Kathmandu
काठमांडौ is the capital and the largest
metropolitan city of Nepal. The city is situated in Kathmandu district &
bagmati zone. Lalitpur and Bhaktapur are neighboring district of
Kathmandu. Patan and
Bhaktapur are old cities . Nepali is
the common language of the city, though many speak Newari as it is the
center of the Newar people and culture. English is understood by all of
the educated people of the city. The city stands at an elevation of
approximately 1400 m in valley surrounded by four major mountains, Shivapuri, Phulchowki, Nagarjun and Chandragiri and is inhabited by
671,846 (2001). Kathmandu is considered to have the most advanced
infrastructure among urban areas in Nepal. Once thought to be the fabled
and inaccessible Shangri-La, Kathmandu is now a hub for independent
travelers as well as a growing vacation spot catering to all budgets.
Tribhuvan International Airport TIA provide domestic and international flight.
What to do in Kathmandu?
Sightseeing, visiting temples &
Monasteries, mountain flight, walking &
trekking,
hotels,
Cycling tour,
Motor bike tour,
Visiting around Kathmandu.
Asan: Once the center of old Kathmandu, Asan has six
roads radiating in all directions. The three storied pagoda style
Annapurna temple plays a pivotal role in most festivals held here and is
dedicated to the Goddess of Grains. The other temple of importance is the
two storied shrine dedicated to Lord Ganesh. Asan is still an important
shopping center and one of the busiest markets places with shops selling
anything from imported spices to kitchenware, fresh vegetables, Chinese
goods, hardware and clothes.
Thamel: As the tourist district of Kathmandu, Thamel
bustles with activity late into the night. It is a mere10-minute’s walk
from the center of Kathmandu, yet completely different from the rest of
the city. Thamel caters entirely to tourists with its scores of hotels,
rows of restaurants and bars, book shops, inviting souvenir shops, cyber
cafes and travel agencies. All that a tourist needs can be found here,
even friends and traveling companions.
Dharahara: The soaring landmark of Kathmandu, the
Dharahara tower is 50.5 m high and was built by the then Prime Minister
Bhimsen Thapa in 1832. Once closed to the public, it was recently opened
and anyone can go up after paying the entrance fee. The 360 deg.
astounding view of the Kathmandu Valley is well worth the long climb up
the spiraling staircase.
Balaju Gardens: 5 km north-west of Kathmandu is the
Balaju Gardens, a quiet park ideal for relaxation. The park has a line of
twenty-two stone water spouts built in the 18th Century, each of which has
an ornately carved crocodile head. During an annual festival, people come
here to bathe. The garden has a swimming pool open to the public and the
ponds beside the flower gardens are teeming with fishes. A replica of the
stone image of Budanilkantha was built here specifically for the royal
family as they were barred from visiting the real one.
Garden of Dreams: In close proximity with Thamel, the
Garden of Dreams is part of the Kaiser Mahal, a palace built in 1895 by
the then Prime Minister Bir SJB Rana. It was later inherited by his son
Chandra SJB Rana who went on to create the landscaped garden. He
eventually presented the remarkable garden to his son Kaiser SJB Rana as a
wedding gift. A learned man with great aesthetic sense, Kaiser Shumsher
turned the garden into a work of art. It included a fabulous lawn, wooded
area where birds roosted, flower gardens and a pond for ducks. Within
the Garden wall, Kaiser Shumsher created an exquisite ensemble of
pavilions, fountains, decorative garden furniture, and added European
features such as verandas, pergolas, balustrades, urns, and birdhouses. He
erected six impressive freestanding pavilions, each dedicated to one of
the six seasons of Nepal namely- Basanta (spring), Grishma (summer),
Barkha (monsoon), Sharad (early autumn), Hemanta (late autumn) and Shishir
(winter). However, after the death of Kaiser Shumsher in 1965, his family
bequeathed some portion of the Kaiser Mahal including his garden and
Kaiser Library to the government. After years of neglect the garden was in
ruins. However, recently it was renovated and restored to its former
glory. Today it is open to the public with a restaurant and bar to raise
money for its upkeep.
Budhanilkantha: The largest of Vishnu’s stone statues,
Budanikantha also known as ‘the Reclining Vishnu’ is located 8 km north of
Kathmandu. Known as Budhanilkantha, the large impressive statue of lord
Vishnu reclines on a bed of snakes known as ‘Nags’. Located in the center
of a small pond, this 5th Century shrine attracts Hindu pilgrims and large
crowds gather during the festivals of Haribodhini Ekadasi and Kartik
Poornima.
Things to do around Kathmandu
Explore Kathmandu: The three cities of Kathmandu,
Patan
and Bhaktapur are of historical importance and retain monuments of immense
artistic and cultural value. There are temples everywhere you turn and
dedicated to a host of gods and goddesses. The major tourist spots are the
World Heritage Sites of Pashupatinath, Swoyambhunath, Bouddhanath, Changu
Narayan and the three Durbar Squares of Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapaur.
Nepalese Art and Craft: Handicrafts are one of Nepal’s
major exports chiefly metal craft and wood carvings. The Newar community
is blessed with the ancient traditions of carving on stone, woods and
metals, handed down from generation to generation. Some of the finest of
Nepalese art and craft come in the form of wood carvings, metal statues,
jewelry, the famous Gorkha knife-- the Khukuri, pottery, handmade rice
paper, thangkas and pauvas, woolen carpets and garments.
Visit Hanuman Dhoka Palace: Worth a visit are the three
museums housed in the sprawling historical Hanuman Dhoka Palace in central
Kathmandu: Tribhuvan, Mahendra, and Birendra Museums, dedicated to the
Shah rulers, they showcase the lifestyles of three generations of Shah
Kings in the form of their offices, gym, hunting room, the clothes they
wore and their hobbies. Also on display are a collection of artifacts
dating back to their time on the throne. One of the highlights of
visiting the old palace is the nine storied Basantapur section of the
durbar with its exquisitely carved giant windows that lean out of the
building.
National Museum: Located in Chauni, near Swoyambhu, the
building that houses the National Museum was once the residence of Nepal’s
most famous Prime Minister, Bhimsen Thapa of Dharahara fame. The museum
has a fine collection of ancient Nepalese religious art, amazing weapons
and costumes worn in battle in ancient times, a sword gifted by Napoleon
III; of particular interest are the Tibetan leather cannon and locally
built machine gun. The coin section has a fascinating collection of
antique while the Buddhist section preserves thangkas from the 18th and
19th centuries and pieces of old ruins found during excavations.
Casinos: For a small town, Kathmandu has an unbelievable
seven casinos with one more in the offing, all providing non-stop action
of fun and games. Besides gaming, there is regular entertainment in the
form of concerts and dance performances. Visit Casino Royale (Durbar Marg),
Casino Nepal (Tahachal), Casino Anna (Durbar Marg), Casino Tara (Bouddha),
Casino Rad (Lazimpat) or Casino Everest (New Baneshwor) Casino Shangri-la
(Lazimpat). Roulette, Black Jack, Flush, Pontoon, Caribbean Stud are some
of the games available.
Shop for souvenirs: Thamel is ideal for souvenir shopping as almost
everything a tourist looks for can be found here. Nepali handicrafts,
garments, painstakingly made thangkas, and endless varieties of gems and
jewelry, religious artifacts, singing bowls, stone carvings, wood
carvings, metal craft, Tibetan curios, coins, carpets, etc can all be
purchased in Thamel.
Shop for Souvenirs: Thamel is ideal for souvenir shopping as
almost everything a tourist looks for can be found here. Nepali
handicrafts, garments, painstakingly made thangkas, and endless varieties
of gems and jewelry, religious artifacts, singing bowls, stone carvings,
wood carvings, metal craft, Tibetan curios, coins, carpets, etc. can all
be purchased in Thamel.
Shop for Thangkas & Pauvas: Thangkas are Tibetan Buddhist
scroll paintings although most are made by trained Nepali artists while
pauvas are Nepali religious scroll paintings. These paintings are
painstakingly made according to instructions that were laid down in the
early days of scroll painting. The paintings have deep spiritual meaning
and significance many of which have the Buddha as the main subject. Some
thangkas are used for meditation purposes while others are used for
prayer. Thangkas are painted on canvas and are either hung up or kept
rolled up while not in use. A superbly made thangka can fetch thousands of
dollars. Visit Thamel, Bouddha , Patan and Bhaktapur to shop for unique
pieces of thangkas and pauvas.
Getting there
Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) links the city to the
outside world with direct international flights arriving from Doha, Dubai,
Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, Osaka, Chengdu, Guangzhou,
Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Karachi, Islamabad, Abu Dabi, Bahrain, Dhaka and
other destinations. Domestic flights also take off from TIA including the
popular mountain flights.
For the adventurous with time on their hands, the overland route is an
exciting option. The highways link Kathmandu to popular destinations like
Pokhara, Chitwan and Lumbini besides the bordering cities leading out to
India like Birjung, Bhairawa, Kakarvitta, Nepalgunj and Mahendranagar and
China via Kodari. (article from
NTB website)
Hotels in Kathmandu : Book your
hotels in Kathmandu directly with hotels website.
- Kathmandu Valley
- Thamel
- Patan
- Nagarkot
- Boudha
- Bhaktapur
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