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We have been travelling to Kathmandu for the last 25 years or so and still it keeps drawing us back. Sure, during Summer it is dusty and dirty and Winter becomes muddy and dirty but there is just something about it that gets under your skin and keeps drawing us back. We watched in sadness as the 2015 earthquake destroyed some of the irreplaceable temples and buildings. Our hearts went out to the many Nepalese who lost family and loved ones or were left homeless after the tragedy.
It would seem now though that Nepal is open for business again and in dire need of the tourist dollar that makes up the largest industry in Nepal and the largest source of foreign exchange and revenue. Entry into Nepal is reasonably easy whether flying into Tribhuvan International Airport or arriving at one of the many border crossing with India or apparently another possible entry point at Kodari on the border with China. Visa-on-arrival is possible for many nationalities but check before fronting up, the latest information can be found ..here. I hear there is now a procedure to pre-fill the application form on-line and the details will be saved for your arrival in Nepal but call me sceptical perhaps but I wouldn't put too much faith in it. The visa-on-arrival procedure at the airport is time consuming and a little archaic, all done by hand with lots of stamping of forms, but it works. At time of writing visa fees were 15/30/90 days will cost USD $ 25/40/100 respectively. 
Accommodation in Kathmandu comes in a huge variety of prices and of course corresponding standards. The only thing to be aware of is not to expect the same standards you may expect from a similar star rating in another country. Kathmandu has always experienced sketchy power supplies though most higher priced hotels should have their own generator, but keep a torch handy just in case!
Our last couple of visits we have stayed at The Shanker Hotel in Lazimpat which is about a 5 minute taxi ride to the Thamel area. The Shanker is an old palace that was completed in the the late 1800's finally being turned into a hotel in the 1960's. It has a very old world feel about it with a touch of Fawlty Towers thrown in but is reasonable for the price though shop around for the best rate and it is set back from the road so enjoys a quietness not always available in Kathmandu. |
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Of restaurants there are a plethora of styles and levels available as well, there are plenty of horror stories of various types of food poisoning and I'm sure they all are accurate but you spin the wheel and you take your chances. We have a few favourites that, fingers crossed, have served us well so far but we usually try at least one or two new ones each visit. One of our usual haunts when craving something a little more western is Fire and Ice pizzeria, not the cheapest but very reliable and consistent, the waiters there are very good.
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We could easily spend a week in Kathmandu revisiting place like Pashtupatinath, Boudhanath, Swayumbhunath, Kathmandu's Durbar Square and the list goes on.Finding a place to sit anywhere in Kathmandu and watch the world pass by is a very pleasant way to pass some time.
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