About Kathmandu Valley (काठमांडौ)

• About Kathmandu
• Mountain View from Kathmandu
• Places to See In Kathmandu
• Half-Day Programs
• Pictures of Kathmandu on the Net
• Brief Fact Sheet on Kathmandu
• Web Directory > Kathmandu City
• Average Temperature of Kathmandu City

About Kathmandu Valley (काठमांडौ)
A 218 square miles of land, situated above 4400 ft above sea level with three historic, artistic and cultural towns namely Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur together form what is known as the `Kathmandu Valley'. Kathmandu is the hub of Nepal's traditional culture and arts.  This is the place for rest, relaxation and easy-day sightseeing of historic and artistic temples and monuments, and mountain views. Being the capital city of Nepal, it offers much services including international airlines, hotels and other facilities. One also enjoys Kathmandu for night life, shopping and of course for the mountain views.

Introducing Kathmandu

For many people, stepping off a plane into Kathmandu is an exhilarating shock - the sights, sounds and smells can quickly lead to sensory overload. Whether it be buzzing around the crazy polluted traffic in a taxi, trundling down the narrow winding streets of the old town in a rickshaw, marvelling at Durbar Sq or dodging the tiger balm sellers and trekking touts in Thamel, Kathmandu can be an intoxicating, amazing and exhausting place.

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As the largest (and pretty much the only) city in the country, Kathmandu also feels like another developing-world city rushing into a modern era of concrete and traffic pollution. Take a walk in the backstreets, however, and the capital's amazing cultural and artistic heritage reveals itself in hidden temples overflowing with marigolds, courtyards full of drying chillis and rice, and tiny hobbit-sized workshops largely unchanged since the Middle Ages.
Kathmandu has been a travellers mecca since the 1960s but these days you're less likely to see a tie-dyed hippy in search of enlightenment than a well-heeled Gore-Tex-clad tourist in search of a good espresso. With tourist numbers down and political tensions up, the last few years have been uncertain, yet residents have retained a good-humoured self-respect.
Kathmandu is well worth a week of your time, but it's too easy to spend too much time stuck in touristy Thamel. Enjoy the Internet cafés, the Western music and the lemon cheesecake, but make sure you also get out into the 'real Nepal', before your time runs out.

Kathmandu Metropolitan City Office

Kathmandu is the capital and largest metropolitan city of Nepal. The city is the urban core of the Kathmandu Valley in the Himalayas, which also contains two sister cities namely Patan or Lalitpur, 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) to its southeast and Bhaktapur, 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) to its east. It is also acronymed as 'KTM'.

The city stands at an elevation of approximately 1,400 metres (4,600 ft) in the bowl-shaped valley in central Nepal surrounded by four major mountains, namely: Shivapuri, Phulchowki, Nagarjun and Chandragiri. It is inhabited by 671,846 (2001) people. The Kathmandu valley with its three districts including Kathmandu District accounts for a population density of only 97 per square kilometres whereas Kathmandu metropolitan city has a density of 13,225 per square kilometres. It is by far the largest urban agglomerate in Nepal, accounting for 20% of the urban population in an area of 5,067 hectares (12,520 acres) (50.67 square kilometres (19.56 sq mi)).

Kathmandu is not only the capital of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal but also the headquarters of the Central Region (Madhyamanchal) among the five development regions constituted by the 14 administrative zones of Nepal located at the central part of the country. The Central region has three zones namely, Bagmati, Narayani and Janakpur. Kathmandu is located in the Bagmati Zone.

Kathmandu, as the gateway to Nepal Tourism, is the nerve centre of the country’s economy. With the most advanced infrastructure among urban areas in Nepal, Kathmandu's economy is tourism centric accounting for 3.8% of the GDP in 1995-96 (had declined since then due to political unrest but has picked up again).

The city’s rich history is nearly 2000 years old, as inferred from an inscription in the valley. Its religious affiliations are dominantly Hindu followed by Buddhism. People of other religious beliefs also live in Kathmandu giving it a cosmopolitan culture. Nepali is the common language of the city, though many speak the Nepal Bhasa Newari as it is the center of the Newar people and culture. English is understood by all of the educated population of the city. The literacy rate is 98% in the city.

Kathmandu is now the premier cultural and economic hub of Nepal and is considered to have the most advanced infrastructure among urban areas in Nepal. From the point of view of tourism, economy and cultural heritage, the sister cities of Patan(lalitpur) and Bhaktapur are integral to Kathmandu.

Phakhel village Tour

Day 08: Phakhel - Markhu
Today we will be walking along road via Sukaura Khola and Kalanki danda lunch en-route then continue to Markhu- drive Lodge.

Day 09: Markhu - Tashar Village
After Breakfast Cross the suspension bridge and follow the river valley up hill to Tashar Sharbang come across the unique Nepali village with terraced field and over night at local home.

Day 10: Tashar Sharbang - Palung
After Breakfast, we follow up stream valley to Palung village town and passing through some traditional Nepalese village. Reach Palung for camping. Walking 3 - 4 hours.

Day 11-12: Explore Palung Village.
Day 13: Palung - Daman
After Breakfast, commence trek to Daman through the pine forest gentle up hill and over looking Palung valley, himalayan panoramic view and over night Lodge. Drive 3-4 hours.

Day 14: Daman - Kathmandu 2350m.
After Breakfast visit to Chhumi Gyachhu Gompa (Monastery) located in the dense forest of Rhododendrons and back to camp then Drive to Kathmandu and check in hotel.

Kulekhani Daman Tour

This Nepal tour package provides you with a unique experience. You take an early morning drive for darshan of the Hindu temple of Dashinkali. After puja, you depart for Kulekhani and check into your hotel, where you will find different kinds of fish on the menu. Overnight at the resort.
After breakfast the next day you depart to Daman via Hatauda. Check into your hotel in Daman and in the evening enjoy the sunset view with an exquisite panorama of the sacred Himalayas. Dinner and overnight stay at your hotel. The sunrise view from Daman is breathtaking. After breakfast, you will have a scenic drive on your return to Kathmandu.

Phakhel Chitalang Chitwan Tour

The Village Situated South of Kathmandu valley which lies on the Mahabharat ranges, surrounded by tropical forest and middle hills of Nepal. The Village it self will be a rare destination for the visitors, Culturally, Naturally, Traditionally and Geographically. Nepal has diferent indigenous ethnic groups, among them, Tamang, Magar, Chhetri Braman, Newar and gurung lives in this area. Therefore, this new destination promoting by visit Nepal Himalaya and offers an adventure holiday who keen to visit natural treasure. Traveling on foot is the only way to see much of Nepal, firstly the mountains, but also and perhaps more importantly the people and their way of life. The trek offers you to see villagers lifestyles and panoramic view of the mountains. You go slowly with many stops to look, meet the local people and make your dreams come true.

Phakhel Village Tour

Day 01: Arrive in Kathmandu:
Arrival & transfer to hotel. Upon arrival at the airport our representative will meet the group and transfer to hotel by private coach. Rooms will be assigned followed by short briefing about your stay – programms in Nepal.

Day 02: Kathmandu- Phakhel:
Early morning departure by coach Kathmandu - PURANDI (PHAKHEL) for 4 Nights 5 days village tours. The tour will be driving long the villages to Humane Bhanjyang 1800m. Stroll around for breath taking beautiful scenic views of the Kathmandu valley and the himalayas in the far north. After all visit to village childcare center and experience village children life style in the care center. After a while we then proceed on to our destination Purandy where we make place, as a base camp will be tented camp.

Day 03: Phakhel:
Breakfast at 7:30 AM. After breakfast we will be touring in and around phakhel village for the experiencing about daily life style, culture and flora and fauna in the rural village. We will be continuing to visit KALIKA secondary School during the day at Phakhel Chauwer to experience village education environment and teaching facilities in the rural area. We can be Participate with entire student for familiarization about school. Pack lunch is provided in some peaceful area in the surrounding village. After lunch and short break we visit some ethnic village and shall observe their socio-economic life style. Back to camp dinner & over night

Introducing Nepal

Draped along the greatest heights of the Himalaya, Nepal is where the ice-cold of the mountains meets the steamy heat of the Indian plains. It's a land of yaks and yetis, stupas and Sherpas and some of the best trekking on earth. The Himalaya's most sophisticated urban cultures took shape here, in the three great minikingdoms of the Kathmandu Valley - Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur - home to a world-class artistic and architectural heritage.

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Behind the Vishnu shrine of Ichangu Narayan, northwest of Swayambhunath in the Kathmandu Valley, rises the 'Abode of Snows' (Himalaya in Sanskrit), a magnet for trekkers and mountaineers the world over. Only in Nepal can you trek for weeks without the need even for a tent. No longer does your name have to be Tenzing or Hillary to set foot in Everest Base Camp. Out of the mountains, get your adrenaline kick from world-class white-water rafting, kayaking and mountain biking, or from the spine-tingling sight of your first tiger or rhino in Chitwan National Park.

Former ministers, officers asked to return govt vehicles

The Finance and Labour Committee of the parliament on Tuesday directed former ministers and senior government officers to return the state-owned vehicles have been using even after the termination from the post.

The meeting held at committee’s office in Singha Durbar has instructed the concerned authorities to strongly implement the provision to return the state-owned vehicles. As per the provision, deputy prime minister and ministers should return the vehicles within 15 days of their termination.

Meanwhile, the committee has also instructed the authorities to start auction or to repair the vehicles that are not being used.

A number of former ministers including former home ministers K.P Sharma Oli and Bam Dev Gautam and former foreign minister Sujata Koirala have not returned the vehicles they had received while in office.

Markhu Kulekhani Kalanki

This hiking from Naubise to Kulekhani is simply the best hiking we have ever been to. Filled with fun and laughter, beautiful landscape and deep valleys, and steep hills and gentle valleys, Oh! This hiking has its all! Lost in nature into green fields and calm water without all the electronic gadgets we have been attached to, we feel like a free soul wandering for no reason or may be many reasons are unexplainable in fact.
It all started when we all gathered together at Kanalki Chowk at 7 PM morning. Then, we all had a good time travelling a van enjoying all the beautiful scenes all along Naubise.Kapil Jokes, Jeevan’s nausea, Suyesh laughter and Nishchal’s and bhanu’s photography all made the travelling just splendid.
Leaving naubise at 9, it took us 4 hours to reach Marpa village where we had a great lunch that was real satisfying. After few hours’ drive we reached Kalanki, where we had our lunch and then we headed to our destination: Kulekhani Dam!-One of the major electricity plant of Nepal. After enjoying around the bank we headed back to Markhu where we spent our night with hysterical laughter.
In Morning with light breakfast we headed back to kalanki. While hiking in rain along the bank of reservoir we saw there was high decrease in water level that led to electricity shortage in Nepal.

This hiking was great experience for us. It was like lost in some unknown splendor that one can never be scrub out from our memory. All in all, even though we may not again have hike that we had this time, we are planning to make every hike like one, at least.

Jiri – Gateway to Mount Everest

Located at an altitude of more than 1,900 meters in the Dolakha District of Nepal's Janakpur Zone, the village of Jiri is referred to as the "Gateway to Mount Everest". Many famous expeditions and legendary climbers have passed through Jiri en-route to attempt to conquer the world's tallest mountain, including the historical expedition that resulted in Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay reaching the summit of Mount Everest. Jiri is also the starting point for trekkers as they make their way along the 170 kilometer Everest Trek, stretching through the Khumbu Valley in the Solu region of Nepal. This popular trekking route can take up to twenty-four days to complete as trekkers make their way through some of the most awe-inspiring terrain in the world – and the adventure of a lifetime starts at the little village of Jiri.

As the eastern-most terminus of the highway from Kathmandu, hikers can make the 184 kilometer ride to Jiri by bus – a seven or eight hour trip along winding, narrow roads that is an adventure in itself. Some trekkers choose to fly to Lukla, one of the stops on the Everest Trek, thereby avoiding the road-trip to Jiri and cutting the twenty-four day hike by at least seven days. However, trekkers who have taken the route from Jiri tend to agree that the scenery between the village of Jiri and Lukla is some of the best on the trek.

Jiri was established in 1938 with the aid of the Swiss Government to serve as an agricultural development. There are currently an estimated 1,500 households in and around the village, with the majority of the inhabitants being Jirels – an ethnic group related to Sherpas and Sunuwars. Jirels are primarily subsistence farmers, and practice a form of Tibetan Buddhism, incorporating elements drawn from Shamanism and Hinduism. Jiri is classified as a Village Development Committee (VDC) of the Nepali government, which aims to create a partnership between the local community and authorities for improved communication and service delivery in hard to reach areas.

As the starting point for both trekking and mountaineering, Jiri is geared up to provide for travelers passing through. There are a number of lodging options available, offering adequate facilities and, although there are shops to buy basic provisions, trekkers generally stock up in Kathmandu, arriving in Jiri with what they need for the journey ahead