Thamel

Thamel has been the centre of tourism in Kathmandu for more than four decades, ever since the hippie era, when artists and travellers would stay for weeks at a time. Its name is linked to Tha Bahi, a Newar monastery courtyard, and the old neighbourhood still sits close to the historic core: Kathmandu Durbar Square is about 1.4 km to the south. Today it is the place where most visitors stay on their first nights in Kathmandu, and for many trekkers it acts as a base camp, with backpackers filling its budget hotels before setting off for Everest Base Camp and other routes.

The appeal is in walking the narrow lanes. Shops sell trekking and climbing gear, woollens, clothing, handicrafts, music and souvenirs, alongside travel agencies, bookshops, grocery stores and money exchange counters. If you are preparing for a trek, this is where you can buy or rent equipment, find a travel agency and pick up last-minute supplies.

After dark Thamel becomes the centre of Kathmandu's nightlife, with cafes, pubs, clubs and bars with live music, and restaurants serving Nepali, Tibetan and international food. Several of the bars and restaurants listed elsewhere in this guide, such as Purple Haze Rock Bar, Reggae Bar, Third Eye and Pumpernickel Bakery, are in Thamel. Thamel also has bookshops, temples and massage parlours tucked among the guesthouses, and the dance bars on some streets can look rowdy on a first visit.

The lanes are shared by cars, taxis, motorbikes and cycle rickshaws as well as large crowds of pedestrians, so walk on the edges and stay alert, particularly at junctions. The area also has private clinics, such as Overseas Friendship International Hospital and Thamel Clinic, that treat visitors who fall ill and can provide paperwork for international insurance claims, which is reassuring before or after a trek. Thamel suits budget travellers, trekkers and first-time visitors who want everything close at hand.

From Thamel you can walk south through the market squares of Asan and Indra Chowk to Kathmandu Durbar Square, following the old trade route through the city. The Garden of Dreams sits at the entrance to the neighbourhood, and the Narayanhiti Palace Museum is just beyond it, so a half day on foot covers several sights without a taxi.