Nepal Tips – Kathmandu

Things to do, places to see and restaurants to visit.

Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal is a fascinating place to visit and is usually the first port of call for mountaineers and trekkers before heading into the mountains.

The city is vibrant, bustling, colourful and aromatic…

“where life has a beauty of its own, played out in front of us on the street with a namaste and a smile”

~ Lizzi Hawker

 

The Thamel District is the main tourist centre with narrow pedestrianised streets adorned with restaurants, souvenir stalls and shops galore selling a vast array of merchandise from outdoor gear and cashmere scarves. Above are  colourful Buddhist prayer flags dancing in the breeze.

Restaurants:

The numerous restaurants have something to suit everyone’s taste. All restaurants cater well for vegetarian diets. Here’s a few that we like:

Third Eye

The restaurant blends both traditional Nepalese cuisine with royal Indian dishes. The thali is a particular favourite. This dish is ideal if you can’t make up your mind as it provides a number of small curries served in delightful copper bowls inside one large copper platter. You even get a shot of the local rice wine.

Yin Yang

A Thai restaurant situated next door to the Third Eye. It has outdoor dining as well as an indoor restaurant. The cuisine in here in mainly Thai with some continental dishes available on the menu. The deep fried spring rolls and vegetable tempura are delicious.

OR2K

This vegetarian restaurant is located upstairs on Mandala Street. You are required to take off your shoes and sit on floor cushions on low tables. The menu is vast and serves a range of dishes from the Mediterranean and far-east as well as more local cuisine. There’s plenty of choice it’s difficult to select one dish to go for. The falafels were very tasty and served with salad, hummus and a naan bread.

The Black Olive

Situated next to the Marshyangi hotel, this cafe serves a range of meals.  The menu ranges from Nepalese fused with oriental and middle-eastern flavours. It also serves breakfast. It has live music in the evenings.

La Bella Cafe and Aqua Bar

This restaurant is ideal for large groups as it is situated over two floors and has plenty of tables some of which are on a balcony which overlooks the main street below. They serve a range of Italian meals along with burgers and Indian dishes. A great place to visit as there’s something for everyone.

Greens Organic Cafe and Farmers Bar

This lovely little cafe is a favourite of mine. It’s located upstairs opposite the Roadhouse Cafe and if you can get a balcony seat it looks down over the main street in Thamel below. This little gem serves a range of vegetarian and vegan dishes. My favourite was a delicious paneer curry with brown rice and  millet and buckwheat flour momos.

Rum Doodle

This most famous of restaurants in Kathmandu is located outside of the Thamel District so it’s advisable to take a short taxi ride in the evening. The restaurant has large paper feet dangling from the ceiling, where Everest summiteers have signed their names including Sir Edmund Hillary, Rheinhold Messner and Sir Chris Bonnington. The restaurant moved from its original location to its new location after it was severely damaged by the earthquake in 2015. It serves a range of Nepalese and Indian dishes, which were generally on the hot and spicy side.

Shops:

Trekkers Pharmacy

Opposite the Marshyangdi Hotel, this small pharmacy is ideal to stock up on supplies for a trek into the mountains. Here you can get diamox (Acetazolamide) and antibiotics without a prescription to take with you on a trek.

Shop Right Supermarket

This excellent store is great for buying a range of western snacks to take with you into the mountains plus has a vast array of toiletries just in case you’ve forgotten something or need to top up.

Pilgrims Bookstore

There’s many bookstores in Kathmandu, but this one is my favourite. It only looks small from the outside, but once you step inside its doors it’s like an Aladdin’s cave crossed with Doctor Who’s Tardis. Spread over four floors, this shop sells a range of new and second-hand books in this labyrinthine environment. It also sells stationery, souvenirs and gifts on the ground floor.

Bhandari Photo Shop

This shop is close to the Kathmandu Guest House and sells a range of camera equipment. You can also buy a Nepali SIM card for your phone if you wish to make lots of phone calls or use data when in Nepal. An Ncell SIM card is best if you need to use a lot of data, but NTC (the state provided service) is cheaper for phone calls.

Bake House

There are several bakeries and patisseries in Thamel. This one is a cafe and bistro as well as a bakery.  It serves a range of pastry products such as quiche and vegetable rolls, handmade sandwiches and a fabulous array of delicious cakes. A great place to pick up something light if you don’t want to go into a cafe.

On a rainy day:

Kathmandu Sport Climbing Centre

Nepal’s largest climbing wall is located just outside the Thamel District.

Visitor Attractions:

Boudhanath

This is the Great Boudha Stupa (see photo at the top) situated approximately 6-7km from the centre of Kathmandu. It was granted World Heritage Status in 1979. You can walk around the circumference of the stupa and be in awe of its beauty. Around the outskirts is an an array of souvenir and gift shops along with a Buddhist monastery where you can be blessed by the resident monks.

Pashupatineth

The Pashupatineth Temples is worshipped by both Buddhist and Hindus and is noted as a shining example of religious harmony. The temple is situated on the banks of the Bagmati River where open cremations take place of the deceased. It is a designated UNESCO world heritage site due to its cultural and spiritual importance.

Hanuman-dhoka Durbar Square

Another world heritage site, located in the very heart of Kathmandu is Durbar Square. There are a number of beautiful palaces, temples and shrines. It was the home of the kings of Nepal and the coronations were held here until Nepal became a republic in 2008.

The earthquake in 2015 caused severe damage to the buildings of historical importance and ongoing restoration work is still continuing. Sadly, several buildings of cultural significance were raised to the ground.

Swayambhunath Stupa (Monkey Temple)

Located 30 minutes walk from the Thamel District, is the Monkey Temple. It is worth taking a short taxi ride to the stupa located on top of a hillside with fabulous views overlooking the Kathmandu Valley. There’s a plethora of monkeys as it’s located on the edge of a forest. You can wander around this sacred site taking in the views and laughing at the antics of the cheeky monkeys.