Kathmandu, Nepal

I traveled to Kathmandu, Nepal in March 2018 thanks to the U.S. Embassy there, who brought my colleague Meenah and me over to see if we could grow my company i2i to Nepal (we currently work mainly in Pakistan). It was a whirlwind week of meetings, workshops, and meals with young entrepreneurs, students, investors, incubator heads, and government officials, and I ended every day exhilarated and overwhelmed (mainly because I'd want to pass out immediately in my bed, but still had work to do to prep for the next day). (If for some reason you're fascinated by my work observations of Nepal, you can read the op-ed we wrote for the Himalayan Times here). 

You would think with a schedule like that, I wouldn't have had time to venture out, but we made time. If a meeting was canceled, we went exploring instead. If we could have 20 extra minutes to shop for gifts, we did that. And every evening, no matter how tired I was, I tried to see and check something off my list. I definitely did not get to everything, which is okay since I'll be back again soon, but I did make a pretty good dent on my must-see list in Kathmandu.

Kathmandu is not the prettiest city in the world, but its charm lies in the hidden gardens and courtyards, amidst the spiritual tenor that emanates from the many temples, and from the friendly and warm people. It's a city brimming with centuries-old history, and, though the earthquake devastated the country just three years ago, it's also a place and a people looking firmly and optimistically to the future. 

 First, your Kathmandu 101...

1. If you have T-mobile International Data, Nepal is not one of the countries covered. T-mobile free roaming has changed my life on the road, so I was quite dismayed that Nepal wasn't included in the plan (first world problems, I know...). Wi-fi was pretty readily available in a lot of places though, and it is fairly easy to get a SIM card if you need to get around locally. 
2. American citizens can receive a visa on arrival. You must pay cash though, so bring small bills for the visa fee. If you're a dual citizen like me (Pakistani and American), and you're from a SAARC member country, getting a visa is free if you enter on that passport! Lots of people do visa on arrival though, so you can fill out the paperwork online beforehand to make the process a bit faster. 
3. Kathmandu Valley includes three major cities - Kathmandu, Lalitpur (or Patan), and Bakhtapur. While Kathmandu is the capital, Patan (also confusingly known as Lalitpur) is just across the Bagmati River from Kathmandu (very close by driving-wise) and is the third-largest city in the country. All three - Kathmandu, Patan and Bakhtapur were once separate kingdoms, and all three have their own Durbar squares, which are all UNESCO World Heritage Sites. I didn't get to visit Bakhtapur on my trip, but did go twice to Patan, which I'll talk about more later.
4. The city goes to sleep pretty early. I was fairly surprised how early things slowed down in Kathmandu, given that it's a very busy city during the day. While expats may stay out later, I noticed that Nepalis tend to eat dinner earlier on during the week (early for me, at least). I am not sure why, though my friend Tristram's theory is because many people wake up early to do puja (a prayer ritual). 
5. Uber isn't readily available, but taxis are affordable and relatively efficient. There is an Uber equivalent (kind of), but it's more like a taxi service that you have to physically call for, and doesn't always have cars available. I found it fairly easy to get a taxi in Kathmandu, but most don't use their meters, so make sure you negotiate the price before you start the right (be prepared to haggle!). 
6. Nepalis are so lovely & friendly! Truly, people are so open and warm here. While many speak English thanks to the amount of tourists who visit, I found it helpful and polite to always say Namaste. With taxi drivers, though I don't speak Nepali, it helped speaking Urdu/Hindi since they tended to understand or speak it themselves.
7. Words I would use to describe Kathmandu: bustling, friendly, safe (as a woman I felt safe walking around!), energetic. 

Where we stayed...

Thanks to the U.S. Embassy, we got to be fancy and stayed at the Hotel Shangri-la in Kathmandu, which was close to the Embassy (so convenient for coordinating our meetings) and also centrally located in Lazimpat. The hotel is a classic and standard hotel, but also a bit older and run-down. Since I'll be returning to Kathmandu soon for work, I've done a bit more research on other hotels that are slightly cheaper and a bit nicer. The good news: because Kathmandu gets a lot of backpackers/trekkers as tourists, you can find a ton of very cheap options if you are trying to save money. For the future, I plan to go a bit mid-range - $80/night and will be aiming for Kathmandu Guest House which is right in the middle of Thamel (very central location!) and comes highly recommended. If you'd like a super fancy option, my friend Ulfath also suggested the Dwarika's Hotel, which is a heritage hotel and very beautiful (but very pricey!).

Where I got my Kathmandu tips...

Not a ton of people in my life have been to Kathmandu recently, but I was lucky that my friend Ulfath (shout-out to Ulfie!) goes frequently, so gave me a ton of great restaurants and tips. Because we were also hosted by the U.S. Embassy, my friend Tristram was awesome as was our colleague (and now friend) Pooja at taking us around. I also managed to find some tips online, but a lot of my best suggestions came from friends. Hopefully because I'll share them in this guide, you won't have to do as much digging around as I did!

What to do/eat/see in Kathmandu

• Eat allllllll the momos. I think I could eat momos all day, every day. These Nepali dumplings can be found in many places throughout Kathmandu, and they are delicious. Some of the best momos I ate was at a hole in the wall place overlooking the Boudhanath temple (see below), but I also had delicious momos & Tibetan food at Dechenling, a cute restaurant in Thamel with a great courtyard area and friendly staff.
• Visit alllllll the temples. Well, not all of them, because there are a lot. I visited two of the most famous temples on my trip - Boudhanath (one of the largest Buddhist stupas in Nepal), and Swayambhunath, or the Monkey temple. Boudhanath is located on the outskirts of Kathmandu, and I'd highly recommend going just before sunset to witness the scores of people walking around the temple (a daily ritual) before grabbing a drink and some momos from any of the rooftop bars overlooking the temple. For Swayambhunath, you can choose to hike up to the temple, which boasts great views of Kathmandu, or do what we did - get dropped off a bit higher up and then do the shorter hike the rest of the way. Pro tip: go earlier in the day to avoid a lot of the crowds. 
• For a fun walk about, visit Thamel, which is very touristy, but also very lively, with lots of little shops and stores to pop in. If you're looking to buy touristy style trinkets, this would be your spot. I spent one evening here and had my fill, but it's definitely worth a visit.
• The Garden of Dreams is a lovely spot in Kathmandu to visit. It's not huge, but the neoclassical architecture and the greenery feels like an oasis in the middle of this bustling city. There is a small entrance fee (200 rs. for non-Nepalis), so do keep that in mind. 
• A beautiful spot to check out for some shopping & food is Babar Mahal, which was once the stables of the old Rana Palace that has now been converted into a little courtyard complex. It's charming, and a great spot for lunch. We ate at Chez Caroline (which was pricey for what it was) and stopped by the little stores (I bought some great gifts here!).
• A lot of friends suggested La Sherpa for dinner, which I unfortunately didn't get to (I plan to go on my next trip), but you can find out more here. On Wednesday evenings and Saturdays, this spot also boasts a farmer's market, which people also recommend checking out. 
• Other spots in Kathmandu I didn't get to, but came recommended: Mezze (apparently have good cocktails) and Jazz Upstairs for live music (and momos...of course). 
• In Patan, the Durbar Square has been reconstructed post-earthquake, and we were able to tour the newly reopened Patan museum with the curator (thanks Pooja!). As noted earlier, the three major cities of Kathmandu Valley have a Durbar square, and they are strikingly similar (apparently the kings who once ruled them competed over the beauty & grandeur of the squares). The museum is a lovely space to check out, but one of my fave parts of Patan was Yala Mandala, an old heritage building that houses floors of artists and artisan crafts & products. It's amazing and where I bought most of my gifts (from jewellery to beautifully packaged tea). Yala also boasts a beautiful courtyard restaurant with amazing food - it's where I tried beaten rice for the first time!
• Also in Patan is a spot called Cafe Soma, another highly recommended place on my list, but as a disclaimer I didn't get time to check it out. You can read more reviews on it here. 

So that's Kathmandu! I'll add to this guide after my next trip, but this should give you a good start. I'll also be visiting Pokhara on my next trip out to Nepal, which is supposed to be amazing, so stay tuned for another guide just on that city.