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OUR READERS John Patterson, Nadia Persaud, Roger Phillips, Christopher Psomadellis Q Aston Quin Many thanks to the travellers who used the R Michael Rosebaugh S Olof Säll, Henrik last edition and wrote to us with helpful Simonsen, Barney Smith, Pat Smith, Floortje hints, useful advice and interesting Snels, Morten Starostka, Jezz Sterling, Tom anecdotes: Stuart, Peter Svedberg & Caroline Svedberg‑ A Jill Allegretti, Kate Allen, Karin Altherr, Wibling T Nathan Tift, Michael Turner, Harris Anderson, Suzanne Anderson, Anca William Turner V Stefano Vallarino, Silke Van Ansink, Ardit Arianna, Harriet Astley B Hen‑ Damme, Dieuwke van der Hoeven, Cecile van ner Becker, Alan Bigelow, Rinske Bloemendal, Noppen, Bart Van Renterghem, Anne‑ Helen Bonser, Anthony Branchini C John Sophie Van Wesemael, Michele Volpi, Edwin Caselli, Freya Chapman‑Amey, Varvara Vossen, Dano Vukicevich W Sam Walton, Chinenova, Andreas Constandinos, Iara Alice Wauchope, Pamela Willett Y Vincent Cury D Katie Dominy, Edward Douglas, Yu Z Sarah Zuniga Daniel Ducai E Tobias Engel, Lars Eriksson F Martin Fluri G Anni Gaine, Jon Garrood, Marcie Gitlin, Raquel Gómez, Jon Gorroño, AUTHOR THANKS John Gros, Bernat Gual‑Ricart H Bruno Haine, Matthew Harris, James Harrison, Bradley Mayhew Kevin Hoang, Charlotte Hoei, Petricia Hor‑ Thanks to Niraj and Rajesh at Himalayan En‑ shauge J Géraldine Jacquinot, Lies Jansen, counters and to Mukhiya and Maya Gurung. Sarah Johns, Alex Jones, Nicholas Jordan Cheers to Steve Webster and thanks to Phurba K Saurav Kapur, Robert Keyes, Kay Kindig, Gyaljen Sherpa for helping me around the Ico Kloppenburg, Tashi Klose, Nydia Köhne Khumbu. Thanks to my wife Kelli for joining me L Derek Larney, Amalie Larsen, Line Laurid‑ in Kathmandu. Thanks also to Wanda Vivequin sen, Kathrine Lausten, Ben Leeuwenburgh, for hotel and trekking recommendations and Matilda Lundborg, Viktoria Lundborg, Lisa Kim for trekking help. Lyons M Leslie Marshall, Luigi Martire, Margit McLaughlin, Marcos Mendonca, Lindsay Brown Aishling Middelburg, Gregory Mieden, Nigel I am very grateful for the guidance of Stan Moss Gary Parkinson, Noam Pasa, P Armington, Nepal trekking pioneer and author. 404 I also thank Durga Bandari, Dawa Lama (Big), Dawa Lama (Small), Ram Roka, POST-EARTHQUAKE UPDATE Narendra Lama (ACAP), Jack Baucher, DB Chaudhary, Ram Din, Mohan Aryal, Man Special thanks are due to the journal‑ Mohan Shrestha, fellow authors Bradley ists and Nepal experts who helped to Mayhew and Stuart Butler, and life and trav‑ update our content following the 2015 elling companion Jenny Fegent. BEHIND THE SCENES earthquakes, specifically: Suraj Shakya, Stuart Butler Ajay Narsingh Rana, Nabin Baral, Rabik First and foremost I must, once again, thank Upadhayay, Abhi Shrestha, Niraj my wife, Heather, and children Jake and Shrestha, Robin from Rural Heritage, Grace for their patience with this long pro‑ Tony Jones from Himalayan Encounters ject which involved so much time up in the and Jennifer Berry from Kathmandu mountains and out of touch. In Nepal huge Inside Out. thanks to Thiley Lama, Ghyalbu Tamang for a memorable ascent of Yala Peak, Dheeraj Chaudhary for finding me a couple of ele‑ phants at short notice, Prakash Neupane for ACKNOWLEDGMENTS his knowledge of Nepalese wildlife. Thank you Climate map data adapted from Peel MC, also to Dinesh Chaudhary for rafting informa‑ Finlayson BL & McMahon TA (2007) ‘Updated tion and Kishor at Annapurna Mountain Bike World Map of the Köppen‑Geiger Climate Adventures. Thank you also to Rama for good Classification’, Hydrology and Earth System driving in the Terai, all the staff at the Hotel Sciences, 11, 1633–44. Himal Ganesh in Kathmandu for hospitality Cover photograph: Prayer wheel, Bodhnath and my co‑author, Bradley Mayhew, for all Stupa, Bodhnath (Boudha), John Harper / his help. Finally, thanks to Ben Clift and John Corbis ©. Gray for accompanying me on the mountain trails, but clearly Ben it would be you who would be eaten by a jaguar first…. Destination Editor Charlotte Orr, Victoria Smith, THIS BOOK Joe Bindloss Luna Soo This 10th edition of Lonely Product Editors Assisting Cartographers Planet’s Nepal guidebook Elizabeth Jones, Kate Mathews Gabriel Lindquist, Alison Lyall was researched and written Senior Cartographer Cover Researcher by Bradley Mayhew, Lindsay David Kemp Naomi Parker Brown and Stuart Butler. Book Designer Thanks to Shahara Ahmed, The 9th edition was written Wendy Wright Sasha Baskett, Kate Chap‑ by Bradley Mayhew, Lindsay man, Ryan Evans, James Brown and Trent Holden, and Assisting Editors Hardy, Kate James, Chris Love, the 8th was written by Bradley, Michelle Bennett, Sarah Virginia Moreno, Claire Naylor, Trent and Joe Bindloss. This Billington, Katie Connolly, Karyn Noble, Diana Saeng‑ guidebook was produced by Bruce Evans, Kate Evans, kham, Ellie Simpson, Angela the following: Samantha Forge, Victoria Tinson, Samantha Tyson, Harrison, Catherine Naghten, Tracy Whitmey, Juan Winata ©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd 405 Index 4WD safaris 249, 273 animals 358-61, see also banyan trees 361 Mai Pokhari 287 2001 royal massacre 79, individual genera Bardia National Park 253, Pulchowki Mountain 180-1 333, 334 Annapurna II 301 272-5, 362 Birethanti 306 2015 earthquakes 4-5, 44, Annapurna Base Camp 307 bargaining 374 Birganj 277-9 54, 322, 351 Annapurna Circuit Trek 12, Bat Cave 230 Bis Hajaar Tal 245, 249 Bhaktapur 153 30, 31, 232, 299-301, bathrooms 379 Bisket Jatra 23, 161 304-6, , , Bungamati 178 302-3 12 37 Baugha Gumha 266 blue sheep 359 Annapurna Conservation Gorkha 199 Bayeli 308 boating 211 Kathmandu 63, 80 Area Project permits begging 57, 95 225, 231 Bode 168 landslides 317 Begnas Tal 230 Annapurna Panorama Trek Bodhnath (Boudha) 13, 128- Langtang region 194-5 Beni 231-2 308, 302 34, 129, 13 Mt Everest 358 Beninghat 198 Annapurna Sanctuary Trek books 322 Pashupatinath 125 Benkar 296 31, 306-7, 302-3 architecture 351 Patan 137 antiques 369-70 Besi Sahar 300 culture 337, 339, 342 Pokhara 207 Bhairawa 256-8 architecture 350-3 health 391-2 trekking trail damage 291 Bhaireni 198 Arniko Hwy 191-4 history 326, 328, 331, Bhaktapur 12, 152-67, , art 78, 281, 352, 353 154 332, 333 158, 160, 12 A art galleries literature 355 accommodation 162, plants 361 Abu Khaireni 198 National Art Gallery 164-5 (Bhaktapur) 153, 155 trekking 36 accommodation 22, 368-9, activities 161 see also individual National Birendra Art wildlife 359, 360 drinking 166 locations Gallery 80 border crossings earthquake damage 153 language 397 Siddhartha Art Gallery 80 India border crossings festivals & events 162 activities 23-6, 369, see Aryabhanjyang 266 240, 384-5 food 165-6 also individual activities, Asan Tole 76 India (via Belahiya) history 152 individual locations, Ashoka, Emperor 136 257, 385 outdoor activities ponds 156 Ashoka stupas 136 India (via Birganj) 279, Acute Mountain Sickness shopping 166 385 Ashokan Pillar 259 (AMS) 41, 42, 394-5 sights 153, 155-61 India (via Dhangadhi) ATMs 374 adventure sports, see travel to/from 167 276, 385 autorickshaws 389 outdoor activities walking tours 162-3, 163 India (via Kakarbhitta) avalanches 307 AIDS 392 Bharatpur 241-2 288, 385 air travel 382-4, 387-8 Bhedetar 285 India (via Mahendranagar) 276, 385 to/from Nepal 382-4 B Bhimsen Tower 80 within Nepal 293, 387-8, Bachhauli 249 Bhote Kosi 317 India (via Nepalganj) 270, 385 387 bagh chal 337 Bhulbule 300 Tibet border crossings airlines 382-3, 387-8 Baglung 231 Bijayapur 285 193, 385-6 alcoholic drinks 372 Bagnaskot 266 Biratnagar 284 altitude 42 Tibet (via Kodari) 193, Bahini River 275 birds 272, 360-1, see also 386 altitude sickness (AMS) 41, individual genera Bahun people 341-2 travel restrictions 386 42, 394-5 birdwatching Bahundanda 300 Borderlands Resort 192 amoebic dysentery 393 Ghodaghodi Tal 275 Bamboo 307 Bragha 301 animal sacrifices 347 Himalayan Raptor Centre Bandipur 201-5, 203 Brahma 346 215 Banepa 185-6 Buddha, the 14, 258-9, 264, Koshi Tappu Wildlife Banke National Park 362, 348-9 Map Pages 000 Reserve 283-4 363 Buddhism 22, 130, 259, Photo Pages 000 Lumbini 262 Banthanti 306 348-9, 352-3 406 budget 19 geography 245 Devi Tal 245 erotic art 78, 153, 345 Budhanilkantha 135-6, 311, history 244-5 Devi’s Falls 209 etiquette 45, 55, 130 313, 15 plants 246 Dhampus 306 events, see festivals & Bungamati 178 safety 246, 253 Dhanushadham 281 events bungee jumping 52, 85, shopping 255 Dharan 285 Everest Base Camp 298 192, 193, 211, 51 sights 246-7 Dharapani 301 Everest Base Camp Trek 11, INDEX bus