Top 12 Fascinating Things To Do in Kathmandu Valley
Kathmandu is the largest city of Nepal comprising three historic
cities Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur. Kathmandu is the center of Nepal’s
history, culture and economy. In
Kathmandu, you can find the arts, crafts and architectures in every corners.
The houses in the Kathmandu Valley have their unique architectures made of
wood, stone and metal but has been affected badly by the recent earthquake of
2015. Kathmandu city is also known as “City of Devotees”. Among 10 UNESCO World
Heritage sites, 7 lies in the Kathmandu Valley. The UNESCO World Heritage Sites
in Kathmandu valley are: The Durbar Square of Hanuman Dhoka (Kathmandu), Patan
Durbar Square, Bhaktapur Durbar Square, the Swayambhunath (monkey temple), the
Pashupatinath and the Boudhanath. Kathmandu is the most important place to
visit to know about the indigenous Newari culture, religion, tradition and
their unique lifestyles.
1 Visit Durbar Squares
Kathmandu Valley is mostly known for three popular Durbar
Squares; Kathmandu Durbar Square, Patan Durbar Square and Bhaktapur Durbar
Square. One of them is the famous Patan Durbar Square, filled with exotic
artistic and cultural heritages. Patan Durbar Square is situated at the center
of Lalitpur filled with a mix of Hindu, Buddhist and Newari temples. Patan
Durbar Square is considered as the most beautiful Durbar Square though it is
the smallest in terms of area comparing to other Durbar Squares. Head towards
Kathmandu Durbar Square (Basantapur Durbar Square) consisting huge Royal Square
including several temples. Check out the Kumari Ghar (the house of living Goddess),
Kasthamandap, Hanuman Dhoka, Taleju, Mahendreshvara Temple, Jagannath Temple,
Dequtale Temple, Nasal Chowk, Mul Chowk, Bhandarkhal, Vilar Temple, Shiva
Temple, Manju Deval, Ashok Binayak Shrine and Simha Sattal in there. They
represent our culture and different architecture styles devoted to different Hindu
Gods and Goddessess.
Eventually, you should also visit Bhaktapur Durbar Square
once you’re in the Kathmandu Valley. You will encounter the ancient houses, craft
works and numerous sculptures. All of these Durbar Squares represent historical
king’s valley, medieval architectures and ancient structures. Although most of
these structures were affected by the 2015 earthquake, some still stand.
2 Hike around Kathmandu Valley
Kathmandu is the best and the most suitable place for
hiking, especially for those who like to travel with children and families, and
also for students’ groups. As Kathmandu valley is surrounded by high Himalayan
mountains such as Ganesh Himal, Langtang, Gauri Shankar, Everest mountain ranges,
Manaslu, Dorje Lakpa and more, you can get the best scenery of mountains and
can also taste the trekking in Nepal within a short period of time as well as
with low budget. Kathmandu is often considered as a gateway city to the Himalayas
and hiking around the hills of the Kathmandu valley provides you the chance to
explore the lifestyle of local people and experience their cultures. You can
explore the flawless beauty of nature, sky touching Himalayas, lush green hills
with all kinds of amazing shapes and its natural beauty from the hilltops.
Wildlife and bird species, hundreds of different species of flowers, plants,
trees and herbs, wide angle panoramic views are all major attractions of hiking
around Kathmandu. The hills surrounding Kathmandu valley are all accessible
after a maximum of two hours drive from any part of the city. The most popular
places for hiking are Phulchowki, Champadevi, Nagarkot, Chisapani, Shivapuri,
Chandragiri, Namo Buddha, Balthali and so on.
3 Do a Cultural Tour
The culture of Kathmandu is rich and unique. Kathmandu
Valley is the best place to discover Newari civilization and Newari cultures
and rituals. Discover the art and culture of Kathmandu inspired by Hindus and
Buddhist practices. Kathmandu is definitely the best city for the cultural
sightseeing, to observe the fascinating arts and unique styles of various architectures.
Kathmandu Valley and its surrounding gives you an enchanting glimpse of ancient
art, monastic courtyards known as Baha and Bahi, customs, values, rituals, cultures,
traditions, histories and the people. Many festivals and jatras also seem to be
celebrated in the Kathmandu Valley. In Kathmandu, the biggest street festival
is Indra Jatra when three cars bearing the living goddess Kumari and two other
child gods are pulled through the streets and masked dance performances are held.
Another major celebration is Pahan Charhe when portable shrines bearing images
of mother goddesses are paraded through Kathmandu. In the carnival of Jana Baha
Dyah Jatra, a temple car with an image of Karunamaya is drawn through central
Kathmandu for three days.
A similar procession is held in Lalitpur known as
Rato Machindranath Jatra which continues for a month and is ended with Bhoto
Jatra, the display of the sacred vest. The biggest outdoor celebration in
Bhaktapur is Bisket Jatra which is marked by chariot processions and lasts for
nine days. Sithi Nakha is another big festival when worship is offered and
natural water sources are cleaned. Hence, you can have the best cultural tour
in the Kathmandu Valley which has served as the country’s cultural capital and
is marked by frequent festivals throughout the year.
4 Visit Villages in and around Kathmandu Valley
If you want to experience the village life and escape for a
while from the crowd and pollution of Kathmandu
then you can visit the villages situated in and around Kathmandu Valley where
villages, holding a traditional way of living, untouched by the modern
development and western cultures exist. Bungamati and Khokana are the 2 most
popular villages situated to the south of Kathmandu near Patan. Bungamati is a
popular Newari village where Newars are seem to be following in the footsteps
of their fathers and forefathers who lived long before them. The Bungamati
Newaris enjoy an incredibly rich culture which extends over the fields of
language, writing, art and architectures. The people who live here are mostly
engaged in agriculture and woodcarving.
Khokana is also another beautiful Newari village near Bungamati
village. Most people in Khokana seem to be involved in agriculture sector. This
Newar village is famous for farming of mustard seeds and production of local
mustard oil. We can also see plenty of rice terraces here. The lifestyle of
typical Newari people can be seen here. The Rudrayani temple is the famous
temple in Khokana having beautiful architecture with its pagoda style. Khokana
is the cultural tourist village where tourists can observe the religious practices,
construction of houses, open toilet system, farming, man-made ponds, customs
and history. Local wine made in home, Newari food and red chillies are popular
here. Ducks can be only seen here but not the chickens in this village because
most of the people seem to adopt the Buddhist culture. The view of the
surrounding hills is so beautiful from here. Unfortunately, both villages were affected
by the 2015 earthquake and houses now are being constructed in modern style
instead of traditional style.
5 Shopping in local markets
There are many local bazaars or the markets in Kathmandu
Valley where you can buy quality products at minimum price. Kathmandu is not so
popular as a shopping destination but it is a place where you can find a lot of
handicrafts, pashmina shawls and handmade artifacts. Thamel is considered as
the best place for shopping especially for the tourists. In Thamel, you can
shop jewellery items, puppets, pashminas, varieties of tea from Ilam, woolen hats,
felt bags, embroidered t-shirts and many more. You cannot buy any antique arts in
the Kathmandu Valley but if you do, it should be archeologically verified by
the government.
6 Eat Local Cuisines and Drink Local Wines
If you fall in the foodie category and love to try variety
of dishes then Kathmandu city is the right place for you. Kathmandu Valley is
renowned for the Newari cuisines and different kinds of foods are prepared
according to the occasions. Newars, indigenous to the Kathmandu Valley, cater
the best snacks in the country. Chatamari, Yomari, Choila, Kachila, Samaybaji
are some of the most popular dishes whereas aila, thwo, haku thwo or kar thyo
are popular alcoholic drinks. A few minutes away from the Krishna Temple in Patan,
just opposite the Bhimsen Temple, you can see Honacha. Honacha is one of the
most popular eateries in the Patan city where you can enjoy Newari ethnic
cuisine. And talking about the desert in Bhaktapur, you can have king yogurt in
every street corners as Bhaktapur is popular for the “Juju Dhau” (king of
yogurt). So come and make your tummy happy with delicious foods and amazing
homemade alcoholic drinks.
7 Visit Pashupatinath Temple to observe Hindu cremation
Pashupatinath Temple is located in the eastern side of
Kathmandu which is considered as the masterpiece of Hindu architecture. Pashupatinath
is one of the most sacred Hindu temples dedicated to Lord Shiva where happens
on daily basis, the ancient Hindu rituals unchanged by time. This temple is the
main attraction of Kathmandu which attracts tens of thousands of elderly
followers of Hinduism. The main temple entrance is only given to Hindus but you
can wander about the rest of the vast grounds. If you don't want to pay to go
in, you can get a decent view from the opposite side of the river. You can
usually see the open cremation and sadhus or yogis in Pashupatinath area. The
most interesting time to visit Pashupatinath is early in the morning from 7
a.m. to 10 a.m. to see the cremations or in the evening from 6 p.m. to see the
Aarti (hindu ritual of worshipping gods). The main temple is closed from midday
until 5 p.m. daily.
8 Visit Swayambhunath Stupa
Swayambhunath Stupa is one of the excellent glories of
Kathmandu Valley’s architecture. Swayambhunath is one of the holiest places for
both Hindus and Buddhists. One of the oldest historical sites among the UNESCO
world heritage sites from Nepal, Swayambhunath ages back more than 2100 years.
The stupa complex consists of old Buddhist religious monuments topping with a
colossal dome shaped stupa. With four mystical eyes of Buddha overlooking four
directions in the dome, you will have a sacred feeling of fulfillment in this
place. This place is encompassed by green forest, beautiful scenery of
Kathmandu valley is seen with many monkeys living around this place. The Stupa
of Swayambhunath is supported by classic conventionalized lotus mandala base. Swayambhunath
is the oldest stupa in Nepal and has countless shrines and monasteries on its
premises. Since we have many monkeys around here in this area, as a nickname we
call this place as “Monkey Temple”. It is accessible through staircases, walk and
vehicle rides as per your preferences.
9 Visit Boudhanath Stupa
Boudhanath is located in the east of Kathmandu city and not
too far from Pashupatinath temple. It is one of the most imposing landmarks in
Kathmandu. It is the largest stupa in the Kathmandu Valley. Boudhanath has been
a significant site of pilgrimage and meditation for Tibetan Buddhists &
local people of Nepal. Boudhanath is regarded as the basis of Tibetan culture
in Kathmandu and rich in Buddhist symbolism. From the top, Boudhanath Stupa
looks like a big mandala, or diagram of the Buddhist cosmos. And as in all
Tibetan mandalas, four of the Dhyani Buddhas mark the cardinal points, with the
fifth, Vairocana, enshrined in the center (in the white hemisphere of the
stupa). The five Buddhas also personify the five elements (earth, water, fire,
air and ether), which are represented in the stupa's architecture. During the
festival of Losar (Tibetan New Year) Boudhanath organizes the largest
celebration in Nepal.
10 Camping Nights
Camping in Kathmandu is an intense getaway plan to discover a
relaxed weekend within your budget. Kathmandu, the heart capital city of Nepal
is a popular center for tourists, catering tours to adventurers, while budgets
vary according to the number of travelers and activities done by them. Camping
tours in Kathmandu provide best spots for admiring huge mountains and deep valleys
and enjoying the sunrise as well as sunset. You can organize trips with your
friends and family while exploring the cultural and rural outskirts of the valley.
Kathmandu is a conveniently located peaceful city at an altitude of around 1,400
meters and is surrounded by four prime mountains making it a perfect location
for the camping. Lele village, Balthali village, Chitlang and Markhu village,
Nagarkot and Sundarijal are some popular places for camping in Kathmandu city
where you can lead a couple of adventurous days and nights to pack memorable
memories while being on your way back home.
11 Take Blessings from the Living Goddess Kumari
The predominance of the Kumari cult is more distinctly
conspicuous among the Newar community inside the Kathmandu Valley. The word
Kumari has been developed from the Sanskrit word Kaumarya. It means virgin
referring to the culture of worshiping the virgins. The selection of the Living
Goddess is a highly elaborate tantric ritual. Almost every Newari village has
its own Kumari. In context to Kathmandu Valley there is a tradition of
worshipping Kumari in Patan, Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Bungamati. However, the
Kumari of Kathmandu is regarded as the Royal Kumari of Nepal. And she is
worshiped by the president and many political leaders as well. If you are
visiting in late August or early September, you may get the chance to perceive
the mesmerizing festival known as Indra Jatra, when the Kumari leaves her
residence and is pulled on a chariot through the narrow roads of old Kathmandu.
12 Take Part in Rock Climbing
Rock climbing has recently attained popularity in Kathmandu
valley due to the natural and majestic rock faces within the valley. There are
many natural climbing sites in Kathmandu
and are suitable for all kinds of
climbers ranging from beginners to the experts. You just have to choose a climb
that is best suitable for you and you’re ready to go. The rock climbing is a
physically and mentally demanding sport. It can be a dangerous activity without
proper climbing techniques and the knowledge of the use of specialized climbing
equipment is crucial for the safe completion of routes. That’s why, please be
sufficiently prepared before undertaking any rock climbing tours. Indoor climbing
walls in Thamel like Astrek, natural climbing walls in Pharping(Hattiban) and Nagarjun
are some recommended places for rock climbing in and around Kathmandu valley.