Nepal expert Paul Darlow reveals the top five cons and tricks to be aware of while walking the streets of Kathmandu.
The vast majority of people trekking in Nepal will begin their journey in Kathmandu, and typically they will spend a couple of days exploring the city’s sights.
I still vividly remember my first 24 hours in the Nepali capital. It was incredibly fun and exciting, but also rather disorienting. As with all major cities I have been to, a few people try to take advantage of tourists’ confusion. To help avoid becoming a victim, here’s my list of the top five tricks and cons to avoid in Kathmandu.
1. Paying to volunteer at an orphanage
There are undoubtedly a number of grassroots organisations run both by Nepalis and western NGOs that do a fantastic job for their chosen cause, orphanages included. However, there are also a number of ‘orphanages’ which have seemingly been established with the sole objective of obtaining money from tourists in order to fund their owners’ rather lavish lifestyle. Finding out which ones are genuine is not something that can be quickly accomplished – never donate to one without having visited first, and if in doubt walk away.
2. Giving money to beggars
In certain parts of Kathmandu (particularly Thamel and around Pashupatinath Temple), fake beggars try to extract money from tourists.
The two main ways this is done are:
A) A woman with small child in tow loiters outside a Thamel supermarket. She accosts customers and asks for money to buy milk for her child. If you do buy milk, it will likely cost you significantly more than the real price, and she will simply return it to the shop (instead of giving it to her child) once you have gone. Rumour has it that many beggars are managed by others who take a cut of whatever they manage to extract.
B) Fake sadhus – holy men – who ask for money for offering a prayer on your behalf, placing a tika on your head, or having their photo taken.
3. ‘North Face’ clothes
You can’t walk more than about 20 metres in any direction in Thamel without seeing adverts for North Face clothing at extremely cheap prices. Unfortunately, these shops are not presenting you with the bargain of the century! While their garments might be OK for casual use back in the UK, I wouldn’t want to take them trekking in the Himalayas.
4. Haggling
Haggling is, in my opinion, part of the fun of being in Asia. However, it’s difficult to know what a fair price is, and hence what price you should be aiming at in your negotiations. If you’re looking to buy souvenirs, my advice is this: head down to the fixed price shop at the southern end of the main street running north-south through Thamel (the one with the Kathmandu Guest House on it) and find what you want to buy. Take whatever price they’re selling for and aim for around 30 per cent less when haggling with other vendors.
5. Drugs
You can’t walk through Thamel without some rather shady characters whispering “Want something?” or “Hash?” in your ear. Best avoided at all costs.
Paul Darlow manages Nepal Trekking Holidays, a travel blog dedicated to walking holidays in Nepal.
If you’ve been inspired by his tips, you may be interested in one of these Kathmandu travel guides and maps:
- Kathmandu City, Patan and Bhaktapur 1:15,000 map – save 30%
- Kathmandu 1:25,000/1:10,000 map – save 30%!
- Lonely Planet Nepal