Nepal - with young DC's?

[ChippaChoc]

Friends of ours are relocating to Nepal for work for a couple of years. They don't have children. They've invited us to stay at some point (we can pick when). They will Be based in Kathmandu.

Anyone been with young ish DCs? Our school will probably be 6 and just 3 by the time we go.

Any tips on where/when/what to see? We could just do a week and see them or go for 3 weeks at Easter / Summer time if weather works.

Kids are good travellers, done lots of long haul but only to western places so far. We are adventurous though so that wouldn't put us off.

Would love to hear others' experiences.

We love Kathmandu. Its the most different place we've been (and we've been to a few!) and one of the few we've paid repeat visits to.

If I'm honest, I'm not sure I'd like taking small children to Kathmandu. The place is crowded - and I mean always touching another person when you're walking crowded. The air pollution and dust and dirt in the air is gross. We both end up with black noses for days after we come home despite using Buffwear things around our necks and over noses and mouths.

If you decide to go, I'd take the 3 weeks. The country is amazing. Chitwan national park has wild tigers and rhinos, and obviously the himalayas is fab. We did the Everest Flight on Christmas Day a couple of years ago and that was awesome. In fact, December is a nice time to go in the city - not too hot, not too cold - around 16 in the day when we were there so light jacket only.

We also went to a place called Dhulikhel, which is around 90 mins from Kathmadu and is in the hills - great if you like nature and walking.

The temples in Kathmandu itself are unbelievable. Oh yes, in fact another thing that may put you off with small children is the monkeys - they're everywhere and they're a pain in the arse. The hotel we stayed at was close to the crematorium on the bagmati river (which is worth a visit), which is overrun by monkeys. The hotel stated that no windows should be opened, as monkeys have been known to get in the rooms and steal belongings.

There is little western food around, so the kids would have to be adventurous eaters. We saw one Dunkin Donuts - no other chains at all. Reason I'm saying that it because, as an allergy sufferer, I know that in the majority of places in the world I can go in a starbucks, a McDs, something like that and definitely eat safely. Kathmandu isn't a place for that - everything is local food.May be an issue for children unless they're really good eaters. Unless you'd be staying at your friends house and cooking the house of course.

Overall its definitely somewhere that you should visit given the opportunity, however I'm really not sure about young children. The country is an amazing place and is in need of people visiting to keep money in the economy after the earthquake.

No experience of this with my own kids, but I went to Nepal as a 10-year-old (so quite some time ago) and had an amazing time. It was my first long-haul trip and bits of it really stuck in my memory. I really remember the amazing temples and feeling in Kathmandu (and my dad remembers me walking around the town at night - a bit ahead of them - fearless and fascinated). We also had a few days in Chitwan, did a river trip somewhere and a day's trekking in the Himalayas (presumably in the foothills of the foothills, but my 10 year old self definitely thought I'd been to the Himalayas!).
I was fine with the food and didn't get ill at all. Looking back I'm amazed, but very grateful, my dad took me (and his mum, who was well into her 70s and that point).
I realise my thoughts about it are all very out of date. I'd also add that staying with your friends, if that's what you're doing, could be a good, easy introduction for the kids to somewhere so different.
We are just planning our first longhaul trip with our own children now and I really want to give them a taste of somewhere non-Western, for a couple of days. For me, the Nepal trip was the start of a lifelong love of travel to Asia.

Thanks for the tips, friends have informed us they will be there for 2-3yrs so we will most likely wait until the end of that time and take a then 5yr old and 8yr old who I think will get more out of it! Bit worried by the illness situation but a lot easier to explain this to them at that age rather than now...

I have seen small (Western) children 'trekking' in Nepal, being the complete centre of attention by locals and spoilt rotten, and having a whale of a time. Not in Kathmandu though. Probably younger though than your children will be.

Definitely go for it though - wonderful opportunity!