The best time to travel to Kathmandu: Kathmandu’s unique ways to play

Kathmandu is an important city in Nepal, and many tourists tend to choose Kathmandu as their first stop in Nepal. Do you know where Kathmandu is? When is the best time to travel? What are your special experiences in Kathmandu? Come and take a look with the editor.

Kathmandu

Where is it?

The capital of Nepal, Kathmandu, is located in the Kathmandu Valley in central Nepal, at the confluence of the Bagmati River and the Vishnu Mati River. It is also the largest city in Nepal.

How to get there

Currently, domestic cities such as Guangzhou, Lhasa, Kunming, Chengdu, Xi'an, and Hong Kong have direct flights; when leaving the country by land, you can only take a bus to Lhasa and then go to Kathmandu . The current road conditions are poor and it is not recommended to take the land route.

Best time to visit

Affected by the warm Indian Ocean current, Kathmandu has a mild climate, sunshine all year round, and an average annual temperature of 20°C, making it suitable for travel all year round.

The traditional tourist season is from September to early May of the following year.

Kathmandu Travel Tips

Masks are required.

Kathmandu is ranked as one of the most polluted cities in the world, which is why it is sometimes called Maskmandu. Road expansion projects, post-earthquake reconstruction, dust emissions from brick factories near the city and, of course, smoky vehicles stranded on the roads due to poor enforcement of laws and regulations are all contributing to the city's growing air pollution. The city's transportation department and local authorities have tried to keep the air clean by banning vehicles for more than 20 years. Last year, authorities also declared the tourist areas of Thamel and inner city areas as car-free zones, meaning cars, trucks and minibuses are not allowed to travel. While these efforts have had some impact, the best protection may be masks. It is best to have an internationally certified mask with a built-in filter.

Learn to say hello.

Learning some local dialect will definitely help.

"MalaiThahaChhaina" (I don't know)

"Dhanyabad" (Thank you)

"Namaste" is the main greeting. It would be better if you put your palms on your chest at the same time. This is a sign of respect.

Other useful words include "Bhai" (brother) or "Dai" (elder brother) and "Didi" (sister) or "Baini" (sister). Nepalis use these words more than their names and even strangers affectionately call them brothers and sisters.

"Nepal Time"

Nepalese people don't pay much attention to punctuality.

Most appointments and meetings are usually an hour later than scheduled, which locals jokingly call "Nepal time". People will have all kinds of "reasonable" excuses, such as traffic jams being the most common, but most of them are due to a relaxed attitude towards time. Being an hour late is normal. This laid-back attitude is reflected in the "uncertainty" of transportation, buses, flight departure and arrival times, or government workers keeping you waiting for hours. Of course, you can still arrive on time according to your own habits and wait.

Special gameplay

Have a Nigerian meal.

How can you not eat an authentic Nepali meal when you come to Nepal? Let me introduce you to some Nepalese specialties.

1. The number one traditional food must be Dal-bhat. As a Nepali proverb says, "Dal-bhat gives you 24 hours of energy." It can be said to be the national dish of Nepal. Every Nepali family eats two meals a day. You won’t find a Nepali here who doesn’t like Dal-bhat. It should be hard to miss it when you are in Kathmandu.

2. Dhindo is the second most common meal in Nepal. It is a bit like polenta, made by boiling hot water and constantly mixing corn and buckwheat flour. Dhindo is often served with vegetable curries, pickles, broth, or fermented leafy green vegetable soup.

3. When you arrive at Badgaon, you must try JujuDhau. The original meaning of Nepal is "Yoghurt King". The flavor is rich and creamy. Once you taste it, you'll know why it got its name.

4. Momo is an innovation of Jiaozi from China and Nepal. Its history is unknown, but it is one of the most popular foods in Nepal. The filling is usually buffalo or chicken, which is steamed and eaten with pickles. Served with curry dipping sauce, it has a unique taste.

5. Masala tea sounds a bit like Maserati. This is a spiced milk tea. The taste is very special, recommended.

Come to the festival.

Many places in Kathmandu have quite rightly been described as "living heritage" and festivals are an important part of the life of the people who live in Kathmandu.

On RatoMachchhindranathJatra (the turn of spring and summer), celebrants drag a huge wooden and bamboo chariot through the streets of Patan, displaying images of RatoMachchindranath (considered the god of harvest and rain) ) to welcome the arrival of the rainy season. In mid-April, BisketJatra celebrates the New Year in Nepal.

I came to Kathmandu during one of the festivals and witnessed centuries of culture and tradition. Another of the busiest festivals is probably Holi (next year it’s March 21st). The Rice Planting Festival during the monsoon and the Desai Festival in the autumn are also windows to Nepali culture.

A shopping trip in Thamel

Tamil, where tourists gather, is called Little Hong Kong. The crowded and disorderly streets of Thamel are filled with various shops. You can find your desired handmade products, ethnic pants, hiking gear and more here. It is recommended to buy sarees, gemstones, Nepalese army knives, hand-embroidered scarves, wool products, bracelets, etc. It is also very convenient to exchange foreign currency here. Go buy, buy, buy~

Appreciate art

At major intersections in Canada, there are murals on the walls of private residences and public buildings - this is Kathmandu, Canada The result of a campaign launched in 2013 to give the city a much-needed facelift. After the 2015 earthquake, the mural became a carrier of hope. Kathmandu has a strong artistic atmosphere, and large galleries such as Siddhartha Art Museum and Nepal Arts Council Gallery often hold exhibitions. You can also go to Taragon Museum where most of the exhibits are about Nepali culture and heritage.

Avoid hiking during the rainy season.

Some people consider monsoon to be the worst season in Kathmandu. Kathmandu receives heavy rainfall from the end of May to the beginning of September. During this time, the roads were flooded by rainwater. Because there is no sewage system, you may get splashed with mud while walking on the road, and even your umbrella cannot withstand the downpour. There’s a joke in Kathmandu: After a rain, you can row a boat through the flooded streets. But this season also has its joys. The blue sky also has dreamlike clouds, raindrops under the eaves, emerald green landscapes, and the occasional rainbow after the rain.

Of course, if you are only on summer vacation (during Nepal’s rainy season), don’t worry, we still have ways to help you. Private messages welcome.