Should I go to Pokhara or Kathmandu first for preparing for

I%26#39;m visiting Nepal for 2 weeks (from Varanasi in India by land), and am wondering if I should visit Pokhara or Kathmandu first. I%26#39;d like to do a short (up to 6 days) trek around Himalaya, and the ideal place for it seems to be around Pokhara. However, I%26#39;d like to join a group through a travel agency (since I%26#39;m traveling by myself, and the security seems an issue in some of the treks), but there seem a lot more agencies in Kathmandu than in Pokhara (according to Lonely Planet). I also need to rent or purchase some hiking gears (such as a sleeping bag), and there seem more gear stores in Kathmandu than in Pokhara (again according to Lonely Planet).

Do you think I should visit Kathmandu first to organize myself for a trek before going to Pokhara? From the Indian border from Varanasi, Pokhara seems a lot closer than Kathmandu. Also preferably I%26#39;d like to get the trek over with before doing a sightseeing in Kathmandu.

Thanks for the advice

Should I go to Pokhara or Kathmandu first for preparing for

Sorry the title should%26#39;ve read ';Should I go to Pokhara or Kathmandu first for preparing for a short trek?'; It was truncated somehow.

Should I go to Pokhara or Kathmandu first for preparing for

As you have mentioned yourself, there are more options in Kathmandu compared to what is available in Pokhara. However, there are plenty of choices in Pokhara as well. So, you might not worry about getting the items that you require in Pokhara. If you want to do the sightseeing after the trekking, I would suggest you visit Pokhara first and then head to Kathmandu from there. Although Kathmandu seems far from Sunauli (I suppose you are entering Nepal from there) than Pokhara, the time taken to reach both places on bus is almost the same.

Hi thirdman,

I did a similar trip to what your planning, mainly for the same reasons.

Try to get into Gorakphur very early in the morning, there%26#39;s a train that leaves varanasi at about midnight, but it%26#39;s often delayed for hours. Take a jeep to sunali 100rps, there are buses too, but they are slower.

take a cycle rickshaw to cross the border.

There are then plenty of local buses headed in both directions and as previously mentioned they both take the same about of time.

I went to Pokhara. There are plenty or agencies in Pokhara to arrange short, medium or long treks, so ignore your lonely planet on that one.

Yes there are more in KTM, but there%26#39;s more than enough in Pokhara, and you can arrange for a trek a day beforehand if need be.

It%26#39;s then a 5 hour + bus ride to KTM.

You might fine some more help %26amp; info at http://www.thelongestwayhome.com including an article on who to hire a guide in Nepal.

Hope this helps and all the best

Dave