Nepal from Kolkata

Getting there from Kolkata

Nonstop flights link Kolkata's Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport with Kathmandu, a hop of roughly an hour and a quarter. Schedules move with the season and with demand, and a route that runs daily in winter can thin out during the monsoon, so confirm timings with the airline before booking anything that cannot be refunded. Morning departures usually land well before dark, which matters if you plan to travel onward the same day. Two carriers may offer the same route at very different hours, so compare departure times.

No nonstop service connects Kolkata with Pokhara. The standard route is CCU to Kathmandu, then a domestic connection onward, with a total journey of roughly three to five hours once the layover is counted. Domestic flights inside Nepal are weather-sensitive, and afternoon departures from Kathmandu can slip in haze or monsoon rain. Give yourself a night in Kathmandu between the two flights rather than gambling on a tight connection, and keep the domestic booking flexible in case the first leg runs late.

Choosing between the cities

Kathmandu suits a first trip. The old royal palace squares, the great stupas at Boudhanath and Swayambhu, and the riverside temple at Pashupatinath sit within a short drive of the centre, and the city works as a base for the Kathmandu Valley's smaller towns. The city rewards more than a couple of days if you want the museums as well as the monuments. Traffic is heavy and the air is often thick, so plan mornings outdoors and afternoons indoors, and allow extra time for any cross-city journey.

Pokhara is the quieter choice. The town spreads along the shore of Phewa Lake with the Annapurna range on the skyline, and it is small enough to walk. It serves as the starting point for treks and for short hill walks to viewpoints above the valley, and boats can be hired on the lake. Days are slower here, the air is cleaner, and there is little of the monument-hopping that fills a Kathmandu itinerary. Add a buffer day if you plan to fly back to Kathmandu to connect.

• Kathmandu: Palace squares, stupas, temples and museums, with the valley towns within easy reach.
• Pokhara: Lake, mountain views and a base for trekking, with far less traffic and cleaner air.
• Both: Fly into Kathmandu, spend a few days there, then connect to Pokhara and return the same way.

When to go

October to March is the settled season, with clear mountain views, dry roads and cool air. December and January bring cold mornings in Kathmandu and fog that can hold up flights, so build slack into any onward plan. February and March warm up steadily and remain comfortable. The weeks around Nepal's Dashain and Tihar festivals, which usually fall in autumn, are the busiest of the year for domestic flights and long-distance buses, so check the current year's dates and book early.

The monsoon runs roughly June to September, with the heaviest rain in July. Trekking routes are quiet and green, but landslides close hill roads, domestic flights are frequently cancelled, and the mountain views disappear. April and May are hot and hazy in the lowlands before the rains break. If the trip is built around mountain views or trekking, aim for the dry months and keep a spare day at the end. The dry months also make the cities easier to walk.

Practical tips

Indian citizens do not need a visa for Nepal, but they do need proof of identity: a valid passport or a voter ID card is normally accepted. Rules on which documents are accepted change from time to time, so check with Nepal's Department of Immigration and with the Indian mission in Kathmandu before travelling. Carry photocopies separately and keep a photograph of the main page on your phone. Visitors of other nationalities should check visa options, including arrival procedures, with the same bodies.

The Nepalese rupee is the local currency, and Indian rupee notes are widely accepted in shops and hotels, though change usually comes back in local notes. Cards work in city hotels and restaurants; carry cash for hill towns, buses and mountain lodges. Book flights and hill accommodation well ahead if you travel around Durga Puja in Kolkata, Diwali or Christmas, when demand from Kolkata rises sharply. Allow a day between a domestic arrival and any international flight.

• Documents: Carry a passport or voter ID card plus photocopies, and confirm accepted documents before travel.
• Money: Card payment works in the cities; keep cash for buses, hill towns and mountain lodges.
• Book ahead: Reserve flights and rooms early when demand peaks around Durga Puja, Diwali and Christmas.
• Weather: Domestic flights in Nepal are often delayed by haze and rain, so keep a buffer day.

Indian citizens do not need a visa for Nepal; carry a valid passport or voter ID card (check the current accepted documents before travel).

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