11 Best Places To Visit in Kathmandu

Kathmandu is a city filled with attractions to encounter the melting pot of different ethnicities and their culture. The city is a fine example of the majestic sculpture reflecting the historical face of what Kathmandu comprises today.

So, here are the 11 best places to visit in Kathmandu to fulfill an all-around wish to explore as much of its beauty as possible. These places have all-historical artifacts, religious significance, tranquility, a view of the entire city from the top, and the liveliness of the streets and people around.

• Swayambhunath Stupa
  
• Kathmandu Durbar Square
• Ason Street
• Narayanhiti Palace
• Boudhanath Stupa
• Pashupatinath
• Thamel
• Kopan Monastery
• Kathesimbhu Stupa
• Chandragiri Temple
• Taudaha Lake

Swayambhunath Stupa

Also known as “The Monkey Temple '', Swayambhunath Stupa is believed to have formed by itself on the highest hill inside Kathmandu city. Visitors reach the top of the Swayambhunath Stupa to enjoy the cityscape. The attraction is also enlisted as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Added to this glory, Swayambhunath is a place that has Hindu and Buddhist cultures holding hands. The dome itself reflects the Buddhist stupa and temples of Goddess Saraswati and Goddess Harati reflect Hindu culture.

Kathmandu Durbar Square

Kathmandu Durbar Square is also enlisted as another UNESCO World Heritage Site. This durbar square is home to the rich history of Nepal, where Malla Kings used to live. Not just the royal lifestyle of the past kings, the Durbar Square has Hanuman Dhoka, Kumari house, Jagannath Temple, and Basantapur which is a necessity to travel. And the crowd gets gathered in Freak Street with many options of food, narrow streets, and live music playing as well.

Ason Street

Ason Street itself is a bustling place with its open vendors, two temples, and even more people on the road. Places like Indrachowk are also filled with people and shops for it. People call Ason a bazaar, for a reason.

The area is a collective hub of ethnic shops, and items and is a traditional Newari market. So, there are always people around even until the evening strikes. The evening will be greeted by evening vendors opening their shops on the streets, so there is fun in broad daylight and when the sun starts to set.

Narayanhiti Palace

Narayanhiti Palace is a historic monument that used to be the palace of the Shah Dynasty. It was then changed into the Narayanhiti Palace Museum that it is now. 

The museum showcases the royal properties which is why it is famous among visitors. This museum has a reception hall, courtyards, fountains, and military barracks that the royal family used. So, people today are quite interested to see how it used to be back then.

Boudhanath Stupa

Boudhanath Stupa is also enlisted as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This stupa has Buddhist flags draped down from its pinnacle that flutters as the wind goes by. Visitors go to Boudhanath Stupa to see this world's largest spherical stupa and to experience the calming nature that Boudhanath carries with itself. The entire design of Boudhanath has meaning behind its structure, from the dome structure to the stairs and the staircases and the flags.

Pashupatinath Temple

Another UNESCO World Heritage Sites from Kathmandu, the Pashupatinath Temple is a Hindu Temple that holds religious importance in every temple and architecture there. This temple is a sacred place for Hindus and the followers of Lord Shiva, so the devotees consider the temple a holy place. People visit here to not only see the approximate 492 temples but also to experience the evening aarti.

Thamel

Thamel is busy during the day but comes to life at night. It being a tourist area is busy with tourists looking around various shops, buying tourist essentials, or just taking a break in a hotel or having various cuisines. This place is famous for visitors and even Nepalese to enjoy the nightlife of Kathmandu city. There are clubs and pubs with live music that keeps the streets alive as well as tasty street food easily accessible. So, Thamel is a must-visit place to unwind with music and dance the night away.

Kopan Monastery

Kopan Monastery is a beautiful sacred monastery where Buddhism is taught as well. It is on the northern side of Boudhanath and falls on the Kopan hill. Visitors visit there especially to take a course on Buddhism and more so meditation courses. This splendid monastery serves as a recreational destination as well as the destination for crisp views across the Kathmandu Valley.

Kathesimbhu Stupa

Popularly known as “Shree Gha”, Kathesimbhu Stupa also has a beautiful stupa. It is a miniature of the Swayambhunath Stupa. So, if one wants to experience the scenario of Swayambhunath minus the long staircase, then Kathesimbhu Stupa will do because the stupa is on a flat area. There are ethnic shops, and nowadays there are shops that sell local foods as well.

Chandragiri Temple (Bhaleshwor Mahadev Temple)

Chandragiri Temple lies on the second highest hill of Kathmandu. Hiking to the top would be difficult, so the easier way, and the fun way is to ride a cable car to the top. Then, the view from there is rewarding as well which is why people love visiting Chandragiri Temple.

Taudaha Lake

Taudaha Lake is a natural lake that provides peace to the eyes as well. It gets you close to nature because it is not just the lake with fishes, but it also has greenery as far as your eyes can see. From an ecological point of view as well, this natural lake is also an amazing spot for birdwatching. Visitors love going to Taudaha lake due to its serene and calm environment as well as the fish-feeding activity being amusing when you do it.

Out of all these memorable places, my favorite one has been a short trip to Taudaha Lake. It was such a simple journey, but the little things made me enjoy my journey. Feeding food to fish and seeing the shadows of the fishes underwater was very interesting to me. And going round about the lake and watching as many people, it was very heartwarming. Life was going very slow and everyone seemed to enjoy the moment, and it didn’t require anything complex.