Kathmandu,
the capital of Nepal, is the largest city in the country. Nepal capital city
is in shape of Khukuri knife and its glorious history dates back to two
thousand years. Located in the bowl shaped Kathmandu Valley, the city is the
cultural hub of the country and probably the most sought after tourist
destination. The home town of Newaras is the meeting point of various ethnic
groups.
Kathmandu city is the conjecture to the major routes within and outside the
country. Most of the trekking expeditions and tours start from Kathmandu.
The city itself is home to the historical monuments, cultural groups,
architectural wonders and exotic tourist destinations. The famous durbar
squares of Kathmandu are world famous and the Kathmandu valley is a Cultural
World Heritage site listed by UNESCO in 1979.
Fast Facts
| Official Name |
Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) |
| Location |
Central Nepal |
| Importance |
Capital City of Nepal |
| Altitude |
1,336 m |
| Area |
16,241/km² |
| Population |
25.3 million |
| Native Language |
Nepalese, Newari |
| Tourism Language |
English |
| Temperature |
Max: 44°C & Min: 7°C |
| Nearby Cities |
Pokhara, Lalitpur (Patan), Nagarkot, Bhaktpur, Chitwan, Dhulikhel |
Entertainment - Kathmandu Casinos
The casinos of Kathmandu are famous worldwide. These action-packed, lively
casinos of Kathmandu make the night life rocking. These casinos run 24X7 and
offer ultimate fun games and entertainment. There are four licensed 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.
Tourist Attractions
Hanuman Dhoka (Durbar Square)
The square is the complex of palaces, courtyards and temples that are built
between the 12th and the 18th centuries by the ancient Malla Kings of Nepal.
It is the social, religious and urban focal point of the city. Taleju
Temple, Kal Bhairab (God of Destruction), Nautalle Durbar, Coronation Nasal
Chowk, the Gaddi Baithak, the statue of King Pratap Malla, the Big Bell, Big
Drum and the Jagnnath Temple are some of the interesting things to see in
this Square.
Swayambhunath Stupa
Also known as the monkey temple, the Buddhist temple of Swayambhunath is
situated on the top of a hill, west to Kathmandu. The temple is considered
to be one of the most popular, holiest and instantly recognizable symbols of
Nepal. Large tribes of monkeys can be seen inside and around the temple. The
golden spire of Swayambhunath stupa crowns a wooded hillock and offers a
commanding view of Kathmandu city. This is one of the world's most glorious
Buddhist Chaityas.
Boudhanath Stupa
The biggest stupa in Nepal is situated 7 km east to Kathmandu. Boudhanath
Stupa looms 36 meters high and presents one of the most fascinating
specimens of stupa design. There are more than 45 Buddhist monasteries in
the area. The Bouddhanath stupa is also known as Khasti Chitya and is
considered as one of the oldest stupas in the country.
Balaju Water Garden
The beautiful Balaju Water Garden is a famous tourist destination. It is
situated below the Nagarjun Hill, about 5 km narthwest of akthmandu. The
garden has an exotic bank with 22 stone waterspouts, carved in the shape of
sea-dragons. The water garden also consists of religious shrines, fishponds
and a replica of the statue of Budhanilkantha. The swimming pool inside the
park attract a lot of tourists.
Budhanilkantha
This is one of the masterpieces of stone sculptures of Lichchhavi period.
This 5th century statue is in the middle of a small pond and seems to float
in water. The Budhanilkantha temple consists of a pond in which lies a great
stone figure of the Hindu god Vishnu reclining on the coils of a cosmic
serpent. The huge statue of sleeping Vishnu is believed to be carved from
the single block of black stone of a type not found in the valley. It is
believed that ages before the two hardworking farmers (husband and wife)
discovered the statue when they were ploughing their field.
Pashupatinath Temple
Pashupatinath Temple, with its astonishing architectural beauty, stands as
a symbol of faith, religion, culture and tradition. Regarded as the most
sacred temple of Hindu Lord Shiva in the world, Pashupatinath temple's
existence dates back to 400 A.D. The richly-ornamented pagoda houses the
sacred linga or phallic symbol of Lord Shiva. Thousands of pilgrims from all
over the world come to pay homage to this temple, that is also known as the
temple of living beings. The Pashupatinath Temple is the pride of Kathmandu.
Changu Narayan Temple
The oldest temple in Kathmandu valley, Changu Narayan was built in 4th
century. The temple is decorated by some of the best samples of stone, wood,
and metal craft in the valley. The temple possess a Vishnu image with ten
heads and ten arms that is a fine example of stone carving from the 5th
century. The temple stands as a representative of culture, religion, history
and faith.
Kumari Ghar (Temple of Kumari)
The temple or the residence of Living Goddess, Kumari, is situated in the
vicinity of Hanuman Dhoka Palace. The building has beautifully carved wooden
balconies and window screens. The Kumari- the living Goddess acknowledges
the greetings from her balcony window.
Narayanhity Durbar
It was the Royal Palace of the Late King, His Majesty King Birendra Bir
Bikram Shahdev of Nepal. The Shah kings moved to this palace from their old
palace in the late 18th century. The new edifice was inaugurated in 1970 on
the occasion of the wedding of His Majesty king Birendra Bir Bikram Shahdev.
The palace takes its name from the Narayanhiti, a famous historic waterspout
situated at the southern corner of the Palace. The Palace compound is
immense, surrounded by high walls and guarded by soldiers.
Singha Durbar
A grand imposing palace built on the neo-classical style. It was the
private residence of Rana Prime Minister. Now it's the Secretariat of His
Majesty's Government of Nepal.
Machchhendrananth Temple
The temple of Sweta Machchhendra Bahal between Indra Chowk and Asan. It is
a Pagoda of considerable artistic beauty is also called as "Janmadyo"
or "Machchhendra" deity.
Dakshinkali
The temple of Dakshinkali is situated about two kilometers south of Shekha
Narayan. Dakshinkali is regarded as one of the most important Hindu
Goddesses. Pilgrims visit this temple to offer their prayer and animal
sacrifices to the goddess. Besides, this place has been developed as a
popular picnic spot
Art and Culture
Kathmandu is the cultural focal point of Nepal. Being the meeting point of
major ethic groups and foreign nationalities, the city has a diverse and
rich culture. The unique intermingling of traditional ethnic groups is a
characteristic feature of Kathmandu. The popular art museums in Kathmandu
are:
National Museum
Two and half kilometers west of Kathmandu, the National Museum has splendid
collection of weapons, artifacts from ancient, medieval and modern Nepal.
Its archaeological, historical and other heritage displays are worth seeing.
Natural History Museum
Situated 3-kms west of Kathmandu City behind the famous Swayambhunath
hillock, this museum has a unique collection of butterflies, fish, reptiles,
birds, mammals, plants and a variety of fossils collected from within the
country.
Festivals in Kathmandu
Although each day at Kathmandu Nepal is festive, joyous and ecstatic, there
are certain days that are celebrated in high spirits throughout the capital.
One doesn't have to be religious to enjoy these festivals as the people of
Nepal, particularly Kathmandu are tolerant and open to other religions and
stream of faith.
Kathmandu's cycle of festivals is rooted in history, mythology and
religion. Most festivals honor and propitiate the Valley's multitude of
gods, control malicious spirits and celebrate mythological victories over
evil. Some mark seasonal changes, celebrating the coming rains or the
completed harvest. Others honor kinship ties. Many are socially approved
opportunities to "let off steam" and have fun. Above all, a
festival is a social occasion, and an affirmation of the Valley's ancient
and strong bonds of religion and culture.
| Winter Group |
Monsoon Group |
| Maghe Shankranti |
Ghantakarna |
| Basant Panchami |
Naag Panchami (Serpent Festival) |
| Vimsen Jatra |
Janai Purne |
| Thousand Lights Ceremony |
Gai Jatra (Cow Festival) |
| Shiva Ratri |
Mata-Yaa |
| Lhosar (Tibetan New Year) |
Krishna Jayanti |
| Holi (Color Festival) |
Teej Batra |
| Vimsen's Penis Puja |
Indra Jatra & Kumari Jatra |
| Ghoda Jatra |
|
| Spring Group |
Harvest Group |
| Ram Nawami |
Bada Dashain |
| Chaitra Dashain |
Pachali Bhairav Yatra |
| Mother's Day |
Tihar |
| Voto Jatra |
Bala Charuadashi |
| Buddha Jayanti |
Yomarhi Punhi |
Shopping in Kathmandu
Kathmandu is the best place to shop in Nepal. be it contemporary
handicrafts, fashion clothing, great books, music or traditional souvenirs
and curios. Lets have a look at some of the best buys of Kathmandu:
Traditional Souvenirs and Curios
Household brassware like khukuri knife; musical instruments like flutes;
Tibetan-style curios; gem jewellery, glass beads, embroidered and kashmiri
handicrafts like silk carpets are found in bulk at the small vendors and
street make-shift shops of Kathmandu.
Contemporary Crafts
The Nepali artisans are famous for their unusual range of contemporary
crafts like dhaka, beautiful greeting cards of handmade paper,
Maithili-style paintings and toys, dolls in ethnic dress, ready-made
clothes, woollens, leather goods, batiks, scented candles, and ingenious
articles out of bamboo and pine needles.
Fashion Clothing
Thamel and Freak Street in Kathmandu have a lot of shops selling wool
sweaters, jackets, embroidered clothings; scarfs and shawls made of pashmina
and the famous characteristic topis caps of Nepal.
Apart from this, Thangka art work, music alums and books of Nepal also
attract a lot of foreign tourists.
How to Reach
By Air
There are regular flights all major airports across the world to Tribhuwan
International Airport, 5 km east of the center of Kathmandu. From the
airport, taxis, cabs and buses are available to reach guest houses and
hotels within the city.
By Road
Kathmandu has a good road network. There are several land routes that you
may take from India to reach Kathmandu. From Kolkata you may travel to
Raxaul and via Virganj reach Kathmandu. From Gorakhpur, there are several
modes of land transport that take you across to Nepal and Kathmandu in turn.
Tourist Information
The Department of Tourism (DOT) has information centers at Tribhuvan
International Airport, and at Basantapur, Kathmandu, Durbar Square.
Telephone: +(977)-(1)-220818
Majestic,
splendid and holy... the lakes of Nepal are reverred not only for their
natural beauty but also for the spiritual importance attached to them. There
are around two hundred lakes in Nepal of glacial and tectonic origin.
Mountain lakes like Rara, Phoksundo and Phewa are majestic in extent and
beauty. 
Annapurna
Village Trek
