Nepal is home to the highest peaks of the Himalayan mountains. The rich culture and heritage of this landlocked country in South Asia. The incredible scenic beauty is breathtaking amidst the jungles and mountains.
Nepal is a heaven for trekkers and people who are seeking some spiritual place for some self-reflection. With the friendliest people, medieval cities, and spiritual sites, this country will not disappoint you in any way possible.
Nepal is mainly located in the Himalayas but also includes parts of the Indo-Gigantic Plain. This country borders China in the north and India in the south, east, and west. People who find local traditional stories and art will be coming to the right place as Nepal has a very unique culture of folklore where the traditional stories are rooted in the reality of day-to-day life as it is an integral part of this society.
The national cuisine of this country is Dhindo and Gundruk. Nepal is also home to the Chitwan National park which consists of 500 species of migratory birds, one-horned rhinos, Bengal tigers, and Asian elephants.
Now, after knowing this much about Nepal, you definitely want to know about the best places to visit in Nepal. Here we curated the list of best places to visit in Nepal during your travel.
Best Places in Nepal
Here is the list of best places in Nepal to visit.
1. Kathmandu
Kathmandu is the largest metropolis in Nepal and is also the capital city of Nepal. It stands at a height of 1,400 meters above sea level. This capital city has been the center of Nepal’s history, culture, art, and economy.
The city is also home to seven world heritage sites. These monuments cover an area of about 189 hectares, with the buffer zone extending to 2,394 hectares. The major religions that are practiced in this city by people and also throughout Nepal are Hinduism and Buddhism. The most popular Tibetan Pilgrimage site in the old town is the stupa which is set in a hidden courtyard that dates back to 1650. Most of the monuments in this city are influenced by the major dominant religions that are Hinduism and Buddhism.
Durbar squares are one of the seven world heritage sites in the city declared by UNESCO in 2006. The Durbar square is in the old city that also incorporates heritage buildings representing four kingdoms and those are Kantipur, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, and Kirtipur.
Another famous site to visit in the city is the Pashupatinath Temple which dates back to the 5th century. This temple is situated on the banks of the Bagmati River and is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The city also has a historic artificial pond that lies in the heart of this city which is Rani pokhari. This artificial pond is opened once a year during the final day of Bhai Tika and Chhath festival.
2.Garden of Dreams
The Garden of Dreams is a historical garden in the city of Kathmandu. This garden was designed by Kishore Narshingh and was built in 1920. Within the circumference of the garden walls, an exquisite ensemble of pavilions was created by Kaiser Sumsher along with decorative garden furniture and European-inspired features such as the verandas, pergolas, balustrades, urns, and birdhouses. Along with this, he had also erected six impressive pavilions in which each one of them is dedicated to one of the six seasons of Nepal. The architectural framework of this garden is determined by these pavilions which also lent a cosmopolitan flavor to the formal arrangement of flowers.
3.Nagarkot
Nagarkot is the ideal destination spot for the best views of the Himalayan range as well as for its sunset and sunrise view. This makes this place an obvious destination for the hiking route. It is heaven for active nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts, and the loads of hiking opportunities that this place provides are tremendous.
Nagarkot panoramic hiking trail is the most popular of them all. One can go paragliding with Everest view in Nagarkot. Nagarkot was an ancient fort of the Kathmandu valley built to monitor the external activities of other kingdoms but later became a summer retreat for the royal family before becoming popular as an international hill station. It is located at an elevation of 7000 ft above sea level and is just at a distance of twenty-eight km from the Kathmandu International Airport.
4.Pokhara
Pokhara is Nepal’s second-largest city and is a metropolitan city at the same time. It is also the provincial capital of Gandaki Pradesh and headquarters of Kaski District. There are many temples located in this city that one must visit that include Tal Barahi Temple which is located on the island in the middle of Phewa Lake. This Phewa lake is slightly enlarged by daning which poses a risk of sitting up due to the inflow during monsoon season.
There are many Gumbas also located in the city, which are basically Buddhist ecclesiastical fortifications of learning, lineage, and sadhana. The many temples also include Sitaldevi temple, Matepani Gumba, Akaladevi temple, Monastery, Kumari temple, and many more.
Pokhara is a hotspot amongst adventure enthusiasts and this place is also the base for the famous Annapurna Circuit trek.
5. Bhaktapur
Bhaktapur is situated in the east corner of Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. It is an ancient Newa city known for its marvelous crafts such as pottery, weavery, thanka, and masks. These masks are made for the famous mask dance that is held in this city which reflects the lives of Gods, deities, and Goddesses. It is located at a short distance of about 13 km from the Kathmandu Valley.
This city is also host to two of the seven monument zones within the Kathmandu Valley which is listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The name of this city Bhaktapur literally translates to “ City of Devotees” and is thus, also known as the city of Gods. The city has a multitude of religious places which reflect the culture, history, and age-old traditions of this city. It has many museums including one open museum that has managed to preserve the historical artifacts very well.
6. Boudhanath Stupa
Boudhanath Stupa is one of the largest stupas of its kind in the world and it dates back to the 6th century. This stupa is situated just outside of Kathmandu and lies on the old trade route to Tibet and is also a UNESCO World Heritage site. The stupa is symbolic of enlightenment and dominates the skyline.
The myth that surrounds the stupa is that in the history of Nepal, this stupa is the palace of king Bikramaditya who once stood where the Narayanhiti palace currently stands. The stupa has many different shapes that each one represents one of the five elements that is the Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Sphere which is understood that they are also the attributes of the five Buddhas.
7. Chitwan National Park
This park offers a new sight around Nepal. It is also the first national park in Nepal which was established in 1973 and was granted the status of a World Heritage site in 1984. The park is home to Rhinos, Bengal Tigers, Leopards, Sloth Bears, Gaur Deer, and many more animals. Chitwan National Park is situated close to the Indian frontier and covers an area of 952.63 km per square and is located in the subtropical Inner Terai Lowlands of south-central Nepal. There are more than 500 species of birds and the freshwater is home to Dolphins and Crocodiles. The tours from the lodges take visitors out into the park, either on foot, more often on elephants for a close-up view of animals.
8. Trekking in Langtang Region
Langtang region offers a space for natural peace and marvelous wildlife viewing as it resides in Langtang National Park and is now the second biggest National Park. There are many villages with guesthouses and food all along the route. Langtang valley is one of the closest trekking destinations to Kathmandu, which also allows easy access to visit one of the most beautiful trekking destinations in Nepal. The most popular trekking routes in the Langtang region are the Langtang trek, Tamang heritage trek, Gosaikunda Lake trek, Helambu valley trek, Ganjala pass trek, and Tilman pass trek.
9. Swayambhunath
Swayambhunath is set on a hilltop that is located to the west of Kathmandu. This temple has ancient religious architecture and is the second most important shrine in the Kathmandu Valley after Boudhanath. The iconography of this temple comes from the Vajrayana tradition of Newar Buddhism. The complex is also an important site for Buddhists of many schools and at the same time is also revered by Hindus. This temple is also known as the Monkey Temple because of the holy monkeys living in the northwest parts of the temple.
The stupa consists of a dome at the base which represents the entire world, and the structure above it is a cubical painted with the eyes of Buddha looking in all four directions. The thirteen pinnacles on the top of this cubical structure symbolize that sentient beings have to go through the thirteen stages of spiritual realizations to reach Enlightenment.
10. Lumbini
This famous Buddhist pilgrimage site is situated in the Rupandehi District. It is known as the birthplace of Siddhartha Gautama who later came to be known as Lord Buddha. This pilgrimage is located at a distance of 250 kms from the city of Kathmandu.
This pilgrimage site is also a famous UNESCO World Heritage site. It has a number of temples including the Mayadevi Temple and many others including some monuments, monasteries, and a museum. The Maya Devi Temple here is dedicated to Buddha’s mother and is also contains an ancient stone relief from the second century AD. The place also has a holy pond, where Buddha’s mother took the ritual dip prior to his birth and where he had his first birth.
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These are the best places in Nepal to visit. If you want to see natural and untouched beauty of Himalaya then do explore Nepal once in the lifetime. You can also plan a trek to Everest from Nepal if you are a trekker.
