Nepal is a landlocked nation best known for its towering Himalayas. Along with the mountains of Nepal, the cities of Nepal is very popular travel destinations. You can experience many activities in the cities of Nepal as there are many cultural heritages in terms of rigid structures and also traditions followed from ancient times. You can find many hill stations in and around the city areas popular for great mountain views, luxury trips, and daily hikes. There are boisterous markets and many restaurants with traditional foods from Nepal and specific ethnicity of Nepal. Thus, Nepal's urbanized places provide rich insight into religious and cultural heritages, multiple viewpoints, and ideal start and end points to your trips around Nepal, along with the services that are needed for luxurious experiences. So, to help you plan your city tour in Nepal, we have stated the experiences you can enjoy in and around the periphery of the popular cities and districts of Nepal.
Kathmandu Valley
Kathmandu valley is a deep bowl-shaped valley surrounded by hills. The valley is the most developed city area in Nepal with most of the governmental offices and headquarters. Most of the indigenous people are Newari, but each area has its traditions that they follow. The valley includes the cities of Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Budanilkhantha, Tarakeshwar, Gokarneshwar, Bhaktapur, Kirtipur, and so on. Among those cities, the most popular are Kathmandu, Lalitpur, and Bhaktapur due to the presence of seven out of ten UNESCO world heritage sites in the city or near the area. The valley offers natural viewpoints from many hill stations, rich culture, harmonious religions, ancient architecture, various pilgrimage sites, and unique street festivals and jatras. There are over 100 monumental sites in the valley and numerous small heritages distributed in every nook and cranny of the valley. The most popular day trip with maximum return can be the "UNESCO Seven World Heritage Tour" in Kathmandu valley.
Things to do in Kathmandu valley are:
- Hiking
- Religious/Pilgrimage Tour
- Heritage Tour
- Sightseeing Tour
- Food and Culture Trip
- Relaxation Day Trip
- Meditation and Yoga
Now let’s talk about the popular places in the cities of Kathmandu valley and “the things to do” there.
-
Kathmandu
Kathmandu is the capital city of Nepal. The charming, bustling, serene, and busy city of Kathmandu is the most accessible due to the Tribhuvan international airport, as it is the oldest international airport in Nepal. The airport is one of the three running international airports in Nepal with a fourth one being constructed in Kolhabi (Bara). It is the tourist hub second to Pokhara with many high-end hotels and restaurants. From finding hiking and trekking gadgets in the Thamel market to traditional chowks on every cross path, you can witness the splendor of luxury and culture in Kathmandu.
The major visit places in Kathmandu city are:
- Kathmandu Durbar Square
- Pashupatinath Temple
- Swayambhunath Stupa
- Bouddhanath Stupa
These four heritages are enlisted as world heritage sites by UNESCO. The Kathmandu Durbar Square has many attractions like Basantapur Tower, Kal Bhairav, Sweta Bhairav, Taleju Temple, Hanumandhoka, and Kumari: the living goddess of Nepal. Swayambhunath and Bouddhanath stupas are the most famous Buddhist pilgrimage and heritage sites in Kathmandu. Pashupatinath Temple is a Hindu pilgrimage site in Kathmandu which is a temple complex. If you are interested in the heritages, join Himalayan Advisor on the "Kathmandu Cultural Heritage Tour”. The “Chandragiri Tour and Experience” is another popular day tour in Kathmandu district along with “Chandragiri Day Hike”, a popular day hike from Kathmandu. Kapan monastery is also another popular location in Kathmandu. If you are near Thamel, visit Garden of Dreams, a tranquil oasis, and landmark in Kathmandu.
-
Bhaktapur
Bhaktapur is an ancient city in Kathmandu valley with traditional buildings, old reddish pavements, and medieval structures. The Bhaktapur Durbar Square and Changunarayan temple are the most famous and known architectural, cultural, and religious heritage even recognized by UNESCO accessible in the Bhaktapur district. Thus, they are enlisted in World Heritage Sites. The Durbar square of Bhaktapur has many iconic landmarks such as Nyatapola temple, 55 window palace, Golden Gate, Vastala temple, and many more. The temple of Changunarayan is the oldest in Nepal with unique architecture. Other than these two UNESCO World Heritage sites, Bhaktapur has many ponds around the area that you can visit. The Dattatreya square is one of the oldest monuments in Bhaktapur with the Dattatreya temple as its masterpiece. Other masterpieces near Bhaktapur are Kailashnath Mahadev Statue, Doleshwor Mahadev Temple, and Siddha Pokhari.
-
Lalitpur
Lalitpur is another city in Kathmandu valley with the third and final durbar square, Patan Durbar Square. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Nepal. The highlights of Patan Durbar Square are the three different chowks: Keshav Narayan Chowk, Mul Chowk, and Sundari Chowk. They are historical museums in themselves with many quintessential histories and buildings like Krishna Mandir, Bhimsen temple, Taleju Bhawani temple, and Vishwanath temple. There are also old tantric and Buddhist collections. Lalitpur not only is famous for Patan Durbar Square but also for the Golden temple, the Central Zoo, and Pimbahal Pokhari. Also, Godavari and Phulchowki are located in the Lalitpur district near the city. The Godavari is a garden and Phulchowki is a hill station and popular hiking destination.
-
More around Kathmandu valley
The Kathmandu valley is not only popular for plain sightseeing, cultural, and religious tours but also popular for yoga experience, cooking experiences, and hiking activities. You can see "Yoga in Bouddhanath” for a spiritual experience and "Cooking experience in Kathmandu” for an authentic cooking experience in Kathmandu valley. Also, for hiking, you can enjoy many days and multiday hikes near and around the rim of Kathmandu valley in locations of Chandragiri, Nagarkot, Chisapani, Namo Buddha, and Dhulikhel.
Pokhara
Pokhara is the tourist hub in Nepal with many people, even locals, visiting the region for a break in their busy schedule. The city has a humid subtropical climate, so most travelers prefer to visit Pokhara all year round. With an international airport in Pokhara, the city of Pokhara can receive foreign guests much more efficiently than ever. Famous for the beautiful natural scenery, cultural heritages, and start point of trekking in the Annapurna region, there are many “Things to Do” in Pokhara.
- Sightseeing Tours
- Hiking
- Trekking
- Adventurous Tours (Paragliding, Boating, Rafting, Mountain Biking, Zip lining, Bungee Jumping)
The environment of Pokhara is much cleaner than that of Kathmandu and the air is much cleaner due to the short amount of rainfall in different intervals. There are many shops, cafes, restaurants, pubs, and a stable and safe night environment in popular tourist areas, mainly near lakesides. With an abundance of many hotels with the best services on a "bed and breakfast basis," your stay in Pokhara will be a luxurious one during the trips in Pokhara.
Many attractions in Pokhara are:
- Sarangkot: beautiful sunrise and sunset, panoramic Himalayan views, adventurous activities from the hilltop
- Phewa Lake: beautiful lake for boating with
- Tal Barahi Temple: temple on the island of Phewa Lake
- Devi’s Falls: underground waterfall
- Gupteshwor Mahadev Cave: an underground waterfall extending 100's meters under the earth's surface
- International Mountain Museum: a museum showcasing the mountains of Nepal and mountain adventures
- Bindabashini Temple: a unique and religious landmark with beautiful mountain views
- Mahendra and Bat Cave: caves with limestone deposits and many bats in them
- World Peace Pagoda: one of the peace pagodas in the world, a great hiking destination
- Begnas Lake: a popular lake for swimming, boating, and fishing
- Pumdikot Mahadev Statue: a new attraction with the big statue of Lord Shiva adjacent to the hill of World Peace Pagoda.
Along with these, Pokhara is the starting point of many treks in Annapurna regions like "Annapurna Base Camp Trek”, “Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek”, and “Mardi Himal Trek”.
Lumbini
Lumbini is one of the historical places in Nepal where Lord Buddha (Siddhartha Gautam) was born in. The city, nestled near the Indian border, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with many archeological findings from the 3rd century BCE. Lumbini is a Buddhist pilgrimage site holding deep religious values as the birth of Lord Buddha (the founder of Buddhism) was in the city of Lumbini. The various places to visit in Lumbini are:
- Maya Devi Temple: a Buddhist Temple with Puskarini sacred pool and sacred garden
- Ashoka Pillar: Historical column with inscriptions about the birthplace of Lord Buddha
- World Peace Pagoda: one of the symbols of peace in Lumbini
- Thai Monastery, Myanmar Golden Temple, and many other structures built by the involvement of many nations in Lumbini
- Lumbini Museum: history related to Lord Buddha
- Lumbini Crane Sanctuary: An ancient Lumbini garden is now a place for bird-watching
- Tilaurakot: Archaeological site in Lumbini
Lumbini is a tranquil place to spend your time indulging in Buddhism, meditation, yoga, the study of scriptures, relaxing your mind and body, and finding peace.
Janakpur
Janakpur or Janakpurdham is a religious abode and known to be the birthplace of Goddess Sita. It is famous for religious and cultural tourism. It is believed that the marriage ceremony of Lord Ram and Sita was held in ancient Janakpur. The city is a religious abode for many Hinduism as the deities Ram and Sita hold a great belief in the heart of the Hindu religion. The city is accessible via roadways, railways, and airways from Kathmandu. There are many religious sites in Janakpur such as:
- Janaki Mandir (Nau Lakha Mandir)
- Rama Sita Vivaha Mandir
- Sri Ram Temple
- Ponds: Dhanush Sagar and Ganga Sagar
- Ram Tower
- Kapileshwar Temple
- Hanuman Mandir
If you are on a pilgrimage or want to observe the cultural aspects, Janakpur is a must-visit city in Nepal.
Chitwan
Chitwan lies in the Terai region of Nepal which was covered with dense forest and an enormous amount of wildlife in the past. Chitwan is mostly famous for Chitwan National Park, a natural World Heritage Site of Nepal the other places to visit Chitwan are Sauraha, Bharatpur, Devghat, Meghauli, and Chepang Hill Trail. The “Things to Do” in Chitwan preferred by the visitors are:
- Jungle Safaris
- Bird Watching
- Canoeing and Kayaking
- Local Sightseeing
- Nature and Wildlife Tours
Jungle Safari is a go-to activity in Chitwan which can be done in a Jeep or Elephant back. Many bird enthusiasts also visit the region for bird watching and to spot new species if possible. The river of Rapti and Narayani is famous for water activities of canoeing and kayaking. Tharu cultural programs and museum is also eye-catching social event that displays the indigenous lifestyle and culture in Chitwan. The local foods are also a part of the experience in Chitwan with delicacies consisting of "Taas": a slice of spicy fried goat meat with spices with beaten rice, "Ghongi": a water snail gravy dish, and "Dhikri": steamed-rice dough with chutney. The nature, wildlife, and cultural tours are very popular in the Chitwan region.
-
Chitwan National Park
The Chitwan National Park covers areas of 952.63 km2 in the districts of Chitwan, Makwanpur, Nawalpur, and Parasi combined. But the most accessible point for tourism is Chitwan near Sauraha. Activities like safari, bird watching, and river activities (canoeing and kayaking) are possible in the area of Chitwan National Park. There are over 700 species of faunas which has been surveyed with the most endangered species being the One-horned Rhinoceros and Royal Bengal Tiger as well as Wild Elephant, Four-horned Antelope, Pangolin, Golden monitor lizard, Python, and many more. The activity of safari is available on a Jeep and an Elephant back. Also, the bird species that are recorded are 543, so bird watching is another popular activity in the national park.
-
Sauraha
Sauraha is one of the stops before jungle activities in Chitwan National Park and a place for cultural activities by indigenous people. You can get many souvenirs around the shop locals, visit the Elephant breeding center, and get information on wildlife near the visitor center. There are many tourist standard hotels in the area with a variety of pre-arranged activities. The River Rapti is the optimal destination for canoeing and kayaking. You can find one-horned rhinos and elephants strolling around the cities of the region.
-
More around Chitwan
Other areas in Chitwan can be a scenic and natural escape from the loud world. You can visit Bishazari Tal in Bharatpur, The Lake is famous for bird watching and also has many crocodiles. Next is a holy place for Hindus: Devghat. There are various temples and caves dedicated to Hindu deities. Meghauli is another entrance to the Chitwan National Park in the west. It is a potential place that can be popular as Sauraha. The next is the Chepang Hill Trail, a new trail from Chitwan for a trek to the lesser-visited hillsides of Chitwan. You can enjoy a panoramic view of mountains like Rolwaling, Gauri Shankar, Manaslu, Langtang, and Annapurna along with the lifestyle of the Chepang community.