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Voykit pocket guide · Nepal
Bandipur
बन्दीपुर
One night on the Kathmandu–Pokhara road: walk the car-free streets, see the Himalayan view from Tudikhel, then move on.
Bandipur is a restored Newari hill town on the Prithvi Highway, halfway between Kathmandu and Pokhara. The old bazaar is pedestrian-only, the views from Tudikhel stretch across the Himalayas on clear days, and the town is quiet enough to feel like a break from the road. Most travellers use it as a one-night stop.
- Country
- Nepal
- Local name
- बन्दीपुर
- Best months
- Oct–Apr
- Avoid
- Jun–Sep (monsoon, leeches on trails)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- NPR
- Money
- NPR in small notes (100s and 500s) for taxis, tea shops and entry tickets.
- Daily spend
- Budget Rs 2,000–3,500 excl. bed · Mid Rs 3,500–6,000 excl. bed · High Rs 6,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Nepal Telecom (NTC) and Ncell sell tourist SIMs at Kathmandu airport and in town with passport and a photo.
- Emergency
- Police 100 · Ambulance 102 · Tourist Police 1144
- Plugs
- Types C, D, M · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round-pin sockets; a universal adapter covers them. Treks charge for device charging.
- Tipping
- Trekking guide: About 10–15% of the guide's total fee, at the end.; Porter: US$5–10 a day, at the end, in person.; Restaurant: Round up if 10% service is added; 5–10% if not.; Driver day: Rs 500–1,000.; Hotel staff: Rs 100–200.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap. Use filtered refill stations (Rs 50–100 a litre) or purification tablets; buying plastic bottles on treks leaves rubbish in the mountains.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels; squat toilets with a water jug elsewhere. Carry tissue; on treks toilets are outside and freeze in winter.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Dal bhat (meal) | Rs 300–500 |
| Tea (masala chai) | Rs 30–60 |
| Beer (bottle) | Rs 300–500 |
| Bottle of water (1 L) | Rs 20–30 |
| Jeep Dumre–Bandipur (shared) | Rs 200 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- KTM · Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu
- About 4–5 h by bus or private car to Bandipur via Dumre
- PKR · Pokhara International Airport
- About 2–3 h by bus or private car to Bandipur via Dumre
Typical fares
- Bus Kathmandu–Dumre
- about Rs 600, 4–5 h (check)
- Jeep Dumre–Bandipur
- about Rs 200, 20 min (check)
- Bus Pokhara–Dumre
- about Rs 400, 2–3 h (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walk. The old bazaar is car-free; the whole village is small enough to cover on foot in 20 minutes. For Siddha Gufa or Gurunche Dada, hire a local guide or take a jeep from Dumre.
See and do
Known for
- Car-free old bazaar
- Himalayan views from Tudikhel
- Newari architecture and culture
- Short hikes to Gurunche Dada and Siddha Gufa
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Siddha Gufa | Jeep from Dumre or Bandipur, then a 30 min walk; or hike from Dumre (about 2 h one way) | About 1–2 h from Bandipur |
| Gurunche Dada | Walk from the old bazaar, about 45 min | About 1.5 h round trip |
| Tansen | Bus or private car via Dumre and the Siddhartha Highway, about 3 h | About 3.5 h |
Sleep
- Old Bazaar
- Pedestrian-only; guesthouses in restored Newari buildings. Quieter at night.
- Tudikhel edge
- Resorts with Himalayan views, a 5–10 min walk from the bazaar.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | नमस्तेnamaste |
| Thank you | धन्यवादdhanyavād |
| How much? | कति?kati |
| Where is the bus stop? | बस स्टप कहाँ छ?bas stop kahā̃ cha |
| I need a room | मलाई कोठा चाहियोmalāī koṭhā chāhiyo |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Namaste with palms together; a handshake between men in business; avoid: Hugging or kissing in public
- Temples and stupas: Walk clockwise, spin prayer wheels clockwise, shoes off at shrines; avoid: Touching offerings; entering Hindu-only areas
- Food: Right hand, accept refills gracefully; avoid: Sharing food you have bitten; stepping over food
- Feet and heads: Keep feet flat and away from people and altars; avoid: Touching anyone's head
- Photos: Ask first; offer to show the picture; avoid: Photographing cremations or rituals without permission
- On the trail: Pass mani walls and chortens on the left (keeping them on your right); give way to yaks on the mountain side; avoid: Standing on the drop side when animals pass
Scams and watch-outs
- The Himalayan view from Tudikhel is weather-dependent: check the forecast before you plan a sunrise visit.
- Bandipur is on a ridge; the walk up from Dumre is steep if you arrive by bus.
- ATMs are limited; carry enough NPR for meals and accommodation.
- Dashain (September–October) brings crowds and higher prices; book ahead.
Bandipur is safe for tourists. The main risks are leeches on monsoon hikes, loose dogs at night, and the steep road from Dumre – drive carefully.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Bandipur yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Car-free old bazaar
- Himalayan views from Tudikhel
- Newari architecture and culture
- Short hikes to Gurunche Dada and Siddha Gufa
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Bandipur (Nepal), revision 5297672 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5297672
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Bandipurबन्दीपुर
यस ठेगानामा, कृपया
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
Most embassies are in Kathmandu; the nearest consulate for many countries is in Pokhara (check).
Carry small bills; change is scarce in Bandipur.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/bandipur-nepal). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.