The Longest Way Home Travel Blog

Koti Mahadev Mandir is easy to find, but often overlooked! Although it may look like a standard two roofed Newari pagoda temple, Koti Mahadev is worthy of a closer look as it holds a secret in plain sight many overlook. One clue is that the word “Koti” in Nepali means thousands upon thousands. It’s a …

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Thamel is no longer the best backpacker area in Kathmandu For decades the area of Thamel in Kathmandu city was “the” place to stay if you were a backpacker. Even today big media still refers to it as a backpacker hub filled with cheap guesthouses and cafes. This has not been the case for about …

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A historic look at Thamel & the iconic Kathmandu Guest House Is there anywhere else in the world that can rival Thamel for its addictive kaleidoscope of sensory bombardment? The moment you enter its hallowed boundaries you are assaulted from all sides in ways that either want to make you run for your hotel to …

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How easy is it to travel around Nepal? Just arrived in Nepal or planning to go? It’s quite easy to travel around Nepal depending on where and what you want to do. Compared to neighboring India, Nepal is also very safe to travel around with low levels of crime. Likewise compared to it’s northern Neighbor …

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Indra Jatra 2025: Kathmandu’s Largest Festival Guide Following the Gai Jatra festival, Indra Jatra takes center stage in Kathmandu, Nepal. This vibrant week-long celebration is the city’s biggest traditional festival, offering travelers a rare chance to witness Nepal’s rich culture, including the Living Goddesses, the Kumari. Below, find a detailed map of Kathmandu Durbar Square …

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Celebrating Teej in Kathmandu Teej or the festival for women was celebrated today in Nepal. I went along to the celebrations in Kathmandu to give you an idea of what it’s like. Teej or Hartalika Teej is celebrated in August/September throughout Nepal by women. It is a Hindu festival that is also celebrated in North …

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The Nepali medi-vac or helicopter rescue scam has rocked Nepal’s tourism industry Naively I first came across the helicopter rescue scam in 2011. An Italian tourist “suddenly” claimed to have a bad back on his return from Everest Base Camp and was getting a helicopter evacuation. I met him a week later in Kathmandu prancing …

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