Nepal – before the trip

27. February 2023

 

I was in Nepal for 3 weeks in 2010 to see how it differs from Ladakh. I did the Langtang trek including the Tsergo Ri climb and found it too crowded compared to the Ladakh treks. I also didn’t quite see the “overwhelming difference” in the mountains compared to the Alps, just knew that I was 3,000m higher on average. It was much – in my eyes – westernised. I was in Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Patan and was surprised by the many wheelie-box tourists. I found the Nepalis very “soft-spoken”, i.e. super friendly, customer-oriented and fair in contrast to the bulky Indians. In short: I found it nice, but couldn’t quite understand the “Nepal hype”. And have never been back since except for a short visit to Lumbini on a trip to the stations of Siddharta Gautama.

 

Nevertheless, I have arranged trips to Nepal on request and the people have always been satisfied. And in the meantime I am annoyed that I know so less myself. So now the plan is to spend 2 months in Nepal and catch up and perhaps develop more affection or even enthusiasm.

 

 

I had a lot of stress thinking about how to get there and back. The travel information from the Foreign Office says that you are not allowed to enter India by land. Flights Delhi-Kathmandu-Delhi from Germany were priced at over 300 euros. A Delhi-Kathmandu overland journey was more like 40 euros. So I planned the overland journey – but could not decide until too late when and which border crossing exactly and which train/bus combination. And because of Holi, all trains were already overcrowded. No chance.

 

Plan 1 was Rara Lake with a trek alone. But it turned out that local company was required. So I didn’t find it so attractive any more.
Plan 2 was the Annapurna region – and so the difficulties in getting there.

 

Then I checked the flights from India again: 150 euros return! Pleasant times! Air India. Booked!

 

So: on 3.3. I’m on the plane to Kathmandu.

 

 

The first thing to do is: research, research and research. About how my time in Nepal can look like. I would like to spend a lot of time in the mountains, see and experience a lot. But Nepal is big and it seems to me that there is an insane abundance of what I could do. There are several “commandments” here:

 

• it has to be financially within reason
• I would be extremely reluctant to fly
• I would like to do some things alone, some with a guide

 

In any case, I am already a bit excited about everything I will experience there. And to what extent my impressions from back then will change or rather expand.