10 things to do in Kathmandu

नरापो न्यूज ।

Favorable climate and distinct terrain, surrounded mountains glows the natural beauty, festivals and traditions makes rich in culture and has the amenities suitable for all kind of visitors all that makes the  Kathmandu Valley as a paradise for tourist. Here are listed some recommended activities to do in Kathmandu.

1. Sightseeing of 7 world heritage sites and more

Kathmandu the capital city of Nepal is the city of temple and very rich in cultural heritage. Within 7 km radius there are 7 world heritage sites (Pashupatinath Temple, Baudhanath Stupa, Swayambhunath Stupa, Changunarayan Temple, Kathmandu Durbar Square, Patan Durbar Square and Bhaktapur Durbar Square) which cannot be found anywhere. Besides those it is worth to visit Budhanilkanta- the sleeping Vishnu, Copan Monastery, Dakshinkali- Hindu Mother Goddess, Bungamati and Khokana- old town and home of Red Machindranath and many more to see. Full of art, architecture and culture, the Kathmandu Valley is the prime destination for the tourists.

2. Mountain Flight

Highly recommended flight for those who are restricted by time and physically unable from going trekking; but have desire to get close to the highest point on earth- the Mount Everest and seemingly endless chain of snow capped peaks within an hour. Mountain Flight is also popular as Everest Flight. Different domestic airlines take-off the flight daily in the morning.  It  is one of the biggest attractions for the visitors which offers close view of Mount Everest (8848m), and other giants such as Shisa Pangma/ Gosainath(8,013m), Gauri Shanker (7,134m), Melungtse (7,023m), Cho Oyu (8,201m), Pumori (8,171m), Nuptse (7,855m), Lhotse (8,516m), Amadablam (6,856m), Langtang (7234m), DorjeLakpa (6975m), GauriSanker (7134m) and many more.

3. Short hike around Kathmandu Valley

Surrounded by the giant mountains, the Kathmandu Valley offers lots of hiking opportunity with great view of Himalayas, scenery beauty and cultural exploration.

There are so many easy hiking options like 1, 2 and 3 days trip which are suitable for beginners and those who do not have time for longer trek. Some famous short and easy treks are Kathmandu- Shivapuri-Chisapani 3 days hike, Changunarayan-Nagarkot -Dhulikhel-Namobuddha 4 days hike, Kathmandu-Ranikot-Kathmandu 2 days hike, Kathamdnu-Nagarjun Hill 1 day hike and many more.

4. Sunrise and sunset view

All the mountains around Kathmandu Valley offer stunning sunrise view with great Himalayas. But the view from Nagarkot and Dhulikhel is more rewarded. From there one can see closest and sweeping views of 300 kilometers of Himalayas including five of the world's ten highest 8000m+ peaks (Everest, Cho Oyu, Sisa-Pangma, Manaslu and Annapurna) extending from the Annapurna in the west to the Everest in the east. Mt. Everest can be seen from Nagarkot only in the clear climate. In Nagarkot and Dhulikhel there are lots of hotels with luxurious accommodations where you can stay to grab first sunrays view in Himalayas as well as local culture and scenic beauty.

5. Mountain biking

Situated in the envelope of the hills, the Kathmandu Valley offers lots of options for mountain biking. From beginners to advance enthusiasts, the trails for mountain biking around the hills allows you to reach rural area or village quickly, ups and downs ways, gravel roads. All the hills offer great scenic view, huge Himalayas view, different cultural of locals and different topography with fresh air.

6. Explore festivals 

In Kathmandu Valley different festivals containing great history and culture are celebrated throughout the year in a same manner celebrated century ago. Culturally and traditionally rich Kathmandu valley is the hub of festivals where different kinds of festivals celebrated to honor Hindu and Buddhist gods/ goddesses and others to recreate important events from ancient mythology and epic literature. Nowhere one can explore such a large number of festivals besides Kathmandu Valley.

In addition to festivals celebrated all around the Nepal, Kathmandu Valley consist distinct and popular festivals. Indra Jatra, Gai Jatra, Gunla, Yomari Punhi, Bisket Jatra, Rato Machindranath Jatra, Seto Machindranath Jatra are some festivals that celebrate in Kathmandu Valley only.

7. Visit Museums and Galleries

Museums are of great historical value as they showcase artifacts covering many centuries and various dynasties that ruled the country. The museums have rich collections of archaeological, historical and artistic importance and galleries display art work of the past and present.  Kathmandu Valley houses a number of museums and art galleries which attract thousands of tourists in a year.

Three Durbar Squares of three cities and number of temples and monasteries are the open gallery itself. Some most popular museums and galleries in Kathmandu Valley are The National Museum at Chhauni, Narayanhiti Palace Musume at Durbarmarg, Museum of Natural History at Swayambhu, National Library at Puchowk, Kaiser Library at Thamel, National Birendra Art Gallery at Naxal, Asa Archives at Tangal, Bronze and Brass Museum at Bhaktapur, Nepal National Ehnographic Museum at Bhrikuti Mandap may charge nominal entry fee to the tourist. But to enter into the Museums at Kathmandu Durbar Square, National Art Gallery at Bhaktapur Durbar Square, National Woodworking Museum at Bhaktapur Durbar Square and Patan Musuem in Patan Durbar Square which lie in UNESCO World heritage sites charge the additional entrance fee to enter UNESCO world heritage sites besides museum fee.

8. Yoga and Meditation

 Yoga and meditation is the way to stay healthy and happy which combines physical fitness, prevent/cure lifestyle illnesses and chronic diseases without using western medicines mental alertness & emotional balance of an individual. Through it one can achieve the sound on which self confidence, self control, creativity, imagination and positive attitude can be achieved. Nepal the birth place of Lord Buddha is very popular for Meditation and yoga.

Situated in the lap of mountains the Kathmandu valley is the best destination for Yoga and Meditation. Different schools, institutes and yoga & meditation centers are there for the health conscious and spiritual travelers. They offer 1 day package, training package to the beginners and also the long term classes for the advance travelers. Kamma Healing Centre, Divine Yoga Institute, Vipasana Meditation Centre, Himalayan Meditation Buddhist Centre, Osho Asheesh Meditation Center are some recommended Yoga and meditation centers of Kathmandu.

9. Shopping

Kathmandu is the obvious destination to do some serious shopping. You can get any type of products in best price whether it is traditional souvenirs and curios of casual wears. There are many choices to buy contemporary crafts, clothing and fashion, Thangka and other fine art, handicrafts, pashmina, carpet, ornaments, books, music, household goods and others. Thamel, Freak Street, Durbarmarg, Newroad, Durbar Squares are the prime shopping destinations in Kathmandu.

10. Food and restaurant

Food is not just a commodity; it holds much to it than to its literal meaning. Food reflects the culture and traditional values of the place. Kathmandu valley offers varieties of food that satisfied your appetite and flavor makes you feel like at home.

Nepalese special cuisines to any type of cuisines are served in different restaurants. Bhanchha Ghar, Nepali Chulo, Kathmandu Kitchen, Utsav Restaurant are the some popular restaurants for delicious Nepali food with cultural dance show. KFC, Wipmy’s, Pizza Hut, Hot Breads are some International Fast Food Restaurants situated in Durbar Marg. Rum Doodle, Northfield Café, Himalayan Jave, Fire and Ice Restaurant, Yin Yang Restaurant, Nanglo Café and Pub, Little Italy, Café de Patan, Vesper Café, Road House Cafe are some renowned restaurants. Similarly, Angan, Dudh Sagar, OR2K, Rameshwar’s Sweets and Snacks, Veggie Mamas, Yeok Teck are some vegetarian restaurants.