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Freak street

Freak Street in Kathmandu

The Freak Street in Kathmandu. On this page you find informations about the Freak Street area in Kathmandu and a short description of the lodges. This should help you to find a Hotel in this interesting area of Kathmandu.

0 klick grosse  photosclick in the corners of the picture to see it larger

All the hotels of freakstreat

withstood the  earthquake in April 2015 without damage :-)

 

 

Kathmandu Freak street 24 strasse650x

Freak Street , or Jhochhen Tole , is much more quieter and relax than the Thamel area where most of travelers will go to. It is situaet just in vicinity of the old Palast and Temple area of Durbar square right in the historical center of Kathmandu. In fact Freak street beginns right on the pituresque Basantapur Square where souvenir sellers display the marvels. The freakstreet area is still a lively nepali neighbourhood where people live, make there business and many children who go to school.

Freak street Hashish-shop-Kathmandu-1973 Wikipedia The freak street was with the Pig Alley THE MAJOR place during the hippy trail in the late 60ts and the seventies.During this time 3 hashish shops where open there ;-). In 1973 Nepal banned all cannabis products and they had to close.. Picture of hashish shop by Roger McLassus

Already in 1967 the Kathmandu Guest House started with 13 rooms in an ancient Rana palace in an area called Thamel. In this time, it was surounded by fields with some farmhouses. But it showed to be a powerfull competitor. In the densely populated Freak Street area there was no way to get enough space for modern and bigger hotels so that they all started in Thamel where building ground was abundant and cheaper. And in the 80ts. most of the cafeés and many hotels had moved to the new touristic center.

Dinesh Rai wrote the  nice article  “Looking Back in Wonder” about Freak Street in the seventies http://www.nepalnews.com.np/contents/englishweekly/sundaypost/2001/mar/mar18/head.htm

in WikiMapia you find an arial picture of this area. Freak Street is below the red basantapur place
http://wikimapia.org/#lat=27.702891&lon=85.307642&z=18&v=2

 

KAthmandu Freak street 19 statue0340x

Staues on the litle place at the end of Freak Street Statuen

Nowadays the visitors are mainly just normal budget travelers. The freak Street area is not so overcrowded but also less fancy. But i personaly prefer to stay here. For sure i go to Thamel to buy trekkking stuff or other things or just for pilgrims book shop. But every time when I return I’m happy again coming back to my  more quiet freakstreet.  See an overview:  http://freakstreetnepal.110mb.com/index.htm

KAthmandu Freak street 22 Wachhäuschen0340xKAthmandu Freak street 23 Maisfladen0340x

 

KAthmandu Freak street 18 Yellow0340xKAthmandu Freak street 25 Masken0340x

 

Freakstreat 2009 020Export0330xFreakstreat 2009 009 masken0330x

An overview

Freakstreet Lageplan a JPEG 690x

Plan als PDF file

Most of the taxi drivers at the airport will tell you, that they dont know Freak street or Jhochhen Tole. The reason ist, that they get commison from many hotels in Thamel so they first gonna try to bring you there. But when you tell them that you want to go to New Road or Basantapur place, they will know, because these are main places of Kathmandu.

 An overview to some Lodges and Restaurant

1. Restaurant Anand. Situated at the roundabout of New Road this “fast food” restaurant offers delicious South Indian Food.  It tastes very different than north indian food which we know from Indian Restaurant abroad. Try Dossa, a crispy crepe (massala dosa has a potatoe filling) or idlis. Both a served with hot and spicy sauces. It is definitively worth to have a try . One has to oreder first at the counter and bring the receipt to the kitchen bar.

2. On the roof terasse of the corner building there is a restaurant with a nice view. but I have forgotten the name.

3. Restaurant Cosmopolitan

KAthmandu Freak street 21 Cosmopolitan0340xFreakstreat 2009 008 Ausblick0225x is situated on the first floor an overlooks the Basantapur place. You reach it through a gloomy and narrow tunnel . But from the two windows one has a wonderful sight over the busy life on the place. It will never be borring! Therefore the tables on the windows are much coveted. Dont hesitate to ask if a chair ist free, normaly you can join the people, which are often interesting individual travellers so i had many nice chats here. The toilets are not to recomend.

See also Dave Underwoods comment http://www.worldisround.com/articles/8968/text.html

 

Freakstreat 08 Sugat Hotel  Kathmandu0340x4 Hotel Sugat Four double rooms are situated towards the Basantapur place and you get a full progamm of right from your window.. Unfortunately there is more and more traffic on the place so you will have noise in the night. But Sugat has also many other more quiet rooms to the back side.

Tel: 00977 1 4245824

email: maryman(at)mos.com.np

 

 

 

Freakstreat 09 PArk Guest house Kathmandu0340x5. Royal Park Guest House. A newer hotel  just beside Sugat. On the Roof top you will find a Restaurant with a awsome view. Try “Mashed Potatous with cheese and vegetables”.

Beeing protected by some houses, it is a little bit less noisy than Sugat.

Tel: 0977 1 4247487

Email: royalparkgst(at) hotmail.com

 

 

Freakstreet 07  nippon  lodge  Kathmandu0340x6. Nippon Guesthouse. Situated in a  narrow side road at the beginn of freakstreat, this Guesthouse has the reputation to be one of the cleanest ones of the whole area. Also most rooms ar protected from the streat noise

http://www.freakstreetnepal.110mb.com/nippon_guest_house_.htm#r

+977 104251701

nipponguesthouse(at)mail.com.np

 

La Casa Lodge. Throught a smal paasage you reach a quiet  inner courtyard and the casa lodge. all rooms a well protected from the streat noise. you will find simple rooms with common bath up to rather spacious double rooms with attached bathrooms. If yiz want to cook for yourself you may use the kitchen on the roof.

 

Freakstreet 06  century  lodge Kathmandu0340x7. Century Lodge. This old lodge dates back from many years. You reach the rooms by many narrow stairs. Beeing  a litle bit apart from Freak street, it is pretty quiet..Freakstreet 04  century  lodge Kathmandu0340x

Freakstreet 05  century  lodge window Kathmandu0340x

 

 

 

 

+977 1 4247641

www.centurylodge.4t.com

 

 

Freakstreet 03  pagoda  lodge Kathmandu0340x8. Pagoda Lodge. here you will always find groups of young people in colourful clothes. Pagoda lodge is on of the budget lodges.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Freakstreet 15  yellow  lodge  Kathmandu0340x9 Yello Lodge . is situated in the inner court yard an pretty dark. Begin 2009 it was closed for renovation..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Freakstreet 10 Monumental Pradise  Lodge Kathmandu0340x10: New Monumental Lodge This lodge was the first modern building in Freak street build with traditional ornamentel bricks . The spacious double rooms are all with attached bathrooms.

 

 

 

 

 

1Freakstreet 12 Snowman0340x1.  Cafe Snowman .

This famous Cake Cafée is the only one remaining from the many in the better times of freak street. Even Jimy hendrix has been there !

Nowadays many young nepalese people meet her , eat cake or play chess. But also for us travellers, Snowman is wonderfull and the cakes are delicious.  I crave for their Cream Caramel  ;-).

When ever I have brought in groups of friends, they wanted to return every day. ;-))
Then the average was 2-3 cakes per person  a day!!

 

Freakstreat 2009 014Snowman coconut cake0225x Freakstreat 2009 013 Snowman Creme caramel 0225xFreakstreat 2009 016 Fruit cake0225x

 just delicious !!!

12. Green House Lodge. A new lodge just before Snowmann

009770104241888 greenhouse_robin(at) hotmail.com

13. Daulagiri Lodge: A new lodge in a side street, http://freakstreetnepal.110mb.com/dhaulagiri.htm

Katnmandu 2009 027  himalaya Guesthouse0225x14. Himalaya Guesthouse. The owner of Himalay Guest house started in the 70 ts with the Himalaya coffe shop Restaurant on Basantapur place. They invested the earnings in their new Guest house with has good recomendations. It is situated in a rather quiet side road and offer single rooms and double with or wihtour attached bath rooms.

Her daughter Moni was the first newar woman to climb Everest and married her Sherpa friend on the top!

 

 

 

 

the little plaza of Freak Street

At the End of Freak Street you will find a little triangular place with two statues.

 Freakstreat 2009 024 Stupas0225x Freakstreat 2009 021 Stups0225xFreakstreat 2009 022 Westen0225x

From it a little street branches off to the right where you can find the lodges  Little Wings, Ganesh und the Annapurna Lodge. Just next to budget money changer there is a new cafe selling organic caffe, where many people come to drink espresso or capucino , sitting and chatting on small bamboo stools just  before the cafe.

The money changers had during the last 3 years a better rate than the ones in thamel.

15. Annapurna Lodge. At the end of the littles side street. This is actually my favorite lodge because it is absolutely quiet. In the mornig one does not hear any motorcycles or horning cars, but instaed singing birds. And this right in the center of Kathmandu. Half of the room have attached bathrooms. On the ground floor there is the quiet Restaurant Diyalo, a perfect place to relax. They offer an excellent dal bhaat .

Annapurna lodge does not make reservation exept for the same day. 00977-1-4247684

Freakstreet 16 Annapurna lodge Eingang Kathmandu0340xFreakstreet 17 Annapurna lodge0340x

KAthmandu Freak street 20 Annpurna Garten0340x Freakstreat 2009 0030330x

 

16 Moonlight lodge. a  basic lodge. The walls are painted with rather stoned pictures
Tel: 0977 1 4242976 moonstaylodge(at) yahoo.com

17. Loundy saloon. Bring you dirty clothes an have them washed for you, if there is enought electricity. It has cheaper fares then in Thamel

18. Barber shop. It is worth to try a local barber. Like many barbers in Nepal they are originating from Bihar in India. They use a new blade for every client and after 20 minutes you will feel like having a baby skin.

19. Asian Holyday Hotel. Just a few meters after the little place this hotel has double rooms with attached bathroom for a very low rate. Probably one of the best values. +977 1 4246579,
email: asia_hoiday62(at)yahoo.com

 

Freakstreat 2009 017 Little wings und Ganesh0225x20. Little Wings Residence. You will find the owner in his little interne caffe just oposie the lodge in the little side street. Its the fastest one in freak streat area. Freakstreat 2009 018 Little Wings0225x In his website, he calls the Hotel an exclusive Residence which may be a little bit over the top. But guest tend to stay for longer periods and during 5 days i could newer have a look to a room, as they always where occupied.

http://littlewings.110mb.com/lill_lodge.htm

 

 

 

21. Ganesh Hotel is situated just behind  “Little Wings” and therefore also very quiet. They have a restaurant with some tables in the garden in the inner court. http://littlewings.110mb.com/ganesh.htm