How long to spend in nepal

And there is something unreal about being there. You feel as though this place should only exist in books and movies. A pure beauty with a strong sense spirituality. This is one of the holiest Buddhist sites in Kathmandu. Everyday you can see monks and people ritually walking around the stupa, captivated by their prayer while circulating clockwise. It was breathtaking. A truly unique experience. Trekking in the Himalayas is something everyone should live at least once in their lifetime. Powerfly Solar Powered Backpack.

LifeStraw Personal Water Filter. This guest post is contributed by Marie Pottiez, serial expat on the road for the past 5 years and founder of the blog Miles of Happiness. She spends as much time as possible traveling throughout the planet, exploring the world one place at a time.

You can follow her adventures on Facebook , Twitter , Instagram , and Vimeo , or get inspired by her Pinterest. Image credits: Photos from Nepal by Marie Pottiez.

Marie, I loved your drawings. This is so beautiful and so unique! I think going to Nepal must be such a unique experience. Glad you had the possibility to go there. Hope you have the chance to visit Nepal in the future :. All of my favourite things about Kathmandu are summarised in this post! When we lived there, our apartment was just down the lane from the Garden of Dreams — hidden paradise describes it perfectly :- But what I really love about this post is the illustrations — Marie, you are very talented!

I love them…. Oh wow Kirsty, what an opportunity to immerse yourself in Kathmandu — how long did you live there for? Cool that Garden of Dreams was one of your favorite spots too! What a lovely post…I loved the inviting sketches and the short and to the point description.

Guess what I am heading to Nepal in a week so this post has come just in time :. Glad you enjoyed it Siddhartha! Would love to visit Nepal and learn more about the culture and, as always, the cuisine. Really enjoyed. I would particularly like to see Kathmandu, but hesitate to book as I would not go trekking so need to think of best way to visit. I love visitnig temples of different cultures and religions so Durbar Square looks a must. Love the graphics in this post! I loved my time in Nepal and would go back in a heartbeat.

Marie is super talented and love all her illustrations. For some reason, I always imagined Kathmandu to be a quiet city. I am obviously very wrong but the Garden of Dreams does sound like a peaceful spot to escape to. The architecture and atmosphere of Durbar Square sound amazing. Ah haha you would have been a little surprised — Kathmandu is intense and incredibly action packed!! The Garden of Dreams though would be a nice place to escape for a quiet retreat if the city got a bit too hectic for you.

Now, I want to make my way to Kathmandu right now. I have been wanting to visit nepal to hike the base camp, but upon reading this id love to explore the other areas to and experience first hand their culture. I love sketches too its lovely personal touch to the article. Base camp is a definite draw! There are caveats to my saying this, of course. First is that I understand why Nepalese people, particularly Kathmandu-dwellers, enjoy the relatively clean air of Pokhara, and the beauty you more or less find on the shores of Phewa Tal.

I say this because, like most other places I saw during my 2 week Nepal itinerary, the lake was rather filthy. As a foreigner, however, most of the appeal of Pokhara is watching other foreigners do yoga, wear yoga pants and generally feel enlightened by their cultural appropriation. Unless you plan to trek the nearby Annapurna Himalaya Range, spend no more than days of your 2 weeks in Nepal in Pokhara.

Remember earlier, how I mentioned that November and April were the best months for trekking? Well, I meant for mountain trekking. During my early December trek, which lasted two days on one night, I saw rhinos, elephants and way too many deer. More importantly, however, I got to know a local guide named Barat ask your hotel if they know him!

A more expensive but less stressful way to visit the park is by flying to Bharatpur. The most common way to spend longer than two weeks in Nepal is to trek more, whether you go all the way to Everest Base Camp, summit mountains like Island Peak , or supplement your Everest trek with one in the less impressive, in my opinion Annapurna Range. Otherwise, there are a lot of secondary destinations in Nepal, such as Janakpur , which is home to one of the most impressive Hindu temples in the world, Buddha-birthplace Lumbini and bohemian Bandipur , a great place to relax for a few days.

In general, however, I do believe my 2 weeks in Nepal itinerary is the most efficient way to experience the best of Nepal in a short amount of time. Click here to check out other amazing two-week trips.

There's even enough time for a short trek near Pokhara if you have a week. The day Poon Hill-Ghorepani trek in the Annapurna region is one of the most popular short treks in Nepal, as it offers a small slice of the longer Annapurna Circuit in much less time. It's easily accessible from Pokhara. Alternatively, if going on safari sounds more appealing, then travel from Kathmandu to Chitwan National Park , about six hours' drive away or a 20 minute flight to Bharatpur.

While the town of Sauraha is the most common base, it is quite busy. For a more peaceful stay, head to the little village of Barauli instead. There are both high and lower-end accommodation options in the form of the Tiger Tops Tharu Lodge and the Barauli Community Homestay, respectively.

Spend a couple of days viewing animals in the national park and cycling round the flat farmland area. You're practically guaranteed to see multiple one-horned rhinoceros in the park, as well as all kinds of bird life and gharial crocodiles.

For detailed itinerary suggestions, check out 5 Days in Nepal: 5 Great Itineraries, including a short trek or white-water rafting. In ten days you can enjoy a combination of the above, as well as a trek near Kathmandu or Pokhara.

This 6-day trek is in the same region but extends into a less visited side-valley. Sunrise over the Annapurna Himalayas from the lookout is an unforgettable Nepal experience. For a short trek in the vicinity of Kathmandu, try the 5-day Kalinchowk Temple trek. This camping trek leads up to a temple on a hill covered in little tridents, representing the god that's worshipped there. For some extra adventure, this trek can be combined with white-water rafting on the nearby Bhote Kosi River.

If you'd rather spend a bit more time trekking during your 10 days, head to Langtang. The eight-day Langtang Valley trek has long been popular due to its expansive views, interesting Tamang culture, relatively gentle pace and accessibility from Kathmandu. The earthquake and subsequent landslide had an enormous effect on the region, but aid and reconstruction have recently reopened this valley to trekking again. Not only is it still a beautiful trek, your visit will also provide vital support for local livelihoods.

With 10 days a visit to the Everest Region becomes feasible as well. While you won't be able to trek all the way to Base Camp, there are great options for 5 - 7 days of trekking.

To see other trekking options that fit your trip duration, take a look at our list of recommended short treks. With two weeks , you can really get a sense of Nepal's diversity. After checking out Kathmandu and Pokhara, head down to the Chitwan National Park for some wildlife spotting. This classic day itinerary ticks of the main highlights.