Your Himalaya, planned by locals

A local guide to Thamel, Kathmandu's main visitor district: its history, how the streets fit together, walks to Asan and Durbar Square, honest shopping tips, food, live music, staying safe at night and what to sort out when you arrive.

How Vipassana works in Lumbini, Nepal: the Goenka course at Dhamma Janani, individual Mahasi retreats at Panditarama, how to apply, the rules in each centre's own words, the Meditation Pass, weather by month and how to get there.

Nepal in May: a hot Terai, warm valleys with afternoon storms and the last month of spring trekking. Weather by station, haze and an early monsoon, quieter trails, the Everest summit window, Buddha Jayanti 2027 and how to handle the heat.

Dhulikhel is a Newar hill town on the eastern rim of the Kathmandu Valley. How high it is, how to get there, the sunrise view point, the Namobuddha walk and monastery, Panauti, the weather, the best months and how it compares with Nagarkot and Chandragiri.

Can you still trek alone in Nepal? NTB's revised trekking rule, the Khumbu municipality's different position, the March 2026 change for restricted areas, and practical safety steps for anyone weighing a solo trek.

How Lumbini's monastic zone is laid out, which Buddhist temple to see first, every East and West zone monastery by the Lumbini Development Trust's name, what is still being built, getting around, what to wear and the daily fee. Checked 31 October 2026.

What a Nepal trekking guide and a porter actually do, how guide licences work, the 2023 guide rule and the Everest region dispute, TAAN's standard wages, how much a porter should carry, and how to check that porters are looked after.

Lumbini to Kathmandu by air or by road: flight times to Bhairahawa by airline, buses from Gongabu, the route via Mugling and Narayangadh, late October 2026 road news, how long to stay, the heat, Buddha Jayanti and the trip back.