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Kathmandu (काठमांडौ), Nepal

Kathmandu, NepalKathmandu, Nepal
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Durbar_Square,_Kathmandu.jpg
Author: Bernard Gagnon
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Kathmandu (काठमांडौ) is the capital and largest city of Nepal. The Kathmandu metropolitan area includes nearby Patan and Bhaktapur, neighboring cities which were former capitals of ancient kingdoms. The metropolitan area has a population of 1.6 million people.

Although battered by political turmoil in the past decade, Kathmandu continues to attract a steady stream of tourists and visitors, drawn by its fascinating culture, as well as the opportunity of viewing the Himalayan mountains up close.

Thamel, KathmanduThamel, Kathmandu
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Thamel_Kathmandu_Nepal.jpg
Author: Adrian Sulc
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Tourist Attractions and Sights in Kathmandu

  1. Boudhanath
    The great stupa of Boudhanath is the largest and holiest Tibetan stupa in Nepal.

  2. Chabahil
    Ancient stupa located north of Pashupatinath

  3. Gokarna Mahadev
    An important Shiva shrine in Kathmandu.

  4. National Museum of Nepal
    Museum with collection of local treasures and handicrafts.

  5. Pashupatinath
    Also known as the Temple of the Lord of Animals, this is one of the holiest Hindu temple in Nepal.

  6. Swayambhunath
    Buddhist stupa popularly known as the Monkey Temple.

Cities of the Kathmandu Valley

  1. Bhaktapur
    Guide to the former capital of another nearby kingdom within the Kathmandu Valley.

  2. Patan
    Guide to another former capital of a nearby kingdom within the Kathmandu Valley.


Boudhanath, KathmanduBoudhanath, Kathmandu
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:IMG_0361_Kathmandu_Bodnath.jpg
Author: Luca Galuzzi
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Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur are rich in heritage sites which have collectively been inscribed as World Heritage Sites. There is a lot of see in this city, and through this guide, I hope to describe them all to you.

The history of Kathmandu goes back to antiquity, with evidence of human settlement here as early as 167 BC. The Pashupatinath Temple was already a pilgrimage site during the time of Buddha.

Kathmandu is located in the warm temperate zone - one of five climatic regions in Nepal. It experiences a fairly pleasant climate with temperature ranging from 30°C in summer to 10°C in winter. The warmest months are from April to September while the coldest are December and January. Heaviest rain is expected in July, with over 300 mm for that month. Driest months are November and December.

A busy street in KathmanduA busy street in Kathmandu
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Streets_and_squares_in_Kathmandu#mediaviewer/File:Kathmandu_street.jpg
Author: Pavel Novak
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World Heritage Site Inscription Details

Heritage sites in Kathmandu, along with the cities of Patan and Bhaktapur, were inscribed as a World Heritage Site. Details as shown below:

Location: N 27 42 14.22 E 85 18 30.888 covering a core zone of 188.95 hectares and a buffer zone of 239.34 hectares of the Kathmandu Valley
Inscription Year: 1979
Type of Site: Cultural
Inscription Criteria: III, IV, VI Street in Thamel, KathmanduStreet in Thamel, Kathmandu
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Kathmandu#mediaviewer/File:Nepal_007.JPG
Author: Dario Severi
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Travel to Kathmandu

Citizens of most countries will require a visa to enter Nepal. This can be obtained upon your arrival at Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM). The visa fee depends on your length of stay. A 15-day visa will cost you US$25.

There is plenty of taxis waiting for customers at the Kathmandu airport. A taxi ride to the tourist enclave of Thamel should cost you not more than 300 Nepali rupees. If you can't stand the hassle of bargaining, you can pre-pay your taxi at the booth inside the airport. This will cost you 450 Nepali rupees.

To change money, do it when you arrive in Thamel, where you are likely to get better rates.

Kasthamandap, Thapathali, KathmanduKasthamandap, Thapathali, Kathmandu
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kasthamandap.jpg
Author: Wonker
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Travel within Kathmandu

Most streets do not have street names. To explore, you need to remember the landmarks, which can be a square (chowk) or an intersection (tole). It is possible to explore Kathmandu on foot, which gives you the opportunity to observe the locals up close. The streets are usually filled with people - I often wonder where all the people come from, and where are they going. It is not uncommon for the locals to crowd around tourists, especially if you are carrying a big medium-format camera.

For longer distances, you should get a rickshaw or taxi. You can also book a taxi to take you around for the whole day. Always pre-negotiate the fare before entering. It will cost about 300 Nepali rupees to go to Patan, and between 1000 to 3000 rupees to visit Bhaktapur or to go to the airport.

Rani Pokhari, KathmanduRani Pokhari, Kathmandu
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Rani_Pokhari_(Kathmandu)#mediaviewer/File:Rani_Pokhari-02.jpg
Author: Maesi64
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More Places of Interest in Kathmandu

  1. Singha Durbar
    Grand Palace of Kathmandu, housing the Parliament of Nepal.

  2. Babar Mahal Revisited
    Upscale shopping mall created out of former stables and cowsheds.

  3. Tundikhel
    Long open field used for parades in Kathmandu.

  4. Bhimsen Tower
    Also called Dharahara, a nine-storey tower in Kathmandu.

  5. Durbar Marg
    Office street in the central business district of Kathmandu.

  6. Narayanhiti Royal Palace
    Residence of the royal family of Nepal.

  7. Juddha Sadak
    Road in the old city of Kathmandu that was rebuilt after the 1934 earthquake.

  8. Freak Street
    Famous hippie haunt of the 1960's.

  9. Basantapur Square
    Square with souvenir sellers in front of the Hanuman Dhoka.

  10. Kumari Bahal
    House of the Living Goddess. 18th century temple housing the living goddess of Kathmandu.

  11. Adko Narayan
    Temple of Narayan, a five-tiered plinth erected in 1670.

  12. Kathmandu Durbar Square
    Heart of the old city of Kathmandu, with some 50 temples and monuments.

  13. Kasthamandap
    House of Wood, structure that denotes the very heart of Kathmandu.

  14. Ashok Binayak
    Small but very important golden shrine also known as Maru Ganesh dedicatged to the elephant-headed god at the durbar square.

  15. Navadurga Temple
    Temple with wooden carvings of Shiva and Parvati at the durbar square.

  16. Maju Deval Shiva Temple
    Large temple with three roofs at the Kathmandu durbar square.

  17. Degutale Temple
    Temple dedicated to the royal deity in the durbar square.

  18. Krishna Mandir
    Small, octogonal temple in the durbar square.

  19. Hanuman Dhoka Durbar
    The Hanuman Royal Palace, the former seat of power of the kings of Kathmandu.

  20. Jagannath Mandir
    Two-tiered 17th century temple, oldest in the area.

  21. Gopinath Mandir
    Temple with three roofs and a three-stepped plinth.

  22. Kala Bahirav
    Relief of Shiva with eight arms and wearing a garland of skulls.

  23. Taleju Mandir
    Kathmandu's largest temple, on the northeastern end of the Durbar Square.

  24. Kot
    Former armoury, now a courtyard on the northwestern end of the Durbar Square.

  25. Indra Chowk
    A busy, colorful junction where six Kathmandu streets meet.

  26. Potey Pasaal
    Bead bazaar with vendors sitting cross-legged selling colorful beads.

  27. Khel Tol
    Oldest trading part of the bazaar.

  28. Seto Machhendranath
    One of the most venerated shrines in Kathmandu.

  29. Asan Tol
    Crossroad said to be the real heart of the old city of Kathmandu.

  30. Trichandra College
    Institute of higher learning built by the Rana kings.

  31. Kathe Simbhu
    White Buddhist stupa built as a replica of the Swayambhunath.

  32. Chhetrapati
    Tourist quarter of Kathmandu.

  33. Thamel
    Most popular tourist quarter of Kathmandu.

  34. Keshar Mahal
    Palace in Thamel now housing the Ministry of Education and Culture.

  35. Natural History Museum
    Museum showcasing the flora and fauna of Nepal.


Junga Hiranya Hemnarayan Mandir, KathmanduJunga Hiranya Hemnarayan Mandir, Kathmandu
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Kathmandu#mediaviewer/File:Kalmochanghat.jpg
Author: Abhighimire
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More Sights in the Kathmandu Valley

  1. Kirtipur
    A city on a rocky ridgetop to the west of the Bagmati River.

  2. Ichangu Narayan
    An ancient Hindu site said to be founded by King Hari Datta in the 6th century.

  3. Nagarjun Ban
    A forest reserve known as the "Queen's Forest"

  4. Budhanilkantha
    A small village with an enormous statue of a reclining Vishnu.

  5. Changu Narayan
    Hill top temple with a spectacular shrine to Vishnu.

  6. Sankhu
    Village that was on the old trading route to Helambu.

  7. Nagarkot
    Settlement located at 1,985 meters (6,512 feet) above sea level.

  8. Kakani
    Viewpoint village at a height of 2,073 meters (6,801 feet).

  9. Banepa
    Trading town that was once the capital of a 14th-century kingdom.

  10. Nala
    Former outpost of Bhaktapur kingdom.

  11. Panauti
    A village with plenty of art and architecture.

  12. Dhulikhel
    Important trading post on a hilltop.

  13. Chobhar Gorge
    A famous natural site in the Kathmandu Valley where the legendary Manjushri released the lake water with his sword.

  14. Pharping
    An important centre of Tibetan Buddhism in the Kathmandu Valley.

  15. Dakshinkali
    An important temple to Kali where animals are sacrificed twice a week.

  16. Khokana
    Traditional Nepali village dating from the 16th century.

  17. Bungamati
    Village that is the winter home of Rato Machhendranath, god of Patan.

  18. Karya Binayak
    A shrine between the villages of Khokana and Bungamati

  19. Lele
    Ancient village of terraced fields.

  20. Bishankhu Narayan
    One of the most famous Vishnu shrines in the Kathmandu Valley.

  21. Godavari
    Village with a St Xavier's School run by Jesuit missionaries.

  22. Phulchoki
    A hill which is at the rim of the Kathmandu Valley.

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Hello and thanks for reading this page. My name is Timothy and my hobby is in describing places so that I can share the information with the general public. My website has become the go to site for a lot of people including students, teachers, journalists, etc. whenever they seek information on places, particularly those in Malaysia and Singapore. I have been doing this since 5 January 2003, for over twenty years already. You can read about me at Discover Timothy. By now I have compiled information on thousands of places, mostly in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, and I continue to add more almost every day. My goal is to describe every street in every town in Malaysia and Singapore.
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