Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal is full of mystical experiences and beauty bundle up in a small area. With an area of approximately 600 square km, it is a mixture of ancient culture, tradition, and architecture. Shrines, temples, and monasteries can be found in every corner which provides every traveler a chance to gain their own unique experience. Narrow roads and streets can be seen all around the city, wandering in those gallis ‘narrow roads’ on your own can be an exciting thing to do. Kathmandu has fairly temperate temperatures with about 28 to 30 degrees in Summer and about 10 degrees in winter. The climate in Kathmandu is favourable for travellers almost every time of the year. Kathmandu is the portal for every international tourist and is the backbone of the country's economy.
The world is running towards industrialization and modernizing. However, Kathmandu is able to preserve the past culture and heritage. Tourists are able to see the architecture which dates back 100 years. The building design is a fusion of Tibetan and local art and architecture. Religious sites like ‘Boudhanath’, ‘Swayambhunath’ known as Monkey temple and ‘Pashupatinath temple’ a famous pilgrimage site for Hindu are major heritage sites located in the city.
Kathmandu proudly boasts Durbar Square at the center of the city which is one of the World Heritage sites. In the periphery of Durbar square, architecture wonders like Kasthamandap, Hanuman Dhoka, Kal Bhairav, Taleju temple are the main attractions. Additionally, Kumari Palace, home of the living goddess, has blessed Kathmandu Valley. A young Newari girl is chosen to be the Goddess Kumari. She represents the avatar of Goddess Taleju. The palace is filled with beautiful wood carving, occasionally in the little window at the top Kumari can be spotted. Kumari comes out of her home during the festival of Indra Jatra and a huge number of devotees attend the festival to get blessings from Kumari.
Narayanhiti Palace Museum is also becoming a main attraction for the visitors. People are able to see the lavish royal lifestyle and garden around the palace which adds beauty to the palace. National Museum of Nepal, National History Museum of Nepal, Aviation Museum, Taragaon Museum are other museums located in Kathmandu.
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Thamel is the hub for nightlife in Kathmandu. It has become a center for the tourist in Kathmandu. Bohemians from all over the world used to spend days in Thamel. It attracts tourists visiting Nepal with its vibrant lifestyle which no other place in the city can offer. Thamel provides almost all night music, drinks and lively streets to walk even when the sun is nowhere to be seen. Thamel has it all, gift and souvenirs shops, book shops, restaurants, trekking gear shops, antique shops, and bars are all located in one place making Thamel an important place to visit. The place provides learners to attend workshops, teaching about Nepali cuisine, wood carving and famous Buddhist painting called Thangka.
Food lovers can experience a variety of food from high-quality dining to the local street food and hidden restaurants tasting new and exciting, flavours and spices. Kathmandu has people from all over the country. Housing a diverse group of people with different culture, there are many choices of dishes to dig in. The staple food for most of the Nepalese people is Dal Bhat. This dish is eaten in almost every house and served in many hotels and restaurants which consists of rice, green vegetables, lentil soup, achar and meat curry.
‘Momo’ a Tibetan dish similar to a dumpling, filled with a variety of fillings like minced chicken, buff, and vegetables is another must-try food in Kathmandu. In the same manner another Tibetan dish ‘Laphing’ is slowly making its way in the hearts of people.
Newars the indigenous people of Kathmandu have huge varieties of dishes. Their dishes are mainly made up of Buffalo meat utilizing almost every part. The homemade beverages of Newars Chhyang ‘rice beer’ and ela ‘rice wine’ are the best ones. With their vibrant range of taste and texture, Newari cuisine is a delicacy, no one should miss.
Kathmandu is the first destination for every international tourist so international cuisine around the world can be easily found in the capital. Restaurants serving from Mexican, Chinese, Korean, Indian, Japanese, Italian, Thai, Continental can be found in the city. International outlets are quite rare but are increasing day by day. Some outlets of KFC and Pizza hut can be seen in some places around the city.
The city has something for everybody, according to your choice you can experience various fun activities. People with a time crunch or not keen getting them dirty can have a good time trying wall climbing, go-karting, archery, paintball and even laser tag within the city.
Kathmandu although being small can have a lot for an adventure seeker. There are amazing trails to hike around the city. The place like Chisapani, Phulchoki, Champadevi, Nagarkot offers wanderers a short and easy getaway from the hustle and bustle of the city. The trails are also great for mountain biking although some experience is required as the path may get very rough and sloppy. Other adventure activities like Rafting, Bungee are about a 3-4 hour drive from the capital city.
Kathmandu can host a variety of people from adventure seekers, shopaholics, food lovers, explorers all can find something to do in the city. Visitors can get their own unique piece of the image of the city and create an adventurous story of their own.
Picture Credit: Prajay Kansakar
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