This page contains copies of some of the more relevant posts and emails I've written in response to demands that apeared in Usenet (rec.travel.asia and soc.culture.nepal).
Index:
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Date: 24 Nov 95
This text gives some enphasis on trekking. This is mainly because the major part of the requests I replied were related with it. Anyway, I think Nepal is much worth even for a non-trekker. You don't need to trek to see the most beautiful landscapes you ever imagine, although perhaps those places acessible only trekking may be even more impressive.
The non-trekker can pass a real good time in Kathmandu and Pokhara (the only towns I knew), even Kathmandu being disliked by much people because is too crowded (with naturals and tourists also), polluted and dirty. After all, those are common things in the 3rd World, and if we keep away from less clean places we'd better go only to developped countries.
Nepalis are a wonderful persons. They don't hassle too much, they're kind and they're honest, although it's wise to pay attention to the prices because some will try to sell you things or services for exagerated prices. That was the only (little) "dishonnesty" I found there.
I'm kind of biased on this because there happened a thing that it's not very usual in any place: I forgot a bag with photo lenses, sunglasses, film rolls, passport, air tickets and other things in a taxi which I didn't manage to find. I was in trouble not much because of the value, but because of the passport. Portugal has no consulate in Nepal, the nearest one was in India, I wasn't able to phone to Delhi (communications with India from Nepal are nearly impossible, I was told). Even if I intended to go to Delhi, the planes were all booked and how could I enter India without passport?
Happily all went well, the german consulate (they had the presidency of EU, so legally they had the obligation to take care of me [that I discovered there by the mouth of the british consul]) talked to the nepalese immigration and they gave me a "travel document" so I could stay in the country and return home. If I could enter Thailand with that document (my plane reservations had a 3 day stop in Bangkok) that was another matter, although the kind attache of the german consul assured that the only country where I'd have trouble entering was Germany...
The day before my departure I arrived in Kathmandu and I had a message in the hotel: the Thai embassy had phoned saying that my things were there. What a relief! The taxi driver had delivered the bag there. He may have seen the Thai air tickets, so he went to the Thai embassy. The funny thing was that after passing all the days we spent in Kathmandu paying attention to taxis hoping to find the taxi driver, we finally meet him casually just when we were going to the hotel to catch our things and leave to the airport. I even written and posted a letter to him, thanking and giving my last dollar bills.
After this, what can I say about the nepalese? Not to mention the cashmiri immigrant that spent all the afternoon of the day I lost the bag with us talking to taxi drivers, going to the police, and so on, helping us. We knew him 2 days before.... A real friend!
My advise to anyone going to Nepal is to get the air ticket and do there all the plans and reservations. A walk of 2 hours in the Thamel area of Kathmandu, where you can contact randomly half a douzen travel agencies from the tens there exist there, will be enough to get a good idea what you can do and see.
I have been in Nepal last November, but I only saw the more touristic places: the Kathmandu valley, the Chitwan park and a small piece of the Jomsom-Muktinath trek, in the Annapurna area, so I can't talk about the less usual spots.
I've been said more than once than November is the best month to go. It's the driest time, there's no much dust, so views of the landscapes are better and the temperature it's nice, like an european late spring in Kathmandu, although the nights can be a little cold (let's say "south europe winter"). October and late September are supposed to be fine ok, but warmer and more wet. December also, but a little colder. I suppose that the only monthes truly not advisable are July and August, perhaps July also, the monsoon time, much rain and hot.
But it's better you check, because probably they're really not so bad.
Tourism in Nepal is really cheap. If you are not looking for big luxuries, you'll easily find a double room with attached bath with shower for less than $12-$10 USD. As for the food, expect to pay $3 USD or less for a dinner or lunch in an average restaurant.
I didn't find any need of guide or porter in the Jomsom-Muktinath trek, and I talked to other people who didn't find it necessary in the others treks in the Annapurna and Helambu, even in the harder Annapuna sanctuary. The treks are easy to follow, no great danger of getting lost and people are kind, there are lots of other nice trekers like yourselves, so don't expect other big problems than the altitude.
You'll need a permit for treking in most areas, if not all of them. They can be obtained in the "Imigration Offices". There is one in the Thamel area of Kathmandu and one in Pokara (Annapurnas). For what I remember, a permit for 1 or 2 weeks in Annapurnas was about $20-$30 USD. Mustang and Everest (Kumbu) were much more expensive (some hundreds, I think).
About the visa for entering the country, it can be obtained in the airport, before customs, when you arrive. It costed about $25 for 20 days. You can also get it in any nepalese consulate, but I think it is not worth the trouble. We didn't even tried that because Nepal has no diplomatic relations with Portugal, so I imagine we had to go to Madrid, Paris or London.
Bring to the trek only the strictly necessary: clothes, money, documents, photo equipment, and so on. At least in Anapurna there are plenty of places where to sleep and eat, and although I dont't know the it, the same goes for Helambu (here there are less options). Perhaps it's good idea to bring a light sleeping bag or a clean sheet, just in case you have to sleep in a dirtier place. I didn't need it, but after all, I could have been lucky.
I would say you can expect to spend less than $6-$10 a day in the Annapurna treks, food and sleeping included, but be prepared for really basic accomodations.
Although I am not used to trek or to altitude, I found the trek relatively easy. Note that I don't do any sports, I don't walk too much, I smoke and I've been above 1000 meters only a douzen times. Before I went to Nepal, my altitude records were 2000-2200 mt here in Portugal and Pirenes and 2600-2800 in Atlas. Anyway, in Portugal and Pirenes I didn't walk more than a few Km per day, and in Atlas I moved in a jeep. Nevertheless, we were told that we did wrong in getting to Jomsom (3000 mt) by plane and begin treking imediatly. It's more clever to give the body more time to adapt to altitude. My girl companion suffered a little in the falling of the 1st day, but perhaps it had nothing to do with altitude. She tires a lot when climbing and she very determinate, so she was very angry when we didn't manage to meet our objective: sleep in Muktinath. Anyway, after a warm dinner with some hot tea and talk, a big sleep in the dirtiest and coldest room with the most spectacular view and a breakfast, she was smiling the morning after. The psicological matters are as important as the physical, and with that magnificent landscape, one forgets everything bad!
In Annapurnas, during the day (from 1 hour after the sunrise until 1 hour before sunset), I wore summer clothes. At sunrise and at sunfall a sweater or light jacket is enough for supporting the cool temperatures (I was walking, and that kept me warm). At night it could be cold (even below zero), but at that time I was already in house and all the rooms I rent had plenty of blankets, though sometimes the lodges (usually with fancy names like "Hotel Plaza") were somewhat crowded since it was high season. I'd say that a sweater and perhaps a feather jacket just for insurance is enough to trek in Anapurna in November. For what I heard, October is a little warmer.
I got the idea that it's safe to let some of the luggage in the hotels of Kathmandu and/or Pokara. When I was in Anapurna, I brought only a little back bag, I left a part of the luggage in Kathmandu and another part in Pokara.
Concerning to equipment, nothing to worry - you need very little to go in Annapurna, and you can buy or rent all you need by a good price in Kathmandu or Phokara. I'd advise everybody don't buy any treking equipment or clothes at home unless you are interested in very special or high end stuff.
If you are planing to see the Chitwan National park, perhaps it's wise to take a package tour in Pokara or Kathmandu ($50-$60 USD for 3 days and 2 or 3 nights, including lodgment, tranportation, guided tours and entrance to the park). You risk paying more if you don't do it, mainly because you have to take a jeep to Saura when you arrive the bus stop, so you have little "bargaining power" because the jeeps are all from the lodges. We got the idea that in Saura all things are oriented towards the package tour, and the prices don't vary too much, except for 2 things: the quality of the lodgment (anyway, all very basic for what I've seen), and the elefant ride being inside or outside the park. The latter is a little more expensive but we were told and we believed that's not worth because not only of the price, but also because inside the park the "elefant grass" is too high in October and November, so you have less chances to see rhinos (some people and the publicity says that inside the park you may see tigers and even wild elephants, but I didn't met anyone who did).
The park is worth seeing - much different from the rest of Nepal, at least from the Kathmandu, Pokhara and Annapurna area. Although I've never been to there, I think that it's much like northeast India - those plains we use to see on the documentaries about Bengala tigers and rhinos. A little too touristic, but after all we can't be that radical on anti-tourists (that's what we are...).
About more "off the beaten path" treks, I got very curious about Helambu when I heard about it from a dutch couple I knew in Kathmandu. They had done part of the Anapurna circuit and they liked a lot both treks, though sleeping and eating conditions in Helambu are harder than in Anapurna.
About lodgment in Kathmandu, try the Thamel area - there you're able to find a clean double room with private bath with hot shower by less than USD $8 - $10 a day. I saw that someone pointed you "Kathmandu Guesthouse" - that's a very kind little hotel, but if you are not very attached to "luxury" it's kind of expensive for Kathmandu - USD $20 a day, I think. I liked to stay in "Sherpa Guesthouse", but I'm not saying it's the best place around - I don't spend much time looking for room...
I only eated in 2 places in Kathmandu - my companion was a girl of habits, and since she liked a lot our first restaurant she didn't want any other.
His name: Tashi Deleg, tibetan, near Kathmandu Guesthouse, in Thamel.
There you can dinner for less than $4, in a familiar environment. When I was there we managed to begin knowing the personel and some of the customers very quickly. It worked much like our "cafe", that place where you find your friends without marking anything, though those friends were just known yesterday or some days ago.
For the "goodbye Nepal" we decided to go to a fancier place - we took the restaurant of the "Hotel des Anapurnas" (I don't remember its name), it's in the Durbar Margh (perhaps the spelling is not correct), the street of the airline companies. I think it was the only place in Nepal where I saw europeans wearing tie... The food and service it's something to remember; the price: about $15 (less than $20 for sure) per person.
If you haven't been in the 3rd World yet, you'll probably a little bit disoriented when you leave the airport gate. You'll get surrounded by a douzen boys peaking your luggage, taxi drivers pushing you to their taxis, and so on. Don't be afraid! Pay attention but no panic... They didn't seemed to me really dangerous.
Perhaps you'll find difficulties in arranging a taxi in the airport that doesn't "force" you to go to "their" guesthouse. In that case, if you want to try it, certify that the guesthouse of the taxi is in Thamel or, alternatively, Freak Street. If you want you can point them "Sherpa Guesthouse" - I stayed there last October for $8 a day and it was ok.
Allways try not to pay the taxi ride.
If you are a little bit like me, not very good in bargaining a lot, perhaps it's best to simply look for the cheapest taxi and perhaps tell them to get you to some place you already know the name. If any taxi driver tries to get to an hotel, try not to pay for the ride, because sometimes the hotels pay the taxi. If you want to go for yourself looking for room, simply go to Thamel.
If you pass through Pokhara, a very nice little town near the Annapurnas, I recomend you strongly the "Twin Peaks hotel". The owner of the nicest man I know. Tell him that you've heard of him from me, the portuguese couple that was there in November near the elections, when there was a land sliding on the K'du road. Perhaps he'll make you a special price. For what I remember, we've payed $5 or $6 for a double room with private bath.
I'd advise to get the Lonely Planet's guidebook or another good book. I'm sure they'll have some good advices, not only on weather but on other things too. Note that I have no personal interests in LP, simply I consider it a good guide book.
On the other hand, I confess I only read it a little bit, mainly when I was already flying to Kathmandu, and even considering that my companion read it a little bit more, I consider Nepal a fairly easy country to travel without any guidance, specially if you aren't too worried about runing away from more crowded and touristic places, but I doubt seriously that you'll find much tourists there in January. After all, "touristic" in Nepal has nothing to do with "touristic" in other more conventional or developped (at least touristically developped) country and although in November, the highest season, you may find plenty of tourists in some areas, they're much more interesting and less annoying than the average tourist you may find in south Europe, Caribe or even north Africa, just to cite the places I know best. People who goes to Nepal does it mostly to trek, so generally they have quite different interests than the "beach and sun" tourist (nothing against this kind of holidays, I loved it, simply there are persons that *only* like that kind :-)).
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Date: 27 Jul 95
1) Decide which trek do you want to do. You can research for info in guidebooks (Lonely Planet's ones are very good), in the agencies in Kathmandu (the major part is in Thamel area, where you find the major part of the small hotels and guesthouses too), talking to other people (you'll find quickly that's easy is to meet tourists in Kathmandu that can give you a lot of information and self experiences).
2) Get your "treking permit" (most of the treks, if not all, are forbidden without it) in the "Imigration Office" in Kathmandu. Although you may get it in other places, namely Pokara, I was told that it was easier in Kathmandu. Alternatively you can get it on an agency, if you don't want to spend 1 or 2 hours in the queues (check the prices).
3) Try lo leave behind all the stuff that's not strictly necessary. When I was in Annapurna I had left a bag in Kathmandu and another in Pokara, and I was carrying with me just a few clothes, documents and photo equipment.
Everyone told me that it's safe to keep luggage in the hotels and guesthouses, and it's really cheap when not free. I think the average Nepali is a really honest guy: I've forgotten a bag with sunglasses, photo lenses, airplane ticket, passport and some more stuff in a taxi and I recovered it all - the taximan delivered it at the Thai embassy (the ticket was from Thai). The people of the Thai embassy managed to discover my hotel and they phoned there. Since I was not anymore in Kathmandu when that happened, I got the big news (you imagine what a relief!) when I returned several days after.
About Mustang: for what I've read and hear, I believe it's an amazing trek, but I'd do some several treks before it because of the price: the permit to go there costs some several hundreds USD (at least 200, maybe 700), and you get really great sensations in others places with much less money.
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Date: 5 Jul 95
I've flighted Jomsom-Pokara-Jomsom last November and there were no problems. I knew a there a couple that had done the same in October.
It's said that the Jomsom "airport" is a dangerous one because of the winds, and that looked me very true after having to walk in the Kaligandaki valley in the afternoon, but we were told that the wind blows hard only after the mid morning. Anyway, it seems that only the best pilots are chosen to do those flights, because it's a really hard and dangerous trip - beside the wind in Jomsom, there are much thermal streams. One goes beside big snowed peaks and there is a time that one flies very close to a high valley (I think that we fly very near the maximum altitude for an unpressurized plane).
But it's one of a kind experience! I haven't flighted much, specially in small planes, but I believe that it's one of the most beautiful air trip in the world.
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… …
Concerning altitude, my only problem were my ears after landing in Pokara coming from Jomsom, but I've experienced worse in some intercontinental and other kind of flights. I had no problems walking from Jomsom (3000 m) to Muktinath (3800 m) even I am not used neither to altitude neither to treking much. The highest I had been before was 2800 m in a jeep and a little less than 2000 m walking.
I don't think that there are direct flights Jomsom-Kathmandu, probably you'll have to go to Pokara again.
I don't know how is your schedule, but I risk 2 advises if you have time:
- Since you go to Jomsom, try to see Kagbeni and Muktinath - it's just 1 or 2 more days, and the landscape it's rather different from that you'll find before Jomsom. I'd not be lying to you if I say that I could go back in Nepal just for seeing the sunset and sunrise in Jarkot, although I have plenty of other reasons to go back. I've been told it's much like Mustang and Tibet. If you have the chance, try to do the Kagbeni->Jomsom way in the morning. The wind and dust can be *very* nasty and you'll be walking against it.
- Make the trip Kathmandu-Pokara by bus at least once. It's not easy to spend 6 or 7 hours in a pre-historic bus rolling in a really bad road (the Tribhuwan Highway, it's called), but again the landscape it's breath taking, and it was the only chance I had to know the Nepal outside
Kathmandu, the Annapurnas or the Terai (Chitwan).
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Date: 25 Sep 95
Generally everybody says that November it's the month with better weather for visiting Nepal. It's rather dry (in fact the driest month there), temperate like late south european spring. October can be a little bit warm and December a little bit cold. In January and the following months it can be a little dusty, bad for landscape sightseeing.
Note that I was in Nepal only in November, so I've no personal experience to compare. I only had a small lightening storm in the late afternoon/early night during the all stay, nothing to worry about.
Nevertheless, perhaps a bringing a parka it's a good idea, because the nights in Kathmandu and in the mountains can be a little cold even in the warmer days. Reusing the comparison with South Europe, I'd call them "early December nights". In Pokara and south Nepal (Chitwan) the nights are still like "late spring". Anyway, you can allways do like my travel companion: buy there.
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Date: 25 Sep 95
There are many places that accept USD directly. I didn't pay much like that, but I got the idea that the rates were basically the same that on the banks and exchange agencies. Although I didn't noticed it when I was there, I knew that there are "street exchangers" (ilegal...) that offered about 5% better rates.
At the banks and exchange agencies, the rates for currency or traveller's checks differs slightly. I don't remember what was the best...
Being german like you are, I'd consider bring the major part of currency in german marks. Maybe they're not widely accepted directly, but I'd bet the banks change them and that way you'll only have to make one exchange, with less one tax and comission.
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Date: 23 Oct 95
I'm glad you considered my stuff as useful. Concerning your Everest question, I've not been there, so I haven't any personal experience. Anyway, I have the idea that there is less bureaucracy in getting to the nepali side. I think all the tibetan tourism is much oriented towards group and "vigilated" and "gouvernment controled". I doubt if you can enter Tibet without an official guide who most probably will act like a real ditactor. Not to mention the prices - although the nepali permit to the Everest region is expensive (I think it is some hundreds [400? 700?] USD), I believe the lodgements will be cheaper there because of the free enterprise and more offer caused by the higher number of tourists.
If I were you, I'd make the decision of going or not going in Tibet in Kathmandu, except if you have not much time (I don't know if you'll be able to get a visa in a short time). Perhaps you can have an idea of the diferences in prices consulting agencies' packages tours there in Canada, although most probably they're all too inflated (at least 50%, maybe reaching 150%) comparing to what you may pay going on your own or buying a similar tour in Kathmandu.
Nevertheless, note again that these informations aren't much objective...
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Date: 9 Nov 95
… …
About Kathmandu accomodations I have almost nothing. I stayed in 2 different places, any of them were ok, but not one of those places you can tell about our friends "oh, that was quite a place!". But
it's very easy to you to find a nice and cheap guesthouse or little hotel in the "Thamel" area, although some people don't like it because it's much *touristic* and crowded (lots of shops, hotels and restaurants. Nearby there are some more luxurious hotels. I remember Hotel Sherpa and Hotel des Annapurnas, in Durbar Marg. They both costed $100 a night for a double last year.
The day we arrived, we looked for a taxi driver to take us to Kathmandu Guesthouse. A friend of my companion knew it and she had liked it a lot. We end out following a tout that said, yes, he'd take us there, we wouldn't pay the taxi and it would be something like $10 USD a night for each of us, total $20, for a double room with attached bath with hot shower. I don't remember the price very well.
At our surprise for the place where we were taken having no signs, they told us that it was a new building, the older one was full. After resting for some hours we went out and we found the *real* Kathmandu Guesthouse. We had been cheated! Only after returning we discovered the name of our place: Karki Guesthouse.
Anyway we stayed, mainly because after all it wasn't their fault that we were cheated, but the tout's. Again I don't remember prices, but I have idea of according with them to pay the taxi ride and having the room cheaper. It turned out to be not so bad...
When I lost my passport (yes, you read it right, I did and there is no portuguese consulate in Nepal, but that's a history for telling you on another ocasion if you're willing), they gave me some advise and they seemed much concerned.
The funny thing was that on our 2nd stay there (we went to Nagarkot for a day, to see the sunset and sunrise in a breath taking view of more than 200 Km of Himalayas) we payed less than the 1st one without bargaining.
My companion wanted to try the Kathmandu Guesthouse on the returning from Pokara, because of what she had heard about it and because she liked a lot the look of it, so we made our reservation there. Well, when we came back, there was no reservation... No big problem, we entered the nearby Sherpa Guesthouse and we liked it. $8 USD for a double room with attached bath, in the K.G. we would have payed between $20 and $40.
In Pokara, we were advised by a dutch couple of whom we became friends in *our* Kathmandu restaurant to stay at the Twin Peaks Hotel, and so we did and we loved it. A really nice little hotel with a little garden and the kindest of the bosses and employees! It has a spectacular view to the Annapurna range, but I think in Pokara that shouldn't be rare. The price was fixed with the boss on the basis: "ok, your friends advised my hotel, how much did they pay?", "we're not sure, but we think something like $5", "only $5? Ok, $5 it is".
And he arranged us our tickets to Jomsom and Chitwan, he kept our luggage and did our laundry laundry all fro free! Mr Gurung is his name. Go there and tell him I talked you about him, maybe he won't remember, maybe he will because he hardly had any other portuguese couple as guests, the girl looking a little indian (I think he noticed and mentioned that, her mother is goan).
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Date: 9 Nov 95
… …
About going from K'du to Pokara, I took a "tourist bus". Although it's not an easy and confortable voyage (the only "luxuous" thing about it was a TV set on which it was played a hindi movie very loudly), the landscape it's very nice, it was an opurtunity to see the country life away from Annapurnas or Chitwan. It took us about 6 h to do the 200 Km trip.
You can buy the tickets in any agency in Thamel, the departure time used to be very early in the morning only.
From Pokara to Chitwan and from there we first considered going by plane, but my companion got a little frightened after the flights Pokara-Jomsom-Pokara, and it I had no sucess arguing that in other trips we wouldn't have to pass so near mountains with 8000 mts.
About the passport, no problem, you get your entry visa at the airport, before customs, although you may get it in any nepali consulate. I think it costed $25 for 20 days.
We flighted Lisbon-Madrid-Bangkok-K'du by Thai (we're in Europe, you know). The best and cheaper route for us would have been by London and Delhi, but considering the plague rumour in India and our curiousity about Bangkok we decided going by Thailand.
For what I've been hearing and reading, the cheapest way to go from India is from Varanasi. From there you can even go by land, but I imagine it is quite a hard voyage. Prices of reservations Delhi-K'du and Bangkok-K'du were quite alike (a little bit cheaper by Delhi) when done here in Portugal, but that could be due to any Thai special fare from Lisboa or Madrid to K'du.
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Date: 19 Jan 96
>I will be visiting Nepal with my family in Mid April for a week. My
>intention is to stay in Kathmandu about 3 days visiting local places in
>the Kathmandu Valley (Bhaktapur, Pashupatinath/Boudanath, Patan,
>Swayambunath, Dakshin Kali). Is this enough time? I may also planning
>to visit the Royal Chitwan National Park for a couple of days.
>… …
The time in the Kathmandu Valley may be a little short, but it's possible it's just enough. If you find you *must absolutely* give up something, don't go to Dakshin Kali and/or Swayambunath.
Dakshin Kali is a sanctuary in a beautiful area of forest, near a river, but you may well skip it. As monument is not so much, and I felt it was very dificult to see any sacrifice other than a chicken, and that only in the morning determined of day of week (I don't remember which). The itenerary is very beautiful, although.
Swayambunath is very interesting also, with a splendid view over Kathmandu, but after being in Boudanath is a little bit disappointing as a religious place. I imagine that if you see Boudanath before Swayambunath you won't feel any disappoitment, well at contrary, but the fact is that the environment in Boudanath is simply "magical", you feel really well and peauceful there.
In Nov 94 the rate of the nepalese ruppe was about $1 USD = 45 r. Check "The GNN/Koblas Currency Converter" at http://bin.gnn.com/cgi-bin/gnn/currency.
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Date: 22 Jan 96
… …
>I am still going to be in Kathmandu 3 days. I feel that that
> is sufficient time for me to do what I need to do. I think
> with a private car & driver I can see Boudanath/Pashupatinath
> and Bhaktapur and may be even Patan in one day. I can do the
> city of Kathmandu and maybe Dakshin Kali another day and take
> a flight over East Himalayas.
Yes, I think you'll be able to see Boudanath, Pashupatinath, Bhaktapur and Patan in one day. If you are really quick, you can even have the time to see something else in K'du, Swayambunath for instance. Another day for K'du and Dakshin Kali will also be enough. Perhaps you'll be able to have time to visit a little interesting village near the K'du University, Kirktipur (sp?). You can do it on the way back from Dakshin Kali.
Note that Patan is a kind of a K'du part, it's just across the river. It's not much more than half an hour driving from Thamel.
Check out any guidebooks you may have for choosing the best day of week to visit Dakshin Kali and Pashupatinath. In D.K. they do animal sacrifices more often in a determined day of week and in P. I think (I'm not sure) there is also a preferred day for funerals. We had Lonely Planet's and it seemed us very good, but maybe there are others equally good.
> My predicament is that 1 would like to do both Pokhara &
> Chitwan but I don't have enough time. Also, it seems I would
> have to do both as separate excursions. Ideally, I would like
> to fly to Pokhara, spend 2 days there, then take a taxi from
> Pokhara to Chitwan. I read about taking a raft down the
> Trisuli river but this takes 2 days and I don't think I would
> like my family to go through those rigours. Other than that
> my only alternative is fly back to K'du from Pokhara and then
> either fly or take a car from K'du to Chitwan. Considering I
> would have to fly back to K'du anyway at the end of my Nepal
> trip to return to Delhi, I am spending too much time in
> transit in K'du. Any suggestions?
… …
If you're really so short on time, you do well in skiping Pokara and Chitwan. The Pokara area is beautiful, but maybe it's not worth the effort for someone who is not going to trek. Travelling in Nepal is rather slow if one doesn't use planes. As for Chitwan, the standard packages are 2-3 days longs (with departure and arrival in K'du, bus travel included). Similar packages are also available in Pokara, and I'd say it would be easy to arrange a package K'du-Pokara-Chitwan-K'du or Pokara-Chitwan-K'du. There airplanes connections available are not only K'du-Pokara, but also Pokara-Chitwan and Chitwan-K'du. Actually, the "Chitwan" airport doesn't exist, but there is one in a medium size town nearby.
I wouldn't worry too much with more planning. Things change a lot and you'll never be able to be sure of what exactly can you do and how. On the other hand, it will be quite easy and relatively quick to arrange things once you are there.
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