Planning your trip to Kathmandu? Here are 5 things you can do whilst visiting the capital of Nepal
1. Swayambhunath Stupa
Better known as the ‘Monkey Temple’, Swayambhunath attracts swarms of tourists, traders and the infamous holy monkeys that clamber over shrines, swing on multi-coloured prayer flags and scale the mammoth staircase.
2. Durbar Square
The Durbar Square is like an open-air museum showcasing Nepali architecture. Hidden behind its ornate 12th-18th century facades are temples, shrines and the Kumari, a pre-adolescent living goddess off-limits to foreigners.
3. Bodhnath Stupa
Seven miles north-east of the city’s centre, Bodhnath is an enormous stupa. Sit and meditate as you listen to the flutter of prayer flags, explore the myriad Tibetan monasteries, or follow the pilgrimage circuit around its perimeter.
4. Narayanhity Palace Museum
For centuries visitors could only admire this palace from outside, but the doors finally opened in 2008 when the royals were ousted. Snoop at how Nepali monarchs lived and contemplate the 2001 royal massacre.
5. Thamel Chowk
It’s bustling, vibrant and infuriating, but you can’t avoid Kathmandu’s bar-lined, backpacker-filled quarter. Hone your haggling skills and shop for hiking gear and khukuri knives before getting your banoffee pie fix and working through the hefty cocktail If Lumbini lies too far off Nepal’s beaten path, menus found in every bar.
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