Kathmandu 

Kathmandu is the capital and largest municipality of Nepal. It also hosts the headquarters of SAARC. It is the only city of Nepal with the administrative status of Mahanagar (Metropolitian City), as compared to Sub Metropolitian City or Nagar City. Kathmandu is also known informally as “Kantipur” . 

The city stands at an elevation of approximately 1,400 meters (4,600 ft) in the bowl-shaped Kathmandu Valley of central Nepal. It is surrounded by four major hills: Shivapuri, Phulchoki, Nagarjun and Chandragiri. Kathmandu valley is part of three districts (Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur) has the highest population density in the country.

Kathmandu is the gateway to tourism in Nepal. It is also the hub of the country’s economy. It has the most advanced infrastructure of any urban area in Nepal. The city’s best-Known tourist is Thamel and Jhochhen, better known as Freak street.  Kathmandu is tourist paradise here the life starts late but continues till late night with casinos and the bars open. Temples are great and peaceful. Short trip of Kathmandu- Pokhara- Chitwan and Nagrakot is the most sought after tour. Even Kathmandu Pokhara is great with five nights is quite enjoyable. One has wonderful opportunity to see and explore the rich culture and tradition of Nepal, fasicinating heritage attractions, durbars, breathtaking beautiful snow capped mountains, virgin beauty of the nature, marvelous art and crafts, UNESCO world Heritage site and many other exciting places of tourist interest. Nepal is beautiful beside its tourism destination, it is also home to some of the exotic wildlife parks, etc. this beautiful country is must visit once in a lifetime as the country is globally acclaimed for its not only scenic beauty, heritage attractions, adventure tourism, Leisure holiday, temple tour, trekking, expeditation, educational tour, conference but also for its friendly environment, always smiling facese & world class accommodation facilities and warm hospitality of the people.
Kathmandu or Kantipur, Patan or Lalitpur and Bhadgaon or Bhaktapur are all close by and worth visiting. Every site has its own Durbar Square or the old palace with its temples and palaces. This epitomizes the religious and cultural life of the people. Practically all these destination is an open air art gallery with various sacred shrines scattered throughout.

Points of Interest

Kathmandu Durbar Square:

Listed as one of the eight Cultural World Heritage site by UNESCO, Kathmandu Durbar Square is a cluster of ancient temples, palaces, courtyards and streets that date back to the 12th and 18th centuries. The square is known to be the social, religious and urban focal point of the Capital City. The Palace Complex was the royal Nepalese residence until the 19th century and is the site of important ceremonies, such as the coronation of the Nepalese monarch. The palace is decorated with elaborately-carved wooden windows and panels an. It houses the King Tribhuwan Memorial Museum and the Mahendra Museum.

Pashupatinath:

Pashupatinath is not only the holiest Hindu pilgrimage in Nepal but also one of the holiness destinations in the entire world. This temple that has been declared UNESCO Heritage site has been erected and razed to the ground numerous times. There are lingam images of Shiva along with statues and temples dedicated to other deities in the complex. There is historical evidence that a temple dedicated to Shiva existed at this site in AD 879.

Swayambhunath:

Swayambhunath Stupa is one of the oldest Shrines in Nepal. The monument is believed to be self created and the history of the monument backs to the 5th Century. It is also known as the Monkey temple as there are holy monkeys living in parts of the temple in the north-west. Swayambhunath complex is comprised of several other temples and shrine some dating back to the Licchavi period and museum, library and Tibetan monastery are recently added.

Budhanilkantha:

The Budhanilkantha statue of the Hindu god Vishnu, located approximately 10 kilometers from the center of Kathmandu at the base of the Shivapuri Hill, is the largest and most beautiful stone carving in all of Nepal. It is also the most enigmatic. Carved from a single block of black basalt stone of unknown origin, the Budhanilkantha statue is 5 meters in length and it lies in a reclining position inside a recessed tank of water (representing the cosmic sea) that is 13 meters in length. Called the Sleeping Vishnu, or Jalakshayan Narayan.

Bouddhanath:

Boudhanath Stupa is seven km east of the downtown Kathmandu. It is Nepal's most distinctive monuments. Simple, massive and powerful, it rises above the number of buildings, the painted eyes gazing solemnly over the countryside. Stupas are essential to Buddhism as the cross is to Christianity; a tangible symbol of the Buddha's enlightened mind. Boudha is among the largest stupa in the world- certainly the biggest in Nepal.

Patan Durbar Square/Krishna Mandir:

Krishna Mandir Patan situated in Patan Durbar Square, Krishna temple is perhaps Kathmandu’s finest stone wrought monument. Krishna temple is made in Sikhara architectural style, a style that is commonly found in what is now known as the Indian Subcontinent. It was established by Siddhi Narsimha Malla of Patan in 1637 AD, as a copy of another Hindu temple, a Krishan temple to the South in Mathura. Many agree that its stonework is excels that of its southern counterparts. The temple is completely made of stone and the carving is finer than that of the other smaller Krishna Mandir at Patan Durbar Square built by Yogamati, the great granddaughter of Siddhi Narsimha Malla, in 1723.

Changu Narayan:

Changu Narayan is the name of the deity enshrined in the Changu Narayan Temple, located near the Changunarayan village in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. The temple is one of the oldest Hindu temples of the valley, and is believed to have been constructed in the 4th century. Changu Narayan is the name of Vishnu, and the Temple is dedicated to him. A stone slab discovered in the vicinity of the temple dates to the 5th century, and is the oldest such stone inscription discovered in Nepal. The Changu Narayan Temple is one of seven structures cited by UNESCO as demonstrating the historic and artistic achievements that make the Kathmandu Valley a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Kirtipur:

Kirtipur is one of the oldest Human settlements in the Kathmandu Valley. This tiny town is recorded as an ancient capital of Nepal. Kirtipur means “a famed town” in Nepali language is also known as “kipu” and “kyapu”. The main industry in town is the Kirtipur Cottage Industry Centre and most of the residents are either weavers or farmers. There are some great views of Kathmandu and the mountains behind it. Kirtipur is on two hills and the saddle between the hills. With its easily defendable hilltop location, when Prithvi Narayan Shah attacked the valley in 1768, Kirtipur was the first place to be attacked.

Dakshinakali:

Dakshinkali Temple is one of the most famous temples in Nepal. This temple is dedicated to Kali. Dakshin is known as south and Kali is derived from Hindu goddess Kali which is mention above so that it basically mean the goddess Kali of the south. This Dakshinkali temple is located southwest part of the Kathmandu which is forty five minutes drive by vehicle from Kathmandu. The sanctuary and its surrounding are dedicated to goddess Kali, the deity who claims at two times a week i.e. Tuesday and Saturday a good portion of fresh animal blood. Saturday is the main day and animals there are also sacrifices on Tuesday. So lots of devotees gather in a large mass especially on Tuesday and Saturday where they usually sacrifices cocks and male goats. The Dashain festival in October month is major festival here.

Thamel:

Thamel is the heart of Nepal's tourism. It is the place where tourist get everything they want. It is a colorful and beautiful mixture of craft shops, boutique cafes, trekking gear, and rainbow prayer flags. Ason Bazaar, Durbar Square, Samakushi and Swayambhunath are a mere 10 to 30 minutes walk from Thamel. Thamel is a 15 to 20 minute walk from the center of Kathmandu. This area has recently emerged as the most popular tourist area of Kathmandu.

Casino:

Kathmandu offers visitors an array of exciting, action-packed casinos where you can enjoy 24 hours of fun and games. There are six casinos in Kathmandu, all located in the premises of the city's top hotels, which offer your favorite games: poker, baccarat, roulette, pontoon, blackjack, as well as other card games and slot machines. All the games are played in chips and they can be purchased with US dollars or Indian rupees. The sun never sets on the casinos in Nepal.

Nagarkot:

Nagarkot is a former Village Development Committee located 32 km east of Kathmandu, Nepal in Bhaktapur District in the Bagmati Zone and as of 2015 part of Nagarkot Municipality. At the time of the 2011 census it had a population of 4571 and had 973 houses in it. At an elevation of 2,195 meters, it is considered one of the most scenic spots in Bhaktapur District. It is known for a sunrise view of the Himalayas including Mount Everest as well as other peaks of the Himalayan range of eastern Nepal. Nagarkot also offers a panoramic view of the Kathmandu Valley. The scenic beauty of the place makes it a very popular hiking route for tourists. It is located approximately 7000 ft (2000 m) above sea level and 28 km from Kathmandu International Airport.

Dhulikhel:

Situated at about 30 miles covered in 45 minute drive to the east of Kathmandu on the Arniko highway, lies a small town of Dhulikhel. Nestled in the laps of Himalayas, the place offers a breathtaking view of the northeastern part of the mountains. Dhulikhel at a height of 1550m is host to some beautiful buildings. The local people living there are called Newars. Built in Victorian style, the four to five storey brick mansions in the town are an architectural delight and accommodate close traditional Newar settlement.

Gokarna:

The 188-hectare forest at Gokarna was formerly set aside as a hunting reserve for the Nepali royal family, which saved it from the woodcutters. Today, the sound of gunshots has been replaced by the thwack of club upon ball. The forest forms part of the Gokarna Forest Resort Golf Course, the best course in the country. The quite, natural and peaceful environment makes it the perfect getaway for relaxation and indulgence with the most exotic forest views.

Panauti:

Panauti is a historical city in Nepal, originally it was a small state given by King Bhupatindra Malla as a dowry to his sister. This town has a population of under 10,000 people and a few prominent icons, such as the Indreswor temple and Durbar square found in the town center. Panauti is quaint and interesting destination of Nepal. It feels as if has been left exactly the way the founders had built the town. 

Kakani:

Kakani is popular for panoramic mountains views of Annapurna (8091m/ 26,545ft), Manasalu (8165m/ 26,781ft), Ganesh Himal (7446m/ 24,422ft), Lantang lirung (7245m/ 23,763ft) and 20 other mountains over 6000 meters (19,680ft) above sea level. You can also see the natural beauty of the Kathmandu Valley, the people and their culture and traditions.

It is a settlement in the Nuwakot District of the Bagmati Zone in central Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census, the Kakani village development committee administered a population of 7816 living in 1343 individual households. A notable local industry is strawberry farming. With the assistance of a United Nations Development Programme project, a localfarmers' cooperative now produces close to 250 000 kg of the fruit per year.

Bhaktapur Durbar Square:

The city is also known, is a museum of medieval art and architecture with many examples of sculpture, woodcarving and colossal pagoda temples consecrated to different gods and goddesses which is 15 km far from Kathmandu. It is a conglomeration of pagoda and shikhara-style temples grouped around a fifty-five window palace of brick and wood. The square is one of the most charming architectural showpieces of the Valley as it highlights the ancient arts of Nepal. The golden effigies of kings perched on the top of stone monoliths, the guardian deities looking out from their sanctuaries, the wood carvings in every place-struts, lintels, uprights, tympanums, gateways and windows-all seem to form a well-orchestrated symphony. Pottery and weaving are its major traditional industries.

Places near Kathmandu and is less than hour’s drive or near Patan or Bhaktapur are Indra Chowk, Freak Street, Machhendranath (white) Temple, Asan, Hiranya Varma Mahabihar, Ashokan Stupas, Macchendranath Temple, Tibetian Refugee Camp, Kal Bhairav  Temple, Thimi in Nepal tour Packages Places of interest from Kathmandu are Nagrakot, Dhulikhel, Chitwan, Lumbini, Tansen, Pokhara , Gorkha, Biratnagar, Birgunj, Janakpur, Dharan, etc and many more destinations. 

Communication/Connectivity
Airways- Tribhuvan International Airport at Kathmandu has flights from Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Kochi, Goa, Hyderabad and many Major cities from India. There are international flights also. Cheapeast flights & Buses are from the border town like Bhadrapur from Siliguri, Birgunj from Raxaul, Bhairahawa from Gorakhpur and fly & road to Kathmandu. If you plan in advance say 30-45 days in advance you may end up getting Kathmandu air tickets at very low cost.
Railways- There is only one (Jainagar (Bihar) to Janakpur (Nepal)) railway system in Nepal but one can reach any of the bordering town of Nepal by availing Indian railways. Himachal Pradesh, Bihar, Uttar pradesh and west Bengal has entry points to Nepal. The railway stations near the bordering town are used by most of the people of Nepal and India. Travelling in Nepal is solely dependent on either road or by air.
Roadways- Visit to Nepal from Siliguri one can drive to Kakarvitta (Nepal- India border) 37 kilometers by road. Buses to Kathmandu are available from Kakarvitta, Bhadrapur and all the towns of Nepal. Private Vehicles and shared vehicles are also available. From Kakarvitta one can drive to Kathmandu from Kakarvitta. The journey is preferably overnight and the drive is of nearly 15 hours.

 

KATHMANDU DURBAR SQUARE

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BOUDDHANATH STUPA

Bauddhanath Boudhanath Boudhanath is a stupa in Kathmandu, Nepal. It is known as Khāsti in Nepal Bhasa, Jyarung Khashor in Tibetan language or as Bauddha by speakers of Nepali. Located about 11 km (6.8 mi) from the center and northeastern [+] read continue...

PASHUPATINATH TEMPLE

Pashupatinath PASHUPATINATH Pashupatinath is one of the most famous sacred Hindu temple in Nepal . Pashupatinath is located in the bank of bagmati river which is five kilometers north-east of Kathmandu Valley in the eastern part of Kathmandu, [+] read continue...

SWAYAMBHUNATH STUPA

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BUDHANILKANTHA TEMPLE

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PATAN DURBAR SQUARE

Patan Durbar Square/Krishna Ma PATAN DURBAR SQUARE Patan (Lalitpur) means ‘the city of art’ located 5 KM south of central Kathmandu, across the Bagmati river. This city founded in 3rd century A.D by King Veera Dev. The monuments in this square date [+] read continue...

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