Preface : I believe, Nepal sounds very exotic to many people and at the same time very adventurous, because we may imagine to trekking up in a high mountain, hoping to see unusual wild lives or even a Yeti !, crossing various hanging bridges etc….I also believe that many of you would love to visit this amazing country at least once in your life time. If you are a beginner and have less or no experience traveling to an exotic country, you will be able fulfill your dream by taking small steps at a time. In my opinion, go to Kathmandu for 4-5 days to get your first impressions, breath the air at 1,450 m. altitude on the top on Swayambhunath Temple (The Monkey Temple), taste the local food and learn how to negotiate in Thamel district, and most importantly appreciate simplicity of life along the way while walking on foot outside Kathmandu. Later, you can always decide whether you will come back to do trekking or not. As for me, I will most likely come back to Nepal.
In my opinion;
Public transportation : ✪
Getting around on foot : ✪ ✪ ✪
Daytime safety : ✪ ✪ ✪
Nighttime safety : ✪ ✪
✪ = poor, ✪ ✪ = fair, ✪ ✪ ✪ = good, ✪ ✪ ✪ ✪ = very good
Hygiene
- Drink only water from a sealed bottle
- Eat only well cooked food, which you can find easily on the streets of Kathmandu.
- Bring a small bottle of disinfection with you
HOW TO SPEND 3 DAYS IN KATHMANDU
Here is what I learnt while I was visiting Kathmandu….
When to go:
The best time to visit Nepal is between March – May, and September – November, because the temperature is perfect. It isn’t during the monsoon season, and hence you have good chances to see beautiful mountain views.
How to get to Kathmandu City:
The best option is to organize with your hotel for a pick-up service. It will save you a lot of time and energy!
THE FIRST AND THE SECOND DAY
Where to go:
Many beautiful buildings are located in the old city and close to Thamel district. I would recommend you to travel by foot and roam around, because this is how you explore those magical scenes which hidden all over the city including UNESCO World Heritage Sites such as;
The famous Durbar Square
This is the highlight of Kathmandu. This complex is located in the old city and influenced by Hindu and Buddhist religious. As of April 2018, several temples have been restored since the Earthquake in April 2015, so you will be able to see this amazingly beautiful complex.
Akash Bhairav Temple
The temple is located at heart of kathmandu near to old Durbar square,within five minutes walk. It is also known as temple of Indra The god king. It is situated at the Indra Chowk junction. The wood work below the roof is beautifully craved and ornate. Morover the 4 mythical animal large brass statues are interesting and look very exotic.
Outside the old city Kathmandu, there are 2 beautiful places: Swayambhunath Temple and Boudhanath. Both are influenced by Hindu and Buddhist religious, and produced such powerful artistic and architectural fusion between 1500 and 1800 AD.
To the west of Kathmandu is where Swayambhunath Temple (The Monkey Temple) is located.
Swayambhunath Temple is an ancient religious architecture, situated on the top of a hill in the Kathmandu Valley. The complex consists of a stupa and various shrines and temples. The stupa has Buddha’s eyes and eyebrows painted on. These are also known as Buddha eyes and wisdom eyes. The eyes of the Buddha in the stupa symbolize the all-seeing ability of the Buddha.
Here you can also see a spectacular view of Kathmandu.
By the way, do not tease the monkeys. They can be very aggressive!
To the northeastern of Kathmandu is where Boudhanath Stupa is located.
It is the largest spherical stupa in Nepal. The stupa has been beautifully restored after the earthquake. It is a magnet for many faithful Buddhists. The atmosphere around this stupa is impressive and very pleasant – especially in comparison to the hectic bustle of the streets Kathmandu. It is surrounded by various roof top café and hence you can pick one and enjoy an amazing view of Boudhanath Stupa.
View from a Café
THE THIRD DAY : Bhaktapur [City of Devotees]
About 15 km. from the heart of Kathmandu is where Bhaktapur is located.
How to get there:
You can take a taxi from Kathmandu to Bhaktapur and it should cost around 2,000 Nepalese Rupee for a round trip or 3,500 Nepalese Rupee round trip in case you want the driver waits for you.
Bhaktapur has the best preserved palace courtyards and old city center in Nepal and is listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO as well. The main attraction of is Nyatapola Temple, which means 5 Storeys Roofed Temple. It was built with Pagoda Style under the rule of Nepali King Bhupatindra Malla in the early 18th Century. It stands 30m. with breathtakingly beautiful craved wooden ornament decoration.
In Kathmandu, you can appreciate simplicity of life along the way while walking around. The Nepali are kind, the food is awesome. It’s another place where you can learn and experience life out of your comfort zone! It’s another eye opening trip.
