sauraha (5 days) – 

  • direct bus from Kathmandu to Sauraha
  • jungle walk through the Chitwan National Park for the entire day
  • elephant bath and elephant safari through Baghmara forest (buffer zone)
  • rented a bike and cycled among Tharu Villages for half day
  • elephant bath at the Rapti River in the morning

Exploring Chitwan Jungle around Sauraha – Nepal

The version in Romanian can be found at Jungla din Chitwan, Nepal

From Lumbini to Pokhara (7 days) –

  • bus trip from Sauraha to Lumbini Bazaar
  • explored Maha Devi Temple – walked through the West Monastic Zone (Mahayana Buddhist Schools) and the East Monastic Zone (Theravada Buddhist School)
  • direct bus trip from Lumbini to Tansen; explored Tansen in the afternoon
  • direct bus trip from Tansen to Pokhara Lakeside
  • walked through Pokhara Lakeside
  • hiked to the World Peace Pagoda and crossed Phewa Lake by boat
  • horse riding up to Sarangkot Mountain

The road from Lumbini to Pokhara with a stop in Tansen – Nepal

The version in Romanian can be found at De la Lumbini la Pokhara, Nepal

Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek, Annapurna Conservation Area (5 days) –

Nepal Travel Planning 2016 - Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek (5 days)

Nepal Travel Planning 2016 – Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek (5 days)

  • 1st day: taxi from Pokhara to Nayapul village – Birethanti village – Hile village -Tikhedhungga village – Ulleri village
  • 2nd day: Ulleri village – Banthanti village – Nangge Thanti village – Lower and Upper Ghorepani – Poon Hill lookout
  • 3rd day: Upper Ghorepani village – Deurali Pass – Ban Thanti hamlet – Tadapani village – Baihisi Kharka hamlet – Ghandruk village
  • 4th day: Ghandruk village – Chinu (Jhinudanda) village and Hot Springs
  • 5th day: Chinu village –  Siwai village – Syauli Bajar village – Chimrong village – Birethanti village – Nayapul village – taxi ride back to Pokhara

The Extended Ghorepani Trek (I), Annapurna Conservation Area – Nepal

The version in Romanian can be found at Ghorepani Trek, Aria de Conservare Annapurna, Nepal (partea 1)

The Extended Ghorepani Trek (II), Annapurna Conservation Area – Nepal

The version in Romanian can be found at Ghorepani Trek, Aria de Conservare Annapurna, Nepal (partea a 2-a)

From Pokhara back to Kathmandu (7 days) –

  • a relaxing day in Pokhara Lakeside
  • bus trip from Pokhara to Bandipur; explored Bandipur in the afternoon
  • bus trip from Bandipur to Gorkha (3 buses, 5 hours, 30 km!)
  • hiked up to Gorkha Durbar religious complex
  • bus trip from Gorkha to Kathamandu (Jasimkhel neighborhood – the expats’ neighborhood of Patan)
  • a relaxing day in Jasimkhel
  • shopping in Patan – flight from Kathmandu (Nepal) to Bucharest (Romania) with an overnight layover in Doha (Qatar)

The road from Pokhara back to Kathmandu, with stops in Bandipur and Gorkha – Nepal

The version in Romanian can be found at De la Pokhara inapoi la Kathmandu

This is the summary of my two-month trip to Nepal. Enjoy your reading and let me know your opinion about traveling to Nepal. Which is your favorite place in Nepal? Why? Where would you go?

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8 Responses to “Nepal Travel Planning”

  1. Ozzy June 24, 2017 at 4:12 pm #

    Thank you for the great insight into planning for Nepal. Have been to the country many times but have never been able to plan it in such details. Will for sure save this post for future trip to Nepal and give it a try. Cheers.

    • Iuliana June 24, 2017 at 5:11 pm #

      If you read more in detail you’ll see that I hadn’t planned so much. I knew what I wanted to see but never had fixed dates (it was impossible with that late monsoon after all).

  2. candy August 14, 2017 at 8:30 pm #

    I have always been fascinated by Nepal and your blog entries are amazing. I find that the Lonely Planet Guide books are very useful and can see why it was your choice as well. I just need to make it possible to travel for two months so I can follow your path 🙂

    • Iuliana August 14, 2017 at 8:53 pm #

      You will travel, I know it !

  3. Izzy September 1, 2017 at 7:02 am #

    Sweet! Love this one stop travel planning and honestly envious of your collection of writing, that is really something to celebrate! I loved your Kopan Monastary write up. This was my same itinerary too, with the exception of Lumbini. I used Rough Guides Nepal and thought it was more beneficial than Lonely Planet’s and I previewed both collections so just in case you do another two monthlong trip, I would consider switching to Rough Guides. 🙂

    • Iuliana September 1, 2017 at 11:16 am #

      I also know the Rough Guides. Sincerely as I have less time to see “everything”, consulting another guide would only make me feel frustrated not to have enough time for that everything. I am sure that the Rough Guides are very good and I will consider them in the future, but for the moment I am dealing with the problem slow travel – how much I spend – do I have time/money to also go there and there and there? Thank for your suggestions and I am looking forward to reading your blog.

  4. LaiAriel Samangka April 26, 2018 at 2:25 am #

    Wow, this is such a great list of your written articles about Nepal and you’ve posted them in one post, which serves as a useful guide to plan a trip to Nepal. I haven’t been to Nepal, and surely, this will be a great help for me. Thank you so much for taking time to write down all the places to see and go to.

    • Iuliana April 26, 2018 at 8:56 am #

      Thank you Lay. This comprehensive post was an easy way to summarize everything I visited in Nepal. Otherwise, it is too overwhelming for me either.

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