Traveling | A Glimpse of Thamel Kathmandu

© 2013 Wazari Wazir | Thamel | Kathmandu | Nepal

I just wanted to share with you a random shot taken around Thamel area on our last day in Kathmnadu before flying back home the next day on November 22nd 2012. I really don’y have much time exploring this a area for truly photographic purpose, undoubtedly Thamel will be a heaven for street photographers but even though we stay in Thamel, most of our times here are spending doing the necessary work getting the trekking permit and getting some of our trekking gear because the number one purpose we are here in Neal is for trekking.

In Thamel we stay at Annapurna Guest House , just a simple budget hotel for travellers like us. Just like any other hotel in this area they arrange your trekking permit, sightseeing and can also arrange a trip to Tibet and Bhutan, actually Thamel is a backpackers heaven especially to those of you who like adventurous kind of retreat.

There are plenty of hotels to choose from and internet cafes are abound in case you wanted to get in touch with your love one but most of the hotels here also offer free WiFi service for their customers. For Malaysian travellers they can exchange their RM to Nepalese rupee here, so if you afraid that you might need something to buy, then you better carry some extra RM with you.

If you wanted to busy trekking equipment, this is the place and to those of you who are looking for a wide range of down jackets, thermal wear, backpacks, trekking pole, this is the place, yes some of them or most of them are not original brand, an imitation but from what I can see, it is good quality, good enough to withstand the ever changing cold mountain weather.

Back in Malaysia, it is very hard to get a nice looking down jacket, I mean nice looking down jacket for “Photography Purpose.” Something that will stand out from the crowd, a striking colours. Anyway we are just wanted to do some trekking and not climb a Mount Everest, so we don’t really need some serious mountain wear. Something that will keep us warm enough to walk comfortably is good enough for us and we don’t plan to do trekking few times in a year. My point is that, those cheap down jacket will serves its purpose on the mountain.

Nepal Map

To those of you who plan to do some trekking in the Himalaya, I will suggest to you to spend two to three days here to prepare for your trekking permit and get some of your trekking equipment here and do some sightseeing around Kathmandu before you head to the mountain. If you wanted to do the Annapurna Circuit, it will took around five to six hours by road from Kathmandu to Besisahar , the starting point of your Annapurna Circuit.

On the other hand if you choose to do the Langtang trek, it will take around nine hours by bus or by 4X4 to reach Syabrubesi the starting point of Langtang Trek. Langtang may appear closer to Kathmandu than Annapurna but due to bad road condition, it will took approximately nine hours or more to cover approximately 130 KM from Kathmandu to Syabrubesi.

Anyway most travelers will start their journey in Thamel, so I just wanted to share with you just a glimpse of Thamel and hopefully  next time, I can spent more time discovering this so called travellers heaven.