What to do in Kathmandu, Nepal

Kathmandu might be one of the cooler capital cities I’ve been to and is great for backpackers with its cheap accommodation, food, and relative ease of getting around. In Kathmandu, you immediately feel like you’re in another world and this is one of the reasons I love this city. While Kathmandu is not the main attraction in Nepal, I’d argue it’s certainly worth your time and has a number of places to see. Below I’ll highlight my favorite things to do in this wonderful city.

1) See Pashupatinath Temple: this sacred Hindu temple on the Bagmati River is an absolute must see! Pashupatinath temple serves as the seat of Nepal’s national deity, Lord Pashupatinath (lord of the animals). You can see some incredible things here, including a live cremation! Well..that’s not so great.

2) Visit Swayambhunath: one of the oldest religious sites in Nepal. There is a large pair of eyes on each of the four sides of the main stupa, which represent wisdom and compassion. Many foreign tourists refer to this place as “Monkey Temple.”

  3) Visit Durbar Square: grand square with places and temples where the city’s kings were once crowned and legitimized.

4) Sample all the delicious foods Nepal has to offer! Buffalo momos are one of my favorite dishes!

I hope you find these suggestions useful, this should keep you occupied for the day.