What to do in Nepal?

Nepal is a country that will stun you on many levels. Its variety of landscapes, cultures and people, offer a wide variety of activities for travelers to get engaged in. In many travel reviews, Nepal regularly comes in the top 10 places to visit before you die !

Here is my recommendation on ways to experience Nepal!

• Trekking and Mountaineering
• Sightseeing
• Adventure travel
• Cultural activities
• Recreational activities
• Religious tourism
• Casinos
• Dining
• Volunteering
• Shopping

Trekking and mountaineering:

• I have been trekking in Nepal for the last 10 years and can vouch that trekking remains one of the most popular ways to spend your time in Nepal. Take one of the various trekking routes that are widely popular such as the Annapurna Circuit, Everest Base camp trek, Mustang trek, Langtang trek, Annapurna base camp trek or try the routes recently discovered for the tourists like Machhapuchhare Model Trek. More information on all these treks are available here.

• Or if you are daring enough, try attempt to summit the Mount Everest and other hightest mountains in the world. There are smaller peaks to be climbed as well, like the Island Peak in Solukhumbu. More information of mountain climbing here

Sightseeing:

• Visit the Kathmandu Durbar Square, Patan Durbar Square and Bhaktapur Durbar Square that represent the arts and architecture of the the Kathmandu valley during the reign of the Malla kings from the 16th to 18th century. They were the capitals of the fragmented Kathmandu valley at that time. The temples and stupas like the Pashupatinath, Swayambhunath, Bodhnath have withstood changes of several centuries. They are regarded as part of the World Heritage sites. Also outside Kathmandu beautiful heritage sites like the Janaki Temple in Janakpur and Gorkha Durbar in Gorkha are enough to mesmerize travelers from around the world.
  

  Janaki Temple

• Take an hour long mountain flight i(best time October to June) to view up close the Mount Everest and other highest mountains in the world.

• Go on a jungle safari (on a jeep or better yet on the great asian elephant) and view the One Horned Rhinoceros up close, and river crocodiles and occasionaly even the Royal Bengal Tiger. Nepal is also a haven for bird watchers with countless varieties of birds in the Chitwan National Park and Bardia National Park. Chitwan National Park is famous for its Elephant Breeding Centre, Gharial Breeding Center and don’t forget to enjoy the elephant bathing in the Rapti River.

• Go for bird watching in the Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve and Rara Lake in Rara National Park, Mugu. Both of these places are the resting places for the migratory birds during the winter in the northern hemisphere (December/January).

• I suggest you make sure you view spectacular sunrises and sunsets from hill stations like Nagarkot, Dhulikhel, Sarangkot (Pokhara), Daman and flat plains like Sauraha (Chitwan National Park)..

Adventurous Activities:

• Rafting and kayaking in Bhote Koshi, Sunkoshi, Trisuli, Karnali, Marshyangdi, Seti and many more rivers are breath-taking. I highly recommend you try this. No, you don’t have to be a swimmer to try it… Experienced rafting guides will guide you all along.

• Hire a boat or kayak from the shores of Lake Fewa and Begnas in Pokhara and enjoy the rowing amidst the tranquility of nature.
  

• If you want to experience the Bungee jumping on a 160 meters deep gorge made by Bhote Koshi near border with China then contact The Last Resort. They also offer canyoning at the Last Resort. I have done this and enjoyed it excellently!

• You could also enjoy the stunning views of Fewa Tal and the himalayan peaks while paragliding and parahawking from Sarangkot in Pokhara. You can also enjoy the stunning views of the southern part of Kathmandu valley by paragliding in Kathmandu.

• Take a ultra light (micro light) flight (skydiving is also offered for prefessional divers) from Pokhara Airport to take a view of the mountains of the Dhaulagiri and the Annapurna ranges and the surroundings of Pokhara

• Mountain biking is also a means of enjoying your stay here. There are many routes in and around Kathmandu, Pokhara and other destinations as well.

Cultural Activities:

• Nepal is a country of festivals and holidays, literally!!! Participate in at least one of the many festivals that take place around the year. You will find these festivals all around. See our calendar for details on specific festivals.

Recreational tours:

• Bars, discos are available in Kathmandu and other major cities like Pokhara. Nepali Folk Song (Dohori) restaurants provide uniquely look into Nepali folk music. Also there are go go dance bars plenty in the city for those who prefer this.

• Kathmandu is a walkable city so you will enjoy roaming around the chaotic atmosphere and being positively overwhelmed by it. Try it, specially in the early mornings and early evenings! I do this all the time and recommend for all of you, who come to Kathmandu!

Religious Tourism:

• Nepal is one of the biggest destination for religious tourists throughout the year for both Hindus and Buddhists. I regularly visit temples like Pashupatinath, Budhanilkantha and  stupas like Swayambhunath and Bodhnath, just to relive the ancient traditions. I suggest this highly to any travelers.
  

  Bouhda

  They also visit Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha. Buddhists mainly visit the stupas and Lumbini. The sites are major hub for people during festivals like Shivaratri and Buddha Purnima.

Casinos:

• Gambling in casinos are popular with tourists, mainly from India. For those of you who get a kick out of this, there are plenty of casinos, in almost all major 5 star hotels in the Kathmandu valley and Pokhara.

Dining:

• Don’t ever go back from Nepal without tasting its excellent delicacies. Notably, the Nepali dishes (rice, lentils and curry), Newari (chatamari) and the Nepali- Tibetan dishes (momo, thukpa) are extremely popular with locals and travelers alike in Nepal

Volunteering:

• Many travelers in Nepal volunteer their time in the monasteries, orphanages, schools, health posts and hospitals, and communities. Combine volunteering with activities mentioned above and you will certainly find much value of your time in Nepal.

Shopping

• Nepal is an exotic shopping paradise! Buy curios, pashminas (special mountain goat wool wears), thangkas (buddhist paintings), handicrafts and other hand crafted sculptures and souvenirs in shops and stalls in Thamel in Kathmandu.

1. Where do I travel in Nepal?Where to go in Nepal? That is always the first...
2. Where do I start to find information about travel in Nepal?We have summarized a set of guides and links to...
3. What are the best months to travel in Nepal?Generally, the best time to travel in Nepal is the...
4. How demanding is trekking in Nepal?Nepal’s trekking routes are generally physically demanding. You are recommended...
5. What kind of treks should I choose in Nepal?The type of trek in Nepal suitable for you depends...

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