Kathmandu

Where to stay

Thamel is where most budget travelers land, but the southern end near Chhetrapati and Jyatha has cheaper beds and less noise than the streets around Tridevi Marg. Freak Street, down by Basantapur Durbar Square, runs about half the price per night and puts you a five-minute walk from Asan Tole, where locals actually shop.

Getting around

• Use the prepaid taxi booth inside the arrivals hall at Tribhuvan Airport. Rates are fixed and posted on a board. Walk past every driver who approaches you before you reach it.
• Dal bhat and momos around Asan Tole and Indra Chowk cost under 200 NPR. The same meal at a Thamel restaurant aimed at tourists runs three times that.
• Book trekking permits and TIMS cards at the Nepal Tourism Board office on Bhrikuti Mandap yourself. You pay the same government rate and skip the commission a hostel fixer will add.

When to go

October and November are the priciest months, when post-monsoon skies clear and trekkers fill every dorm in Thamel. June through August, during monsoon, is when rates drop 30 to 40 percent and you can usually walk in without a reservation.