Most Popular Places to Visit in Nepal

Kathmandu is the capital city of Nepal and most travellers usually spend some time exploring the place. For several hundred years, Kathmandu was one of the three rival royal cities, along with Bhaktapur and Patan. One of the highlights of Kathmandu is the Durbar Square, the largest palace square and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You can find temples and monuments of varying shapes, sizes, styles and faiths in Durbar Square. Though the attraction was severely damaged in the 2015 massive earthquake, it still remains a special place to visit.

Thamel is another hotspot for tourists. The bustling streets are popular for shopping and eating. In 2017, Thamel was declared a vehicle-free area to ensure the safety of pedestrians. You can find everything you need in Thamel from trekking gears to souvenirs. It’s also a nice place to indulge in local food or simply people-watch.

Swayambhunath is the second most important stupa in Kathmandu after Boudhanath. The stupa features a stark white dome topped with a golden spire. It’s also called the Monkey Temple because of the hundreds of monkeys who scamper about the temple at night after the pilgrims have left. The area surrounding the stupa is filled with temples, painted images of deities and numerous other religious objects. This place of worship is an extraordinary spiritual experience with the fragrance of sweet incense in the air, exquisite intricate carvings and butter lamps adorning every space. You can take the stone stairway with 365 steps to reach the Swayambhunath Stupa or journey up the western side of the stupa. If you climb the stairway, you’ll see the ‘Lightning Bolt’, also known as ‘Vajra’ representing the symbol of the power of enlightenment, right in front of the stupa. From the top, you’ll get a spectacular view of the Kathmandu valley.

The Annapurna Region is one of the most popular trekking regions in Nepal. You can opt for trekking routes ranging from a few days to a few weeks. The Annapurna Circuit is incredibly popular with trekkers and takes about 21 days to complete. This trek takes you through breathtaking sceneries of rivers, flora and fauna circling the Annarpurna range. Interestingly, the circuit is also known as the ‘Apple Pie Circuit’ as most of the tea houses along the route serve their own version of fried apple pie, a popular treat amongst hikers. There is another reason that the Annapurna Circuit is known as the Apple Pie Circuit and that’s because, whilst it is generally a strenuous trek, some of the more enjoyable parts are, as the old slogan goes, “as easy as apple pie”.

Lumbini, located in the Terai plains of southern Nepal, is one of the holiest places for Buddhist pilgrims. The sacred area is the birthplace of Lord Buddha in 623 BC. Thus, you’ll be walking in the footsteps of the Buddha as you explore the region where he spent his childhood as Prince Siddhartha. Span over a large area, you’ll find more than 30 monasteries, meditation centres, and landscaped parks. Lumbini is an incredibly spiritual place and the tranquillity of the site is felt the strongest in the Sacred Garden that surrounds the central Mayadevi Temple. Millions of pilgrims and monks visit Lumbini for a spiritual awakening journey; people will simply sit under trees, next to ponds or in dedicated centres to meditate. Lumbini is definitely worth a visit to gain a deeper understanding of the early years of Buddha’s life.