Experience the charm of Kathmandu!
Dusty but beautiful!
Boudhanath Stupa
Traffic jams, dust, markets, monkeys, hiking shops, electric wires, temples. Meet Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. The heart of hiking paradise, the place where mountain-lovers start their journey throughout the incredible Himalayas. But also full of cultural highlights such as different kind of temples, swarming markets and fantastic food. Not everyone’s favorite because of the noise, crowds and dust, but we fell in love with the chaos of Kathmandu.
Streets of Kathmandu
For tourists, especially for hikers, Thamel is the place to be. This area is full of restaurants, shops and even small temples. It is the perfect place to prepare for a trekking, as there are a lot of shops for hiking gear as well. Because we had been travelling through South East Asia for a while, we did not have the appropriate equipment yet, so we were delighted! Just walk around, let the chaos impress you, and enjoy the fantastic food and kind people.
Streets of Kathmandu
As said, there are also cultural highlights. And monkeys. Especially at the Swayambhunath Temple, one of the essential Buddhistic temples of Kathmandu. Because a lot of monkeys surround this temple, many people call it “Monkey Temple” as well. To visit this temple and its cheeky inhabitants, you have to climb quite some stairs. The advantage of this exertion is the fantastic view of the city you get in return.
Swayambhunath Temple
Another Buddistic temple is Both Nath; a gigantic “stupa” in the middle of a large square, surrounded by shops and restaurants. The iconic Nepalese flags decorate the stupa, creating an impressive sight. All around Kathmandu, but especially around these Buddhistic temples, a lot of monks walk around. Their presence and vibe complete the experience when you visit these places.
Just outside of hectic Kathmandu you can also visit Bhaktapur and Patan, two incredible towns in the Kathmandu Valley. Both cities are like a living museum, with temples on every corner, bustling street markets and the production of many arts and crafts happening everywhere. Unfortunately, as well as Kathmandu, these towns were struck hard by the earthquake in 2015. A lot of buildings and temples have been damaged and have not yet been reconstructed. Nevertheless, the towns did not lose their charm with the earthquake; thus they are worth a visit. Don’t let the devastating earthquake hold you back from traveling to Nepal in general. The economy of Nepal mainly depends on tourism, so the only way to help them recover, is by visiting there!
Streets of Kathmandu