Kathmandu, Nepal — Where to Go
Kathmandu Sightseeing Overview
Kathmandu sits at the heart of the Kathmandu Valley, listed since 1979 as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The entire city is an open-air museum, with hundreds of medieval temples, palaces, shrines and statues dotted around the narrow streets.
Most travelers base themselves in Thamel, a district of hotels, restaurants, bars, Internet cafes and souvenir shops to the west of the Royal Palace. From here, the winding alleyways of Old Kathmandu sprawl south to Durbar Square, with its stunning Newari temples and palaces.
Walking through the streets is an intoxicating experience: pedestrians jostle for space with bicycles, rickshaws, cows and motorcycles, and the bazaars are piled high with silks, incense and spices. Running south from Durbar Square, Freak Street (or Jochne) was famous as the hippy hangout of the 1960s and 70s, though most of the action has since moved on to Thamel.
Divided from Kathmandu by the Bagmati River, Patan (Lalitpur) has its own Durbar Square with more remarkable temples and palaces. Further from the center are the famous Buddhist stupas at Swayambhunath and Bodhnath and the city of Bhaktapur, with another collection of fascinating palaces and shrines.
Kathmandu Tourist Information
Tourist Service Center
Bhrikuti Mandap
Tel: (01) 425 6909.
Website: www.welcomenepal.com
Opening hours: Sun-Fri 0900-1700.
Trekking Permits
Before you go trekking in Nepal, you must obtain a Trekkers Information Management System (TIMS) card from the Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal (tel: (01) 442 7473; website: www.taan.org.np) or from a trekking agency in Kathmandu. Additional fees apply if your route passes through a national park - the office for national park fees is inside the Sanchaya Kosh Bhawan Shopping Center on Tridevi Marg in Thamel.
Key Attractions in Kathmandu, Nepal
Durbar Square
An atmospheric complex of palaces, courtyards and temples in the heart of the old city. Some of the brick and stone monuments date back to the 12th century and the whole area is preserved as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Durbar Square, Ganga Path
Tel: (01) 426 8969.
Hanuman Dhoka
Constructed by King Pratap Malla in the 17th century, the former Royal Palace is open to the public as a museum of Nepali ceremonial architecture. As well as historic buildings and courtyards, you can view the personal effects of the kings of Nepal.
Durbar Square
Tel: (01) 425 8034.
Patan Durbar Square
Across the Bagmati River from Kathmandu, Patan existed as an independent city-state until the valley was unified in the 18th century. Patan’s Durbar Square is a rich fantasy of palaces, temples and courtyards, centerd on the excellent Patan Museum.
Patan (Lalitpur)
Tel: (01) 553 1114.
Bodhnath (Baudhanath) Stupa
Topped by a gilded spire and decorated with paintings of the eyes of Buddha, this famous stupa dates back to circa AD600. The 36m- (118ft-) high stupa is an important religious center for Tibetan refugees and thousands of devotees circumnavigate the monument every day at sunset.
Boudha
Tel: (01) 448 9257.
Swayambhunath
Perched on a conical hilltop just west of Kathmandu, this revered Buddhist temple offers great views of the city. Swayambhunath is often called the ’Monkey Temple’ because of the wild monkeys that crowd the stone stairway to the shrine.
Swayambhu
Tel: (01) 427 7236.
Further Distractions
National Museum
West of the center in the Chhauni district, this important museum houses a large collection of ancient artifacts, temple carvings, statues, paintings and medieval weaponry.
Chhauni
Tel: (01) 427 1478 or 1504.
Kumari Ghar
This ornate 18th-century palace is the official residence of the living goddess Kumari - a young girl worshipped by Nepali Hindus as an incarnation of the goddess Taleju. The child goddess can occasionally be seen on the carved wooden balcony.
Kumari Chowk
