Getting around Nepal

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Around the country

bus to pokharaFour main forms of transport exist for travelling to other cities and regions.

Air travel is fairly extensive around Nepal, with flights operating to all the main towns and cities from Kathmandu. Tourists are charged higher prices than locals, but the cost still tends to be reasonable. Note that the departure building for domestic flights is separate (and has a very different atmosphere) from the international terminal at Tribhuvan Airport in Kathmandu.

Flights can be booked by the numerous travel agents who operate around Kantipath and within Thamel. Be sure to shop around to get a good price, although sometimes the ticket is a standard charge. You can also buy tickets for a mountain flight from these outlets - a circular journey from Kathmandu to the Himalaya, including Mount Everest. As expected of any tourist attraction, the cost is higher but several firms offer a guarantee: if the weather is too cloudy to see Everest, you just return the next day for the same flight (at no added cost).

A number of airlines operate domestic flights, but the main one is Royal Nepali Airlines. I have heard various reports but do ask around to find out the most up-to-date situation.

Buses operate along the main highways leading out of Kathmandu. It is recommended that tourist buses are used instead of local buses. They cost more, but offer better safety and don't race other buses (see below). For example, the seven hour journey from Kathmandu to Pokhara cost 200 NRs each way in 2004, compared with around 20 NRs for the same local bus. However, this equivalates to less than £2 compared with 20p! In terms of comfort, you are more likely to have your own breathing space on a tourist bus, but the fetal position may need to be adopted for most of the journey. The tourist buses also stop for breaks en route - and surprisingly the cafes where they do stop are not complete rip-offs (a far cry from service stations in the UK).

Local buses are not recommended for long trips as they compete against each other to pick up locals. Therefore speeding and racing commonly occurs - resulting in more accidents (including some fatalities).

Hire car/taxis are available for these longer routes, although unfamiliarity of the roads is potentially dangerous on the busy highways. If you take a taxi on long journeys, you may be required to provide accommodation for the driver, so be sure to clarify this before hiring.

Within Kathmandu

Within Kathmandu four main types of transport exist: taxi, bus, tuk-tuk and rickshaw. These are described below. To travel between towns (e.g. Kathmandu to Pokhara) there are two main options: bus or plane. Be sure to get a "tourist bus" as the truely local services are less reliable and associated with many more crashes. Flights are much more expensive but can still be affordable - use them if you're feeling rich, need to travel quickly or are concerned about things like flooding when you're there.

Taxis are very useful for no-nonsense journeys which are difficult to do by tuk-tuk or bus. A typical 15 to 20 minute ride will cost around 60 to 80NRs. However, a special word about how this price is decided! You can set a price before travelling, and if you know the expected cost it's worth doing this. You can also ask to use the meter, which should be government-approved and checked for signs of tampering at each annual inspection. If the driver takes a direct route, the cost will normally be very similar to the lowest bargain-able price. However, if the driver knows that you're unfamiliar with the area, he is very likely to take you on a "scenic journey".

A couple of other tips about travelling by taxi. Don't be fooled by the taxi driver shaking his head when you're bargaining - this normally means "okay" in Nepal, but if you're not used to this it's easy to think that you need to raise the price. The driver isn't trying to con you, it's just a cultural difference.

Also, if you feel the price is too high, don't be afraid to walk away (especially if other taxis are available). Several times we tried bargaining and found the drivers to be completely unreasonable in their expectations of what we should pay! If you walk away, the driver will very quickly catch up with you if he's prepared to accept a lower (more reasonable) price.

Buses are cheap. 5NRs for a similar taxi ride that might cost 80 NRs. The bus will be packed full+++, but it's a great way to travel.

Tuk-tuks are like milk floats and follow established routes. You can flag one down anywhere in the street, get on the back and pay when you get off (signalled by tapping twice on the steel shell that you sit in). Also very cheap.

Rickshaws are the tourist's mode of travel. Thamel is full of them, but you can also find them further afield. Establish the price before travelling. Also be aware of the dangers of getting rucksack straps and scarves (e.g. those recently bought pashminas!) trapped in the wheels.

Maps of Nepal