AD | Affiliate Links

Travellers heading to Kathmandu should know the experiences and adventures that lie in wait. Here are a few tips to get explorers off and running.

Nepal is a place of indescribable beauty, and though it is very small, it is bursting with adventure and once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. One of three Himalayan Kingdoms, Nepal sits between the behemoth nations of India and China, and its diminutive size makes this exquisite country a joy to explore.

Nepal’s largest city, and capital, is Kathmandu, a bustling and erratic centre of vitality and trade. Climbers from all over the world flock here to get acclimatized before heading up into the Himalayas: to the west, the Annapurna range and to the east, Mount Everest.

Entering Kathmandu

Flying in to Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) can be confusing, though the area leading to customs is clearly marked: just follow the signs. Travelers will typically fly through India to reach Nepal and will need an Indian visa to do so beforehand though a visa for travel through Nepal can be obtained at TIA for a small fee along with two passport-sized photos. Outside TIA there is a host of taxi drivers waiting to take travelers to their hotels costing somewhere between 300-500 Nepalese Rupees, though Indian Rupees are also accepted.

Staying in Kathmandu

Kathmandu is a backpacker’s delight, budget hotels abound as well as guest houses, with the majority of most tourists and prospective climbers staying in the Thamel District, a lively neighborhood of shops and stalls selling Nepalese antiques (anything over 100 years old is not allowed to leave the country), finest cashmere and climbing equipment. Jyatha, a street in the Thamel District, hosts several guest houses including the Hotel Utsi, which is run by a local family and is warm and welcoming.

Sightseeing in Kathmandu

Kathmandu is full of strange and wonderful sights and walking is the best way to see them. The city is littered with temples, both Buddhist and Hindu, though the Temple of Shiva, known as Pashupatinath, is Nepal’s most sacred Hindu shrine and the most important Hindu site outside of India. Travelers may explore the right bank, crowded with monkeys and holy men, while on the left bank, bodies are burned daily in accordance with Hindu beliefs.

Durbar Square

South of Thamel lies Durbar Square, one of eight UNESCO Cultural World Heritage Sites whose ancient streets are lined with temples and stalls and thronging with vendors and sacred cows. Durbar Square is known as the social and religious centre of Kathmandu and is home to many sights of interest. There is a palace complex, home to Nepalese royals until the 19th century and full of interesting artifacts, along with a string of Hindu temples and shrines, all at least 500 years old and dedicated to many different gods and goddesses.

Kumari Bahal

Another important site is the Temple of the Living Goddess, or Kumari Bahal, which is the home of a young girl chosen for her beauty to be the living personification of a deity for the town. She remains in her temple until puberty when she reverts to being a mortal and another young girl is chosen to take her place. Pictures of the Kumari may be taken one day a year, though visitors can see her once a day when she appears at the third-floor window.

Boudhanath Stupa

The eyes of the Buddha over the white stupa of Boudhanath are one of the most famous images of Kathmandu. Boudhanath is one of the largest Buddhist stupas in Asia, and visitors can join hundreds of pilgrims who walk around the stupa in a clockwise direction, spinning prayer wheels to release prayers. Many devotees perform their pilgrimage or kora by repeatedly prostrating in the ground as they slowly move around the temple. Boudhanath is a also centre for Buddhist studies, and there are several Tibetan Buddhist monasteries nearby.

Swayambhunath Stupa

Kathmandu’s other famous Buddhist temple, Swayambhunath stands on a hilltop west of Kathmandu, and if the weather is clear, it offers a great view from the top of the hill over the Kathmandu Valley. A long and steep stairway leads to the top of the hill. Like Boudhanath, Swayambhunath is one of the most sacred Buddhist sites in Nepal. Swayambhunath is also called “Monkey Temple” due to the large colony of energetic monkeys living in the area.

Jhocchen

Off Durbar Square is Jhocchen, also known as Freak Street. This is where the hippies stayed in the past, and the area still has some backpacker accommodation, although most guesthouses have moved to Kathmandu’s main tourist area Thamel. Just off Freak Street, the Snowman Cafe does an amazing cheesecake.

Hire a local guide

In order to experience all that Kathmandu has to offer, it is advisable for travelers to hire a local guide. For a small fee, these guides will help travelers to get a better understanding of the daily lives of the Nepalese people, as well as introduce them to local culinary treats and districts not typically visited by tourists. Royal Mountain Travel is one such company who can organize everything from a two-hour temple tour to an 18-day trek into the Himalayas.

Leaving Kathmandu

Whether travelers are flying out of Tribhuvan International to head deeper into Nepal or back through India and on to home, the experiences on offer in vibrant Kathmandu are certain to remain as a lovely reminder of the beauty and majesty of this hidden Himalayan gem.

Image Credit: Depositphotos