The trip of your life: Kathmandu express as a door to the Himalayas

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Nepal is an Asian country that engages.

and begin to meet backpackers who have visited this place six, 10 and even 25 times.

It is a cheap destination despite inflation, the post-pandemic and the

.

In addition, the social pressure is less than in places like India -I know that the comparisons are hateful-.

There are hardly any

and when you come across one, a "no" is enough to make them give up.

Begging is minimal and there is no feeling of hunger on the streets either.

There is poverty, lack of resources, very deficient infrastructure, but the

has managed to guarantee that the majority of its citizens eat at least two daily dishes of

the combo of rice with

.

A cheap, energetic and rich menu, although difficult to digest.

The rest of the ingredients that explain his

are his friendliness, his easy talk, the widespread use of English, the possibility of enjoying eight of

(Everest, Annapurna, Manaslu, Cho Oyu, Kanchenjunga...), access to incredible

and low crime.

A monk, in front of the local classical architecture.J.

FORNIELS.

Spending a couple of days in Kathmandu is usually almost mandatory before starting a mountaineering tour of the country.

If you are moved

, I recommend that you contact a specialized agency via email from Spain -I opted for Asian Hiking Team for its adjusted prices-.

When you contract the

your agent will take your passport and the rest of the data to the ministry to

.

And you will pay the right of way to cross a national park.

In addition, there are circuits, such as Manaslu, in which the Government requires hiring a guide and where the use of a porter is recommended.

Remote sites, with

practically non-existent, where you will need help not to get lost and to be able to understand the owners of the

where you will eat and sleep.

When you've got the trekking red tape done, I recommend squeezing those couple of days into an express tour of Kathmandu.

Start in the Thamel neighborhood, the enclave where backpacker hotels are concentrated - basic prices range between 15 and 30 euros for a double room in low or medium season.

Narrow streets, hundreds of shops with trinkets,

pashminas ,

T-shirts, Nepalese tea, incense... and, above all, a multitude of shops selling imitations of

.

Without a doubt, Kathmandu has become a center for counterfeiting brands such as The North Face, Hard Mountain, Salomon, La Sportiva...

The Himalayas, from Nagarkot, in the Kathmandu Valley.J.

FORNIELS

The copies are very accurate from an aesthetic point of view, but if you have to

I do not recommend that you opt for these products.

If you do, you will see that the

jackets leak, they do not heat, the feathers clump together, the jackets are not suitable for sleeping below zero degrees... In short, it is not worth risking unless you are a big fan of display soulless logos that hide

or conditions of semi-slavery.

As we say in Spain: cheap is expensive!

TIPS FOR BUYING

Of course, if you go shopping, there is

: put aside your feeling of shame or newly rich and haggle.

If you stick with the first, second, or third price, you are being ripped off.

, make a good offer and stick.

If you can't make a deal, walk away from the store and you'll almost certainly have enough to close the sale because the margins are huge.

With the purchases in the suitcase, it is time to launch into monumental tourism.

Strolling through an impossible traffic based on motorcycles, bicycles and cars, you will be able to reach

, the square in front of the old

an enclave dotted with temples and terraces where you will see the city from above.

Access to the square is paid, but the control is very rudimentary because the locals do not have to pay anything.

Street food stall.JF

To move to the next place, the

opt for a taxi and, once again, negotiate the price down.

The taximeter thing is not carried in Kathmandu.

Pashupatinath is the great Hindu center on the banks of the

where corpses are cremated.

A place of prayer dedicated to Shiva where families say goodbye to their relatives in life, local people with their red dots on their foreheads -bindis-, tourists and sadhus, the ascetics with infinite beards dressed in orange or yellow who

to for penance and

to achieve enlightenment.

Some characters that only squeak for one thing: they live by charging for posing for photos, which doesn't seem like a great path to Nirvana, really...

MANTRA RECITAL

The next recommendation is

the pointed structure that climbs into the sky to represent the Buddhist idea of ​​the center of the universe.

Nestled in a large square, it is a meeting point

.

In front of the stupa there is a temple with live music and mantra recital.

If you attend the

, barefoot and sitting like a meditator, they will ask you to register.

After blessing your signature, of course, they will ask you for a financial contribution.

Cremation ceremony at Pashupatimah temple.JF

At sunset, go to

better known as the Monkey Temple.

A Buddhist place of worship perched on a hill that, to the surprise of tourists, is also revered by Hindus.

There, among

that roam free, you will discover the stupa with the eyes and eyebrows of Buddha.

If at the end of your

you return to Kathmandu, I suggest you take the plunge: get away from the capital and spend the night in

a small town at the top of the valley.

From there, you will be able to watch an unforgettable sunset and sunrise in front of

An energetic end to a trip to a country that will not leave you indifferent.

PRACTICAL GUIDE

HOW TO GET.

Emirates is a good option is to fly via Dubai for 1,000 euros.

Turkish Airlines also flies via Istanbul with a longer layover.

Combine a luxury plane with another

WHERE TO SLEEP.

Hotel Thamel.

Nice and well located in the tourist district.

WHAT TO

BUY

Mountain clothing.

Kathmandu sells imitations.

If you want quality, this is not the option.

Pashminas.

An interesting gift.

Better if you bring

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