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Khukuri. Khukuri curved steel knives used by the Gurkha soldiers are particularly a popular souvenir to take back home. An authentic khukuri should have a notch on it's blade near the handle. R he notch is meant to prevent blood from flowing onto the handle, as necessity for the ancient warriors for whom the khukuri was the battles word. Sheathed together with the khukuri in the scabbard are two tiny knives one is the karda which is used for sharpening the khukuri and the other called a chakmak is for striking a flintstone to make fire.

Thangka Painting. Thankas are religious murals made on canvas which traditionally are mounted on to silk banners. Invariably seen in monasteries and in the chapel or above the alter in Buddhist homes the drawings in thangkas depict images of the Buddha his various incarnations and also include tapestries on Buddhist philosophy.  Since ancient times, Mahayana Buddhist monks have always used thangkas in their ceremonies to appeal to the various deities and figures portrayed. The traditional method of preparing thangka paint was by extracting pigment from natural minerals ands Himalayan plants which were then were mixed with jarma a particular tree sap that ensured permanent colors. The modern Newate thangkas commonly seen around in the handicraft shops of Kathmandu the Handicraft of Kathmandu often employ chemical dyes that exhibit more vibrant and appealing colors but which are stable. Alternatively old thangkas including new ones still made with natural base colors are guaranteed to last beyond a lifetime.  These are to last beyond a lifetime. These are definitely more expensive particularly those that are embelled with a final touch of gold. To find out if real gold has been used hold the thangkas out toward the sun and see if the gold painting glistens, it should

Carpets. Kashmir, Tibet and Nepal are all synonymous with carpets and rugs and there is a large selection from all three countries available in Kathmandu. The Tibetan Refugees Center manufactures carpers with both traditional Tibetan design and more contemporary styles. The prices of carpets range from as high as US$3000for importers Kashmir silks rugs to as little as US$30 for locally made woolen carpets with authentic Nepali and Tibetan motifs .Whatever your budget you are sure to see an increase in value the minute you bring your purchase home. And getting your carpets back home is mot difficult as many of the shops arrange packing and thereafter shipment via air freight. 

Tips on Buying Tibetan Carpets. Tibetan carpets are a breed apart in regard to their design, warmth and durability.  Each carpet is hand knotted into designs portraying Tibetan Buddhist symbols. Quality and price is reflected by the type of wool the dye the density of knots and rows. A high density of knots means more production time and more cost but this alone does not assure top quality. The best carpets maintain a standard ratio of approximately 32 knots to 24 rows. Colors vary from brilliant reds and blues to dusty rose's ands lavenders the former generally derived from chemicals and the latter from vegetables and plant dyes those dyed with European chemicals will cost about the same as those of vegetables dyes. There are limitations on how many carpets a person may take out of Nepal, so check this out if you are contemplating a large order.

Handloom. Native designs and motifs are particularly what make indigenous handloom unique. There are altogether 27 ethic communities within Nepal and among them; many wore their distinct native dresses in the not so distant past. Modernization has seen the demise of native dress culture but the arts of handloom still somewhat survive in small pockets of remote regions. As is often the case, concerned Westerners have come to rescue of this almost extinct craft. Some United Nations an USAID projects have been helping many unemployed rural housewives take to their traditional crafts. These projects also help in marketing their products. Most of the shops promoting these cottage industries can be found located along Shahid Shukra Marg between the Bagmati Bridge and Hotel Himalayan in Kupondole. There are many very interesting designs and patterns to look into. The newari Jyapoo women  of Kathmandu Valley have their own traditionally patterned sarees that they weave themselves the simple design of two bands of redon a backdrop of solid black is a style of its own . The Dolpas of Dolpo are a nomadic people rearing yak and sheep their womenfolk skilled with the loom weave simple rugs that the loom weave a traditional design from the former principality of Palpa colorful geometrical patterns flowing in symmetry .Anyone with a little imaginations and creativity could transform these various material designs into some very interesting and exclusive products. Decorating the home or making far out dresses all can be done  

Lokta (traditional handmade paper). Traditional handmade papers, once a medium for official records and correspondences only, have now become a popular decoration accessory. Through the ages in Nepal, paper has been made from various barks of plants and grain husks but among these the papers made lf thelokta bark has caught the eyes of the imaginative creators of paper handicraft. There are two aspects to the beauty of handmade lokta paper. Its sheen is on account of the natural quality of the lokta bark , but the unorthodox method of processing yields a surface imbedded with minute fragments of bark along with strands of silky thread that are randomly positioned . The result is more an artwork than simply a blank sheet of paper. The simple secret to processing this kind of paper is that the lokta bark does not get thoroughly pulped. Besides that the dregs re left to  remain and go unfiltered t6hroughout the paper making  process Every sheet differs from the other because there is no telling how the unpulped material  position themselves at time of drying . In Bhaktapur a UNICEF assisted program helps in further developing the lokta paper craft. Available with the Bhaktapur Craft Printers are a wide variety of lokta paper in different densities and shades. To cope with the very low supply of raw material, for the thicker variety of lokta cardboard fifty percent of ordinary recycled paper pulp is blended with the lokta pulp which results into a tougher material without too much q quality degradation. Bhaktapur Craft Printers also manufacture a wide range of products using lokta paper. Besides stationery items there are other unusual wares made of paper such as satchels (strong enough to handle a load of a few kilograms), file holders, greeting cards, etc. They have a sales outlet in Kupondole opposite the Hotel Himalaya. 

Gems &Jewelry.  Kathmandu is the right place to buy gems .Native as well as foreign gems are of good quality and less expensive than in other countries. There are many shops which sell gems as well as readymade jewelry. The variety of stones and settings offered are impressive a is the detailed handiwork. Nepal is renowned for semiprecious gemstones. A Sapphire, Aquamarine, Amethyst, Ruby, Garnet, Tourmaline, Amber, Turquoise and of course the famous Mountain corals are among the more common Nepali gems available. They can be bought as individual stones or set in ornaments and can represent quite an investment if you know what you are buying. If you are not an experienced buyer there are first class jewelers of repute in the city center and in deluxe hotel complexes who could offer you peace of mind as well as some beautiful stones. Gold ornaments are prized by the Nepali. Take a good look at any of the affluent Nepali among the older generation. You should be able to detect the men sporting at least once solid gold ring n the middle finger and married women can be seen bedecked with an assortment of 22-24 carat gold accessories. Rings bracelets earrings and necklaces can be ordered through any of the many goldsmith around town Indra Chowk the street between Kathmandu Durbar Square and Bishal Bazaars Supermarket is where a lot of goldsmiths can be found . Orders are executed within a matter of days.

Readymade Garments. Local readymade cotton clothing is entertainingly fashionable and inexpensive. Cotton T-shirts, baggy, colorful shirts, sports, Nepali and Indian design dresses and countless other items can be bought at very reasonable prices. Then there are the clones of designer brands readily available at almost every clothing shop around Kathmandu .Jackets trousers shirts skirts. You name it.

Tailor made dress. Dresses made to custom are incredibly expensive in the West, but not so in many of the developing and under developed countries such as Nepal. In fact it’s the other way around since setting ones dresses tailor's happens to  work out cheaper However we recommend that you go to the better tailoring houses and boutique where the charges are a bit higher than average . A small price to pay for quality fitting and stitching

Woolenwear. Woolen wear another great buy in Kathmandu is the many varieties of woolen clothing. Again the range and quality is extensive from woolen shawls with traditional Nepali designs to classic Cashmere pullovers all at a fraction of the prices you would have to pay in Europe or America. Tibetan wool jackets and hand knit yak or sheep wool sweaters are perfect for the trek of take home as presents. 

Pashmina. Pashmina apparel made from the inner fur of mountain goats are also a great bargain in the streets of Kathmandu. Shawls for women and scarves for men the smooth ultra soft texture of Pashima wool makes it a very desirable fabric. Although commonly available in the formats mentioned it only takes only a little imagination to conceive of a tailor made dress of Pashmina by buying more than a single piece of the readymade shawl. There is a wide range in the grades manufactures. Shawls of the same size may vary in price ranging from a few hundreds of rupees to a couple of thousands .The softer, natural colors varieties are of the best quality and more expensive than the synthetic blends easily sets apart by their vibrant colors. 

Spices & Incense.  Check out the busy and crowded narrow lanes of Asan Tole for a variety of spices and aromatic incenses that you could back home just Marco Polo almost a millennium ago. The secret to making a delicious curry lies in the knowledge of blending the right proportion of various spices to make the right masala. Ingredients used to make Fish Masala differ greatly from those that go to make ChickenMasala and so on. The culinary art of blending spices for various types of curries is a tradition passed on through the ages from mother to daughter and most Nepali still prefer to grind their own fresh daily quota. Some of the popular mixtures such as vegetable Curry Masala, meat Curry Masala and Fish Curry Masala are readily available powdered and packaged. If you have developed a liking for Nepali curries, the book –Joy of Nepali Cooking by Majpuria shows how to get  along. The spice vendors also can provide ungrounded mixtures and advice can be sought the same into fresh curry paste. Incense sticks are available in many aromatic flavors going all the way from rustic mountain fragrances of juniper and azaleas to garden flowers and sandalwood. Light in weight and low in cost incense stick packets make good affordable gifts to take back home. 

Tea. Tea from the Illam hills of eastern Nepal can stand on its own against the flavors of Darjeeling Tea .Both types Illam and Darjeeling tea can be bought around in Kathmandu .GFOP (golden flowery orange pekoe), FOP(flowery orange pekoe) first flush , Second flush ,Autumnal flush etc . For the best in flavor APG recommends you go for the second Flush.

Imported Products. First time visitors to Nepal will be surprised at the availability of such a wide variety of international standard goods being sold at very reasonable prices .From simple daily essentials such as Proctor &Gamble toiletries to brand name watches like Rader and Omega, all these can be found in Kathmandu, and all of them often at prices less than what they would cost in their country of manufacture. Some reasons for such price discrepancies are due to the fact that retail overhead are much lower in Nepal and customs duties are imposed randomly .Another is these high demand of such products among the affluent citizens of neighboring India who have a penchant for all the good things in life but the complexities of their country import policy deludes them from such luxuries back home. There are many things worth buying in Kathmandu when one compares the prices elsewhere around the world .The only irksome aspect is that most goods besides computer's are sold without any warranty. 

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