Ancient cities
Bursting with colour, people, sounds and life is the capital Kathmandu. With over 2,000 years of history, it is the perfect location to give you a taste of what Nepal has to offer. At the heart of the city is the historic UNESCO World Heritage Site, Durbar Square. This square is filled with ancient palaces, temples and devotees. Another UNESCO World Heritage Site is the Swayambhunath, also known as the monkey temple. Apart from its fascinating architecture, this Buddhist temple offers a panoramic view of the city.
12 kilometres away from Kathmandu is Bhaktapur, nicknamed ‘Nepal’s cultural gem’ and ‘City of culture’, among others. It is considered Nepal’s best preserved ancient city with more temples than Kathmandu and Patan. Beyond its temples, Bhaktapur is also known for its colourful festivals, traditional lifestyle, artwork and craft work. Book cheap flights to Nepal via Kathmandu to explore both cultural and vibrant cities.
Trekking and pie
For those who love to hike or are looking to trek the landscape and mountains, the Annapurna Region is a popular destination. It offers several routes crossing rural villages, snow-capped Himalayan mountain peaks and green valleys. The Annapurna Circuit is known as one of the best treks in the world, and takes 17 to 21 days to complete. Best of all, the Kagbeni to Marpha section is known for its teahouses offering homemade apple pie, thus earning it the nickname ‘apple pie trek’.
When to go
Nepal has five different climatic zones and four main seasons, apart from the monsoon season which takes place in summer. Its five climate zones vary by elevation, starting with tropical and subtropical zones at the lowest elevations, then progressing to temperate and subalpine climates and ending at the Alpine zone. Wet season is from June to September and dry season from October to June.
Spring and autumn have the best climate for visiting Nepal. Temperatures in spring average 22 degrees Celsius while in autumn they can reach up to 25 degrees Celsius. This makes both seasons popular times for hiking and trekking activities. In addition, autumn comes after the monsoon season which means that the skies are clear and perfect for mountain visibility.
However, autumn marks the first tourist season and spring is the second, which means more crowds and higher prices. Look for savings by booking months in advance or finding last-minute deals if you travel during these seasons. Winter is a cheaper time to travel, with fewer crowds and clear skies. The weather is cold but pleasant, although temperatures drop significantly at night and in the mountains. Summer is also low season with temperatures that can reach up to 30 degrees Celsius or above.
Airports and airlines
To begin your search for great deals on Nepal flights, just type in your departing city and destination and apply your travel dates to the calendar. Sort by ‘low to high price’ and compare rates and routes across airlines. For even better prices, click on ‘Flexible dates’ and obtain the cheapest days of travel.
Netflights lets you find flights to Nepal with a number of popular airlines, including British Airways, Cathay Pacific, China Southern Airlines, Emirates Airlines, Etihad Airways, Jet Airways, Lufthansa, Malaysia Airlines, Oman Air, Qatar Airlines and Thai Airways. Filter your results by airlines by finding and selecting your preferred carrier.
Flights departing to Nepal from the UK stop over at cities like Bangkok, Dubai, Kuala Lumpur, Mumbai, Muscat and Qatar. International flights arrive at Nepal’s Tribhuvan International Airport, located just four miles from Kathmandu city centre. From there you can travel to other top destinations in Nepal like Bhaktapur, Pokhara and Patan.