Kathmandu: What to Know Before You Arrive

Kathmandu is where almost every trip to Nepal begins, and most people arrive unprepared for it in ways that are entirely predictable.

The air is the first surprise

The valley is a bowl and the winter inversion traps dust, vehicle exhaust and brick-kiln smoke in it from roughly November to February. On bad days the visibility is a few hundred metres and the air quality is among the worst in the world.

This is not a reason to cancel. It is a reason to bring a respirator rather than a surgical mask, to plan the hilltop viewpoints and the mountain flights for the mornings after rain or wind, and to consider a few nights outside the city in the middle of a long stay.

Water, and the rule that matters

Do not drink the tap water and do not brush your teeth with it. Bottled water is ubiquitous but generates plastic waste at a rate the city cannot manage; refillable bottles with a filter or UV purifier are now widely used and sold locally.

Street food is a different question. If it is cooked in front of you and hot, it is generally fine. Salads, cut fruit from unrefrigerated carts and cold dishes are the usual culprits.

Traffic, and how to use it

Distances in Kathmandu mean very little. A five-kilometre journey can take fifteen minutes or an hour and a half with no warning. Budget by time, not distance, and if something matters — a flight, a permit office — leave twice as long as you think you need.

Walking is often faster than driving inside the old city.

Nobody in Kathmandu is late because of a five-minute delay. Plan in hours.

Where to stay

Thamel is the tourist quarter: guesthouses, trekking shops, restaurants and a great deal of noise. It is convenient for the permit offices and the first night.

Beyond Thamel, Patan and Boudhanath are quieter, more interesting and better value, with the trade-off of a longer journey into the centre that is sometimes significant. If you are staying more than three days, staying outside Thamel is usually the better decision.

Use the city as a base, not a destination

The valley holds seven monument zones, three historic cities and a great deal of food, and it deserves three days. It also works as the launch point for the entire country: permits, gear, buses and internal flights all originate here.

The commonest regret among travellers who pass through Kathmandu is having given it one day at each end of a trek.

Bring a copy of your passport and two photographs. Permits and internal flights often need both.