Kathmandu

Travel time
4 hours 20 minutes

How to get there
Etihad Airways flies to Kathmandu daily with fares currently starting at Dhs2,005 (Jul-Aug), Dhs2,425 (Sep)

Sleep

Budget
Hotel Courtyard: With its traditional Nepalese decor and landscaped garden, here you will find a quiet place away from the noise, yet it’s only a few minutes’ walk from the beautiful temples, cultural sights and bustling shops.
www.hotelcourtyard.com. Jul-Sep rates start from NPR2,674 (approx Dhs132) per night

Blow it
The Old Dwarikas Hotel: Before you visit any cultural sights, this hotel already displays Nepal’s architectural and cultural heritage with its 15th-century carved wooden doors, pillars, courtyards and handmade bricks. It’s not short on modern-day luxuries either, making your stay here as comfortable as it is historical.
www.dwarikas.com. Jul-Sep rates start from NPR12,900 (approx Dhs639) per night

Eat

Budget
Cosmopolitan Restaurant: Taste genuine Tibetan and Nepalese food while overlooking the Basantapur Square and watch the traders’ area transform as the night falls. A great chance to mingle with individual travellers, it’s never boring here.
At Basantapur Square corner, Freak Street. Price of a meal for two NPR200 (approx Dhs10)

Blow it
1905: Tucked away in a romantic water garden in the grounds of a former Rana summer palace, tables are set on a bridge across a tranquil lily pond, as well as within the rustic and charming summer house. Although it’s one of the more expensive meals you are likely to have, it’s crazy cheap when compared to Dubai standards.
www.1905restaurant.com. Price of a meal for two NPR3,000 (approx Dhs150)

Do

Budget
Visit the Monkey Temple: Representing the country’s unique religious harmony, the Swayambhunath Stupa, known as the Monkey Temple thanks to the friendly primates that live there, is a fifth-century golden spire atop a hill in Kathmandu Valley. Aside from its spiritual affects, it also offers a fantastic view of the whole city. Take the bus from Sundhara (near the main post office).
Entry to temple is NPR75 (approx Dhs4)

Blow it
Fly the Himalayas: Take a charter flight over the Himalayas, just 10 minutes out of Kathmandu Airport, and you’ll be invited into the cockpit to check out Mount Everest. You can’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime experience.
www.buddhaair.com. Flight prices vary but usually cost around NPR7,515 (approx Dhs372), but it’s open to bargaining