Popular destination of Nepal

sorce Nepal Tourism Board

Other valley destinations

Balaju water Garden: The Balaju water Garden have been the focus of several nepali folk songs. The fish farm, the forests, the water falls and the plants here are beautiful, and the 22 sea-dragon spouts are a site of religious festivals. Located at the foot of Nagarjun Hill, it has plenty of water resources and is a favorite picnic spot.

Budhanilkantha:

The vishnu statue at Budhanilkantha was found buried in the ground in its original state. The statue is estimated to be about a thousand years old and shows Vishnu lying on the cosmic water before the universe was created. Shivapuri looms over Budhalikantha and visitors find much peace there. You will be able to observe local people perform puja every morning and evening.

Chobhar Gorge:

Manjushri came upon a huge lake eons ago and saw a huge lotus emanating bright light at its center. So he cut a deep gorge in the wall of the lake and let the water out in order to observe and worship the lotus. The bed of the lake became Kathanamdu valley and the place where he cut the lake is said to be Chobhar. An intricate cave is located there as well as a Ganesh temple.

Daskhinkali:

The temple at Dakshinkali is dedicated to the ferocious mother goddess who has much energy and power. It is said that she gives strong will power and energy to those who come to her and she loves sacrifice who come to her and she loves sacrifices. The temple is tantric in nature and is a favorite worship place of the Hindus. Saturday are good days to visit as there is always a massive crowd of worshippers who come from all parts of Nepal to offer prayers.

Jawalakhel Zoo:

The zoo has improved a lot over the years and contains fine samples of Himalayan animal species. Tourists who may have problems seeing the one-horned rhino and the Royal Bengal tiger in the wild will have no problems observing them close-up at the  Jawalakhel Zoo. The zoo is managed by the king Mahendra Trust for Nature Conservation.

Lakuri Bhanjyang:

Overlooking the wide spectrum of the Himalayan range and the broad expanse of the Kathamandu valley, Lakuri Bhanjyang lies perched a top the pristine hill of Pokhari Thumko (18km from Kathamandu). Located at an altitude of 2000m, approximately 15km south east of Kathamandu, this is another vantage point commanding a sweeping view of the snowy mountain peaks on the northern horizon and an ideal location to watch spectacular views of sunrise and sunset. After dusk, a myriad of shimmering lights far below in the cities of kathamandu, Patan and Bhaktapur glow to reveal yet another delightful feast for the eyes.

Godavari Royal Botanical Garden:

This is perhaps the most popular picnic ground for the Kathamndu. The plants are of wide variety and the flowers, when in bloom, make the atmosphere sparkle in colors. In fact, most of the Nepali film songs and dances are shot here. You may wish to visit the Nau and Panch Dhara ponds or take a hike up the 2,700 meter pulchowki Hill nearby.

Kakani:

Lying to northwest of Kathamandu and only an hour's drive away from the capital, the hill top is recommended for its quiet surroundings and skyline views of Gauri  Shankar, Langtang, Choba Bhamare, Ganesh Himal, Manaslu, and Himalchuli.

Nagarkot:

At a height of 2,099 meters above sea level, the hill top is visited for viewing beautiful sunrises and sunsets and visitors take delight in the layout of the Kathamandu valley below. On a clear day Manaslu, Ganesh Himal, Gauri shankar, and Everest can be seen from here. Lodges and resorts are open throughout the year and visitors can extend their sojourn to explore the countryside.

Pulchowki:

About 2,700 meters above sea level. Pulchowki is the tallest hill top surrounding the Kathamandu valley. Visitors will enjoy bird watching and nature hikes in the thick forests. More than 250 birds species have been sighted here as well as barking deer , leopard and bear.

Nagarjun:

Nagarjun is named after a famous sage. There is a stupa at the top and the forest is well known for its animal life. Controlled by teh army, the animal life is protected here and the forest is also known as the Queen's forest. Leopard, deer, birds, squirrel, and other animal species may be seen and the hill tracks are prefect for mountain biking as well.

Shivapuri:

Shivapuri provides most of the water to the Kathamandu valley and among the hills, it is closest to the high Himalaya. The wildlife sighting here is also excellent as the park has access to wider lands and areas behind the Kathamandu valley. You may wish to visit the Buddhist monastery set high on the hill.

Dhulikhel:

This old Newar town lies beyond the eastern rim of the valley with comfortable lodging for extended trips. Mountain bikers will appreciate the route that takes them up to Dhulikhel, to Namobuddha shrine, and down to the old town of Panauti. The ride can be completed in one day.

Sankhu:

Sankhu is a sleepy town beneath the Gum Bihar religious complex. within the complex is the temple of Bajra Yogini built in the 17th century. The area has been an important religious site since the 4th century and has excellent woods and bird-life as well as charming monkeys and pigeons in the temple area. Visitors may wish to bike up to Nagarkot and come down biking to Sankhu.

Other Place of Interest

East of Kathamandu

Basantapur:

Basantapur  lies in Koshi zone in eastern Nepal at an altitude of 2,323m. It is famous for its natural beauty, diverse culture, beautiful landscape and cool climate. Tijure Danda in Basantpur is forested with Rhododendron trees. The place is ideal for sunset and sunrise viewing and also for viewing the Himalaya.

Dharan:

Dharan lies right at the foot of the hills, but the transformation when coming from the Terai is dramatic. This is unquestionably a hill town hill people - there are scarcely any dark-skinned plains people to be seen. Dharan is  a bustling bazar town that has grown rapidly.

Dhankuta:

Although Dhankuta is only 75 km by excellent road from the Terai, it seems more like a million miles. Dhankuta is quite a large town, and although there is no specific attraction, there are good views , a mild climate and plenty of interesting walks in the surrounding area. The town owes its prosperity to the fact that it was a major recruiting center for the Gurkha regiments of the British army and quite a bit of British aid money has been spent in the vicinity.

Charikot/Jiri:

About 133 kilometers from Kathamandu, Charikot provide a spectacular mountain view of Gaurishankar. In the eastern upper part of Dolakha township there is a famous roofless temple of Dolakha Bhimsen.

Namche Bazaar:

The name Namche  is generally  associated with Sagarmatha (Mt. Everest), the highest peak in the world. It is the entrance to the everest region. Situated on the lap of the Khumbu Himal range, Namche Bazaar is about 241 km from Kathamandu.

Hile:

It is situated about 13 Kilometers north of Dhankuta Bazaar. The panorama  of the major peaks of the eastern Himalaya including Sagrmatha (Mt. Everest) Makalu, Lhotse and Kumbhakaran can be enjoyed from Hile.

Antu Danda:

it is situated at an altitude of 1,677 m in Ilam disctict and is famous for its unique views of Everest and Kanchejunga. It is the best place for viewing the sunrise and sunset. There is a motor able road from Ilam to Chhipitar from where one can reach Antu Danda on foot.

Dhanusamdham:

Dhanusamdham lies in Janakpur zone in the middle Development Region of Nepal. Dhanusa is a district of temples and hermitages where devotees of Lord Ram and Sita pay obeisance. There are many religious and tourist attraction such as Ram Mandir, Ganesh Mandir, Baba Makhandada Kuti,  etc Other main attraction are the Dhanusha pond and several other pond.

North of Kathamandu

Nuwakot:

The old fortrees town of Nuwakot used to be an important strategic  outpost. It controlled the ancient trade routes to Tibet and the kings of medieval Nepal maintained large garrisons here. Nuwakot offers terrific views of the mountains ant the surrounding rural scenery makes for an enchanting experience. There are a number or artistic buildings on the hilltop which recall  the traditional architecture of the Kathamandu valley.

Helambu:

Helambu, situated about 72 kilometers north-east of Kathamandu, is famous for its scenic grandeur and pleasant climate. There are many Buddhist monasteris amidst a rich and enchanting landscape. Sundarijal is the starting point for trekking to Helambu which is only 11kilometers away from Kathamandu.

West of Kathamandu

The village itself is a compact collection of 500 flat - roofed houses separated by narrow alleyways. To reach a doorway you must ascend steep log notched with steps. The setting of the village is most dramatic, with the summits of Annapurna less than 8km away, and a huge icefall rumbling and crashing on the flanks of the peaks.

Baglung:

Baglung is now accessible by road from Pokhara. It is the main market place of Dhalagiri zone and the gateway to Dhorptatan Hunting Reserve which is well-known as the habitat of blue sheep.

Muktinath/Jomsom:

The famous temple of Lord Muktinath lies in the district of Mustang and is situated about 18 kilometers  northeast of Jomsom at an altitude of about 3,749 meters. The temple is situated on a high mountain range and is visited during fair weather. There are two ways to get to Muktinath from Kathamandu. Either take a direct flight from Kathamandu via Pokhara to Jomsom and hike for a couple of hours via Kagbeni or trek all the way from Pokhara. There is also an air service from Pokhara to Jomsom.

Mustang:

josmsom is the district head quarters for the Mustang region of Nepal. To many people, however, Mustang implies the area of Nepal that extends like a thumb into Tibet. This is the region described in Michel Piessel's  book Mustang, and includes the walked capital city of Mustang. Lo Manthang.

Dolpo:

 Dolpo is the most remote and least developed district in Nepal Although a few anthropologists and geographers had explored  the region, the entire district was closed to trekkers until 1989 when the southern part of Dolpo was opened to organized trekking groups. Peter Matthiesen's The Snow leopard and Snellgrove's Himalayan pilgrimage have contributed to the mystique and attraction of Dolpo.

Humla/Jumla:

Jumla, on the banks of the Tila River at 2370 meters, is one of the highest rice growing areas in the world. The entire Tila valley is covered with paddy fields growing a unique red rice that is more tasty than white rice, but is scorned by most local, people, The people in this region speak their own version of Nepali . The people throughout the region are Thakuris, and also Chhetris who have the highest social, political and ritual status.

Khaptad:

The Khaptad National park covers 225 sq. km of grassland and forested plateau. khaptad Baba, a Hindu guru. lived here for many years A 5km area in the park has been reserved for mediation and tranquality, where butchering, alcohol and tobacco are forbidden. The habitat at the park provides good cover for bear, leopard, common langur, musk deer as well as many species of birds . Herbs with medicinal properties and wild flowers grow in this national park.