Nepal is a popular travel destination for visitors all over the world. Many travelers get lured by many things to see in Nepal.
It is most popular as the Himalayan nation which is home to 8 of the 10 highest mountain peaks of the world. Besides this, Nepal is also home to a rich variety of landscapes, biodiversity, and culture.
Nepal is a must visit for all adventurers and travelers. You can enjoy the scenic beauty and relax in nature’s lap too. Else, you can see the rich culture and nature through outdoor adventures or the hospitality of its people.
While touring across Nepal, you can get to explore many things. Some of the not to miss things to see in Nepal are:
Mountains Views
This is one of the main reason for visits to Nepal. Being home to some of the highest mountain ranges and peaks of the world, this is not surprising.
Due to its popularity, there are many ways you can enjoy the great Himalaya views. Some of the must-visit places to see the stunning panorama of Himalayan ranges are as follows:
Kala Patthar, Everest Region
Kala Patthar at 5,164m lies near Everest Base Camp. It offers the closest view of Mt. Everest without going on an actual mountain climb.
It also offers panoramic views of Mt. Everest, it’s Base Camp and Khumbu glacier. Along with these, you can see more than 20 trekking peaks and other high mountains. The Himalayan giants you can see from here are Mt. Everest, Nuptse and Changtse.
The best way to enjoy a trip to here is through Everest Base Camp Trek.
But, if you are short on time and don’t enjoy treks, you can take a helicopter tour here from Lukla or from Kathmandu.
Gokyo Ri, Everest Region
Gokyo Ri at 5,357m is another great location to get amazing views of Mt. Everest. You can also see other high mountain peaks of 8,000m like Lhotse, Makalu, and Cho Oyu from here.
If you enjoy a more peaceful trek experience, then Gokyo Valley Trek is ideal. You will trek to Gokyo Ri and can see the amazing mountain views.
Nagarkot, Kathmandu Valley
Although only an hours drive from the capital city of Kathmandu, Nagarkot offers stunning mountain views.
Located on a hill, it offers fabulous views of the Langtang range. On clear days, you can also see Ganesh Himal, Himchuli and even Annapurna.
On the good clear days, you can also see Mt. Everest as well as other peaks of the eastern area of Nepal.
Nagarkot offers views of 8 out of 13 Himalayan ranges of Nepal. Some of the ranges are Annapurna, Manaslu, Ganesh Himal, Jugal Himal, Rolwaling, Mahalangur(Everest), and Numbur range. You can also see Kathmandu valley and Shivapuri National Park from here.
Poon Hill, Annapurna Region
Poon Hill at 3,210m is the most visited place for mountain viewing. You can enjoy views of the Himalayan giants from a modest altitude.
You can see the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri ranges from here. Some of the popular mountain peaks you can see are Mt. Gangapurna, Mt. Annapurna South, I, Mt. Dhaulagiri, and Mt. Hiunchuli.
You can choose a 2-day trek or a 8-day trek. Else, you can use motor transportation or take sightseeing tours here.
Kyanjin Ri: Langtang Region
At only 4773m, Kyanjin Ri is one of the spectacular viewpoints in the Langtang region. From the summit, you can see the fantastic views of the upper Langtang Valley, the surrounding peaks, and glaciers.
To the northwest, you can see Langtang Lirung (7227m). To the neighborhood of Langtang Lirung, you can see Changbu (6251m) and Yuba (6264m).
To the northeast, Yalla Peak (5500m) is visible below the more prominent Tserko Peak (5749m).
To the southwest, you can see Tsergo Ri (4984m). To the south across the valley, you can see Naya Kanga (5844m), Kangja La and the Kangja La Himal.
Other mountain peaks you can see are Urging Kanggari, Punggung Dooku, Shabu Ri, Gang Chen Po, Langshisha Ri among others.
The best way to enjoy your visit here is through treks to Langtang Valley. Once here, you can enjoy the superb views along with the unique culture of the Langtang region.
Culture
One of the most eye-catching attractions of Nepal is its rich and diverse culture. You can witness this through its many temples, traditional houses, monasteries. Some of the most ancient ones are on the list of World Cultural Heritage Sites.
In Kathmandu
7 out of 8 of the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Sites of Nepal are in Kathmandu. They are must-visit places for a glimpse of the culture of Nepal.
One of the best and easiest ways to see all these is to take part in a Kathmandu Sightseeing tour. This takes you to all these places along with other ancient temples and stupas that are not listed in the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Kathmandu Durbar Square
Kathmandu Durbar Square or Basantapur Durbar Square is a prominent area in the city. It was the ancient palace of the Kings of Nepal. It was also the coronation place for the future kings of those times.
Now, it is a bustling area filled with locals and visitors from around the world. The Square is an impressive complex with rich architecture.
There are many 15-18th Century temples, idols of Gods in the square. It also has courtyards, shrines, and stone spouts. It also has a temple which is the home of the living goddess- Kumari of Kathmandu.
Some of the main attractions here are Hanuman Dhoka, Swet (white) Bhairav, Taleju Temple and the Kumari Bahal.
Bhaktapur Durbar Square
Bhaktapur city lies around 10 km from Kathmandu city. It became an independent kingdom under Ananda Malla in the 12th century.
This Durbar Square was home to his family line. This place is home to the most impressive five-storied Nyatapola Temple. It is the tallest temple in Nepal built during the reign of King Bhupatindra Malla.
Other iconic places to see here are Surya Binayak Temple, Royal Palace, and the Golden Gate.
Here, you can also visit the National Art Gallery. It is host to an extensive collection of Tantric cloth paintings- Thangkas.
Bhaktapur is also famous for its intricately carved woodwork. You can see this in many temples, houses, stupas along the streets here.
This place is also host to many festivals. Many of these celebrate historical and legendary events as well as to pay tribute to gods.
Patan Durbar Square
Situated to the south of Kathmandu Valley, this is the ancient palace grounds of the king of Patan.
Throughout Patan, you can see ancient stupas erected around 250 BC. The must-see places here are the Golden Temple, the Kumbeshwar Temple, and the red Machhendranath Temple.
Also, make sure to take a look at other temples like Krishna Mandir, Bhimsen temple, Vishwanath temple, Jagat Narayan Temple. You can also see a statue of Yog Narendra Malla and Mahaboudha.
A visit here gives you a glimpse about the intricate details of the Newari Architectures. You can also see magnificent and beautiful examples of wood, and stone carvings in the temples.
Make sure you also visit the Patan Museum. Here, you see beautiful examples of locally handcrafted bronze or copper gilt statues of Buddhist or Hindu deities. You will also get to learn the meaning and history behind some of the stupas and deities.
Swayambhu Stupa
The term ‘Swayambhu’ means self-created. Swyambu is also known as the monkey temple as the area is home to families of monkeys. This stupa lies on a hilltop to the west of Kathmandu. It is one of the oldest stupas in Nepal.
The Swayambhu complex has beautiful and ancient stupas, temples, and shrines. It also consists of Tibetan monasteries and attractive idols of Buddha.
Among all these, you can also get great views of the Kathmandu city from here. On clear days, you also get great views of the Himalayas over the hills. It is also a fabulous place to view the sunrise and sunset over the city.
Boudha Mahachaitye
Boudha is the biggest stupa in Kathmandu, Nepal. Also known as Khasti in the National language-Nepali, it lies about 7kms east within Kathmandu.
The stupa has gone through renovations after the 2015 earthquake. You will see many devotees circumambulating it during the early mornings and evenings.
The Boudha Complex is also home to temples, smaller stupas, and around 45 Buddhist monasteries. This holy site is also one of the most sacred places for Buddhists.
Pashupatinath
The Pashupatinath Temple is a well-known and one of the most sacred Hindu holy areas in the world. Devout Hindus believe that one must visit the temple at least once in their lifetime.
The temples lie on the banks of the Bagmati River five km north-east of Kathmandu Valley.
There are approximately 492 Temples, Chaityas, Satals, within the Pashupatinath complex. There are also around a thousand Shiva Lingas within the Pashupatinath region.
Here, you can also see the cremation ceremonies of Hindus on raised platforms along the river.
Changunarayan Temple
This 2-tiered temple lies 15 km from Kathmandu City. Here, there is a stone inscription that dates back to 464 A.D.
The temple is also home to the sculptures of Vishnu’s ten incarnations. These incarnations are Vishwaroop, Vishnu Vikrant, Vishnu riding Garuda, Nar-Singha Vishnu, etc.
There are also temples of Kileshwar Shiva, Chinnamasta Devi along with other gods and goddesses within the temple complex. From the temple, you also get a great view of Manohara River flowing through the lush vegetation.
In Lumbini
Lumbini is the birthplace of Shakyamuni Buddha. The gardens in Lumbini where he was born has been a place of pilgrimage for a long time. There is also a commemorative pillar erected by Indian Emperor Ashoka here.
Lumbini is a holy place for both Hindus and Buddhists. The place preserves important evidence about the nature of Buddhist pilgrimage centers from as early as the 3rd century BC.
The complex also includes the Shakya Tank and the remains within the Maya Devi Temple. These remains date from the 3rd century BC to the present century. There are also the excavated remains of Buddhist viharas and Buddhist stupas. These dates between the 3rd century BC to the 15th century AD.
Art and Crafts
Along with its rich nature and culture, Nepal is popular for its diverse arts and crafts.
Throughout your visit to Nepal, you can see the centuries-old traditional artisan skills. This continues to this day.
Nepal is famous for its hand-woven Carpets, hand painted Thangka (Painting of Gods). It is also famous for Wood Carving, Nepalese Paper, handmade Buddhist and Hindu statues. The popular handcrafted items also include Mithila Art, Bamboo items among others.
You can see this on visits to the many temples, monasteries, stupas of Nepal. You can also see this with visits to one of the many of Nepal’s local markets. Some of the most popular ones are:
Asan Market
Asan or Ason is an old bazaar (marketplace) in central Kathmandu. Also famous for its amazing old temples and buildings, its history is long and old.
Here, you can see and buy local spices, handmade clothes, hand made utensils made of copper, brass, and bronze.
Potters’ Square
Potters’ Square in Bhaktapur is the perfect place to see the potters of Nepal in action. They make items in the workshops around the square and then, lay them out to dry in the sun. You can also see glazed and finished pots for sale all around Bhaktapur and Kathmandu.
Janakpur Women’s Development Center
This Center is where the women of Janakpur make handmade Nepalese paper. They also make colorful paintings on paper, textiles, paper-mâché products and hand-thrown pottery items. You can see these for sale around Kathmandu’s fair trade gift stores.
Most of the women are craftswomen from the Maithili Community. You can also see the incredible Mithila painting that is unique to the Maithili community.
Thamel
Thamel was earlier known as Tha Bahil and is the oldest part of the capital city. It is now a haphazard commercial hub. You will find and see everything made in Nepal for sale and rent here. You will also find things from other countries.
Yet, this is a must visit to get a look at the rich and diverse arts and crafts of Nepal. These include everything from handmade paper to silver jewelry.
It is one of the busiest neighborhoods in Kathmandu city. You will also find everything you need for your trek and tours in Nepal.
Nature
Nepal covers only 0.1% of the earth’s total land surface. Yet it is home to:
- 35 types of forest
- 3,808 glaciers and 1,466 glacial lakes
- 3% of the world’s bird species
- 5 % of the world’s mammal species
- 7% of the world’s flowering plant species
- 6 % of the world’s reptile species
- 1% of the world’s fish species
With so much variation, Nepal is quite rich in biodiversity. The best way to see the rich and diverse nature of Nepal is through jungle safaris, treks, jungle walks.
There is also a more adventurous way to see the rich and diverse nature.
For an aerial view, you can opt for a Helicopter tour, Pokhara paragliding.
To enjoy the rich river sources while seeing nature is through white river rafting, canyoning.
And for the best views of the mountains and its surrounding nature, try peak climbing.
While for the best chances of getting to know the culture along with views of nature, you can try mountain bike riding.
Extra Information on Things to See in Nepal
- Most of the famous places for mountain viewing in Nepal are also great places to view stunning sunrise and sunsets. You can see amazing sunrises and sunsets over the Himalayas from these places. So, opt for early morning or late afternoon visits to these mountain viewing spots.
- If you are in Nagarkot for the views, go to the Nagarkot View Tower for this. The tower lies at the perfect spot to enjoy the fabulous view.
- Check the weather forecast for the perfect mountain viewing days. Especially for the short treks, visits, or tours, plan ahead to enjoy all the perks of your visit.
- To further understand the arts and crafts of Nepal, you can also take a course in one or many or all of them. This includes woodcarving, stone masonry, pottery or Thangka painting. You can learn from local artisans who have been practicing these skills for generations.
- For jungle safaris, jungle tours and walks, opt for Chitwan or Bardia National Park. These have better options for accommodations, meals, and drinks.
Final Say,
Nepal is a land of rich diversity. You can indulge yourself in the rich culture and nature of Nepal. From the incredible views of mountain ranges to the stunning landscapes, Nepal has something for everyone.
You can visit Nepal all year round. For any tours or treks in Nepal, feel free to contact us.
You can also contact us for your own custom itinerary for your visits to Nepal. You can include everything that you wish to do and see in Nepal during your visit.
