Things to do in Besishahar
And where to stay, the best time to visit, what a day costs, and the traps to skip.
Best time to visit Besishahar
• a note or something on ✦ an occasion worth the trip
Main season: the road is most reliable, skies are clearest and Ghale Gaun sunrises deliver.
Besishahar stays mild but Thorong La snow and ice constrain the upper road and any Circuit crossing.
Spring season: warming valley and rhododendron, with haze and pre monsoon storms building in May.
Monsoon: the Besisahar to Chame road fails repeatedly with floods and landslides, so build in buffer days.
What's on
- Dashain usually October
Nepal's biggest festival, wonderful in Ghale Gaun and disruptive for bus and jeep staffing.
- Tihar October to November
The festival of lights follows Dashain and also affects transport staffing across the valley.
Best things to do in Besishahar
Lamjung Durbar
The surviving palace of the Lamjung principality above the bazaar, worth the climb for its Shah history and valley view.
Lamjung Kalika Temple
The working local temple beside Lamjung Durbar at Gaunshahar, best visited as one morning cluster with the palace.
Gaikhure Waterfall
A local waterfall at Udipur in Besishahar, a pleasant short outing if a jeep delay strands you in town.
Where to stay in Besishahar
Besisahar bazaar and highway strip
one logistics night before the trek
The bus park, jeep stands, permit functions, shops and lodges all sit on this one strip.
Ghale Gaun
a deliberate village stay above the valley
Community homestays with meals, cultural programmes and a Himalayan sunrise panorama.
Best restaurants in Besishahar
Gateway Himalaya Resort
The widest menu in town, Nepali, Indian, Chinese and continental, for one relaxed meal before teahouse menus take over.
The Nepala Hub
A named local restaurant in town with long daily hours, in the cheap bazaar tier of dal bhat, momo and noodles.
Ghale Gaun Homestay
Homestay dinners cooked by the host family from village produce, the best cheap eating in the area.
Outdoor things to do in Besishahar
Ghale Gaun
A Gurung homestay village at 2100m with cultural dances and a sunrise panorama of Manaslu and the Annapurnas.
Bhulbhule
The historic first walking day from Besishahar through Khudi to Bhulbhule, now shared with the jeep track.
Chamche Waterfall
A roadside waterfall on the Besisahar to Chame jeep drive, at full force in and just after monsoon.
Bhujung
A Gurung honey hunting village two to three hours from Ghale Gaun, with a temple, tea gardens and homestays.
Best hotels in Besishahar
Gateway Himalaya Resort
The best equipped stay in town, with a pool, gardens and a restaurant, and the top of a market with no luxury tier.
Hotel The Tukuche
A named bazaar hotel in the budget tier most trekkers use for one night before an early jeep start.
Ghale Gaun Homestay
A room in a Gurung family home with home cooked meals, better value than a second night in Besishahar itself.
Is Besishahar expensive? What a day costs
| Budget | NPR 3,500 a person |
|---|---|
| Classic | NPR 7,000 a person |
| Splurge | NPR 14,000 a person |
A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room
What to book ahead
- Ghale Gaun: a few days ahead
- Bhujung: a few days ahead
- Gateway Himalaya Resort: a few days ahead
- Ghale Gaun Homestay: a few days ahead
- Ghale Gaun Homestay: a few days ahead
- Book Gateway Himalaya Resort and private jeeps ahead in October, November, March and April.
- Arrange the ACAP permit and a licensed guide through a registered agency before you reach the trail.
- In monsoon, add buffer days at both ends and check the Besisahar to Chame road status the day before you ride.
Is Besishahar safe?
- In monsoon the Besisahar to Chame road is blocked repeatedly by landslides and vehicles are banned at night on risky stretches.
- Do not sleep at 3540m in Manang on your first night from 760m Besishahar, walk in or stage your nights.
- Serious medical cases go to Pokhara or Kathmandu, so Circuit insurance must cover helicopter evacuation.
Besishahar travel tips: tourist traps to skip
- A same day Kathmandu to Manang jeep promise ignores both road cuts and altitude illness.
- A walk from Besishahar itinerary can mean two days on or beside the jeep track, so ask before you pay.
- A permit bought in Kathmandu does not remove checkpoint stops, so keep it accessible in a waterproof pouch.
Getting around Besishahar: public transport and more
- Kathmandu to Besishahar is about 175 km and takes 6 to 9 hours by bus, or about 5 to 6 hours by private jeep.
- Shared jeeps from Besishahar leave when full, take 3 to 4 hours to Dharapani and 4 to 6 hours to Chame, and continue to Manang.
- Carry cash in NPR for jeeps, lodges, permits and food, because cards and ATMs thin out above Besishahar.
Who Besishahar suits
| Solo travellers | Great |
|---|---|
| Groups of friends | Good |
| Couples | Good |
| Bachelor parties | Not ideal |
| Families | OK |
| Bachelorette parties | Not ideal |
Make Besishahar your trip
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