Cave exploration in Nepal: the complete guide
Nepal's limestone hills hide dozens of caves, from easy show caves near Pokhara to sacred pilgrimage caves and the ancient man-made sky caves of Mustang.
Pokhara's caves
- Mahendra Cave: a limestone cave with stalactites, north of the city.
- Bat Cave (Chamero Odar): a darker cave home to many bats, with a tight exit for the adventurous.
- Gupteshwor Mahadev Cave: a cave temple beneath Davis Falls.
Our Pokhara city tour visits several of them.
Siddha Gufa, Bandipur
A walk below Bandipur leads to Siddha Gufa, one of the largest caves in Nepal. See our Bandipur overnight trip.
Sacred caves
The Halesi caves in eastern Nepal are sacred to Hindus, who worship Shiva there, and to Buddhists, who associate them with Guru Rinpoche.
Mustang's sky caves
In Upper Mustang, thousands of man-made caves are carved high into the cliffs; some are more than 2,000 years old. See our Upper Mustang jeep tour.
Safety tips
- Bring a headlamp and shoes with good grip.
- Some caves are wet, muddy and slippery.
- Go with a guide in undeveloped caves.