Best Places to visit in Kathmandu Nepal
When you think about Kathmandu Nepal your mind quickly wanders off to unravel and explore the majestic mountains, the legends, and the myths around the city. And frankly,” Who wouldn’t”? After all, it’s the best place that’s rich in culture and architectural Heritage that has withstood immoral upholding the myths and the rich history.
Kathmandu valley is surrounded by sacred temples, stupas and monuments, and relics. There’s a lot of best places to visit in Kathmandu backed by a great history. Nepal’s rich cultural heritage is woven into the fragments of everyday life.
All the way from Boudanath and palaces in Patan Durbar Square to the small groups holding devotional statues cooped on busy streets all over Kathmandu.
Nepal’s unique architectural and cultural heritage is recognized worldwide which makes Kathmandu, the best places to visit in the world so let’s dive right in and commence to explore the listed places to visit.
Therefore, here are the 10 top best places to visit in Kathmandu you absolutely can’t miss!
A brief history of Kathmandu
Kathmandu, also referred to as Katmandu or Kantipur, is the capital of Nepal. It rests in a hilly region around the confluence of the Bagmati and Bishnumati rivers, at an elevation of 4,344 feet (1,324 meters) above sea level with a population of almost two million. It is said to have been created by a single tree.
The major offices and headquarters are located in the valley, making it the economic hub of Nepal. It is popular with tourists as it is the best place to visit for its unique architecture and rich culture that adorns which perhaps makes Kathmandu valley the best place to visit among other places in Nepal.
The geographical location of Kathmandu valley
Kathmandu valley is bowl-shaped. The lower central part stands at 1,425 meters (4,675 ft) above sea level. Kathmandu valley is surrounded by four mountain ranges: Shivapuri hills (at an elevation of 2,732 meters or 8,963 feet), Phulchowki (2,695 meters or 8,842 feet), Nagarjun (2,095 meters or 6,873 feet), and Chandragiri (2,551 meters or 8,369 feet).
Latitude and longitude coordinates are 27.700769, 85.300140. Bagmati is the major river flowing through the Kathmandu Valley. The valley was accorded the status of a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in the year 1979.
You can find that the valley is mostly surrounded by mountains and anyone can relate to Kathmandu as the best place to visit.
The city is also known for its multi-cultural and multi-religious community that co-exists side by side.
This enforces and further establishes Kathmandu as the best place to visit in Nepal for tourists with its temples, museums, parks, and gardens, religious and cultural establishments, restaurants, and hotels, and famous tourist places. While preserving historical places which are under the protection of UNESCO as the World Heritage List Sites.
Best Time / Month to visit Kathmandu Valley
The high/peak season in Kathmandu is from Late September to December. During these months, the place is dry and the best month to visit Kathmandu, for exploration, trekking, and visiting famous tourist places. The skies are clear, and the views of the mountains are captivating! You can see all the mountain ranges that encircle the valley.
The temperature in this season ranges from 20 to 26 degrees Celsius in the day and 4 to 14 degrees Celsius at night. Tourists are highly recommended to participate in active activities such as wildlife.
These months are the best time to visit Kathmandu sightseeing. And there are many best places to witness elephants, monkeys, birds, rhinos, and who knows you might spot a spiny babbler!
This is the best month to visit because it’s ideally suited for trekking and city exploration! During October or December, Diwali is celebrated in Kathmandu, where the whole place is lit up with candles and lamps, giving an enchanting look. This is definitely the best month to visit Kathmandu that you cannot miss.
And if you happen to miss it, another best month to visit Kathmandu is in March and April as the temperature steadily rises and proceeds to spring. During this season, rhododendrons bloom, scattering across the whole valley, giving it a beautiful decoration with a mesmerizing touch.
List of Top 10 Famous Kathmandu Tourist Places you must Visit
1. Boudhanath Stupa
Just about 11 kilometers from the city sits the famous Kathmandu tourist place, Boudhanath Stupa dominating the horizon with its gargantuan spherical shape. It was built somewhere around the 14th century, this famous tourist place is believed to have been established just after the passing of Buddha.
Multitudes of pilgrims from different religions and not just Buddhists gather here daily especially to perform ritualistic circumnavigation, known as “Kora” around the colossal dome. Anyone who circumambulates the stupa with no ill intentions in their heart is believed to receive good karma thus closing the gates of hell permanently behind them no wonder it is a famous tourist place.
Stories, Myths, and legends
Legends and Myths vary among various communities around this famous Kathmandu tourist place. These stories date back to several centuries which have been passed over from generation to generation accumulating rich significance as times go by as the famous Kathmandu tourist place.
Along With the fame the legendary stupa has also received several names throughout the years such as Buddha stupa, Chorten Chempo, Chaity, Jarung Khashor, and the Khasti, and is known as one of the famous Kathmandu tourist places to visit.
The whole of the stupa accommodates 50 Tibitien convents referred to as “gompas” which have been sheltering Tibitien refugees since 1959. It is said that the stupa holds the remains of Kassapa Buddha. Located at the top of the hill it gives you the whole cinematic breathtaking view of Kathmandu enticing you to visit this famous tourist place that’s worthwhile.
2. Pashupatinath Temple
Arguably the holistic Hindu Shrines in Nepal is the Pashupati temple which sits on the banks of the sacred Bagmati River is among the best places to visit in Kathmandu. The magnificent Sanctorum is dedicated to Lord Shiva, is also a famous Kathmandu tourist place, that attracts thousands of devotees from all over the world who come to pay their homage and to get blessings.
It is widely claimed that the Jyotirlinga of Pashupatinath is the head body of the twelve Jyotirlinga in India.
In 1979, this famous tourist place was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site. Anytime is the best time to visit but the best time would be during festivals like Mahashivatratri, Teej, and Bala Chaturthi, where the temple is decorated extravagantly.
The Sacrosanctum
The main deity is the Mukhalinga made of stone which rests upon a silver yoni base with direct four faces. The Shiva Lingam measures one meter high facing four directions representing different aspects of Lord Shiva such as Sadyojata, or Varun, Tatapurush, Agora, and Vamedeva or Ardhanareeswara.
Five core elements are said to be represented by each face which consists of air, earth, ether, fire, and water. Hands probe out from each face and seem to be holding a kamandalla in the left hand and a rudraksha in the right and are lamented with gold vastram or an attire.
Check out the Mount Everest base camp trek with Master Himalaya.
3. Kathmandu Durbar square — The place that received kings
Kathmandu Durbar Square is also another famous tourist place to visit in Kathmandu that saw regimes come and go, king after king. It is the place where the kings were received with the beating of drums and trumpets with parades that escalated the events. There are three Durbar Square in the country. Regal Durbar Square is one of them.
Until now, the place is known as the most remarkable legacy of Kathmandu’s traditional architecture and as Although the unpredicted and unfortunate events of the earthquake took a toll on the buildings and led to the destruction of half a dozen around its premises, it still maintains its due glory and still holds the legacy among the many as the best places to visit in Kathmandu.
Three squares that make up Durbar Square are the former elephant stable, Basantapur square and the last one is which houses the entrance to the Hanuman Dhoka which completes the make-up of Durbar Square.
For many years back Basantapur Square Used to be stable for the royal elephants and now it mostly consists of souvenir shops. The northeast part of the complex gives away to the entrance to the glorious Hanuman Dhoka scattered with a beautiful collection of temples enhancing the backdrop of the area.
The place is an active walkway that interconnects many streets together. Even though the durbar is no longer used for royal purposes, it is still thronged by people during festivals like Dashain, Indra Jatra, Machhindranath Jatra, and Gaijatra
The entire Durbar Square complex was proclaimed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1979. Durbar Square definitely falls in the top priority in the top places to visit in Kathmandu as it offers an array of historical events and structures.
