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Some ideas for eating out, staying in style, spas, healthy shopping, retreats & exploring in Kathmandu ...
Spas & Health
Kathmandu Valley
Pokhara, Chitwan, Bardia & Other Destinations
Biking & Rafting Adventures
HOTELS IN KATHMANDU & THE KATHMANDU VALLEY
LUXURY
Dwarikas
Tel: +977-1 4479488/ 4470770
Hyatt Regency
Tel: +977 1 449 1234
Shangri-La
Tel: +977 1 4412999
Hotel Yak & Yeti
Tel: +977 1 4248999
MID-RANGE
Kathmandu Guest House
Thamel
Tel: +977 1 4700800, 4700632
Hotel Manaslu
Lazimpat
Tel: +977 4410071, 4413470, 4417400
Shankar Hotel
Lazimpat
Tel: 977 1 4410151 / 4410152
Hotel Manang
Thamel
Tel: +977 1 4700993, 4700389
The Vajra
Swayambhu
Tel: +977 1 271545, 272719
International Guest House
Thamel
Tel: +977 1 4252299, 4251661, 4267888
Tibet Guest House
Thamel
Tel: +977 1 4260383, 4251763, 4260556
Park Village Hotel & Resort
Budhanilkantha
Tel: +977 1 437580
Shambala Guest House
BOUTIQUE
Hotel Courtyard
Tel: +977 1
4700476/4700648
Newa Chen Shrestha House
Patan
Tel: +977 1 5533532
Hotel Padma
Boudhanath
Tel: +977 1 4462452, 470957
Bhadgaon Guest House
Bhaktapur
Tel: +977 1 6610488, 6611142
The Hub
Lazimpat
RESTAURANTS
food-nepal
(restaurant guide)
thamel, durbar marg & naxal
breakfast & lunch ....
Funky Boudha (garden, good juices, generally nice atmosphere)
Pumpernickel (famous KTM bakery, garden café)
New Orleans (great atmosphere, fresh juice & good coffees)
Himalayan Java (Himalayan coffee, bakery, local hang-out, atmospheric)
Gaia (lovely atmosphere, also good for dinner, continental)
Northfield Cafe & Jesse James Bar (garden restaurant, popular, food OK)
Narila’s (Middle Eastern, casual, popular and inexpensive)
Dechenling (Bhutanese, Indian & Nepali garden restaruant, very atmospheric, nice spot to spend the afternnoon)
Mike's Breakfast (one of the best venues in Kathmandu & visit the Indigo Gallery on same property)
dinner & later ...
The Chimney (Yak & Yeti, Boris famous restaurant ...)
The Sunrise Cafe (Yak & Yeti, great evening buffet)
Roadhouse Café (Italian, wood-oven pizzas, steaks, salads, Southwestern atmosphere)
New Orleans (great atmosphere, garden, live music evenings, breakfast, lunch & dinners)
Cha Cha & White Horse Wine Bar (Pastas, wine bar, good atmosphere & food)
The Third Eye (Indian, classic KTM haunt, now re-vamped)
Yin & Yang (Thai, same owners as Third Eye, next door)
Tamas Spa Lounge (Live music, good food, trendy spot with unique atmosphere)
Dechenling (Bhutanese, Indian & Nepali with climbing wall, fires in winter, lovely setting)
Organic Café (salads, good, healthy food)
Mitra(European food, small & intimate, a bit pricey, great reviews)
Fire & Ice (real Italian pizzas, thinnest crusts, ice-cream)
Jatra (mixed food, live music Fri & Sat, great ambiance)
OR2K(Middle Eastern, bohemian atmosphere, good food)
Kathmandu Guest House(garden restaurant & café, good coffee)
La Dolce Via (Owned by Roadhouse Cafe, similar fare and wonderful atmosphere)
Rum Doodle (Everest bar, this incarnation it's third or fourth ...)
Kilroy’s (famous chef, mostly European food)
K-Too (popular post-trek steakhouse)
Mandap (good bakery, Indian)
Koto’s (Japanese, Durbar Marg)
lazimpat
Kotetsu (Japanese restaurant, good reviews, upper Lazimpat - Pani Pokari)
Bawarchi (Indian, good food, across from Ambassador Hotel)
Saffron Indian Restaurant (Shangri La Hotel)
Shambala Garden Cafe (Shangri La Hotel)
Bhumi (Nepali fare, good prices & one of Kathmandu's most popular restaurant with well-heeled locals)
Nepali Chulo (traditional Newari, owned by Northfield Cafe)
Olive Tree (Radisson)
Him Thai Restaurant & Bar
Cibo (Indian Embassy Rd, cozy)
New Tushita Restaurant (owned by The Fort, Nagarkot)
Lazimpat Gallery (lots of activities, too)
patan
New Orleans Cafe (Patan location)
Roadhouse (Patan location)
Degaa (owned by Bhumi, Newari cuisine)
Harihar Bhawan (across from UN, European & fusion cuisine)
more coming ...
other places
Krishnarpan (Dwarika’s, said to be one of the finest Nepali dining experiences in Nepal)
Mako's (Dwardika's, Japanese)
Toran and Fusion Bar (Dwardikas, Friday jazz & buffet by the pool, a must-do in KTM)
The Cafe (Hyatt, good buffet)
1905 (Durbar Marg, owned by Kilroy, Kantipath)
BARS
Sam’s Bar (classic Kathmandu open-air bar, music)
Tamas (Spa Lounge, live music, good food, trendy spot with unique atmosphere)
Rox Restaurant & Bar (Hyatt, popular bar Friday night, restaurants)
Lost Horizon Bar (Shangri La Hotel)
Jazz Upstairs (popular Lazimpat bar, live music Wed & Sat)
Red Onion Bar (Lazimpat, also live music sometimes)
Tom & Jerry’s (classic KTM bar, upstairs, pool table, loud)
Comfort Zone (also has a good Korean restaurant, trendy upstairs lounge feel, bright & modern)
Fusion Bar (Dwardika's)
Rum Doodle (Everest bar, this incarnation it's third or fourth ...)
SHOPPING
Mahaguti
Lazimpat
Master Weaver
Jawalakhel
Dharmapala Thangka Center
Durbar Marg
Lotus Gallery
Thamel, near Kathmandu Guest House
Jawalakhel Handicraft Center
Tibetan Refugee Camp
Jawalakhel, Lalitpur
Boudha Stupa Thanka Center
Boudhanath
Mountain Hardwear
Tridevi Marg
North Face
Tridevi Marg
Potala
Thamel, Silk & Pashmina
MEDICAL
CIWEC Travel Medical Center
British-Indian Embassy Road, Lazimpat
Tel: +977 1 4424111, 4435232
(also a dental clinic upstairs)
MUSEUMS & GALLERIES
Indigo Gallery (Naxal, near Mike's Breakfast)
Lazimpat Gallery
National Museum (near Swayambunath)
Patan Museum
Tribhuvan Museum (Hanuman Dhoka)
Palace Museum (Royal Palace)
KATHMANDU SITES & SIGHTSEEING
Most information taken from Nepal Tourism & Visit Nepal sites
Also see the Kathmandu Valley page for many sites and activities in the historic Kathmandu Valley ...
Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal with a populion of over 4 million inhabitants (2011 census), lies at 1400 meters and is one of the world's oldest and most exotic cities. The old part of the city, with narrow medieval streets and lovely little shrines, centers around Durbar Square. Here one can find distinctive pagoda-roofed temples, stone sculptures, old monasteries and historic monuments. The city’s rich history is nearly 2000 years old, as inferred from an inscription in the valley. Its religious affiliations are dominantly Hindu followed by Buddhist, although people of other religious beliefs also live in Kathmandu, giving it a cosmopolitan culture. Nepali is the common language of the city, though many speak the Nepal Bhasa Newari as it is the center of the Newar (meaning: citizens of Nepal) people and culture.
In Nepal, religion permeates every facet of life with festivals, daily rituals, family celebrations and religious observances. At every step one can see temples and shrines, processions and devotional music. Although Nepal is famous as the world’s only Hindu Nation, it is an intricate and beautiful tapestry woven of Hinduism, Buddhism and other faiths loving together in tolerance and harmony.
Bouddhanath
Bouddhanath
Stupa lies about 6 km east of downtown Kathmandu and is the largest stupa in the Valley and one of the largest in the world. It looms 36 meters high and presents one of the most fascinating specimens of stupa design with hundreds of prayer wheels and 108 small images of Buddha all around. Just like the Swayambhunath, the stupa here is too has four sides with the watchful eyes of Lord Buddha. All the Buddhist throng to this stupa to take part in the sacred rituals during the Buddhist festivals. Bouddhanath, a World Heritage Site is also known as Khasti. There are more than 45 Buddhist monasteries in the area. Many have schools that teach young monks like those pictured here.
Swayambhunath
This famous white-washed and gilded stupa
watches over the Valley from the top of a hillock on its western side just three kilometers west of the city center. The stupa is one of the holiest Buddhist sites in Nepal and its establishment is linked to the creation of the Kathmandu Valley out of a primordial lake. Swayambhu is also known as Samhengu and is listed as a World Heritage Site. It is also one of the oldest and glorious Buddhist shrines in the world which is said to be two thousand years. The four sides of the stupa is painted with the eyes of Lord Buddha and the temple is also known as the watchful eyes of Buddha. Go at sunset for pink sunset views of the Kathmandu valley, and even the surrounding mountains if the weather is clear. Entrance fee 100 NRP.
Durbar Square
This complex of palaces, courtyards and temples like Hanumandhoka Palace, Kumari Ghar (Abode of the Living Goddess), Taleju temple, built between the 12th and 18th centuries, used to be the seat of the ancient Malla Kings of Kathmandu. An intriguing piece here is the 17h -century stone inscription set into the wall of the palace with writings in 15 languages. The Durbar Square, protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the social, religious and urban focal point of the city. Even to date, all the major state and social ceremonies, including the solemnization of coronations are performed in one of the courtyards in this complex. There are also museums inside the palace building. There is an entrance fee of 250 NRP for foreign visitors. Your ticket to the square entitles you to visit all the museums.
Pashupatinath Temple
One of the most sacred Hindu shrines in the world, Pashupatinath lies 5 km east from the city center. The richly-ornamented pagoda houses the sacred linga, or phallic symbol, of Lord Shiva as well as the noteworthy gold plated roofs and silver coated doors. This is the abode of God Shiva and is the holiest of all the Shiva shrines. Religious pilgrims and sadhus, like the one pictured here, travel all the way from the remote areas of India to visit this sacred sight, especially during Shivaratri (the night of Shiva) that falls between February/March. Even though these devotees have denounced worldly possessions, each carries a Sadhu ID (identifications card) to freely cross over the border between India and Nepal. Chronicles indicate Pashupatinath’s existence prior to 400 AD. Devotees can be seen taking ritual dips in the holy Bagmati river flowing beside the temple, also a World Heritage Site. The crematorium is just outside the temple and it is a dream of almost every Hindu to be cremated by the side of Pashupati Aryaghat after their death. Entrance fee 300 NRP.
Walking Tour
A colorful and enlightening walk that gives you a feel of Kathmandu starts at Rani Pokhari, the large pond at Jamal beside the clock tower (Ghanta Ghar). The first stretch of the diagonal street leading southwest from here is called Kamalachhi. It is lined with bicycles and garment stores and brings you to the stone-paved market square of Ason, where the Annapurna temple presides over the motley of spice, grain and oil shops. Keep on walking and you come to Kel Tole after passing shops overflowing with brass utensils. Further on is the junction of Indrachowk with the temple of Akash Bhairav occupying one side. Your next stop after threading your way through the street lined with cloth shops is the stone-paved plaza of Makhan, where the Taleju temple towers over a row of handicraft shops. Walk on through Durbar Square to the intersection of Maru where you are surrounded by temples of all shapes and sizes.
Heritage Walk
A walk through selected historic sites seldom visited. This revitalizing walk starts at Teku, south of old Kathmandu, leading on to Wonder Narayan, a 17th century temple dedicated to Lord Bishnu. Strolling through Hyumat Tole, you will arrive at Kusah Bahi, a Buddhist courtyard built in 1754. The next stop is the Narayan Dewal, another Bishnu temple (built in 1865) with a small Ganesh temple at the entrance. Walk on to Tukan Baha, built in the 14th century as a replica of the Swayambhu stupa. Admire the Ram temple at the Ramchandra Dewal before reaching Jaisi Dewal, a huge Shiva temple built in 1688. Saunter down to Kohiti to study the Buddhist and Hindu sculptures in this sunken water fountain. Walk through Chikan Mugal and stop by at the Atko Narayan Dewal, an important Bishnu temple built in 1857, before visiting the namesake of the city, the Kasthamandap pavilion. After a further five-minute walk, reach the final destination, the Bhimsen Dewal, built in 1655 and dedicated to the main deity of local traders.
Buddhism in Nepal
There are a variety of Buddhist practices in Nepal, the Buddhism of the endemic Newar people, perhaps related to the ancient Buddhism that passed out of India one thousand year ago; the Buddhism of the Sherpa, Tamang and Tibetan people and the relatively modern incursion of Theravadin or Southern Buddhism. The central beliefs and practices date back to the time of its founder, Prince Siddhartha Gautam who was born in Lumbini in the southern Terai in about 534 B.C. Until the age of 29, the young prince led a sheltered life in the palace of his father, completely unaware of the problems and suffering of the world outside his palace wall. One day he convinced his charioteer to take him outside the palace, where he was shocked at the sight of an old man, a sick man, a corpse and an ascetic. The realization of the true misery of the world persuaded the prince to abandon his luxurious life and goes into the forests to seek enlightenment to end human suffering. For many years, Gautam practiced asceticism without success. One night beneath a pepal tree in the forest of Bodh Gaya he became enlightened. Henceforth known as Lord Buddha, the ‘enlightened one’ he traveled around northern India and southern Nepal preaching the Middle Path to enlightenment. At the age of eighty he passed into the final enlightenment.
Hinduism in Nepal
Shiva, the destroyer, is historically the god most worshipped in the country. He may be worshipped as the holy ascetic, depicted with his consort Parvati and holding a trident and a small drum or more often in the form of the linga, an elongated stone representing his generative powers. The most important linga is situating in the holy shrine of Pashupatinath to west of Kathmandu. In front of Shiva temples one usually sees a statue of Nandi, the divine bull that serves as Shiva’s vehicle. Another popular form of Shiva in Nepal is the terrifying Bhirav. Different aspects of Bhairav play major roles in many of the Valley’s festivals.
Vishnu, whose primary duty is to assure the preservation of the world and all living forms, is believed to have visited the earth ten times, each times as a different incarnation or avatar. He is often depicted as a boar, a tortoise, a man-lion and a fish-his four animal incarnations. Throughout South Asia he is most often worshipped in two well-known human forms: prince Ram the hero of the epic Ramayana and the pastoral god Krishna. In Nepal he is often worshipped in his omnipotent form of Narayan, and in some of his most lovely images is seen astride the man-bird Garuda his vehicle.
The archetypal mother or female, goddess in of particular importance in Nepal. She is worshipped in many aspects: as Durga, protector and slayer of the buffalo demon, as Taleju, patron deity of the Valley rulers, and as Kumari, and the living virgin goddess. . Other female goddesses include Laxmi, goddess of wealth and Saraswati, goddess of knowledge and arts. Another widely venerated god is elephant-headed Ganesh, the remover of obstacles and the source of good fortune. Other deities such as Red Machhendranath, are special to Nepal alone and are celebrated with unique local festivals.
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