Best Tourist's Destinations Near Kathmandu!!!

Generally thinking about spending time in Nepal, people think about mountains, hill stations, playing in whitewater, and walking through amazing wildlife for adventure activities. But what about people who don’t want to go so far above the altitudes and don't have much energy for adventuring? Beautiful places near the Kathmandu valley offer the solutions. Besides this, there are many interesting things related to architecture and historical preferences near Kathmandu for exploring. These are perfect places for people with less time. There are many royal palaces, temples, museums, and statues made by the ancient kings mostly in the 15th to 18th centuries. Here you get to know The Best Tourist Destinations Near Kathmandu.

Beautiful Places Near Kathmandu Valley:

Kathmandu Durbar Square:

One of the royal mansions of ancient Malla and Shah kings, Kathmandu Durbar Square, situated in Kathmandu valley, is mainly known as the home place of Newar people, where you can observe their beautiful craftsmanship over wood products. The palace is also known as Basantapur Durbar Square after the addition of Nine Storied “Basantapur” by King Prithivi Narayan Shah. This square is also known as Hanuman Dhoka Durbar Square as there is a statue of the monkey devotee of Lord Ram, “Hanuman,” at the entrance. Trailokya Mohan Narayan Temple, Taleju Bhawani Temple, Hanuman Statue, Basantapur Temple, Kal Bhairav at Hanuman Dhoka Durbar, Ashok Vinayak, Kakeshwor Temple, Indrapur Temple, Hanuman Dhoka Museum, and Courtyard of Kumari Bahal are some of the main places and architectures of Kathmandu Durbar Square. This palace is also known for administrative activities in ancient times.

How to get to Basantapur?

Kathmandu Durbar Square is situated in the center of Kathmandu city. You can reach there by bus, taxi, or by walking. It’s easy to reach there by foot as it takes only 10 minutes to walk.

Things to observe there:

Explore the beautiful crafts and sculptures made by ancient Newar people. You can see those architectures in the museum of Basantapur.

How much to enter the museum/palace?

SAARC nationals have to pay Rs.150, and non-SAARC nationals have to pay Rs.750 for the entrance of the Palace. For the entrance to the museum, you have to pay Rs.20 to Rs.30.

The museum opens every day from 10:30 AM to 3 PM except on Tuesday. On Tuesday, it remains closed, and on Friday, the museum opens from 10:30 AM to 2:00 PM.

Bhaktapur Durbar Square:

Bhaktapur Durbar Square is one of the royal palaces, situated 13 km east of Kathmandu in the town of Bhaktapur district known as “Bhadgaon.” Declared as one of the UNESCO world heritage sites, it is the main tourist destination in Kathmandu. Throwing back to ancient Nepal, we find the main three kingdoms in Kathmandu: Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, and Lalitpur, which are very renowned for their craftsmanship. Thus, it offers you many different ancient temples built in Pagoda, Shikhara, and Mandala styles, architectures, and statues invented by the ancient peoples through their outstanding work on several materials. The museum of Bhaktapur Durbar Square still preserves the historical arts, crafts, statues, and images of goddesses. The 55 windows, Vatsala temple, the statue of Bhupatindra Malla, Nyatapola Temple, Bhairava Nath Temple, Dattaraya Temple, Dattaraya Square, and Golden Gate are some of the main monuments you see in Bhaktapur Durbar. You can get a great chance to observe the unique lifestyle of people living there. Bhaktapur Durbar Square itself reminisces about the great royal king’s lifestyles.

How to get to Bhaktapur?

By bus or by taxi: Staying at Thamel, you can get a taxi nearby and a bus from Ratnapark (a few minutes' walk from Thamel). The local bus takes about 1 and ½ hours without any traffic jam on the way to reach Bhaktapur.

Things to observe there:

Amazing temples, statues, arts, and sculptures are the things to observe there. Along with this, you can get a chance to explore the daily living style of local people living near the temples.

How much to enter Bhaktapur Palace and the Art Museum?

For foreign people, it costs NPR.1500, NPR.500 for SAARC nationals, and free for Nepalese people to enter the palace. After that, you have to pay the museum entrance fee if you want to explore the art museum too. The entrance fee is NPR.100 for foreigners, NPR.50 for SAARC nationals, and NPR.20 for Nepalese people.

The museum opens every day except Tuesday. On Tuesday, it remains closed. It opens from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, but on Friday, it closes at 3:00 PM.

Patan Durbar Square:

One of the three Durbar Squares and seven UNESCO world heritage sites situated in the Kathmandu valley, Patan Durbar Square, also offers you unique Newar arts and architectures. Though the “Malla” Kings of Lalitpur are given credit for building the Durbar Square, it is not clearly mentioned about the invention of Patan Durbar Square anywhere. Patan is a beautiful city generally known as the center of both Buddhism and Hinduism. The city containing beautiful historical and religious values offers amazing stupas and bahals in every corner of the region. Krishna Mandir, Bhimsen Temple, Vishwanath Temple, and Taleju Bhawani Temple are some of the important structures to observe in Patan Durbar Square. The Durbar Square is unique in its own way. The main courtyards, besides which you can observe the monuments, shrines, and carvings of Newari architecture, are Mul Chowk, Sundari Chowk, and Keshav Narayan Chowk.

How to get to Patan?

By taxi or by bus: You can get buses or taxis to Patan from Ratnapark, walking a few minutes of distance from Thamel. The distance covers 6 km in 20 minutes.

Things to do there:

Patan is very well known for its architecture. The temples and statues reflect the Newari arts of ancient Newar people. Patan museum offers different paintings and sculptures. You can observe beautiful temples built in Pagoda style.

How much to enter the Patan Palace and the museum?

Foreign people have to pay NPR.500, and SAARC nationals have to pay NPR.100, whereas it is free for Nepalese people to enter the Durbar Square. For Patan Museum, foreigners have to pay NPR.250, NPR.25 for SAARC nationals, and NPR.10 for Nepalese. Similarly, for entrance to Patan Golden Temple, foreigners have to pay NPR.50, and SAARC nationals NPR.20.

The museums open every day from 10:30 AM to 5:30 PM.

Pashupatinath Temple:

Pashupatinath Temple is a very famous and sacred Hindu temple situated 5 km northeast of the Kathmandu valley at the bank of Bagmati River. The temple is dedicated to Lord “Shiva,” the most protective deity of Hindu religion people. Listed under the UNESCO world heritage sites, you can get a great chance to observe the ascetic yogis living inside the caves under the territory of Pashupatinath. Here the temple offers you all the pagoda-style structures. There are many beliefs regarding the origin of the temple, legend histories including cow legend, Lichchhavi legend, and Devalaya legend. Different festivals are celebrated every year, but the major festival celebrated inside the temple is Maha Shivaratri. All the pilgrims come from all over the world to celebrate this festival. Only Hindus are allowed to enter the temple, whereas others can observe the architecture and statues around the temple. It is one of the best tourist destinations near Kathmandu.

How to get to Pashupatinath Temple?

By taxi or by bus: 20 minutes of distance from Ratnapark without any rush and jams. The distance between Ratnapark and Pashupati is 4 km.

Things to do there:

It’s good to walk from Baudanath Stupa as there is a residential street avoiding the main road and the crowd of people. This takes you straight to the entrance of Pashupatinath Temple, where you can observe the religious values of Hindu people over the great deity “Shiva.”

How much to enter Pashupatinath Temple?

Foreigners and SAARC nationals have to pay Rs. 1000 and Rs. 100, respectively, while Nepalese can enter for free.

Swayambhunath Stupa:

One of the greatest holy shrines of Buddhist people, Swayambhunath Stupa, situated on a hilltop of the Kathmandu Valley, is also known as “Monkey Temple.” Besides the valley, you can view beautiful scenery with monkeys all over the place. The meaning of Swayambhunath is self-existent, which means Swayambhu has emerged itself from the sacred site. Swayambhunath Stupa is said to have its origin at the beginning of 460 A.D. by the grandfather of King Manadeva, King Vrishadeva. Some of the beautiful places to visit around Swayambhunath are Harati temple, Pratapur, Anantapur, large gold statues, and Lantau.

How to get to Swayambhunath Temple?

The way from Thamel to Swayambhu is very short, taking only 20 to 30 minutes. You can take a taxi or can get a bus from Ratnapark to reach there.

Things to do there:

As there are many small shrines and temples all around the Stupa, you can observe the sculptures and paintings of Tibetan Buddhism. Besides, you can see the whole Kathmandu Valley from the top of the hill.

How much to enter Swayambhunath Stupa?

For entering the area, you have to pay NPR. 200, which is mandatory for both foreigners and SAARC nationals, whereas free for Nepalese.

Boudhanath Stupa:

One of the greatest Tibetan stupas of Buddhist people is situated 5 km east of the Kathmandu valley. The diameter of the stupa is about 120 meters and the height is about 36 meters. There are many Tibetan refugees in Boudha, so the territory around Boudhanath is known as Little Tibet. Many people, including pilgrims and tourists from all over the world, visit the stupa to worship and see the amazing Tibetan arts and culture. Boudhanath Stupa offers you the cultural belief that it was built immediately after the death of Lord Buddha during the 5th century.

How to get to Boudhanath?

You can take a bus or taxi from Ratnapark. It is only 3.7 km, so you can reach there in about 20 minutes.

Things to do there:

The area is filled with many shops and restaurants. So, you can shop for things or take some photos of the beautiful arts and temples. The best time to visit there is in the morning or in the evening time.

How much to enter Boudhanath Stupa?

For foreigners, you have to pay NPR.400, NPR.100 for SAARC nationals, and free for Nepalese.

Kopan Monastery:

The monastery is a Tibetan Buddhist Monastery situated in the Kopan hills of the Kathmandu Valley, which was established in 1969. The Kopan Monastery is a great place to observe amazing arts and crafts of the Tibetan people. A large number of people visit here for meditation and Buddhist philosophy. The view of the monastery is amazing, along with the beautiful architecture and peaceful environment.

How to get to Kopan Monastery?

You can take a taxi from Thamel to reach there. It is about 7.5 km, which takes you about 30 minutes.

Things to do there:

Kopan Monastery offers a perfect environment for meditation and learning Buddhist philosophy. You can take a meditation course for a week or a month as per your time and wish.

How much to enter Kopan Monastery?

Entrance is free for everyone, but donations are appreciated.