Xmas/New Year in Nepal? Advice on itinerary needed!

Hi

I will be arriving in Beijing in early November after coming from London via the Tran-Mongolian. I was planning to go to onto South-East Asia from there, but randomly read through a guidebook for Nepal yesterday and am very keen to go there ASAP. Let's say I arrive in Beijing on 7th of November my schedule could be like this:
7-9th Beijing
10-12th train to Lhasa
13-15th Lhasa
15-19th Lhasa to Kathmandu overland
20th Nov-12th of December (approx 3 weeks in Nepal)
13th Dec fly to Bangkok

I know from reading old threads that people were having problems getting tickets from Beijing (or anywhere else) to Lhasa in the summer, but there seem to have been fewer recently. Should I be able to sort out the train ticket and Tibet permit during my 2-3 days in Beijing?

It seems to be accepted that Oct and Nov are the best months to visit Nepal and that late Nov/early Dec sees an exodus of travellers. Although I don't mind the cold at all, I'm travelling on my own, so will need to make sure that there are enough people to organise treking/rafting/abseiling trips with (will the weather be ok for these?), as well as having some sort of social life while I'm there. Then again, I've also read complaints that it's too busy at in Oct/Nov, so maybe December isn't so bad after all.

I found a flight from Kathmandu to Bankok for about £200 one way at around the 13th of Dec on the Thaiair website (couldn't get any info on prices from the Royal Nepal website). Does this sound reasonable? I could just spend Xmas and New Year in Nepal, but wouldn't want to be all alone there as everyone else has already left.

Finally, Plan B is to go straight to SEA from China, spend 3-4 months travelling around there and go to Nepal and Tibet in March/April, which is also a recommended time.

I almost wish a hadn't picked up that guide book yesterday, as my plans were all sorted up to then! Nepal does sound amazing though, and as long as there are enough travellers to keep me company and the weather is good enough for outdoor activities, I'd love to go in December, when the landscape is coated in white snow and the sky is as clear as crystal!

Thanks for any help

Nepal is an excellent country to travel, I understand your enthusiasm for going. Nov-Dec is a good time to go. It will be colder in the mountains with a chance of snow but weather around Kathmandu, Pokhara, Chitwan will still be hot. The trekking routes will still be open, teahouses will be open, rafting available and whatever else you want to do. There wont be as many tourists as in October but there will still be a few around. If you want to go to Nepal your plan will work.

What I don't understand is why you would want to hurry through countries like China and Tibet (I know Tibet is part of China now) if you are already there. Maybe you've been before?

Hi,

I too will be in Nepal from November to December and have been worrying about the weather quite a lot because lots of people have told me that the Anapurna Trek and other popular hiking options won't be available after mid-November. I hope this isn't true?! I would be so disappointed if I arrive too late to see Nepal at its best...

Thanks for the replies so far.

I haven't been to China before, but unfortunately I only have limited time, so have to make some sacrifices somewhere. I could add an extra 2 weeks onto China, but that would mean that I'd get to Nepal even later and would have to spend Xmas and New Year there. While I wouldn't be travelling on my own if I couldn't spend time in my own company, Xmas and New Year is a time I'd definitely prefer to be around other people, and from what I can make out, SEA would be a better choice for that. Plus I'd miss out on the better poriod of late Nov/early Dec.