Can you fly from Nepal to Thailand?

breadmonkey

We're planning on going Inida-Nepal-Thailand and I'm just wondering will we need to fly back to India in order to get to Thailand or can we do something like Kathmandu-Bangkok?

If the answer is no I presume we'd be better off going Nepal-India-Thailand to avoid double entry visas and general back tracking?

Aurora Borealis

Think Thai Air International do...
Sounds like a deadly trip!

breadmonkey

Aurora Borealis wrote: »

Think Thai Air International do...
Sounds like a deadly trip!

Yep that did it, thanks!

RATM

You've 2 options and neither are cheap. Thai Air or Air Nepal. If you go with Air Nepal theres a good chance the plane will take off late, arrive late or not take off at all. They are notorious and best avoided. Thai Air are far better. Both charge around US$250 one way if you buy it in Kathmandu. Going back to India and onto Bangkok would probably cost about the same, maybe a bit more.

Whats the plan in Nepal? Going to be out that way again later in the summer....cant wait, its a superb country.

breadmonkey

RATM wrote: »

You've 2 options and neither are cheap. Thai Air or Air Nepal. If you go with Air Nepal theres a good chance the plane will take off late, arrive late or not take off at all. They are notorious and best avoided. Thai Air are far better. Both charge around US$250 one way if you buy it in Kathmandu. Going back to India and onto Bangkok would probably cost about the same, maybe a bit more.

Whats the plan in Nepal? Going to be out that way again later in the summer....cant wait, its a superb country.

When I checked earlier on the Thai Air website it was quoting me ~50,000 NPR which is about €500 (going by the exchange rate on xe.com) for Kathmandu - Bangkok. Needless to say, that's going to be a problem. We're still not sure whether to book a RTW flight ticket or just buy as we go. Would that particular flight be possible under a bog standard RTW ticket from, say, Trailfinders? (I know I could just ask them but we haven't decided everywhere we're going yet).

Delhi - Bangkok is about €300 for the same date (30th September). Is it difficult/possible to get to Delhi from Nepal overland? (Kathmandu - Delhi quoted as a whopping €1000 and takes 31 hours!!!).

Plan for Nepal is to go trekking around the place as that seems to be the thing to do! We've been reading through the LP guide to trekking in Nepal and it looks incredible. I'm pretty excited about this leg of the journey.

I take it you've been there before; any advice? At the moment we're thinking 4 weeks. Although we're planning to do a fair bit of trekking, we wouldn't consider ourselves particularly hardcore and will probably be sticking to the easier lodge to lodge treks.

RATM

breadmonkey wrote: »

When I checked earlier on the Thai Air website it was quoting me ~50,000 NPR which is about €500 (going by the exchange rate on xe.com) for Kathmandu - Bangkok. Needless to say, that's going to be a problem. We're still not sure whether to book a RTW flight ticket or just buy as we go. Would that particular flight be possible under a bog standard RTW ticket from, say, Trailfinders? (I know I could just ask them but we haven't decided everywhere we're going yet).

Delhi - Bangkok is about €300 for the same date (30th September). Is it difficult/possible to get to Delhi from Nepal overland? (Kathmandu - Delhi quoted as a whopping €1000 and takes 31 hours!!!).

Plan for Nepal is to go trekking around the place as that seems to be the thing to do! We've been reading through the LP guide to trekking in Nepal and it looks incredible. I'm pretty excited about this leg of the journey.

I take it you've been there before; any advice? At the moment we're thinking 4 weeks. Although we're planning to do a fair bit of trekking, we wouldn't consider ourselves particularly hardcore and will probably be sticking to the easier lodge to lodge treks.

Id say you probably could get to Nepal on a RTW as Thai Airways should be part of some airline alliance. Doubt if Royal Nepal are tho'.

Alot of the time buying tickets like that out of the country you are flying from will cost an arm and a leg, like 500 euro one way Kathmandu to Bangkok is crazy money. If you bought it in Kathmandu its around $250 which I guess with the exchange rate on euro isnt too bad, probably about 175 or so.

You can go overland from Kathmandu to Delhi and I could well believe it would take 31 hours, once you are near the border the roads turn to sh1t and buses go real slow. One option most ppl would take is to break the journey up in Varanassi and go see the funeral cremations on the Ganges for a day or two and then head onwards. You can get a train from Delhi to Varanassi so it wouldn't be too uncomfortable. After that Varanassi-Kathmandu is about 14-16 hours on a bus.I flew that route instead ( I went Delhi-Kath)and I bought a one way in Delhi for about 150 euro, 1000 is way off the mark!

If you need to save money on getting from Delhi to Bangkok then theres a way it can be done. Buy a one way in Delhi with Biman Bangladesh Airlines, around 180 or so. It involves a one night stopover in Dhaka, Bangladesh and the airline picks up the hotel and the transfer to it. Dont expect the Ritz though:D

As far as trekking goes Nepal has some of the best in the world. I did the Annapurna trek and Im going back to do the Everest Base Camp trek later this summer. The Annapurna sounds perfect for you ( The EBC involves getting flights in and out of Lukla). Its by far the best trek Ive ever done, the range of scenery is simply stunning. It takes around 14-16 days and you can take it at your own pace as there's tea houses to stop off in at least every hour. That way if you get tired you can just pull up for the night and chill. Some ppl take a 3-4 weeks to do this trek, stopping in scenic villages just to chill for a couple of days and then moving on.
It starts from a lovely town called Pokhara which has loads of trekking shops so you can stock up on any gear you might need there. They've all got the same fake North Face jackets, boots, etc for filthy cheap prices. On the trek itself you'll do well to spend more than 5 euro a day, beds are 1-2 and meals are just as cheap. You'll meet lots of other ppl on the trek and probably end up staying in the same tea houses and having a few beers at night.

Because Nepal has the highest mountains in the world it also has the best rivers. The white water rafting there is world class. Try to get a 2-3 day trip on the Bote Kosi river. Your timing has to be right though, the season starts around end of Sept/start of October. Before that the monsoon makes the rivers into death traps.


Whatever you do dont miss Nepal,I cant recommend it highly enough. One lad I met there was on his 17th holiday in 22 years to Nepal which goes to show how much ppl like it. For mountains and scenery its hard to beat and the ppl are just awesome too.And I say that after one of them nicked my camera:-) Ive been to dozens of countries and I generally never go back to a place Ive been before. But for Nepal Im making an exception....

breadmonkey

Thanks a mil, some great information there.

Well we're doing the trip one way or another so it might be a case of burying our heads in the sand and hoping the flights work out! Neither of us have any real qualms about long journeys/waiting times/etc. if it makes things lighter on the pocket so hopefully that'll stand to us.

We actually happen to have a book about trekking in the Annapurnas ('A Nepalese Journey : On Foot Around The Annapurnas' - Andrew Stevenson) so I guess I'll start reading that. It's loaded with incredible pictures. I just hope I get to see the same things!

I googled Bote Kosi to found out it's location and this is the first image in the search, lol

bloody red face

Still, I'm well up for it and from what you're saying we could probably do it towards the end of our trip (end of September). Are the operators reputable (read 'safe')? Also, I couldn't find the river on a map, where is it?!

RATM

Im not 100% sure the Bote Kosi will be open by the end of Sept, it opened on the 10th October when I was there but it all depends on the monsoon.If it finishes early then they can open the river. If the water is too high going down this thing would be suicide, theres a few grade 4 rapids on it and even a 5 so they'll only run trips when its safe to do so. Its around about 150 miles from Kathmandu and most operators do a 2 or 3 day trip with camping beside the river in permanent tent sites.

If its not open there are literally loads of other rivers near Kathmandu that will be. Its just the Bote Kosi is world famous in rafting terms so if its open when u are there then go for it, you'll have quite an adventure. Still though if its not you'll still have a good time on other rivers, all that melting ice and snow in the Himalayas has to end up somewhere....

I used an operator called the Last Resort for rafting, you can stay with them too. They had excellent safety briefings and they had 2x Safety Kayakers to each raft so if you fell in these lads would rescue you fairly sharpish.
If you dont mind spending a little extra and would like a wee bit of luxury then this place is great, its up near the border with Tibet.
They also have a bungy jump and a canyon swing too. They have packages that combine all of the above for cheaper than you would do this stuff in New Zealand. Its a cool place with a sauna, hot tub and spa and its only around 20 euro a night to stay there. Its just what I needed after completing the Annapurna Circuit, a bit of luxury for a couple of days:D

http://www.thelastresort.com.np/rafting.htm

breadmonkey

It just gets better and better.....:)

How long do you think we should stay if wanted to do the Annapurna trek as a leisurely pace and a week or so in The Last Resort? As I said previously, we were thinking 4 weeks in Nepal but we aren't in any particular hurry anywhere.

Also, about the trek itself: do you generally do a loop starting and finishing in Pokhara or what? I only ask because that Thorong La pass looked a bit, eh, "snowy"!

EDIT: What's the craic with a visa for Nepal? I think I read somewhere that you could get one on entry. I searched this forum but it just gave me every thread with the word "Visa" in it so you can imagine that wasn't too helpful!

Thanks

RATM

Regarding the visa, yes, you get one at the airport on entry. It is US$35 and you can only pay cash in US$ so make sure to have it on you when before you fly. They'll have change but try to have the exact amount. Also you have an option of a 30 or 60 day visa. Make sure to ask for the 60 day one otherwise they'll lump you with a 30 days and getting extensions can be hassle you dont need on holiday.

As regards time there well heres an estimate
Kathmandu -3 days -theres some good temples to see, one with monkeys hopping around it. You can see funeral cremations beside the river in Pashunipath, listen out to hear the heads pop:eek:Also the nearby towns of Bhaktapur and Patan are well worth a day trip

Then spend the next day getting to Pokhara and another day in Pokhara getting ready to leave on the trek. Put yourself down as doing it in 16 days but it could be 14. Then spend another full day relaxing by the lake in Pokhara before getting back to Kath.

Next day head up to the Last Resort, use 2 days for rafting if the river is open. Make sure to ask this when booking in Kath ( The Last Resort have a small office in Thamel, the tourist area of Kath.). After that maybe spend 2/3 nights relaxing in the Last Resort and then make your way back to Kathmandu. After that maybe spend one more day there just chilling and checking out the markets, buy a yak's wool jacket, etc:pac:

So thats kinda 30 or so days. Another thing you might look into is a trip to Chitiwan National Park. Its got loads of elephants and a few tigers ( although there's no guarantee you'll see the tigers, its a big park so they've plenty of places to hide ).

Regarding the trek, it can be done as a loop running anti-clockwise starting about 25 miles from Pokhara ( minibuses go there in the mornings ). The Throng La is high alright , 17,900ft up to be precise. It can snow at any time of the year because of the height but its unlikely in September. Make sure to take a day off and acclimatise before heading over it or you could get altitude sickness. Its hard breathing up there but the view right the way down countless valleys and up to snow covered peaks all around you is well worth it.

There is an 8 day version of it too,its done clockwise and you walk all the way up to Jomsen half way round the loop but you dont go over the Throng La- you either head back and retrace your steps or you can fly back from Jomsen for around 50 euro.
TBH the best scenery is on the other side so if you have the will go for the full loop. Also by doing the loop after you get over the Throng La pass its all mildly downhill for the last 5/6 days, its a grand stroll:)

Oh yeah and when flying out of Kathmandu to Bangkok make sure to specifically ask for window seats on the left hand side ( as youre facing forward ) so you can get a full view of the Himalayas and Mount Everest.

breadmonkey

Nice one thanks.

That 17,900ft is a bit of a bollocks though insurance-wise.

breadmonkey

Ahem. Just reading a bit more about Throng La and not entirely sure if it;s such a good idea for an inexperienced trekker. Or am I just being a pu$$y?

EDIT: Actually, if the altitude is the only problem then maybe it's not so bad. Obviously we'd take plemty of time to acclimatise.

lemon_of_old

Sorry to hijack this thread, but RATM did you do the trek with a trekking company or just on your own? And which way of doing it would you recommend? Thanks, man it just sounds so wicked.

RATM

Breadmonkey- as it is a mountain pass and not an actual mountain summit you are climbing it is not dangerours in that respect and anyone with common sense and some treking experience can get over it. The trail at the top of the pass is wide, there is no dodgy ridge walking to be done at all.The biggest worry of it is altitude, which affects about 15% of people in someway or other. You can be the worlds fittest person and still get altitude sickness. Or you can be a smoker like me and not get it at all, its just pot luck, I think its a genetic thing. You'll never know if you are prone to it until you go to those heights so the only thing is to get on with it and hope you are one of the 85% of ppl who are not susceptible. For me Im glad I did it cause now that I know I can trek at altitude I can plan other things like Mount Kilimanjaro without worrying whether Im going to be ok or not.

As regarding insurance well I took my risks on that, I did have it but I was only covered to 12,000ft. To cover me to 18,000ft they wanted an extra few hundred euro. My logic was that I was only going to be walking above 12,000ft for four days so I was willing to take that risk. If something did happen the local villagers would be on hand to help you out, its not unheard of for local Nepalese to literally carry injured ppl to the nearest town. And I figured if I broke a leg or something then I could pay the local porters to stretcher me back down to 12,000ft and then ring the insurance company to send in a helicopter:D

Lemon_of_Old -yeah I did this trek with no assistance. I carried my own pack all the way around. Of course with all the Tea Houses along the way selling all manner of stuff from Snickers bars to Tomato Soup theres no need to carry any food which makes life a whole lot easier. So I just had 2 changes of clothes and a warm hoody for the evenings and a sleeping bag for nighttime. My pack was v.light, probably 8-10 kilos so carrying it wasn't a problem.

Some ppl do get porters or whats called porter-guides. A porter will carry your pack but there is a good chance he wont speak english. He'll expect to be paid around $5 USD a day. A porter-guide will carry your bag, speak english and if hes any good he'll have done the trek loads of times before and be able to advise you what to expect throughout the following day or info about local flora and fauna.He'll expect 8-10 US$ a day and a tip at the end. If theres a group of you a porter guide can be well worth the few quid, if you get a good one they are great company and will give you a chance to really get to know a local well over 2 weeks of walking.

Any travel agencies in Kathmandu or Pokhara have a list of porter guides that they use and they can sort it out for you. About 50% of people on this trek use a porter of some description. For me, I prefer to do these things independently. But one thing is you can pick up local porters more or less anywhere along the trail ($5USD is alot of money to these guys so theres no lack of volunteers) So in theory you can start the trek without one and then if you are finding the going tough just ask at a tea house do they know any porters and they'll help you out. One other thing to bear in mind is that you are also responsible for the porters transport costs- ie to and from the trailhead. If you were only doing the 8 day version of the Annapurna trek you would then have to pay for your porters flight back to Pokhara as well as your own.

breadmonkey

I actually have the feeling as if I'm sponging loads of notes off someone in college!

I guess it might be a good idea to do some sort of pre Nepal trekking here to see if we can hack it. Might find out a few good ones in the outdoor pursuits forum.

RATM

:D:D

Not sure what part of Ireland you are in but if you are in or around Dublin then take a trip down to Glendalough in Wicklow and do the Spink walk. Its only around 3-4 hours but if you do the loop anti-clockwise it will give you a good climb to get up to the top.

The Annapurna is a long hard walk but trust me, most of it is in the head, not the legs, its just convincing yourself you can make it and you will. It seems daunting at first, 220kms, up to 18,000ft, etc but you knock little chunks off that day by day and before you know it you're at the top of the Throng La with an easy 5 day downhill stroll to finish and take you back to Pokhara.

It would be an idea to be reasonably fit but theres no need for any serious gym training. I smoke 20 a day and I wouldnt call myself anywhere near super fit but still made it with no problems. Of course the first day is the hardest as you're just not used to walking up and down hills for 5-6 hours a day but with plenty of breaks you'll do fine. At the end of the trek you'll have a wonderful sense of achievement for what you've just done and you'll most likely wonder what it was that you were worried about in the first place. It was this way for me and others who completed it.

Just go for it, you wont regret it:D

breadmonkey

We were thinking about doing some of the Wicklow Way. Might get us prepared for walking for a few days in succession. We do live in Dublin so might check out this "Spink" walk as well.

About The Last Resort: was just on the website there and had a look at the guest book. Pretty much all the entries date back to 2005 which seems a bit strange. When were you there?

RATM

Yeah AFAIK the Wicklow Way passes thru Glendalough, the Spink walk might even be a part of the Wicklow Way, theres a few trails around those parts. A 2 or 3 day soiree is a good idea, it would give you a good indication if you're going to like it or not.

I was in the Last Resort in October 2006. Im not sure about their guestbook, try emailing them if you think somethings up. It was a fairly popular place when I was there, plenty staying so Id be surprised if they're closed but check to be sure.

Hope it all goes well for you man, whatever way you decide to go Im sure you'll have a ball.... I always did:pac:

JAGM77

Hello,

I would love to hear what your pack list was?

Cheers,

JAGM

RATM

Pack List

Shorts
Waterproof Treking Trousers
2xSweat Tshirts ( the type with loads of holes, great for breathability )
Treking Boots
Sandals for wearing in the evenings
Sleeping Bag
Headlamp
Map & Compass
Socks & Jocks
Water bottle
Iodine ( to purify river, glacier and stream water )
Travel First Aid Kit
Whistle ( always carry when treking alone in case you fall and need help )
Warm hoodie for night time
Peaked Hat for sunny days
Beanie for night time
Sunscreen
Swiss Army Knife
Book

....et voila !

You can buy all that gear in Kathmandu or Pokhara for dirt cheap- its all fake North Face/Colombia stuff but its surprisingly good and should last at least two major treks. Make sure to buy boots at home though and break them in:)

Amazotheamazing

What a great thread, thanks RATM and Breadmonkey. You've really settled my nerves about my upcoming journey there.

Just a quick question to ask how the rafting worked out and would you recommend it? It's something I really, really want to do. What was the cost?

RATM

Id definitely say do rafting in Nepal -its one of the best places in the world in which to do it. Think about it- if you have the worlds biggest mountains then by right you'll have some of the worlds best rivers with raging torrents and no lack of rafting opportunities.

There's loads of rafting options in Kathmandu travel agencys -from afternoon trips to full on 8-10 day expeditions. If I remember correctly a full day out on a river near Kathmandu was around US$50. The river will most likely be the Sun Kosi. After that it only goes upward in price.

Most important thing about a rafting trip is to ask how many safety kayakers will there be per raft. It should be at least 1 per raft but 2 is better. 1 for 2 rafts would be unacceptabe.

This company Ultimate Descents has operations on New Zealands rivers as well as Nepal. They are very professional but you will pay a premium over cheaper operators for this. Their website should give you an idea of what to expect.
http://udnepal.com/

Amazotheamazing

RATM wrote: »

Id definitely say do rafting in Nepal -its one of the best places in the world in which to do it. Think about it- if you have the worlds biggest mountains then by right you'll have some of the worlds best rivers with raging torrents and no lack of rafting opportunities.

There's loads of rafting options in Kathmandu travel agencys -from afternoon trips to full on 8-10 day expeditions. If I remember correctly a full day out on a river near Kathmandu was around US$50. The river will most likely be the Sun Kosi. After that it only goes upward in price.

Most important thing about a rafting trip is to ask how many safety kayakers will there be per raft. It should be at least 1 per raft but 2 is better. 1 for 2 rafts would be unacceptabe.

This company Ultimate Descents has operations on New Zealands rivers as well as Nepal. They are very professional but you will pay a premium over cheaper operators for this. Their website should give you an idea of what to expect.
http://udnepal.com/

that's brilliant man, thanks very much.