Shopping In Nepal

[seh]

Hey:

I leave in one day for my first trip to Nepal. I will be doing an EBC trek.

Questions:

1. Can I buy a decent digital camera in Kathmandu at a good price?

2. Is there shopping for trekking items in Lukla, and are the prices more than the shops in Kathmandu?

3. What time do shops generally close in Kathmandu? I am trying to work out shopping for the family presents.


Thanks so much for your response.

SEH

[Boulia]

1. I have never puchased one but assume probably is the answer. May not have a warranty that is recognised anywhere !!

2. Much limited choice equipment and gear wise, I would get what I needed except basics in KTM if you can. You can get many items in Namche too if you forget something. Again choice is a little less and marginally more expensive.

3. Thamel area, most about 5-6pm from memory.

[Ian]

Unless you are coming from a particularly expensive country get the camera before you leave. In Europe it is cheaper off the Internet or High Street than at the airport Duty Free shops or Kathmandu.

In any case you need to use the camera before hand. You dont want to find when you get home that you had accidentally set the ASA to 800 and the images are blurred or the white balance was wrong. Make the mistakes before you go, the trek is not the place to learn how to use a new camera.

In any case you will need to charge up the batteries and let them discharge a few times to ensure they are conditioned to maximum capacity and make sure you get a camera case that will protect it. You will have a full guarantee and no hastles if you ever have to claim on it.

Spend the time in Kathmandu enjoying the sights and buying stuff you cant get at home.

[Rakshi]

There are many good camera shops but some of them do not give warranty. Prices are competitive.

Thamel nowadays is open tiill 5/6 pm.

:-)

[Sharon]

1. Can I buy a decent digital camera in Kathmandu at a good price?
Yes, go to New Road I think it is. There are many camera shops and great prices. The warranty is the manufacturer's warranty. You will need to know it works to your satisfaction though. It is tough to buy on a holiday unless you already used it at home.

2. Is there shopping for trekking items in Lukla, and are the prices more than the shops in Kathmandu? There are quite a few shops in Lukla as well as namche bazaar. Depending on your skills in negotiating sometimes they were more and sometimes less than Thamel.

3. What time do shops generally close in Kathmandu? I am trying to work out shopping for the family presents. In high season May and November I have always found shops in Thamel open until 9 pm.