How to Find Luxury Hotels in Nepal

Nepal is a popular tourist site because of its proximity to the Himalayas, as well as its culture steeped in spirituality. Kathmandu houses most of the country's luxury hotels and accommodations, as backpackers make up the majority of this country's tourists. However, be prepared to see the effects of a ravaged country with a poor economy at the same time. Read on to learn how to find luxury accommodations in Nepal.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Phone for making reservations
• Computer with Internet access

Find Luxury Accommodations

1. Stay at the five-star luxury Hotel Yak and Yeti, an authentic old palace with modern amenities located in Kathmandu. Prices are moderate by U.S. standards. Book your room by calling 011 ([phone] or visit the hotel Web site. See the Resources section below for a link.
2. Expect your room or suite to come complete with international direct dial telephones as well as color television.
3. Enjoy deluxe cuisine at most four- and five-star hotels in Kathmandu.
4. Work out daily in fully-equipped gyms located on the premises of some luxury hotels.
5. View Thamel from the windows of the Hotel Tradition, the tallest hotel in Thamel.

Arrive in Nepal

6. Enter Nepal by land through the many points of entry from Kakarbhitta to Mahendra Nagar on the Nepal-lndia border to Kodari on the Nepal-China border.
7. Fly into Kathmandu via the Tribhuvan International Airport and expect your luggage to be thoroughly searched at customs. Visitors are allowed some consumable items such as liquor and cigarettes, as well as technological devices as long as they are taken back with them upon departure.

Get to Know Nepal

8. Use the Indian rupee to purchase goods and services.
9. Visit Nepal in October or November to view the Himalayas without cloud cover, though you will be visiting at peak tourist season when prices are the highest and hotels the most crowded.
10. Visit Nepal during the monsoon season, May through September, only if you are interested in exploring the desert area near Tibet. Leeches and landslides create a chaotic experience otherwise.

Tips & Warnings

• Nepal does not offer an official accommodations booking Web site or phone number.
• Book your accommodations online--you may be able to find lower rates on the Web.
• A passport and visa are required.
• Be prepared to pay a moderate departure tax.
• All phone numbers include the United States international prefix "011." When calling internationally outside the United States, substitute that "011" with "00."
• All country codes are within parentheses and begin with a "+" sign.
• Avoid road travel outside the Kathmandu Valley unless you have reliable information that you'll be able to travel safely.
• Driving and bus travel is not advised due to poor road conditions and mortar attacks on buses and cars.
• The airports in Nepal are not FAA-approved. Be cautious and keep your belongings nearby at all times.
• Check the United States State Department Web site to view current travel warnings concerning Nepal. See the Resources section below for a link.

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