Destinations
Cities, towns, temples, lakes and national parks across Nepal, Tibet and Bhutan.
52 guidesKathmandu Travel Guide: Best Things to Do, Where to Stay and What to Eat
The complete Kathmandu travel guide: Durbar Squares, Swayambhunath, Boudhanath, Pashupatinath, Patan and Bhaktapur, plus where to stay, what to eat, day trips,...
· 14 min read Read guide 02Pokhara Travel Guide: Things to Do, Where to Stay and Best Treks Nearby
The complete Pokhara travel guide: Phewa Lake, Sarangkot sunrise, World Peace Pagoda, paragliding, caves, waterfalls, where to stay in Lakeside, what to eat, ho...
· 14 min read Read guide 03Tengboche Monastery: The Spiritual Heart of the Khumbu
Tengboche Monastery (about 3,867 m), founded in 1916, is the largest monastery in the Khumbu, with views of Everest and Ama Dablam. Its history, prayer times, t...
· 2 min read Read guide 04Namche Bazaar: The Sherpa Capital of the Everest Region
Namche Bazaar (3,440 m) is the main town of the Khumbu and the acclimatisation stop on the Everest trek. Things to do, hikes to the Everest View Hotel and Khumj...
· 2 min read Read guide 05Chitwan National Park Safari Guide: Rhinos, Tigers and Jungle Adventures
Plan a Chitwan National Park safari: one-horned rhinos, Bengal tigers, jeep safaris, canoe trips, jungle walks, Tharu culture, best time, how many days, where t...
· 14 min read Read guide 06Nepal in Numbers: Facts and Figures
Nepal at a glance in numbers: Everest's height, eight 8,000 m peaks, population, provinces, national parks, World Heritage Sites, wildlife counts, time zone and...
· 2 min read Read guide 0710 Best Things to Do in Chitwan
The best things to do in Chitwan National Park: jeep safaris, canoe trips on the Rapti, guided jungle walks, birdwatching, Tharu villages and sunsets by the riv...
· 2 min read Read guide 0815 Best Things to Do in Pokhara
The best things to do in Pokhara: Sarangkot sunrise, boating on Phewa Lake, the World Peace Pagoda, paragliding, the ZipFlyer, caves, the Mountain Museum and sh...
· 2 min read Read guide 0920 Best Things to Do in Kathmandu
The best things to do in Kathmandu: Swayambhunath at sunrise, Boudhanath at dusk, the Durbar Squares of Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur, Pashupatinath aarati, fo...
· 2 min read Read guide 10Manakamana Temple and Cable Car: A Visitor's Guide
Manakamana, the wish-fulfilling goddess temple in Gorkha, is reached by Nepal's first passenger cable car (opened 1998), a ride of about 10 minutes from Kurinta...
· 2 min read Read guide 11Chandragiri Cable Car: Himalayan Views Above Kathmandu
The Chandragiri cable car (opened 2016) climbs about 2.4 km from Thankot to Chandragiri Hills (about 2,551 m) for views of the Himalaya and the Kathmandu Valley...
· 2 min read Read guide 12Kalinchowk Travel Guide: Snow, Temple and Himalayan Views
Kalinchowk in Dolakha is a popular getaway from Kathmandu for snow in winter and Himalayan views, with the Kalinchowk Bhagwati temple at 3,842 m and a cable car...
· 2 min read Read guide 13Gorkha Travel Guide: Birthplace of Modern Nepal
Gorkha is the hill town where Prithvi Narayan Shah began the unification of Nepal. Visit the hilltop Gorkha Durbar palace and temple, the Gorkha Museum and near...
· 2 min read Read guide 14Tansen (Palpa) Travel Guide: Hill Town, Dhaka Cloth and Rani Mahal
Tansen, the old hill town of Palpa between Pokhara and Lumbini, is known for its Newar bazaar, dhaka weaving, Srinagar hill views and the riverside Rani Mahal p...
· 2 min read Read guide 15Ilam Travel Guide: Tea Gardens and Green Hills
Ilam, in far eastern Nepal, is famous for rolling tea gardens, the Kanyam tea estate, sunrise at Antu Danda and the sacred Mai Pokhari lake. Getting there, what...
· 2 min read Read guide 16Janakpur Travel Guide: The City of Sita
Janakpur, in southern Nepal, is revered as the birthplace of Sita. Visit the white Janaki Mandir (completed 1910), sacred ponds, Mithila painting and the Vivaha...
· 2 min read Read guide 17Sarangkot: Pokhara's Famous Sunrise Viewpoint
Sarangkot (about 1,600 m), above Pokhara, offers a classic sunrise view of Dhaulagiri, the Annapurnas and Machhapuchhre. How to get there, the best time, paragl...
· 2 min read Read guide 18Thamel Guide: Kathmandu's Travellers' Quarter
Thamel is Kathmandu's busy travellers' district, packed with hotels, restaurants, trekking shops and nightlife. What to do, where to eat, shopping tips and how...
· 2 min read Read guide 19Kathmandu Durbar Square: A Visitor's Guide
Kathmandu Durbar Square (Basantapur) is the old royal palace square: Hanuman Dhoka, Taleju Temple, the Kumari Ghar, Kal Bhairav and the rebuilt Kasthamandap. Wh...
· 2 min read Read guide 20Boudhanath Stupa: A Visitor's Guide
Boudhanath, one of the largest stupas in the world, is the heart of Tibetan Buddhism in Nepal. Its history, the kora, monasteries, rooftop cafés, best time to v...
· 2 min read Read guide 21Patan Travel Guide: The City of Fine Arts
Patan, the "city of fine arts", has a superb Durbar Square, the stone Krishna Mandir (1637), the Patan Museum, the Golden Temple and workshops of metal casters....
· 2 min read Read guide 22Annapurna Conservation Area: Nepal's Largest Protected Area
The Annapurna Conservation Area, Nepal's largest protected area at 7,629 km², includes the Annapurna range, the Kali Gandaki gorge and treks such as ABC, Poon H...
· 2 min read Read guide 23Sagarmatha National Park: Home of Everest
Sagarmatha National Park, established on 19 July 1976 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979, covers 1,148 km² of the Everest region. Wildlife, culture, pe...
· 2 min read Read guide 24Pathibhara Devi Temple: Pilgrimage in the Eastern Himalaya
Pathibhara Devi temple in Taplejung, at about 3,794 m, is one of the most important pilgrimage sites in eastern Nepal, reached by a steep trek with views of Kan...
· 2 min read Read guide 25Halesi Mahadev (Maratika Caves): A Sacred Site for Hindus and Buddhists
Halesi Mahadev, or the Maratika caves, in Khotang district is sacred to Hindus as a shrine of Shiva and to Buddhists as the place where Guru Rinpoche and Mandar...
· 2 min read Read guide 26Khaptad National Park: Meadows and Spirituality in the Far West
Khaptad National Park, established in 1984 in far-western Nepal, is a high plateau of grassy meadows and forests, associated with the hermit Khaptad Baba. How t...
· 2 min read Read guide 27Daman: One of Nepal's Widest Himalayan Panoramas
Daman, a hill station on the road south of Kathmandu at about 2,300 m, offers one of the widest Himalayan panoramas in Nepal. How to get there, sunrise and wher...
· 2 min read Read guide 28Garden of Dreams: A Peaceful Escape in Kathmandu
The Garden of Dreams, next to Thamel, is a neoclassical garden created for Kaiser Shumsher Rana around 1920 and restored with Austrian help by 2007. A calm esca...
· 2 min read Read guide 29Nuwakot Durbar: The Seven-Storey Palace
Nuwakot Durbar, north-west of Kathmandu, is the seven-storey palace built by Prithvi Narayan Shah in the 18th century. Its history, earthquake damage and restor...
· 2 min read Read guide 30Kagbeni: The Gateway to Upper Mustang
Kagbeni (about 2,810 m) is a medieval village at the confluence of the Kali Gandaki and Jhong rivers, with a red monastery, mud-brick lanes and the checkpoint i...
· 2 min read Read guide 31Jomsom Travel Guide: Gateway to Mustang
Jomsom (about 2,720 m) is the headquarters of Mustang district and the gateway to Muktinath and Upper Mustang, reached by a dramatic flight from Pokhara or by r...
· 2 min read Read guide 32International Mountain Museum, Pokhara
The International Mountain Museum in Pokhara, opened in February 2004, tells the story of the Himalaya, mountaineering and mountain peoples. What to see and how...
· 2 min read Read guide 33World Peace Pagoda, Pokhara: A Visitor's Guide
The World Peace Pagoda (Shanti Stupa) above Phewa Lake was inaugurated on 30 October 1999 by the Nipponzan-Myohoji order. How to get there, the hike and the vie...
· 2 min read Read guide 34Phewa Lake: Pokhara's Heart
Phewa Lake in Pokhara is one of Nepal's largest lakes, famous for its reflections of Machhapuchhre, boat rides to the Tal Barahi island temple, lakeside walks a...
· 2 min read Read guide 35Bungamati and Khokana: Traditional Newar Villages
Bungamati and Khokana, south of Patan, are traditional Newar villages known for woodcarving, the god Rato Machhindranath and mustard-oil pressing. How to visit.
· 2 min read Read guide 36Kirtipur: A Hilltop Newar Town in the Kathmandu Valley
Kirtipur, a hilltop Newar town south-west of Kathmandu, has old temples such as Bagh Bhairav, the Chilancho stupa, valley views and Newari food, with few touris...
· 2 min read Read guide 37Panauti: One of Nepal's Oldest Towns
Panauti, near Dhulikhel, is a beautifully preserved Newar town with the Indreshwar Mahadev temple, originally built in 1294, sacred river confluences and commun...
· 2 min read Read guide 38Namo Buddha: The Legend of the Prince and the Tigress
Namo Buddha, near Dhulikhel, is one of the holiest Buddhist sites in Nepal, where legend says a prince gave his body to feed a starving tigress. The monastery,...
· 2 min read Read guide 39Pharping: Sacred Caves and Monasteries South of Kathmandu
Pharping, south of Kathmandu, is a peaceful pilgrimage town with caves associated with Guru Rinpoche, Tibetan monasteries, Hindu shrines and nearby Dakshinkali.
· 2 min read Read guide 40Dakshinkali Temple: A Visitor's Guide
Dakshinkali, south of Kathmandu, is one of Nepal's most important temples to the goddess Kali, known for animal sacrifices on Tuesdays and Saturdays. What to ex...
· 2 min read Read guide 41Budhanilkantha: The Sleeping Vishnu of Kathmandu
At Budhanilkantha, north of Kathmandu, a 5 m stone statue of Vishnu reclines on a bed of serpents in a sacred pool. Its history, legends and tips for visiting.
· 2 min read Read guide 42Changunarayan: Nepal's Oldest Temple
Changunarayan, on a hilltop east of Kathmandu, is one of Nepal's oldest temples, with a stone inscription from 464 AD, the earliest in Nepal. History, highlight...
· 2 min read Read guide 43Lumbini Travel Guide: Visiting the Birthplace of the Buddha
Plan a visit to Lumbini, the birthplace of the Buddha and a UNESCO World Heritage Site: Maya Devi Temple, Ashoka Pillar, the monastic zone, Tilaurakot, getting...
· 14 min read Read guide 44Bhaktapur Travel Guide: Exploring Nepal's Best-Preserved Medieval City
Discover Bhaktapur, the medieval Newar city of the Kathmandu Valley: Durbar Square, 55-Window Palace, Nyatapola Temple, Taumadhi and Pottery Squares, juju dhau,...
· 14 min read Read guide 45Nagarkot and Dhulikhel: Himalayan Sunrise Views Near Kathmandu
Plan a trip to Nagarkot and Dhulikhel on the Kathmandu Valley rim: Himalayan sunrise views from Langtang to Everest, day hikes to Changunarayan and Namobuddha,...
· 14 min read Read guide 46Bandipur Travel Guide: Nepal's Hilltop Newar Town Between Kathmandu and Pokhara
Discover Bandipur, a car-free Newar hill town between Kathmandu and Pokhara: old bazaar, Thani Mai temple viewpoint, Siddha Gufa cave, Ramkot village hike, Hima...
· 14 min read Read guide 47Kathmandu Nightlife: The Best Things to Do in the Valley After Dark
Where to go at night in Kathmandu beyond Thamel: Jhamsikhel bars, Patan and Bhaktapur rooftops, jazz and live music, hotel lounges on Durbar Marg, casinos, doho...
· 6 min read Read guide 48Thamel at Night: Live Music, Bars, Late Food and How to Enjoy Kathmandu's Party District
Everything you need for a night out in Thamel, Kathmandu: live rock bars, pubs, rooftop bars and clubs, where to eat late, prices, opening hours, what to avoid...
· 5 min read Read guide 49Pokhara Nightlife: Lakeside Bars, Live Music and Evenings by Phewa Lake
A guide to Pokhara at night: Lakeside bars and live bands, fire-pit gardens, clubs, sunset on Phewa Lake, the Peace Pagoda, cultural shows, where to eat, openin...
· 5 min read Read guide 50Ghandruk: A Guide to the Gurung Village beneath Annapurna South
A guide to Ghandruk, the Gurung village in the Annapurna region: how to get there from Pokhara by road or on foot, short treks, the Gurung Museum, views of Anna...
· 4 min read Read guide 51The Best Mountain Viewpoints in Nepal, from Easy Drives to High Summits
The best Himalayan viewpoints in Nepal, sorted by effort: from Sarangkot, Nagarkot and Daman you can drive to, through Poon Hill and Mardi Himal, to Kala Pattha...
· 2 min read Read guide 52Mount Everest Facts: Height, History, Records and How to See It
Key facts about Mount Everest: its official height of 8,848.86 m, its names (Sagarmatha, Chomolungma), the 1953 first ascent by Hillary and Tenzing, firsts and...
· 2 min read Read guideFrequently asked questions
Answers to the questions we hear most. Can’t find what you need? Our team in Kathmandu is happy to help.
Our articles cover trekking routes, seasons and weather, permits and regulations, altitude and fitness, packing, costs, culture and festivals, and travel in Tibet and Bhutan.
Our articles are written by the Himalayan Hiking team in Kathmandu, including trip planners and guides who work in the mountains every season.
We review our articles regularly, but rules, fees and conditions in Nepal can change. Always check the latest requirements before you travel, or contact us for current advice.
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