Topping our list is the all-time favorite of travelers from all over the world, Thangka. Many people even come to Nepal only to buy them alone because Thangka in Nepal is famous worldwide for its finest quality. A souvenir that will ensure good health, happiness, fame and fortune is worth spending your time and money on. Thankas are hand paintings made on cotton or silk, usually depicting the lives of the Buddha or great Buddhism Buddhist leaders. Thankas in Nepal has some of the richest and most intricate designs. In Nepal, they also hold powerful religious significance. Perfect for hanging on any wall of the house, the price of a Thangka will vary depending upon the size, the quality of the drawings or paintings and the time spent creating one. You will have to take a closer look or consult with the artist or the expert to get explicit knowledge. Undoubtedly, the most valuable souvenir of all souvenir items in Nepal.
2. Cashmere or Pashmina
One of the most fashionable and luxurious items in Nepal can be the pashmina, also known as cashmere. The genuine pashmina shawls or scarves are of high quality and can be costly, too; however, even the cheaper options are available lately. There are a lot of varieties and different qualities to try from. The pashmina in Nepal is handmade and hand-spun from real fiber. That fiber comes from the soft hair of mountain goats in the Himalayas of Nepal. They are also made of Yak wool in Nepal, but since pure Yak wool is hard to find, you might not be able to get pure pashmina made out of it. If you have a woman in your home, then this is the right souvenir choice for you to buy. In addition to the pashmina shawls or scarves, you might also want to check other similar items like cardigans, stoles and blankets in the stores, adding more elegance to the souvenir style.
3. Khukuri (Nepali knives; Gurkha knives)
The authentic Nepali knives are called ‘Khukuri,’ famously known as the Gurkha knives. Khukuri is an exquisite example of Nepalese craftsmanship. Very simple to use and a lot easier to handle or carry, Khukuri or the Nepalese dagger, is connected to our rich and proud history. Our ancestors fought bravely with this weapon against our enemies back in the past. It has a solid shining blade with an inside curve which serves as both the weapon and the utility knife. Khukuri also comes in various shapes and sizes these days. Don’t be confused that the ordinary Nepali Khukuris are sharp and deadly, but the souvenir styles are blunt and only for the showpiece. However, they look similar. The must-buy souvenir style of Khukuri typically comes in small or moderate sizes, which you can easily carry in your luggage while returning home.
4. Mad Himalayan
Honey
We have added Himalayan honey to our top priority of the souvenir list as it’s highly trending these days. People are mad about this honey, found in the wild hills and the cliffs and made delicately by the wild bees collecting nectar from different herbs and plants in the wilderness. Himalayan honey has been famous for a long time, but it’s still gaining more recognition. There are different kinds of honey in the market, but typically obtained from the Himalayas is what we are talking about here. One small dose will give you a psychedelic trip; that’s why Himalayan honey is in high demand in Nepal and which any tourist would love to add to their souvenir list.
5. Singing Bowls of Nepal
Another leading souvenir in Nepal is the singing bowls. Widely popular
throughout the world especially in the European nations, singing bowls are the mostly
dealt objects in the international market. Nepal produces abundant singing
bowls and supplies to the entire world. There are the varieties of singling
bowls in terms of handmade or machine-made or in terms of the plain or
decorated singing bowls. It also differs with the materials used and thus the
price varies accordingly. Singing bowl is all about sound and the harmonic
vibration it creates. The vibration that comes from the bowl has the healing
qualities and it is usually used for the healing purpose. Secondly, it can also
be used for the meditation purpose. The authentic Nepali singing bowl is highly
expensive in terms of other duplicate products in the market. To help in your
meditation or just to gain the soothing experience, get the singing bowl before
you leave Nepal.
6. Lokta Paper Products or Rice Paper Products
Nepal has a unique
paper called ‘Rice Paper’ which is being used in most of the government offices
and also to make the official documents in Nepal for a long time now. These papers
are really soft and smooth. Out of many exotic handicrafts in Nepal, Rice paper
or Lokta paper is also one of them. It is interestingly made either from
the rice husk or the bark of a certain type of tree, found in the remote areas
of the country. Nowadays, these paper has given birth to a lot of interesting
products in the market such as photo albums, wallpapers, calendars, handbags,
lampshades, notebooks, gift boxes, etc. naming just few. These are real cheap
while look intriguingly awesome too. So, do not miss to buy one of these lokta
paper products as the souvenir for your close ones in your next Nepal holiday. What a wonderful money-saving souvenir for your family!
7. Hemp Bags and Backpacks in Nepal
Hemp is
the fibre extracted from the stem of the cannabis plant. Natural hemp are
mainly obtained from the Himalayas of Nepal. Very trending in the market these
days, bags and backpacks made of hemps are out for grabs for the trendsetters. They
look really fashionable and will go great with any sort of looks especially
with Boho look. Westerners love these and they certainly cannot go without
buying at least one of these before leaving this wonderland country Nepal. Usually
handmade, these hemp bags are intricately made and very tempting to the eyes. Hemp
backpacks are especially popular among the trekkers while hemp bags are
appealing to everyone. So, what else can be the better souvenir other than hemp bags and backpacks!
8. Statues and Masks
Religious, traditional
and cultural statues and masks are one of the most important symbols of Nepal
and the Nepalese society. They show the real talents of our artists in Nepal
which we all are proud of. The statues and masks are made of many different materials
like metals, brass, bronze, clay, gold and silver and many other similar
things. These statues and masks play the important roles in forming the Hindu
religious structures like temples and others while they also are the important
parts in the religious festivals. They are the great showpieces for your
interiors and also the luck bringing charms to you and your family. Keeping
some of these statues and masks in the house, Hindus and Buddhists have a lot
of beliefs that the evil eyes will not fall upon the households and they have
prosperity. Most of them are associated with the Buddhism. Nothing can beat the statues and masks in such style of souvenirs.
9. Dar Cho –Tibetan Prayer Flags
Tibetan prayer flags or dar cho, are mostly used by
the Buddhism and is mostly hanged in and around the houses, monasteries,
temples and the stupas. If you go to trek in the Himalayas, you will find the
prayer flags on your path, on the chortens or the mani walls, in the deserted
places and around the settlements as well. The colorful Tibetan prayer flags
are used for the well-being and the increase of fortune and life for all
sentient beings. It is believed that with the mantras, symbols and the sacred
texts inscribed in the flags, they generate the spiritual vibrations which is
released once touched by the wind and carried in the air as the silent prayers.
Since the flag is related to the blessings, one can buy this as a form of souvenir
and gift it to your loved ones. The Tibetan prayer flags are available in
various shapes, sizes and colors as well. The best blessings and love can be shared through the Tibetan prayer flags in the form of souvenir.
10. Gold, Silver, Bead, Bone and Stone Jewelleries
There is no doubt at
all that such fine and exotic, Nepalese jewellery can enter the woman’s heart very
easy. What else can make a woman happy other than the beautiful jewelleries! The
jewelleries in Nepal constitute the biggest portion of all the Nepalese
handicrafts and they are made of many precious items like gold, silver, bead,
bone, stone, etc. There are millions of choices to choose from in the varieties
of forms like bracelets, necklaces, pendants, rings and more. So many colorful
and attractive stones or the semi-precious stones are found in Nepal only which
can be mixed with any other jewelleries and form a unique masterpiece. You can
either buy the ready-made or custom-made depending upon your choice. Don’t wait
until you get old and ragged to make your woman happy when you can do it right
now, here in Nepal by buying a simple jewellery souvenir.
11. Tea and Spices
Nepal is remarkably
known for its varieties of teas and spices as well. We, Nepalese love drinking
tea. What about you? If you ever get to taste typical Nepali tea or locally
known as ‘Nepali Chiya’, you will fall in love instantly. Why not buying it to
bring it to your own home which you can enjoy for the rest of the life! Besides
normal tea, we have so many other varieties of teas like earl grey tea, masala
tea, green tea, oolong tea, golden tips tea, silver tips tea, herbal tea, etc. Moreover,
they come in the beautiful packets as well. Nepal has a huge production of high quality
tea. What are you waiting for! Just go and buy a tea packet for your lovely people and tell them it's the most precious souvenir from Nepal, which will cost you merely small amount only.
Thanks to so many
spices as found in the Nepali market, our food taste unique and exotic. Nepal
is solely responsible for manufacturing so many varieties of spices. They can
be used extensively in the varieties of cuisines to shape the tastes as per the
people’s choice of taste. Whether it’s about the collection or it’s your
personal interest in cooking foods, buying spices to your home could be a great
idea. Freshly extracted from the Himalayan fields and the wilderness; the most
commonly used spices in Nepal are ginger, garlic, coriander, Sichuan pepper or timur,
chillies, turmeric, fenugreek seeds, cumin, cloves, cardamom, bay leaves,
mustard seeds, and so on. They can be
found either in raw form or the powdered form; a number of spices to pick as the souvenir for your chef back home.
12. Tiger moving game (Bagh
Chal)
If you’re looking for something different and unusual
which is typical Nepalese style also, then tiger moving game is right for you.
Locally known as (Bagh Chal; Bagh means tiger), it is a very classical game in Nepal
which is loved and enjoyed by all age groups. This game has a board layout
which simply has a square figure or a box with a lot of small boxes and the
lines inside. There are 4 tiger pieces and 20 goat pieces in the game. Either the
tiger wins or the goat wins. The tiger wins by engulfing all the goats while
the goat wins by blocking all the tiger pieces. Tiger moving game is an
intelligent puzzle game which is somehow compared to the chess game but is
simply quite easier to learn and execute. Buy this interesting game for your
kins and they will surely love this souvenir from Nepal.
13. Trekking
Gears and Equipment from Nepal
Can
you really find the trekking gears and equipment in Nepal to buy as a souvenir? Obviously yes, that’s even in
the cheaper price for the good quality items. Since Nepal has the majority of
tourists coming in for the trekking, Nepalese business leaders has been manufacturing
trekking gears and equipment and catering to the tourism markets for decades
now. Why not going to the mountains with your own trekking gears and gear
yourself up in those impossible hills and the mountains! Most importantly, you
can buy any of these items as the souvenir and gift them to your friends and
family. They will be surprised. You don’t even have to finish the big deal of
amount and you can buy these items at cheaper rates than in the foreign
countries. Some local brands like Kala Patthar, Shona’s Alpine and Sonam Gears
are the most popular brands in Nepal and abroad which supply these souvenir trekking gears and equipment.
14. Nepali Dhaka products
The exclusive
Dhaka from Nepal has got its unique prints and patterns. This typical Nepali
product is made from cotton fabric and is weaved in the traditional loom. It
reflects the pure Nepali craftsmanship. The Dhaka fabric has gained much popularity
in the recent days and from Dhaka, there has been a lot of innovative products
like Nepali sarees, hats, shirts, shawls, bed sheets, handkerchiefs, table
mats, etc. The colorful designs have become one of the most recognizable and
remarkable handicrafts in Nepal. Palpali Dhaka hat or called as Palpali Dhaka Topi is
the most renowned Dhaka hat in Nepal. Dhaka hat is a part of the national dress
and also the symbol of Nepalese nationality. According to Nepali culture, the
clothes made of Dhaka is significantly used by the groom on the wedding day. Ready to buy the Dhaka products as the souvenir which is sure to make your woman look elegant and the man look glamorous.
15. Nepali Music and the Musical Instruments
Everyone
loves music, don’t they? Nepal also boasts of having so many varieties of music.
Nepali music has been gaining popularity among the tourist as well. Especially
the folk instrumental music played with combining different musical instruments.
Listening to the tunes or the songs, a traveler can enjoy more during their
journey in the Nepal Himalayas. Why not taking a music collection back to your home as a souvenir and the reminder of your amazing Nepal stay! The most popular Nepali song is the ‘Resham
Firiri’ while the famous tunes are ‘Om Mani Padme Hum-a Buddhist tune’and ‘Nepali
Lok Dhun’. There are countless others to listen to. Now, there's no comparing to the musical souvenirs, is there?
On
the other hand, buying the musical instruments can also be a choice and could
be a beautiful treat for yourself too. There are innumerable musical instruments
in Nepal which is used during the casual friend gatherings and from the formal to the informal occasions. Some of the most famous folk musical instruments of Nepal
are Bansuri (the flute), Madal, Murchunga, Dhimay, Panche Baja (sets of 5
traditional folk instruments), Sarangi (the most classical musical instrument) and similar others. These could
be the interesting souvenir to take back home.
16.
Prayer Wheels in Nepal
Similar
to prayer flags, prayer wheels are also used for spreading spiritual blessings
and the well-being. Imprinted with the mantra Om Mani Padme Hum in the Indian
script or in Tibetan script, around an axle, the prayer wheel is spun round and
round. Tibetan Buddhists believe that reciting this mantra, silently to oneself
or saying out loud invokes the powerful blessings of Chenrezig, the Buddha of
compassion. Mani wheels or prayer wheels are found abundantly all over the
trekking routes of Nepal which are influenced by the Buddhism. These wheels can
be found in all Buddhism sites and the monasteries. In the form of souvenir,
one can buy different sized prayer wheels and bring it with them for the inner
peace and to achieve the immense blessings.
17.
Traditional Nepalese Clothing
Nepal is
a multicultural country where inhabits vast number of communities living
together preserving their own unique cultures and traditions. With this comes
the number of styles of clothing that is worn by them multiple communities known as traditional
clothing. There are so many beautiful dresses or the attires which has gained
the popularity even among the tourists today. Traditional clothing in Nepal is very colorful
and joyful. They are comparatively cheaper to purchase as well. From the 70s look
to the modern trendy looks, the Nepali clothing are improving time to time and the
generations to generations. Made from the varieties of fabrics including wool,
cotton, cashmere and silk, Nepali traditional clothing is distinguishable by
its durability, warmth and often the vibrant colors. From hats to the slippers,
shirts to the jackets, trousers to the pants and from blouses to the dresses,
more than enough choices are there to choose from while buying as a souvenir for your
close ones.
18. Traditional
Dolls and Puppets in Nepal
One of
the most typical Nepali souvenirs which you can buy before you fly to your home
nation is the traditional dolls and puppets. Been existing here for centuries,
Nepalese produces so much of these handicrafts either to export or mainly to showcase
the craftsmanship of the local Nepali artists to the foreigners. Bhaktapur in the Kathmandu valley
is mainly popular for the production of the unique dolls and puppets. They usually
depict different gods and goddesses or even demons according to the Hindu
traditions while could also portrait the different cultural attires in
different shapes and forms of a human figure at the other times. Would you consider of buying one of these dolls or puppets as a souvenir to your family??
19.
Tiger Balm
Here’s
another simple but a very effective item you can buy as a souvenir, known as
tiger balm. Tiger balm is like a lotion which you apply on the skin to ward off
the cold at winter times or to finish off the running nose problems. It’s
similar to the Vicks if you’ve heard of it which will come very handy while you
are traveling overseas. You will find it easily on the streets of the touristic
markets as these lotions will be carried by the individual street vendors who
is always on the move to and fro. Probably one of the cheapest souvenirs you can find in the Nepali touristic market.
20. Other Traditional and Cultural Nepali Handicrafts
Except for the
pashmina products, lokta paper products and various jewelleries that we have
mentioned before, there are also many other traditional and cultural
handicrafts which proudly showcase the beauty and uniqueness of Nepal and the
Nepali society. Lots of varieties to choose from, which will keep you all
enthusiastic and interested throughout your shopping period. We also have many
bamboo products, the carpets and rugs, leather goods, incenses, wooden crafts,
ceramic items, stones and crystals, alloy goods, bags and luggages, plastic
recycled items, utility items and a whole lot of other souvenir items.
Our list is never
ending but these items were on the top of our list of the souvenirs you can buy when
traveling to Nepal or before flying back home to your lovely country. Didn’t
get enough of the souvenirs we’ve listed so far? Nature Lovers can recommend
you more exquisite and valuable souvenirs for you to take to your home. You’ve been an
interesting reader, thank you lots.