Kathmandu (काठमाण्डु) [1] is the largest city and capital of Nepal and the namesake of the Kathmandu Valley. Once thought to be the fabled and inaccessible Shangri-La, Kathmandu is now a hub for independent travellers as well as a growing vacation spot catering to all budgets. As a result of considerable urban growth in recent decades, it is now part of one continuous urban area together with Patan to the south.
                     
               re available on arrival for citizens of most countries, and one passport-sized photograph is required. To complete the process, you must pay a fee (it makes it much easier if you bring the fees in US dollars): Transit ($5), 15 day ($25), 30 day ($40) or 90 day ($100.) Make sure that you fill in all of the forms and keep your departure card for when you want to leave. Facilities for taking passport-sized photographs are available near the immigration desk, though it saves a lot of time if they are prepared before arrival. SAARC nationals are exempt from visa fees.
Please note: your luggage is vulnerable entering and leaving this airport. Do not keep anything of value in checked bags, and if you lock the bag, the zipper may be forced open and broken. There is little to no security for your bags. You should also be aware that most baggage is treated quite poorly in Tribhuvan International Airport as well as all the other airports in the country. It is recommended that all fragile items are in your carry on baggage.
There are no trains to Kathmandu, renting a car without a driver is not a reasonable option. You can hire bikes in Kathmandu and ride up, but you need to be brave. Alternatively, catch a bus. Check with other travellers to find a safe bus company (Green Line & Golden Travels have been recommended), some are quite dangerous and travel at stupid speeds through mountain passes. Many hotels will pick you up from the airport if you give them advanced notice. You can also use a pre-paid taxi the stand is on your right as you come out of baggage reclaim/arrivals. Alliteratively you can hire a local taxi to drive you anywhere in Kathmandu. From the airport it is around 400 rupees to get to Thamel and 800-1000 rupees to go to Patan. These taxis are always waiting outside the airport and are less expensive than the pre-paid taxi. However, these taxi drivers have been known to take you to a different hotel than you asked for, and these hotels are usually expensive.

[edit] By plane

Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport (IATA: KTM), [2] is the largest, and only international airport in Nepal. Most flights to Kathmandu arrive via Delhi, gulf countries (UAE Qatar, and increasingly Bahrain), or Bangkok, and of the remaining only a few originate from outside Asia. International airlines serving Kathmandu:

• Malaysia Airlines (day 2,4,6)
• Biman Bangladesh Airline — Dhaka
• Air Arabia [3] — Sharjah.
• AirAsia [4] — Kuala Lumpur.
• Air China [5] — Chengdu.
• ArkeFly [6] — Amsterdam.
• Fly Dubai [7] — Dubai.
• Druk Air [8] — Paro and Delhi
• Etihad Airways [9] — Abu Dhabi.
• Gulf Air [10] — Bahrain.
• Dragon Air [11] — Hong Kong
• Indian Airlines [12] — Delhi and Kolkata.
• Jet Airways [13] — Delhi, Mumbai.
• JetLite [14] (former Air Sahara, now low-cost subsidiary of Jet Airways) — Delhi.
• Korean Air [15] — Seoul.
• Pakistan International Airlines [16] — Karachi.
• Nepal Airlines [17] — Bangkok, Delhi, Dubai, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Osaka, Singapore and Shanghai.
• Silk Air [18] — Singapore.
• Thai Airways [19] — Bangkok.
• Qatar Airways [20] — Doha.
• RAK Airways [21] — Ras Al Khaimah, complimentary bus shuttle service between Ras Al Khaimah International Airport and neighbouring emirates (Dubai, Sharjah...) .
• GMG Airlines [22] — Dhaka.
• China Southern Airlines [23] — Guangzhou.
• China Eastern Airlines [24] — Kunming.

[edit] To and from airport

Many hotel and guest houses offer complimentary pick up and delivery from the airport. Taxis are also available. As always, negotiate the price beforehand with the driver. In 2012, prices for fuel have skyrocketed, and drivers of metered taxis will generally refuse to use the meter. If you take a taxi from the terminal, be prepared to negotiate heavily. Drivers will usually not go below 400NPR to Thamel or Boudha (June 2012). A pre-paid from the taxi stand outside the domestic terminal cost NPR800 to Thamel in June 2012. Both these fees are more than the meter rate, but will save the hassle of long negotiations. When booking a prepaid taxi, don't give the receipt to the driver until you are at your destination and you are satisfied, as this serves as the driver's payment. If the driver asks for more money, don't give it. There is no culture of tipping taxi drivers. Try not to exchange money at the airport. Money changers at the airport not only charge service charge but also offer a lower rate than is offered in Thamel or elsewhere in town.
If you pass the taxi drivers waiting at the terminal and go instead to the edge of the parking lot, where many other drivers wait, you can haggle with them to get to Thamel for around 300 NRS.

[edit] By bus

Kathmandu has frequent and cheap bus service to nearly all parts of Nepal, unfortunately due to poor roads and frequent delays the buses are some of the slowest and least comfortable in South Asia.
Connections include India (usually Patna, Gorakhpur, Varanasi or Lucknow) and other parts of Nepal such as Chitwan National Park and the trekking hubs of Pokhara to the west, Langtang to the north and Jiri to the east of Kathmandu. For points of departure in India or Tibet see the Nepal 'Get in' section. Buses arriving from the Indian border, Pokhara and Chitwan terminate either at the bus station at Balaju at north of the city or Kalanki at the south of the city since large vehicles and long distance vehicles are not allowed to enter the city due to traffic congestion. From there, there are 'mini buses' which criss cross the main roads of the city for about NPR 20. Varanasi to Kathmandu & Kathmandu to Varanasi INR. 1200 per seat.
The bus to or from Pokhara takes 7-8 hours to cover the 200km. Traffic jams often occur on the zig-zags just out of the KTM valley. All the tourist buses now stop for lunch and snacks at prearranged restaurants. It can be nerve-wracking to look out the front bus window while traveling, due to the narrow roads and much weaving in and out of cars, scooters, & buses. There are many of what westerners would call "close-calls", but they are normal in Nepal and the drivers stay calm through it all. It's best to avoid looking out the front window. There are countless, extremely beautiful sights to be seen while looking out the side windows.

[edit] Get around

Map of central Kathmandu

If you fly in, be sure to pick up a free Katmandu Valley map at the airport. The first thing some visitors notice about Kathmandu is the general lack of street names except for major roads such as Tri Devi & Ring Road (loops around the city) & address numbers. In most cases directions are given relative to the nearest chowk or tole (an intersection or square, often with a market) or a noteworthy location or building (such as a temple or restaurant). In the tourist district of Thamel, the Kathmandu Guest House & Hot Breads bakery are two main landmarks.
It is possible to get around Kathmandu by foot, but it is not always a pleasant walk & you may want to consider a public transportation for anything more than wandering around a specific area. Rickshaws can be found around the tourist area of Thamel and taxis are everywhere. Negotiate on a price before you get in a taxi or Rickshaw. If you can't agree, ask another driver. Prices go up after dark & in less busy areas. Taxis are easy to find; they park near all major streets & have fare-meters. After 22 it can be very difficult to find taxis away from central tourist areas or major hotels. It should be possible to hire a taxi for 300rs one-way to Patan & 800-1,200 rs to Bakhtapur from Thamel or the airport. For longer trips & to hire a taxi by the day negotiate with the driver. Haggle hard and you will easily find another driver if you are not satisfied. The meter is your best bet if you are not confident enough to negotiate. However it should be avoided if the driver suggest using it, as it is probably fixed and will overcharge you. After 11PM, taxis can be harder to find outside Thamel.
There are also buses for longer trips within the valley, ie Patan, Bakhtapur, Boudha, etc. that can be used for trips in & around around town. See below for tips on traveling outside of the valley. Blue buses & green buses constantly drive in circles/loops around the city on "Ring Road" - for 15 to 20rps - depending on the distance. Every bus has a cashier/attendent who can tell you where it stops & alert you upon arrival. Riding the buses with the local people can be very pleasant & interesting. The buses are typically very old and rough