Things to do in Kathmandu

Most visitors start with a guided heritage day: the old royal squares plus Swayambhunath, Boudhanath and Pashupatinath. Nagarkot at sunrise and an Everest flight are the usual next steps.

Not as a rule. Kathmandu lies in a valley, and the high peaks show from Everest flights and from hills such as Nagarkot, only when the weather is clear. Nothing can promise a view.

Roughly 27 km, about an hour or a little more by road. Sunrise tours therefore start in the early hours.

The distance is roughly 200 km, but depending on road and traffic the bus takes about six to nine hours. A flight takes around half an hour.

Usually not. Chitwan National Park is hours away by road, so most offers are overnight packages of two to four days; check whether transport from Kathmandu is included.

Autumn and spring are generally the clearer seasons; the summer monsoon brings cloud and rain that often hide the peaks. Even then, a single morning can be clear or not.

Most visitors do not. Traffic is slow, taxis and private drivers are common, and tours include pickup. For the valley sights, a tour or a driver is the easier choice.