Nagarkot
A popular spot to soak in the Himalayan splendour is this tower, perched at 2164m on a ridge, although the rising vegetation can obscure the vista. It’s…
Must-see attractions in Nepal
Lumbini
At the time of research, the government of South Korea was finishing up this massive temple. The interior is magnificent; you might find workers still…
Kathmandu
The section of the Hanuman Dhoka palace west of Nasal Chowk, overlooking the main Durbar Sq area, was constructed by the Ranas in the middle to late part…
Pashupatinath
Undiminished by the earthquake, the pagoda-style Pashupatinath Temple was constructed in 1696, but has been a site of Hindu and Buddhist worship for far…
Nepal Vajrayana Mahavihara Temple
Lumbini
This beautiful Newari temple with central courtyard was nearing completion at time of research.
Around the Kathmandu Valley
This temple is said to be the oldest Hindu temple still in use in the Kathmandu Valley. Built in the two-tiered pagoda style, the main shrine here is…
Kathmandu
Few things speak clearer to the political changes that have transformed Nepal over the last 15 years than this walled palace at the northern end of Durbar…
Patan
Almost directly across the road from the Minnath Temple, down an alley, a white-columned gateway leads to the wide, open square containing the revered…
Bhaktapur
Hidden down shop-lined alleyways leading south from the curving road to Taumadhi Tole, Potters’ Sq is exactly what you would expect – a public square full…
Around the Kathmandu Valley
Dedicated to Shiva as Mahadeva (Great God), this handsome three-tiered temple is a fine example of Newari pagoda style. The main reason to come is to see…
Bhaktapur
The broad-fronted, triple-roofed Bhairabnath Temple is dedicated to Bhairab, the fearsome incarnation of Shiva, whose consort occupies the Nyatapola…
Pashupatinath
Pashupatinath's ghats are often full of life and it's worth taking some time to absorb it all. Devotees ritually bathe in the dubious-looking waters of…
Around the Kathmandu Valley
The blood-soaked temple of Dakshinkali, a favourite Hindu pilgrimage destination, is set at the confluence of two sacred streams in a rocky cleft in the…
Around the Kathmandu Valley
The main reason for visiting the Vajrayogini Temple is not for the temple itself but rather the off-the-beaten-track hike up through Sankhu. The stately…
Kathmandu
The most popular Tibetan pilgrimage site in the old town is this lovely stupa, a small copy dating from around 1650 of the great Swayambhunath complex…
Panauti
Panauti’s most famous temple is set in a vast courtyard full of statuary on the isthmus between the Roshi and Pungamati rivers; some earthquake damage is…
Patan
As you step through the entryway of this hard-to-find courtyard in the southeast of Patan, the temple suddenly looms above you, crammed in like a plant…
Patan
Due north of Durbar Sq is the eye-catching Kumbeshwar Temple, one of the valley’s three five-storey temples. This tall, thin mandir (temple) features some…
Bhaktapur
The western end of Bhaktapur's Royal Palace contains the best of the three museums in Bhaktapur. Inside, you can view an extensive collection of Tantric…
Pokhara
For a glimpse of what Pokhara was like before the traffic, chaos and tourist restaurants besieged the erstwhile village, head out to the old town, north…
Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park
Now formally part of Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park, Nagarjun Hill, also known as the Rani Ban (Queen’s Forest), is west of the main park, beside the…
Swayambhunath
There are two ways to approach Swayambhunath Temple, but by far the most atmospheric is the stone pilgrim stairway that climbs the eastern end of the hill…
King Yoganarendra Malla’s Statue
Patan
South of the Jagannarayan Temple is a tall column topped by a striking brass statue of King Yoganarendra Malla (r 1684–1705) and his queens. Installed in…
Bhaktapur
Standing at the western end of Durbar Sq, the four Char Dham temples were constructed to provide spiritual merit for pilgrims who were unable to make the…
Kathmandu
At the southern end of the Sikha Narayan Temple square, just across the crossroads on the corner, you will see a lump of wood into which thousands of…
Patan
Nepal's decade-long civil war has been marked by a photo exhibition that brings the conflict poignantly to life. Based on the book A People War by Nepali…
Bhaktapur
At the east end of Tachupal Tole, the eye-catching Dattatreya Temple was originally built in 1427, supposedly using the timber from a single tree. The…
Bhaktapur
In front of what once was the Vatsala Durga Temple is a large bell, which was erected by King Jaya Ranjit Malla in 1737 to mark morning and evening…
Bhaktapur
As you enter Durbar Sq through the western gate, look left to a gateway flanked by two stocky stone lions, erected by King Bhupatindra Malla in 1701. On…
Pharping
About 600m downhill from the main junction at Pharping, in the direction of Kathmandu, the Shesh (or Sekh) Narayan Temple is a highly revered Vishnu…
Bhaktapur
Southeast of Potters' Sq and above the river is the wide open square of Khalna Tole, the setting for the spectacular Bisket Jatra festival. Many flanking…
Bhaktapur
This interesting temple at Taumadhi Tole is hidden away behind the buildings at the south end of the square. The Til Mahadev Narayan Temple is set in an…
Swayambhunath
At the top of the eastern stairway is an enormous, brass-plated dorje (thunderbolt), one of the core symbols of Tibetan Buddhism. Known as a vajra in…
Patan
At the northern end of Durbar Sq, the Bhimsen Temple is dedicated to the god of trade and business, which may explain its prosperous appearance. One of…
Around the Kathmandu Valley
Bungamati is the birthplace of Rato Machhendranath, the patron god of Patan, and for six months of the year the deity resides in the main village square …
Bhaktapur
Tachupal Tole is flanked by a series of ornate brick-and-timber buildings that were originally used as math (Hindu priests’ houses). The best known is the…
Patan
South of the Mahabouddha Temple, this ancient Buddhist monastery is one of the best known in Patan. The main courtyard is jam-packed with statuary and…
Patan
Just 200m south of I Baha Bahi, a large water tank marks the entrance to a courtyard strewn with wooden beams. In the centre is the brightly painted, two…
Bhaktapur
South of Bhaktapur, on the south side of the Arniko Hwy, Suriya Binayak is an important Ganesh temple dating back to the 17th century. The white shikhara…
Around the Kathmandu Valley
About 3km northwest of Swayambhunath, Ichangu Narayan is one of several important temples dedicated to Vishnu in his incarnation as Narayan, the ‘eternal…
