Nepal is a country most people have heard of, primarily due to Mt. Everest being located there. There is a lot more to Nepal than Mt. Everest and Kathmandu. About 200 km west of Nepal’s capital lies its second largest city, Pokhara.

Pokhara – Nepal’s second city and trekking hotspot

When we were mapping out our Nepal itinerary, we had always planned to go to Pokhara. We just weren’t sure for how long or what we would do there. After completing three enjoyable days in Kathmandu, we headed to Pokhara.

There are two ways to get between Nepal’s two biggest cities. You can go by road which requires a bus or a private taxi. Driving in Nepal is not recommended, hence the taxi. The other option is to fly. The bus between the two cities will take about ten hours to travel the 200 km. The traffic congestion along with the never-ending road work and restaurant/nature breaks, means your average speed is 20 km/hr for ten hours. That sounds painful. A private taxi will take about 6 – 7 hours and cost more than a flight. There are about 20 – 30 flights each way every day and they only take about 30 minutes.

Flying vs Driving between cities

We opted to fly on Yeti Airlines. Despite the flight being a bit late, were pleased with our decision. Once we started exploring Pokhara, we realized it was a special place. It has a more laid-back vibe than its larger neighbour and was a lot quieter. We were surprised by the sheer number of hotels in and around the Lake District, which is the area we were staying in. Most of the hotels were very empty as we were here in the “off-season”. Things do not start to pick up until March when the weather gets warmer.

Our hotel was great and, the manager, who arranged excursions for us was awesome. We outlined what we wanted to do and were quoted prices that were better than what I had seen online. There was a one day driving trip to some of the local “highlights” and must see’s. Of course, our overnight hike, as detailed in our previous post was a great memory.

Yoga in Nepal seemed natural

We also did a yoga class, it only seemed fitting to do one in Nepal. It was a private class, not that we wanted a private class, however we were the only people who showed up. The view of the lake in the morning sun was awesome. The class was just meh.

After eight days in Pokhara, we returned to Kathmandu, via Yeti airlines and this time we were appreciative of their tardiness. Our flight was scheduled for a 13:40 departure. We arrived at the airport at 12:00 and were told our flight was delayed by an hour. Then, despite it being noon, we asked if we could go on the 11:30 flight. That flight was also an hour late, now departing at 12:30. As it is a small airport, dropping of luggage as close to 10 minutes in advance is fine. There was no charge for this flight change (take note Air Canada). Clear weather gave us to wonderful mountain views while flying. It is, however, a bit disconcerting to be flying so close to the tops of various hills. I guess the pilots do this enough they know what they are doing.

We spent our last day and a half wandering around Kathmandu enjoying life. We also acquired some souvenirs that we likely did not need. As we wound down our time, we headed to the airport for what we could only describe as the biggest airport cluster I have ever seen.

The biggest airport cluster ever

We left downtown at 8:30 PM for our 11:30 PM overnight flight. Arriving at the airport at 8:50, we stared, in horror, at the mass confusion and chaos that was Kathmandu’s airport. We had difficulty exiting our taxi due to the sheer number of people crowding the curb and sidewalk. We waded through the huge crowds towards the terminal, only to arrive at a long line to get into the terminal. Prior to entering, you had to show your boarding passr. 

We located our check-in gate and joined what could only be described as a throng. There was no order and we waited about 45 minutes to drop our luggage off. Then we headed to the escalator to go towards the gates. That line was five minutes long, however, we needed to show our boarding passes and passports to get on the escalator. From here, it was 75 minutes in the immigration line. If you overstay your visa, there is a fine. Everyone, including Nepali residents, are “stamped” out when leaving Nepal.

Security may not meet North American standards

As the immigration line moved at a glacial pace, I thought it would mean no line-ups at security. I then recalled something from my recent post – “never assume”. The line for security, while shorter, was still painfully slow. In Nepal, there is really no point in emptying your pockets. I went through the scanner and did not “beep”. I was still searched. My ½ filled water bottle in my backpack went through without issues. 

After exiting security, well past the time for boarding, we located our gate. Lining up at our gate, we waited another 15 minutes for a bus to take us 200 meters to the plane. Shortly after boarding, the Captain came on and said there were still people in the immigration line and we would be delayed a bit. Taking off at 00:10, 40 minutes late, we headed to Kuala Lumpur (KL), arriving only 15 minutes late. KL’s airport was an ultra-modern, beautiful airport with high end shops and spotlessly clean facilities. We had a short layover then on to Penang.

Our time in Nepal was wonderful and we have put it down on the list of places to visit again. The warmth of the people, the scenery as well as the value all make it a top destination. The air quality and difficulty getting as well as the absolute gong show of flying out of there, are the only drawbacks. Pokhara’s air is better than Kathmandu’s and we like Pokhara more than its noisy neighbour.

Thanks for reading, we’ll post more later this week.

Feel free to leave any comments or ask any questions.

Cam and Meg