Short visit in June 2015 to see friends in Kathmandu.


Six weeks after the big earthquake of 25th April 2015 life in Kathmandu is largely back to normal, with hotels, shops, restaurants and other businesses running basically normally.

The damage in Kathmandu was not as extensive as might have been implied by the media coverage, although indeed a number of buildings have collapsed. Some of the UNESCO-designated World Heritage sites (Durbar Square, Swayambhunath and Boudhanath Buddhist stupas) have been partly damaged and these will certainly take a lot of time, money and effort to rebuild. Some places around Kathmandu (Bhaktapur, Changu Narayan temple, Sankhu village) suffered more substantial damage.

As the Nepali people are starting to rebuild their houses, homes and lives, what they really need is the opportunity to do business. And tourism is the major business for Nepal.

Kathmandu remains an attractive destination despite the damage. The various sites in and around Kathmandu are certainly worth visiting and photographing.

Mountain trekking/climbing are a significant element of the Nepal tourism industry. The main trekking regions/routes (Everest treks, Annapurna treks) are open and fine, with most of the teahouses (hotels) open. Some popular regions (Langtang, Manaslu, Rolwaling) have been badly affected and teahouse trekking there will most likely not be possible for a few years. But even there camping treks should be possible as early as next year (2016). And it is exactly the people in these areas that will need the tourists' money most.

The more challenging trails (Kanchenjunga, Makalu, Dolpo, Dhaulagiri, Upper Mustang) were relatively unaffected.

Clearly this year's post-monsun tourist season, starting in late September will be an important one for Nepal.

More information:

- aftershocks: National Seismological Centre of the Nepal Ministry of Industry.