Shopping
Overview
Topi (caps with earflaps), knitted mittens and socks, Tibetan garments, woven scarves, pashmin (goat’s wool sheets), khukri (the traditional dagger), saranghi (a small four-stringed violin played with a horsehair bow), Paper mache tea bowls and dance masks. You can bargain on the markets and in numerous shops. Shop opening hours: Sun-Fri 10am-8pm (some shops are also open on Saturdays and public holidays).
Nightlife
Introduction
There are several cinemas in Kathmandu that mostly show Indian films. Western films are offered in the European and American cultural centers. Nightlife is limited, with only a few temples and restaurants offering evening entertainment. Some tourist hotels offer local dance and music performances. At the Soaltee Oberoi Hotel there is a casino with baccarat, chemin de fer and roulette.
- Top-engineering-schools: Provides detailed population data for major cities of Nepal. Also covers geography information including rivers, mountains, lakes, and national borders.
Culinary
Overview
Rice is the staple food. Dal (lentils), vegetable curry, chapatis and tsampa (barley porridge with tea, a traditional mountain dish) are also often eaten. Sweet and savory snacks include jalebi, laddus and mukdal. One of the regional specialties is gurr, a Sherpa dish of raw, mashed potatoes with spices, which are then cooked like pancakes on a hot, flat stone. Tibetan specialties are thukba (thick soup) and momos (stuffed pasta, fried or boiled). There are numerous restaurants in Kathmandu, but elsewhere the choice is usually limited. 12% government tax will be added to all invoices. Drinks: The national drink is chiya (tea made with milk, sugar and spices is boiled; in the mountains the tea is salted and served with yak butter). Another popular mountain drink is chhang (beer made from fermented barley with corn, rye and oats). Arak (potato schnapps) and raksi (wheat or rice schnapps) are also offered.
Accommodation
Hotels
In Kathmandu there are more and more international class hotels, for which advance booking is recommended, especially in spring and autumn. Comfortable hotels are also available in Pokhara and in the royal Chitwan National Park in the Terai Jungle. A government tax will be added to the bill and varies by hotel category. Further information from the General Secretary of the Hotel Association of Nepal (HAN), Kamalpokhari, NP-Kathmandu. Tel: (01) 41 27 05. (Web: http://www.hotelassociationnepal.org/)
Culture
Religion
80.6% Hindu, 10.7% Buddhist, 4.2% Muslim, 4.5% other.
Social Rules of Conduct
Appropriate manners: For a formal greeting, people traditionally don’t shake hands, but hold their palms together – fingers pointing up, as if in prayer – and say Namaste. A favor is often set aside unopened, as opening a package in the presence of a guest is considered rude. One should not exchange affection in public, especially in religious places. Dress: Casual attire is accepted except for formal social gatherings. Bikinis, shorts, uncovered shoulders and backs are not seen well. Men only take off their shirts to bathe. Photography: Always ask permission in advance. Photography is permitted outside the temples and during festivals. Religious ceremonies or temple interiors should not be photographed. However, there are no precise regulations, it is best to ask permission. Tipping is only expected in tourist hotels and restaurants. Taxi drivers only expect a tip if they have been particularly helpful. 10% is sufficient. In all other cases, a tip is not appropriate.
Climate
Best travel time
The weather in Nepal is pleasant. Summer, which coincides with the monsoon season, lasts from June to October, with the rest of the year being dry. Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) are the most beautiful seasons. In winter (December to February) there is frost and there is a lot of snow in the mountains. Kathmandu valley has mild climate (19-27ºC in summer, 2-20ºC in winter).
Country data
Phone prefix
+977
Area (sq km)
147181
Population
29,136,808 (Source: homosociety)
Population density (per square km)
199
Population statistics year
2020
Main emergency number
100
