A tour of Kathmandu

A tour of Kathmandu is a popular thing to do in Nepal. Kathmandu is the capital of Nepal and a valley of history, art, culture, and economy. Its rich history is nearly 2000 years old. Kathmandu is also the largest city in Nepal, where people mainly live in Hindu and Buddhist multi-ethnic groups, among others.

Nepal’s International Airport in Kathmandu is the gateway to Nepal Tourism, the nerve center of the country’s economy. Thamel is a tourist center in Kathmandu.

Kathmandu has four mixed cultural and historical World Heritage Sites recognized by UNESCO. We offer a tour of Kathmandu that covers the following must-sees.

Swayanbunath Stupa:

Kathmandu Valley was a lake more than 2000 years ago. Swayambu Hill existed as an island at a lake. On top of that hill stood a natural crystal stupa. When visiting the place, Buddha declared that it was a wish-fulfilling stupa, and whoever is touched by the wind that passes over it receives the seed of liberation from the cycle of existence.

Swayambu comes from the Sanskrit language and means “self-existent one.” A wisdom Buddha, Manjushri, visited Lake and Crystal Stupa from China. Then, Buddha Manjushri drained the lake and made the crystal stupa accessible to people. The glory of Kathmandu Valley is said to have started from this point. For centuries, countless Buddhist masters from India, Tibet, China, Bhutan, and Sri Lanka have visited the Swayambunath Stupa. It is also known as the “Monkey Temple” from the 1970s. Various trees surround the stupa, and red monkeys always live there.

Kathmandu Valley can be seen from all directions from the top of Swayambunath Hill. The Stupa complex is famous for the Five Buddha families, Green Tara, Dorje (thunderbolt), Buddha Manjusri, Sakyamuni Buddha, Malla Towers, Hariti Temple, Santipura building, Drukpa Kagyu Monastery, Shri KarmaRaja Maha Vihara, and Dewa Dharma Monastery. Behind the hilltop is a temple of Saraswati (the Goddess of learning). Amideva Buddha Park features three giant golden statues of Buddha, located inside the Swayambunath compound just off the city’s bustling Ring Road.

The Swayambunath complex has significant festivals, including Temal Jatra, Buddha Jayanti (Sakyamuni Buddha’s birthday), and Saraswati puja.

Kathmandu Durbar Square:

Kathmandu Durbar Square is locally known as the Hanuman-Dhoka Durbar. The name Hanuman-Dhoka Durbar came from the statue of Hanuman (monkey face god) established by King Pratap Malla at the entrance of the royal place in 1672 A.D. It is located at the heart of the ancient city of Kathmandu. It is a complex royal place with beautiful temples and shrines. Most of them are built in the pagoda style embellished with intricately carved exteriors, built between the 12th and 18th centuries. The kings of Nepal were crowned, and their coronations were solemnized here. Until the early 20th century, the Durbar Square was the King’s residence. Now, it is an open museum of living in Nepal. All the carvings and architecture in this area are excellent, making the architecture in this Durbar Square among the most important sights for travelers.

The Durbar Square area is made up of two sub-areas. The outer complex is renowned for numerous interesting temples, such as Kumari Ghar, Kasthmandap, Shiv-Parbati Temple, Jagannath Temple, Big Bell, etc. The inner complex is the old palace area covered by Nasal Chowk, Mul Chowk, Sundari Chowk, Lohan Chowk, Basantapur Durbar, and others. Many temples in the inner complex, the most notable being the Taleju Temple, dedicated to the female royal deity.

The major festivals, including Indra Jatra, Kumari Jatra, Dashain Jatra, Gaai Jatra, and Machhindranath Jatra, are presented in Durbar Square. These are when people from all over the city gather here to mark their centuries-old traditions.

Pashupatinath Temple:

Pashupatinath is one of Nepal’s most sacred Hindu Temples, located on the banks of the Holy River Bagmati. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, it was built in the 5th century and later renovated by Malla kings. The site itself is said to have existed from the beginning of the millennium when a Shiva lingam was discovered. It is the largest temple complex in Nepal, with 492 temples and monuments.

Maha Shiva Ratri (the great night of Shiva), Bala Chaturthi, and Teej are significant festivals celebrated yearly in the Pashupatinath. Hindu Nepali women celebrate Teej for their husband’s long life and happiness. Hundreds of thousands of Sadhu (holy men) from Nepal and India get together in Maha Shiva Ratri at Pasupati.

The Great Boudhanath Stupa:

The Great Boudhanath Stupa is just 2.5km from the Pashupatinath temple. It is the tallest (43.25m) and most enormous spherical (120ft in diameter) Stupas in Asia. The Great Stupa was believed to have been built during the Kashyap Buddha’s end period and the beginning period of Shakyamuni Buddha. It has become a typical monument of people all over the world. The Great Stupa is also called the Stupa of Enlightenment or Bodhi Stupa. It is a significant pilgrimage destination for pilgrims who gather daily to make a kora (ritual circumnavigation) of the Great Stupa. The best time to visit Boudhanath is in the afternoon when all the monasteries open around the Great Stupa between 3:00 PM and 5:00 PM.

Besides the Stupa, Guru Lhakhang, Samteling, and Jhamchen Lhakhang monasteries are most seen in the Boudha area.

Buddha Jayanti (the birthday of Buddha), Mamla Jatra, Temal Jatra, and Losar are significant festivals celebrated in the Boudhanath annually.

Don’t hesitate to contact us if you want to tour Kathmandu on the festival date.