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Information and maps
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The government
tourist office
at the airport (Sun-Thurs 10am-5pm, 4pm in winter; Fri 10am-3pm) gives out general brochures and can answer only the most straightforward of questions. They're pretty clueless, but may be useful for information on upcoming festivals and public transport. The
Kathmandu Tourist Services Centre
(same hours) has a few more freebies, but it's located in Bhrikuti Mandap, the government's exhibition ground east of the Tudikhel, which is not very close to anything else.
Free magazines such as Nepal Traveller and The Valley Bulletin are probably the best all-around sources of information on tourist services and upcoming events. They're distributed to the bigger hotels, travel agents and supermarkets. For even more current information, as well as advertisements for trekking gear and trekking partners, check the notice boards in many tourist guest houses and restaurants (notably the Kathmandu Guest House and Pumpernickel Bakery). The nonprofit Kathmandu Environmental Education Project (summer Sun-Fri 10am-5pm; winter Mon-Fri 9am-4pm), Himalayan Explorers Club (same office and hours) and Himalayan Rescue Association (Sun-Fri 10am-5pm, closes 4pm in winter) specialize mainly in trekking matters, but staff may be able to help with other travel questions. They also have useful trekking-related notice boards. All are on Jyatha Thamel.
The advertiser-supported city
maps
given away at the airport and tourist offices should suffice for most purposes. More detailed maps, as well as country and trekking maps, are sold in bookshops and by street vendors. One shop, Maps of Nepal, located 300m west of the
Everest Hotel
on the Airport Road, is notable for being the primary sales outlet for a series of extremely high-quality area maps produced by HMG (His Majesty's Government) and FINNAID, the Finnish overseas aid agency. Other useful information
for tourists (each section contains more specific sub-sections): |
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Nepal,
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