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Voykit pocket guide · Nepal
Janakpur
Spend a half‑day to a full day in Janakpur for the Janaki Temple, ponds and Mithila crafts; no need to stay overnight unless on a pilgrimage festival.
Janakpur is the historic capital of the Mithila Kingdom and a major Hindu pilgrimage centre. The 19th‑century Janaki Temple, sacred ponds and Mithila art can be explored in one to two days, with budget dharmasalas for short stays.
- Country
- Nepal
- Best months
- Oct–Mar (cooler, dry)
- Avoid
- Jun–Sep (monsoon, flooding risk)
- Stay
- 0–1 (overnight only for festivals) nights
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 NR 800–1,200 excl. bed (check) · Mid NR 1,200–2,000 excl. bed (check) · High NR 2,000+ excl. bed (check) (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 |
|---|---|
| Meal at local restaurant | NR 300–600 |
| Bottle of water (500 ml) | NR 30–50 |
| Rickshaw ride (short distance) | NR 50–150 |
| Bus ticket Kathmandu → Janakpur | NR 1000 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- JPN · Janakpur Airport
- Daily 3‑4 flights to Kathmandu, ~20‑25 min
Typical fares
- Kathmandu → Janakpur flight
- ≈ NR 12,000 one‑way (check)
- Local bus Kathmandu → Janakpur
- ≈ NR 1,000 one‑way
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
Human‑powered rickshaws, e‑rickshaws and auto‑rickshaws are the main local transport; city buses run on the ring road; taxis are not yet available.
See and do
Known for
- Janaki Temple
- Mithila handcrafts
- Sacred ponds (Ganga Sagar, Dhanush Sagar)
- Railhead heritage (old narrow‑gauge line)
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Jaleshwor (border town) | Local bus from Janakpur Bus Terminal, every 20 min | ≈30 min |
| Dhanusha Dham | Local bus, every 30 min | ≈40 min |
Sleep
- Dharmasala / Yatri Niwas
- Free or very cheap, basic facilities, near bus park.
- Janaki Lodge / Mithila Guesthouse
- Mid‑range guesthouses in market area, ~NR 800–1500 per night.
- Manaki Hotel / Sita Palace Hotel
- Higher‑end hotels near Shiv Chowk, NR 2000+ per night.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | माफ गर्नुहोस्maaf garnuhos |
| Thank you | धन्यवादdhanyabaad |
| How much is it? | कति पर्छ?kati parchha? |
| Where is the toilet? | शौचालय कहाँ छ?shauchalaya kaha cha? |
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
- Bus tickets from Kathmandu cost around NPR 1000; highway restaurants can be pricey and unhygienic – carry food and water.
- Rickshaw fares are unmetered; agree on price before boarding.
- The historic narrow‑gauge railway is suspended since 2013; check for any revival before planning a train ride.
Janakpur is generally safe for visitors; petty theft can occur in crowded markets and festivals, so keep valuables secure and stay alert in busy areas.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Janakpur yet. Suggested stay: 0–1 (overnight only for festivals) nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Janaki Temple
- Mithila handcrafts
- Sacred ponds (Ganga Sagar, Dhanush Sagar)
- Railhead heritage (old narrow‑gauge line)
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: Janakpur, revision 5272370 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5272370
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/janakpur). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.