Shopping in Nepal - outlets, shopping streets and boutiques

Nepal is a wonderful country for souvenir shopping. Even if you do not know what to buy, simply take a walk in the city and you will find souvenir ideas virtually at every corner. Stop for a couple of minutes and take a look at items for sale. The most popular souvenirs are the following: clothes, cashmere scarves and shawls, cosmetics, fine jewelry, bijouterie, spices, frankincense, and more. People who love mountains might find it interesting to buy postcards, paintings, and photo albums (books with professional illustrations) of the Himalayas. Ritual paintings and figurines of Buddha, Shiva, and Ganesh can also be great reminders of your vacation in Nepal.

Two Nepalese cities, namely, Pokhara (the city close to the Annapurna protected area) and Kathmandu (the capital) are the most suitable for shopping. Connoisseurs of original cookware will definitely want to stay in local shops a bit longer. The choice of copper and bronze items for sale is simply astonishing – various teapots, coffee brewing pots, mugs, vases, sour glasses, cups, pans, etc. An interesting fact: the cookware is sold per weight and not per item. Singing cups are also an original souvenir. The more different metals are used to make the cup, the bigger it is. The price is also higher. Sellers can help buyers to find the most suitable cup depending on the sounds that it makes.

Many branded items are cheap in Nepal. This is particularly true about sports clothes and gear. This happens because these goods are not imported; they are made in Kathmandu, in Thamel. The quality is good but the prices are several times lower than the original goods. Almost every tourist wants to buy more interesting and attractive items, forgetting that it is possible to make cheap local prices even more affordable. Simply shop outside major tourist hubs and the prices will pleasantly surprise you. However, these are still not the final prices! Don’t forget to bargain and you can lower the price by up to 40% percent. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Thamel is a famous tourist hub that has many big and small shops. This is a great destination for shopping souvenirs. Bright colors create a vibrant atmosphere. Cycle rickshaws make this place even more unusual. These rickshaws can take one or two passengers. Each cart has a registered number that is similar to car numbers. The passenger seats have a shelter that protects them from sun and rain. The carts of cycling rickshaws are similar to horse-driven carts of the past. Rickshaws are not the fastest means of transport and they are not very popular with tourists. In Pokhara, there is also a tourist hub similar to Thamel in the capital – Lakeside.

In Nepal, tourists can purchase Tibetan mandalas. Mandala is a combination of different geometric symbols including sacred circles, patterns, and other figures connected with Buddhism. The word “mandala” has many meanings: sphere, formation, circle, space, etc. The mandala can be drawn or embroidered. The choice of materials is diverse: paper, fabric, wood, and metal. In the past, there were even mandalas made from crushed precious stones. There are no precise copies because each mandala is unique. The size of the ready item can vary from several dozen centimeters to several meters. Buddhist monks are the traditional makers of mandalas.

Mandalas have a religious meaning. As a rule, they attract people interested in Buddhism but everyone can purchase them, even people who practice other religions. Mandala is a meditative image, a symbol of unity. They can be great talismans for the home or family, accumulating good luck. Tourists can buy mandalas in monastery shops, for example, in Boudhanath stupa in Kathmandu or Kopan monastery, in local souvenir shops and markets. The price can be very different, from 10-15 U.S. dollars per item to hundreds and even thousands of dollars for a masterpiece. Small paper mandalas are the cheapest. Woven textile mandalas cannot be cheap because it can take up to six months to make one.

Some female travelers enjoy visiting numerous shops and street stalls with fashion jewelry – bracelets, beads, earrings with turquoise and rudraksha (seeds of an evergreen tree). These are also amazing souvenirs. Attractive and practical items made of yak wool are also amazing gifts. Shawls and blankets available in hundreds of different patterns, knitted hats that cost only one dollar – it is very hard to resist a temptation to buy something. There are certainly less mainstream souvenirs, for example, wooden masks that are hung above the door. These masks look a bit scary but their main purpose is to protect home from evil spirits.

If you are in the mountains and have no time left for shopping, pay your attention to the items that are available for sale in small villages along the way. For example, the Around Annapurna route has a stop in the village of Marpha. Tourists can buy apricot jam, dried apples, and apple brandy here. These items are hard to buy anywhere else. Tea with lemongrass, cardamom, and ginger also has an unforgettable, peculiar taste. This is a universal souvenir from Nepal. It is better to buy tea in special shops where shop assistants can help to choose the most suitable variety. Such shops are available not only in the capital but also in small settlements.

Don’t forget to bargain in Nepal. There are almost no price tags – the price depends on how “rich” a potential buyer looks like. Sellers always tell a higher price when they see tourists. To find optimal prices, consider the following rule: the prices are always more expensive on central streets. It is possible to find the same items but significantly cheaper if you go to less buzzing areas. Finally, always choose goods made in Nepal. The items produced in the country usually have high quality. Imported goods, in their turn, can be inferior in terms of quality.