The Terai & Mahabharat Range
At the bottom of Asan Tole (the steep road running east from Sitalpati), the Amar Narayan Mandir is a classic three-tiered, pagoda-style wooden temple…
Must-see attractions in Nepal
Kathmandu
Seto (White) Bhairab’s horrible face is hidden away behind a grille in an earthquake-damaged pavilion opposite King Pratap Malla’s Column. The huge mask…
Pokhara
Phewa Tal is the travellers’ focal point in Pokhara, and is the second largest lake in Nepal. In contrast to the gaudy tourist development of Lakeside,…
Around the Kathmandu Valley
If you’re looking for an excuse to get off the beaten track, the shrine of Bishankhu Narayan may do nicely. Dedicated to Vishnu, this chain-mail-covered…
Kathmandu
North of the Jagannath Temple is the figure of Kala (Black) Bhairab. Bhairab is Shiva in his most fearsome aspect, and this huge stone image of the…
Around the Kathmandu Valley
Along with Bodhnath and Swayambhunath, the Namobuddha Stupa is one of the three most important Buddhist pilgrimage sites in Nepal, attracting large…
Bhaktapur
Walking east from Durbar Sq, you’ll pass the gateway to the restored Tadhunchen Bahal monastery, tucked between souvenir shops. This Buddhist temple is…
Pharping
This sacred 17th-century Newari-style temple is devoted to the Tantric goddess Vajrayogini. One of the few female deities in Buddhist mythology,…
Kathmandu
Mohankali (Mohan) Chowk, inside the Hanuman Dhoka complex, was once used as a residence by the Malla kings. It's currently closed for post-earthquake…
Dhulikhel
If you take the road leading southeast from the bottom of the town square for 2km, you’ll pass a playing field and the turn-off to the Kali Temple. Just…
Nepal
This huge complex was established by the famous Nyingmapa lama Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche to replace the destroyed Shechen Gompa in eastern Tibet. Today the…
Bhaktapur
This impressive collection of chaitya, Shiva statues, Shaivite shrines and lingam in the town's southeast includes what could well be the two largest…
Patan
South of the Bhimsen Temple stands the Vishwanath Temple, dedicated to Shiva. This elaborately decorated two-tiered pagoda was built in 1627 and it…
Pokhara
Also known as Patale Chhango, this waterfall marks the point where the Pardi Khola stream vanishes underground. When the stream is at full bore after…
King Bhupatindra Malla’s Column
Bhaktapur
With hands folded in a prayer position, the bronze statue of King Bhupatindra Malla sits atop a column in front of the Vatsala Durga Temple. The statue…
Around the Kathmandu Valley
Set in a shady though litter-strewn woodland, this important Tantric temple was built in 1665 and it attracts lots of wedding parties, pilgrims and…
Pokhara
This expansive museum is devoted to the mountains of Nepal, the mountaineers who climbed them and the people who call them home. Inside, you can see…
Patan
Immediately across from Bhimsen Temple is the sunken Manga Hiti, one of the water conduits with which Patan is liberally endowed. The tank contains a…
Kathmandu
This courtyard in the Hanuman Dhoka palace is currently off-limits for post-earthquake reconstruction but should reopen eventually.
Around the Kathmandu Valley
The Taleju Temple is Durbar Sq’s most magnificent temple, but is not open to the public. Even for Hindus admission is restricted; they can only visit it…
Dhulikhel
If you don’t mind a steep 30-minute climb, you can head up a series of switchbacks on concrete steps to reach this modern hilltop temple (also called …
Pashupatinath
Two footbridges cross the Bagmati in front of the Pashupatinath Temple, entering a garden of stone terraces covered in dozens of small Shiva shrines…
Around the Kathmandu Valley
If you go straight ahead at the junction before the National Botanical Gardens, you’ll reach a cluster of local restaurants, the Godavari Kunda – a sacred…
Kathmandu
King Prithvi Narayan Shah ordered the construction of the four red-coloured towers around Lohan Chowk. The towers represent the four ancient cities of the…
Around the Kathmandu Valley
Built in 1515, this stately stupa crowns the hilltop. The harmika (square tower) above the dome was painted a rich blue, but it was removed for repairs…
Pharping
Climb the steps behind the Drölma Lhakhang, passing a rocky fissure jammed full of tsha tsha (stupa-shaped clay offerings) and cracks stuffed with little…
Kathmandu
Little is known about this mysterious temple. Even the god to which it is dedicated is controversial – the lingam inside indicates that it is a Shiva…
Everest Base Camp Trek
Run by local photographer Lhakpa Sonam, this private museum in Chhorkung has an intriguing collection of Sherpa cultural objects, as well as photos and…
Kathmandu to Pokhara
A tiered pagoda basking in Himalayan views, the mountaintop Manakamana Temple dates back to the 17th century, but was heavily damaged by the 2015…
Bhaktapur
'Chyasilin' refers to the eight-cornered roof of this pavilion. It was rebuilt in 1990 using old photos and paintings and components from the original…
Kathmandu
This old building, jammed between gleaming brass shops just southwest of Asan Tole, looks decrepit at first glance. Look closer and you'll notice some…
Around the Kathmandu Valley
From the main square, head west through the village to a Ganesh shrine and a stone stairway that climbs to the triple-roofed Uma Maheshwar Temple. It’s…
Kathmandu
This temple, noted for the erotic carvings on its roof struts, is the oldest structure in this part of Durbar Sq. Pratap Malla claimed to have constructed…
Nepal
This prominent lhakhang (chapel) houses an impressive three-storey statue of Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava), the 7th-century magician and holy man who…
Pokhara
Pokhara’s most famous Hindu temple, the two-tiered pagoda-style Varahi Mandir stands on a small island in Phewa Tal, near the former Ratna Mandir (Royal…
Bhaktapur
Directly across from the Woodcarving Museum, in another old math (Hindu priest’s house) with similar lighting problems, this museum has some excellent…
Patan
This temple is dedicated to Hari Shankar, a curious hybrid deity that has half the attributes of Vishnu and half the attributes of Shiva. Although it…
Kathmandu
Looking north from the plinth of the wrecked Maju Deval, a pair of much-photographed white images of Shiva and his consort look out from the upstairs…
Kathmandu
Hidden off the main road just north of Durbar Sq is a large open courtyard set around a central stupa that resembles a mini-Swayambhunath. Directly behind…
Bhaktapur
This museum has some fine examples of Bhaktapur woodcarving displayed in dark, creaky rooms. There isn’t enough light to justify paying the camera fee,…
