Has anyone been in Nepal? Any good tips where to go, stay or what to be aware of?........for backpackers.....
thanks

Hello

Yes I backpacked through Asia in 2006, passed in to Nepal from India in March and left for Japan 3 weeks later in April. I was there when the worst of the civil war was breaking and the prince was still in power. Now he has gone I think a lot has changed but I can tell you what I remember anyway.

The whole of my 3 weeks was spent stuck in Kathmandu. It was just too dangerous to venture out into the wilds of the Himalayas. There is plenty to do in in the city though and I'm sure even more now that you don't have to walk though clouds of tear gas lol

I stayed in in a guest house called Kathmandu Garden House which is in an area called Thamel, this is where you will find most of the travelers. Its like a hippy paradise and is very laid back. Exploring the many back streets you will find comfortable restaurants, bars, clubs and lots of shops selling just about any thing you could want.

If you want any information or to book any thing in Nepal then go to a shop called The Himalyan Trailfinder, 14219 Thamel and ask for a girl called Janita Rana. She is so sweet and friendly and will help you out with what ever you need.

The best day out I had was a visit to the Monkey Temple. It sits on a massive hill in the middle of the city and from the top you can see the whole city for miles around.

The Nepalese people are friendly, generous and proud. I made many friends while I was there and it was very hard and emotional to leave them.

Heh its late and my mind has just gone blank. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask. I'll leave it that for now and add any thing I can think of later.