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Nepal
has been a dreamland of the tourists since a long.
Nepal invites, welcomes, and bewilders the visitors.
Those who have already visited Nepal cherish the
desire for the second visit and those who have
heard or read about the kingdom make a plan to
visit Nepal.
Geographically,
Nepal is small country but she shines like a multi
gem in her diversity. She is holy, she is wonderful,
she is gracious, she is strange, she is wild and
she is beautiful. The small geographical territory
encapsulates the most diverse of geo-topographical,
biological and Socio-ethnic varieties. In this
country there stands the majestic Mt. Everest,
fertile land of the Terai sprawls luxuriously,
deep George’s and fountains spring up form
treasure house of the earth; swift and roaring
rivers tumble down directly from the Himalayas,
many rare and beautiful species of plants and
animal find safe and favorable shelter in the
land, the altitude of which varies between 70
meters to 8848 meters. More importantly, more
than 65 ethnic groups speaking more than 45 languages
present an unique example of the harmony in the
diversity. In short, people with different sets
of interest and different temperament find many
things as their interest in the smallest possible
territory.
A few highlighted places not
to be missed with in the kingdom are as follows |
Kathmandu City: |
The Kathmandu
valley is the hub of Nepal for its’ political,
commercial and cultural activities and is the
 first
stop for the majority of the visitors to the country.
Once separate kingdom in itself, it consists of
three cities of the great history. Every one has
an artistic exposition of graceful temple, elegant
palace, brick-paved courtyards and quaint streets.
The history
begins with the Buddhist saint Manjushree who
slashed a passage through the surrounding hills
to drain out primordial water and made it habitable.
Over the centuries, a refined urban civilization
emerged, built on a unique synthesis of Hinduism
and Buddhism. Dynasties came and went trade and
the arts flourished. It’s deeply religious
Newars’ inhabitants built fabulous cities
and artistic temples that attracted devout pilgrims
as well as ramping invaders. In the date late
18th century, following the founding of modern
Nepal with in more or less the present boundaries,
Kathmandu was made the capital. It is said that
‘Katmandu’ was named after Kastamandap
an imposing pagoda next to Hanumandhoka palace.
The city is said to built in it’s present
form by Gunakama Dev 724 AD. Followings are the
major tourist attractions in the Katmandu Valley.
This complex of palaces,
courtyards, and temples are built on 12th to 18th
centuries used to be the seat of the ancient Malla
kings of Kathmandu. An intriguing piece here is
the 17th century stone inscription set in to the
wall of the palace with writing in15 languages.
The Durbar Square protected as an UNESCO World
Heritage Site, is the social, religious and urban
focal point of the city. There are three museums
inside the palace building.
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Shwoyambhunath:
Three kilometer west of Kathmandu
city complex locates the one of the worlds most
glorious Buddhist Stupas, it is said to be 2000
years old. Visitors often call it "Monkey
Temple". The main structure brick and clay
which supports a lofty conical spire
capped by a pinnacle of copper gilt. There are
the all-seeing eyes of Lord Buddha on the four
sides of spire. Being situated seventy meter above
the level of valley, the hill of Shwoyambhunath
is a mosaic of small Stupas and pagoda temples.
Aside, in front of the temple, one of the famous
goddess with the shrine of Ajima called "Harati
Mata" is there. This temple of goddess believes
to be famous in the way of tantric. Both the stupa
of Lord Buddha and temple of a goddess are surrounded
by other temples and Tibetan monasteries. Being
located in the top level of valley, this place
is famous for visitors for sightseeing. |
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Pupshupatinath
Temple:
Pashupatinath is considered
one of the holiest shrines of all the Hindu temples.
The temple has remained the presiding deity of
ruling Nepalese Royalty. Located on the banks
of the Bagmati river, this two-tiered magnificent
golden temple with four triple silver doorways
is unique example of the Nepalese temple architecture.
It is one  of
the largest Hindu temple complex in' South Asia
with hundreds of Shiva lingams, shrines icons
of various Hindu god and goddess insides. This
temple site occupies an area of 281 hectors in
total. The main entrance of this temple is in
the western side facing a small street of Deopatan
market. As non-Hindus are not allowed to enter
this temple courtyard. They are advised to go
on the other side of the river in the East to
have a glimpse of the temple complex. In the middle
of the spring (Feb. March) every year there occurs
a festival called Shivaratri. The world Shivaratri
means the holy night of Lord Shiva. On this day
many devotees visit the Pashupati Nath temple
and make the ceremonial fire. Most of the devotees
spend the night offering prayers to Shiva. This
festival attracts tens of thousand of pilgrims
from India besides the locals. Historically pre-Chistian
era this temple seems to have its origin away
back to the early Kirat period. Stone sculptures
found in the vicinity support the antiquity of
this place. This holy site is 6 km. east oil down
town Kathmandu. Regular bus and taxi services
are easily available from a city points. |
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Bauddhanath:
One of the world’s largest Stupa, Bouddha
is generally acknowledged to be the most important
Tibetan Buddhist monument outside Tibet. Tibetans
simply call it CHORTEN CHEMPO "Great Stupa".
It has now become the Mecca of Tibetan exiles
in Nepal. Walking around Bouddhnath one often
fins men wearing long braids wrapped around their
heads. Many of these pilgrims carry their own
prayer wheels, which they spin incessantly. |
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Patan
City: |
The ancient
city of Patan is situated on the southern bank
of Bagmati River and is about 5 km far from Kathmandu
City. The City is full of Hindu Temples and Buddhist
monuments with bronze gateways, guardian deities
and wonderful carvings/ Noted for its craftsmen
and metal workers, it is known as the city of
artists. The major visitors’ attractions
of Patan are: |
Durbar Square:
Patan Durbar Square is
situated in the heart of the city, the main
tourist attraction. The  Square
is full of ancient palaces, temples and shrines
noted for their exquisite
carvings. One can rummage for treasures and souvenirs
in the various shops around the Square. The main
attraction of Patan Durbar Square is the ancient
Royal Palace itself. It consists three main courtyards
such as Mul chowks, Sundari chowks and Keshab Narayan
chowks. In the northeastern corner of the courtyard
is a triple roofed octagonal tower, Taleju Bhawani
Temple built by King Shree Niwash Malla in 1667.
Degu Taleju is in between Mul Chowks and Keshav
Naarayan Chowks. |
| Krishna Mandir:
Built by Siddhi
Narshing Malla in 17th century. The temple of
Lord Krishna holds a commanding position in the
palace complex of Patan. It is the only temple
Nepal to have 21 shrines and completely made of
stone. Most of the important scenes from the ancient
Hindu epics the Ramayana and Mahabharat have been
engraved on it’s friezes.
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| Mahaboudha: A
little further from Patan Durbar Square lies this
Buddhist temple made of bricks in which thousands
of image of Lord Buddha are engraved. The Terracotta
structure is a 14th century Nepalese architectural
masterpiece. An architect named Avay Raj constructed
it.
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| Jawalakhel Handicraft
Center: This
carpet factory is managed by the Tibetan Refugee
and is a place where one can see the entire process
of spinning, dying and weaving Tibetan design
wool carpets. The center also has a well-shocked
show room for carpet purchasing.
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| Patan industrial estate:
It
is in Lagankhel and is known as Nepali handicrafts
such as wood - carving, metal craft, carpets and
Thanka paintings. It is very interesting to see
how these goods are made in the different workshop.
For the visitors’ convenience, there is
a shopping arcade with in the premises of the
industrial estate.
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| Kumbheshwor:
Kumbheshwor
temple in Patan and Nyatapol temple in Bhaktapur
are the only five- storied temples in the Valley,
with the exception of the round five-tiered Pancha
Mukhi Hanuman of Katmandu’s Hanuman Dhoka
Palace. This temple for Lord Shiva was expanded
during the reign of King Jayasthiti Malla but
originally constructed in 1392. A fair is held
here on the Janal Purnima day in August.
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| Jagat Narayan Temple:
This
is a tall imposing temple of Lord Vishnu in red
brick. Situated on the bank of the Bagmati River,
the temple has many fine images of stone and an
artistic metal statue of Garuda on a stone pillar.
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| Rudra Varna Mahavihar:
This
unique Buddhist monastery contains a collection
of images and statues in metal, stone, and wood.
In ancient times, kings were crowned in this monastery.
Many of the treasures offered by kings' devotees
could be seen here even today.
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| The Ashokan Stupa:
There are four ancient
Stupas, popularly believed to have been built
in 250 B. C. by Emperor Ashokan, at the Four Corners
of Patan. The four Stupas are located in Pulchowk,
Lagankhel, Ebahi (way to Shankhamul), and in Teat
(way to Sano Gaon) respectively. This stupa gives
evidence to the city's ancient religious importance.
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| Achheshwor Mahavihar:
Accheshwor
who built a temple to house an idol of Lord Buddha
established this temple towards the beginning
of the seventeenth century. The Mahavihar has
recently been reconstructed. It has 30 rooms including
a monastery, "Dhyankuti" research area,
training area, library, review rooms, and guest
rooms. Situated behind the Ashokan Stupa at Pulchowk,
the Mahavihar commands a beautiful view of the
Kathmandu Valley.
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| Temples of Machchhindra
Nath and Min Nath: The
pagoda of Red Machchhendra Nath, also known as
Avalokiteshwor and Adinath Lokeshwor, is housed
here for six months each year. For the remaining
six months, the idol is taken to its shrine in
Bungmati. The temple of Min Nath is situated in
Tentgal, on the way to Tabahal. The temple of
Min Nath is thought to be older than the temple
of Red Machchhendra Nath.
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Bhaktapur
City: |
Bhaktapur, situated
at an altitude of 1401 meters, is a home of medieval
art and 
architecture. The urban city covers an area of
4 square miles. Shaped like a conch shell, Bhaktapur
means "the city of devotees". Pottery
and weaving are its traditional industries. The
city lies about 14 kilometers east of Kathmandu
and can be reached by car or any other public
transport.
The major sightseeing places in Bhaktapur are:
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Durbar Square:
The main square of the
city contains innumerable temples and other architectural
showpieces like: the Lion Gate, a Statue of King
Bhupatindra  Malla,
a Picture Gallery, the Golden Gate, the Palace of
55 Windows, the Batsala Temple, the Bell of Barking
Dogs, and a replica of Pashupatinath Temple.
The
Lion Gate, which was built during the reign
of King Bhupatindra Malla, is adorned with stone
figures of Hanuman, Ghairav, and Narasingh Narayan.
A statue of the Malla King in the act of worship
is placed on a column facing the palace. Of the
many statues in Nepal, this is considered to be
the most magnificent.
The Picture Gallery
contains ancient paintings belonging to Hindu
and Buddhist schools of Tantrism of various periods
and descriptions.
The Golden Gate
is the entrance to the main courtyard and the
Palace of 55 Windows. It was built by King Ranjit
Malla and is one of the most beautiful and richly
carved specimens of its kind showing the Goddess
Kali and Garuda, the winged carrier of Lord Vishnu.
This gate is embellished with monsters of marvelous
intricacy.
King Bhupatindra
Malla built the Palace of 55 Windows in the seventeenth
century. Among the brick walls, with their gracious
setting and sculptural design, is a balcony of
55 windows. This balcony is a masterpiece of woodcarving.
The stone
temple of Batsala Devi, which is also located
in the Durbar Square, is full of intricate carvings.
This temple also shows a beautiful example of
Shikhara style architecture in Nepal. There is
a bronze bell on the terrace of the temple that
is also known as the "bell of barking dogs."
When it peals, the local dogs start barking. This
bell, placed in 1737 A.D. by King Ranjit Malla,
was used to sound curfew during his reign. The
bell is rung every morning while worshipping the
Goddess Taleju.
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| Nayatpolo Temple:
King Bhupatindra
Malla built this five-story pagoda in 1702 A.D..
It stands on a five story terraced platform. On
each of the terraces squat pairs of figures: two
famous wrestlers, two elephants, two lions, two
griffins, and Baghini and Singhini, the tiger
and the lion goddesses. Each pair of figures is
considered ten times stronger than the ones immediately
below, while the lowest pair, the two strong men,
Jaya Malla and Phatta Malla, was reputedly ten
times stronger than any other men. This is one
of the tallest pagodas and is famous for its massive
structure and subtle workmanship. The temple was
built for Goddess Laxmi.
Bhairavnath Temple:
This temple
was first built as a one-story pagoda during the
reign of King Jagat Jyoti Malla, and later changed
into a three-story temple in 1718 A.D. by King
Bhupatindra Malla. The temple is noted for its
artistic grandeur. It is dedicated to Lord Bhairav,
the god of Terror.
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| Surya Vinayak:
This is a
shrine of Ganesh, the elephant-headed God, situated
in the beautiful surroundings of Bhadgaun, placed
in a sylvan setting to catch the first rays of
the rising sun. The view of the city of Bhaktapur
is seen from here with snow-capped peaks in the
background. Nestled in a thick forest, it is a
good picnic spot flanked by many attractive landscapes.
It is easily accessible by trolley bus.
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| Changunarayan:
Located at
the end of a long ridge, which runs well into
the Valley, this temple is said to have been build
in 323 AD by King Hari Dutta Varma. The temple
is richly decorated with sculptures and carvings.
It is said to be the oldest temple in the Valley.
Situated about 153 meters above the level of Kathmandu
Valley, it affords a beautiful view of the surrounding
countryside. An all-weather motorable road connects
it with Bhaktapur City.
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Tourist
Destinations beyond the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal |
| Nuwakot; A historic hill town: |
Nuwakot
is a small, still merely ignored town, which used
to be quite a historic place, when King Prithvi
Narayan Shaha, the first king of modern Nepal,
planned and launched several unification campaigns
from there. Situated closed to Trisuli Bazar (North
West from Kathmandu), there's only a very few
people taking the opportunity to visit this place,
making it a very preserved area (though lacking
resources to maintain the buildings). An interesting,
very quiet and peaceful place, beneficiating from
beautiful views of the Trisuli valley...
A pagoda style building
popularly known as the seven story Palace and
the temple of Taleju Bhawani and Bhairabi stand
as the landmark of Nuwakot and it was built shortly
after the King Prithvi Narayan Shaha’s arrival.
With it’s strategic hilltop view the convergence
the Tadi and Trishuli Rivers to the south and
serving as a hate keeper to the main trade route
north onto Tibet via Kerung.
A trip to Nuwakot
along the mountain highway, Trisuli Road, is rewarding
with views of green forests on one side and terraced
cultivation on the other. The road to Nuwakot
begins from Kathmandu and terminates at Bidur
where the road to Nuwakot bifurcates. The vehicles
can go right up to the top of Nuwakot. It takes
about one and three hours to reach Nuwakot by
car from Kathmandu. There are frequent bus and
other vehicle services from Thamel to Nuwakot.
You can visit
to the School. You will have knowledge of Schools
in the remote part of Nepal. Also a great opportunity
to interact with the people of that village.
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| Nagarkot: |
One of
the most famous tourist destinations outside the
Kathmandu valley is Nagarkot,  which
is located on the rim of Kathmandu Valley at an
elevation of 7,200 feet. It offers the panoramas
of the major peaks of western Nepal like Annapurna
range, Manaslu, Ganesh Himal range, Langtang range,
and Gaurishankar in the east. It is 32 km north
east of Kathmandu. It takes 45 minutes drive from
Kathmandu and is best for sunrise and sunset.
At dawn and dusk
the snow-covered peaks are painted in shades of
rose, pink orange and gold. It is a sight not
to miss, though one can never be sure of the visibility
of the mountain ranges even during the winter
months. Seeing a single pink peak appearing in
the midst of clouds can be as thrilling as seeing
the whole 200-mile panorama of peaks. Since mornings
are clearer than afternoons, it is recommended
spending a night up here.
Nagarkot is
also a place for day hikes, especially when you
do not have enough time for long treks. The Best
part of these hikes is that everything goes down
the hill from the time you start. The three possible
destinations for day hikes from Nagarkot are Banepa,
Sankhu and Changu Narayan. Number of comfortable
hotels and lodges are available here.
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Dhulikhel:
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Dhulikhel
is a much larger town than Nagarkot and is situated
at an altitude of 5,500 Ft above Sea level, 30
Kms east of Kathmandu on the Kodari Highway. The
city offers a complete panoramic view of the snow-capped
ranges from Karyolung in the east to Himalchuli
in the west. The view however is not as good as
that from Nagarkot, one can see for 130 miles.
It is a magnificent place to spend the night and
awaken to the sun rising across the wide Himalayan
range. Once an important link in the ancient trade
route to Tibet, Dhulikhel has a glorious past
that can be witnessed in the lovely building and
intricate woodcarving found among the shop lone
streets and in the temples.
Like Nagarkot, the
city offers numerous interesting day hikes. These
provide the tourists an opportunity to see the
Nepali countryside away from the roads and also
giving a taste of trekking. The easiest is the
hike to Namoboudda and back. |
| Kakani: |
Kakani
1982 meters above sea level and located 29 kilometers
northwest of Kathmandu City is famous for its
magnificent view of the Valley. It overlooks the
northwestern Himalayan ranges set against the
vastness of the blue sky. The holiday area of
Kakani features attractions ranging from beautiful
alpine scenery to the magnificent Himalayan panorama,
particularly of the Ganesh Himal. Other peaks
that can be seen from Kakani are Gaurishankar
(7,134 m), Choba Bhamre (6,016 m) and several
other peaks. One should not miss the majestic
sunset that Kakani offers.
A trip to
Kakani along the mountain highway, Trisuli Road,
is rewarding with views of green forests on one
side and terraced cultivation on the other. The
road to Kakani begins at Balaju and terminates
at Kaule where the road to Kakani bifurcates.
The vehicles can go right up to the top of Kakani.
It takes about one and half-hours to reach Kakani
by car from Kathmandu.
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| Pokhara: |
The Pokhara
valley, the most picturesque  spot
of Nepal, is enhanced by its lovely lake Few,
Begnas and Rupa, and Caves, River gorges and Monasteries.
Situated 200 km west of Kathmandu at an altitude
of 827m. is connected by air as well or by bus
from Kathmandu is the starting and or ending point
for some of the popular treks including the Annapurna
Circuit and the Jomsom Trek. Pokhara offers the
magnificent views of Dhaulagiri, Manaslu, Fishtail,
Five Peaks of Annapurna and others. It also offers
a number of short treks for those who cannot opt
for long and challenging ones. The most popular
among them is Sarangkot (1592 m), a former Kaski
fort lying atop a hill five km west of the old
bazaar. |
| Tansen: |
Tansen is a
Himalayan town located on the slopes of a hill
called Shreenagar hill at an altitude of 1343
meters above sea level. Tansen is the most popular
summer resort in western Nepal on account of its
position and climate. It has perhaps Nepal's most
far stretching views of the country's chief attraction
-- the Himalayas -- from Dhaulagiri in the west
to Gaurishanker in the northeast. From Shreenagar
Danda, one has a view of the Tinau river valley
below and the surrounding Churia and Mahabharat
hills, including the Terai's flat lands to the
far south. Tansen is the headquarter of Palpa
District. Tansen is easily accessible. It takes
just six hours by bus from Pokhara to reach Tansen
along the Siddhartha Highway. The distance between
Pokhara and Tansen is 123 kilometers. Situated
midway along the route from Pokhara is Lumbini,
the birthplace of Lord Buddha. It is a convenient
stop on the way to or from Royal Chitwan National
Park. |
| Gorkha: |
Gorkha is the
birthplace of King Prithvi Narayan Shah, the founder
of modern Nepal, and hence it is the ancestral
home of the Shah Kings of Nepal. Situated on a
hill overlooking the snowy peaks of the Himalayas,
there is an old palace known as Gorkha Durbar.
The palace is said to have been built by King
Ram Shah. King Prithvi Narayan Shah began his
campaign to unify the Kingdom from this palace
of Gorkha. There are two temples of Gorakhnath
and Kali inside the palace precinct. Gorkha Durbar
is one of the most outstanding examples of Nepalese
architecture. Only Hindus are allowed inside the
temple of Gorkhanath, where from the town derives
its name.
The world famous Gorkha soldiers
hail from this place. Gorkha can be reached in
about four hours from Kathmandu and in about two
hours from Pokhara. Regular buses for Gorkha leave
at 7 A.M. every morning from the Central Bus Terminal
in Kathmandu. A side trip to Manakamana either
from Gorkha or from Khaireni on the Prithvi Highway
is very enjoyable and interesting. Cable car facility
is also available from Kurintar.
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Lumbini;
A religious destination: |
Lumbini is the
birthplace of Siddhartha Gautam, the Shakya prince,
the eventual Shakyamuni and the ultimate Buddha-
the Enlightened One. At the time his birth of
the prince the city was a part of the kingdom
of Kapilvastu.  The main attraction of the city
is the Sacred Garden, spread over 08 Sq. Kms and
possesses all the treasures of the historic area.
In the gardens that surround the ruins, there
is a Buddha tree where Siddhartha Gautam gained
enlightenment and became Buddha. To the west of
the Mayadevi Temple, stands the Ashoka Pillar,
which did Emperor Ashoka erect in 249 BC to commemorate
his pilgrimage to the sacred site. The inscription
on it in Brahmi script proves Lumbini as the place
where the Buddha was born in 623 B.C. To the south
of the Pillar one finds the sacred pond- Puskarni
– the place where Queen Mayadevi took a
bath just before giving birth to the Buddha. One
can reach in Lumbini by Bus or car.
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When
to visit Nepal? |
October-November,
the start of the dry season, is in many ways the
best time of year: the weather is balmy, the air
is clean, visibility is perfect and the country
is lush following the monsoon. It's not very hot
and not very cold during October -November. In
Kathmandu it will be 18 -25 degree. February-April,
the tail end of the dry season is the second-best
period: visibility is not so good because of dust,
but the weather is warm and many of Nepal's wonderful
wild flowers are in bloom. In December
and January the climate and visibility
are good but it can be chilly. The rest of the
year is fairly unpleasant for travelling: May
and early June
are generally too hot and dusty for comfort and
the monsoon from mid-June
to September obscures the mountains in
cloud and turns trails and roads to mud.
Entrance fee:
Patan: Rs 50
less equal to than a dollar
Bhaktapur: Rs. 700 equal to US $ 10
Shwoyambhunath, Pashupatinath Rs. 50
Kathmandu Durbar Square: Rs 200 equal to less
than 2 dollar
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