Electricity

I%26#39;ve been planning to go to Kathmandu in about two weeks, but the electricity situation is scaring me a bit. How do restaurants, hotels, etc. operate without electricity? Is the power really off for 16-18 hours a day?! Are there any hotels that operate with generators and have electricity around the clock? Any suggestions or comments would be appreciated. Thanks.

Electricity

I was there last year and am preparing to go back. The electricity does go off occasionally, but doesn%26#39;t seem to stay off long. Some places have generators. Some shops give you candles to shop by. I recommend always having a small flashlight handy. In the overall scheme of things, this is not a big deal.

Electricity

I was in Kathmandu in Dec/Jan %26amp; yes it is true that the power goes off for 16 hours a day. You will generall have 4 hours of power in the morning (4am-8am) %26amp; 4 in the afternoon (4pm-8pm) or similar. Your hotel should have a timetable for the week when the power shedding will occur.

Our hotel had a generator, only powered enough for a couple of lights in the room %26amp; thats all. Some shops in the Thamel area have a small petrol generator that they start if you look in thier store.

Don%26#39;t let it scare you, if you are in your hotel room when the power goes out, just take a walk around the streets %26amp; soak up the culture.

Best piece of equipment that I would suggest is a headtorch, very handy for seeing around your room %26amp; to pass the time at night reading a book.

Hope you enjoy yourself.

Yes - many of the larger Thamel hotels have their own generators, as do some restaurants and shops. The Nepali are quite good at coping with the situation, and ensuring that as far as possible life can go on as normal !