There are three lakes in the Pokhara valley. Fewa, located in Pokhara is the largest. Lying ten miles outside of Pokhara are Begnas Lake, the second largest, and Rupa Lake, the third largest. The hillsides around both lakes are dotted with guest houses, boutique resorts, and yoga retreats.
After hearing many great things about the lakes, we booked a four night stay at the Rupa View Guest House. This turned out to be a great decision. We took a taxi from Pokhara and about 90 minutes later, were dropped off at a small shop. The shop owner showed us the path to the guesthouse. It was an easy walk and a stairway led us up the hill where the guesthouse sits by itself. The drive through the rural countryside was beautiful and our guesthouse truly was in a quiet and rural location.
Being located outside the city, the food and lodging here are even cheaper than it is in Pokhara. Our guesthouse was a peaceful escape into nature. The owners, Mr. And Mrs. Thapa, were wonderful hosts. Their beautiful property is covered with flowering plants that attract a large array of colorful birds and butterflies like I had never seen before. Mr. Thapa is a photographer and has taken some beautiful shots of these birds and butterflies. The lovely guesthouse, built in traditional red brick and wood style, has basic but very nice rooms, a wrap around balcony, and an amazing rooftop deck. This rooftop gives you a 360 degree view of the surrounding forest, Rupa Lake, the suspension bridge, and best of all, you get outstanding views of the Himalaya mountain range. Depending on the time of year, you don’t always get views of these spectacular mountains. They stay shrouded in mist and clouds much of the time. This was definitely the longest stretching view of the Himalayas we had while we were in Nepal. The setting sun turns the snow-capped mountains from bright white, to gold, and then to pinks, purples, and blues. It was truly amazing! We were up there for sunset every night. I honestly did not realize how long the mountain range was, and I still didn’t see it all. Nor could I, they stretch for 1,500 miles, crossing the borders of Tibet (China), Bhutan, Nepal, India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. The Himalayas are truly epic to look at. Many afternoons it was so nice to just sit on the balcony, breathing in the fresh air, and watching all the different birds that would come through. Since the guesthouse is located in a slightly rural location but you can order all your meals there, and the food was delicious, home cooked, and organic. They grow pretty much everything on the property. Mr. Thapa even keeps bees. We had their honey served up with Mrs. Thapa’s wonderful Tibetan bread for breakfast. It was a great place to stay and only $9 a night! We will definitely stay here again.
Located close to the Rupa View Guest House is the Zoological Preserve and Wild Animal Rescue Center. We visited here one morning and hiked one of the trails in the preserve. This forested area was returned to its natural state and you can visit the rescue center and see the animals. Unfortunately, some of the birds and animals can never be returned to the wild due to injuries. But it was amazing to see a Himalayan Condor and a Griffon up close. I did not realize the different types of big cats that are found in the Himalayas either. They also had deer, including the barking deer, eagles, owls, and a boa constrictor. They are operating on a shoestring and trying very hard to do all they can to preserve forested areas and the wildlife that lives there.
We also hiked around Rupa Lake and the surrounding area, and crossed the awesome suspension bridge that spans the lake. You also get great views of the conservation area for the White Lotus flowers, and the small fish farming operations scattered across the lake.
One morning we were up and out early and hiked over to Begnas Lake. Walking along we passed by farms, schools, shops, homes and even a small Hindu temple. It was such a pleasant way to observe Nepalese village daily life. The area around Begnas is more populated than around Rupa Lake. More people come here than go to Rupa and there is a little more infrastructure. The number and size of guesthouses and resorts are greater here and there are a few bars and even some fancy coffee shops and restaurants. There are no boating activities taking place on Rupa Lake, but Begnas offers non-motorized water activities like kayaking and paddle boards.
The hike over didn’t take as long as we thought it would and we arrived way to early for lunch. We passed a really nice coffee shop and restaurant and decided we could use another cup of coffee. They had covered seating on their rooftop and it offered a spectacular view of the lake below. We enjoyed a great cup of coffee and killed a little time before we hiked down to the lakeside restaurants.
Begnas Lake is known for it’s delicious fish. Run by the local communities, fish farming is done in both lakes along with the protection of certain endangered species. The fish is served here in the local restaurants and is known for it’s freshness and flavor. The fish farms here are held to strict standards of health and cleanliness for both the lakes and the fish. Our mission was to hike down to the lake where there are several restaurants known for their grilled fish.
Begnas Lake, Nepal
After leaving the coffee shop, it was still a pretty good hike down to the lake. Once we arrived, there were so many restaurants advertising grilled fish that we thought we would have a hard time choosing which one to go to. But after stopping at several of them the only one we found open was the Lake Peace Restaurant and Resort. It was still only 10:00 am and we were just to early. They were very accommodating and let me order the grilled fish. About 20 minutes later a small rowboat pulled up to the shore and a large lady got out and handed the fresh caught fish (our order) to our waiter. Then she came and sat at our table and chatted with us until she caught her breath. In most of the places we go, people will just come up and start chatting. They want to know where you’re from and why you chose to come to their little corner of the world. This lady was the same, she just wanted to see where we were from and say hello after she had caught our fish and rowed it over in her little boat. I love it. The fish came wrapped in foil and stuffed with spinach, mushrooms, and garlic. I don’t normally eat fresh water fish but I wanted to try this and it was delicious and grilled to perfection. Unfortunately it did not come with any sides. While it was extra delicious, it wasn’t very filling. By this time we had already been there two hours, so we decided to head back.
Hiking back to our guesthouse I was reminded why we had left so early in the first place, to avoid the heat of the day. Our return hike was all uphill and it had definitely started to heat up. We had to stop again, at the same coffee shop, and order cold drinks and some appetizers. We also just needed to sit in their air-conditioning for awhile and cool down. We must have looked ready to fall over because our waiter wheeled a portable air-conditioner over to our table to blow directly on us. But it was a nice hike and it allowed us a close up view of the peaceful countryside.
Our four night stay at the guesthouse was so nice, relaxing, and completely different from staying in the city. We did a lot of hiking, and ate some terrific food. I later found out that Mrs. Thapa used to run cooking classes. No wonder she is such a terrific chef. We would definitely go back here again for a few more nights!
Pokhara is known as the tourism capital of Nepal and the gateway to the Annapurna massif in the Himalayas. Most people come to Pokhara for trekking, but there is so much else to see and do here. This includes a wide variety of adventure sports like river rafting, para-gliding, bungee jumping, ATV tours, and more. All of this, combined with Lake Fewa, where you can paddle board, kayak, boat, and fish, it really is a destination to visit in itself. Our six weeks here was packed full even though we didn’t get to do any trekking because the rainy season had started right as we arrived. We are planning a return trip for early next spring to trek and visit some of the lovely friends we made here.
Being budget travelers, we opted to take the $15 bus ride from Kathmandu to Pokhara, over the 25 minute, $100 flight. We paid a little extra to take the sofa bus which has very comfortable seats and air conditioning. When booking a bus ticket, be aware that not all the buses have A/C and comfortable seats. Due to a landslide that closed the highway, our trip to Pokhara was delayed by a day, and it ended up taking 18 hours instead of 7, on the following day. It made for a long trip, but it wasn’t a big deal. The bus driver made plenty of stops for food and restroom breaks, and we got to see the beautiful countryside. The bus was also very comfortable and conducive to napping. The bus was packed with a conglomeration of Nepalis and Western tourists on the bus, including a group of exuberant young Russians that brought their own Vodka and Pepsi onto the bus. It actually turned out to be quite an interesting trip. The “highway” (2 lane dirt & gravel with intermittent paving) was a massive traffic jam in many places. There were several cars with wedding parties trying to get through and the other drivers would try to pull aside and make way for. And it turned out to be a way for some of the rural farmers to make a little extra money. We saw people hurrying to cut up cucumbers, watermelons, etc. to sell when traffic came to a standstill. A young man boarded our bus with bags full of fresh cucumber spears sprinkled with chili to sell. I bought a bag for fifteen cents and it was way more than Aaron and I could finish. Unfortunately, our bus did not pull into the bus station until after midnight. The taxi drivers knew a bus was coming in and were lined up waiting. Here we were late at night, in a city we had never been to, not knowing how far it was to our guesthouse, so we agreed to the 1,000 rupees the taxi driver quoted us. We knew that was way over priced, but in the end it worked out to only $7.63 and we just wanted to get to our hotel after a really long day.
As slow travelers, we were in Pokhara for six weeks and stayed in three locations around the city. All great, and highly recommended. Our first stay was at the Namman Guest House, located close to the lakeside and near many good restaurants. Our room was great and the family was so nice. They made sure we had everything we needed and made us feel like part of their family. The family lives on the first floor. The second and third floors each have four rooms plus a TV room with sofas. We had the large rooftop room with a wonderful view. Bimal, the owner, even gave us a ride to the next place we were staying! We ended up staying here again at the end of our time in Pokhara. Our next stay was at The Lotus Apartments. It was located a few blocks farther away from the action, but turned out to be right where I needed to be. The apartment was new, modern and fully equipped. Again, run by a very nice family. Thankfully it was located next door to the International Medicare Clinic. I arrived in Nepal with a cough, which turned into walking pneumonia. I received the best care from Dr. Mukesh, and I was so glad he was right next door because I had to have breathing treatments twice a day for seven days. The third place we stayed in the city was the Urban Boutique,a new, modern hotel located in the lakeside area. Our room was spacious, comfortable and had a large balcony that gave us a great view of the lake, and free breakfast included. This was a great place to stay and close to many good restaurants and the lakeside promenade.
Pokhara is much smaller and much more laid back than Kathmandu, while still having that exotic flair. I loved the incense, the brightly colored prayer flags, and the sounds of singing bowls, bells, and cymbals that you can hear when walking down the streets. Pokhara also sits on the lakeside of Fewa Lake. There is a nice promenade on the lakeside that runs almost two miles. It is lined with cafes, bars, fruit stands, boat rental booths, and even Pokhara Disneyland. They have the fastest spinning Ferris Wheel I have ever seen. It was actually scary to watch! At night and on weekends the lakeside really comes alive with live music, cultural shows and the vendors turn out with their carts selling balloons, cotton candy, roasted peanuts, toys, etc. We found ourselves down on the lakeside a lot. One afternoon when we were walking the promenade after lunch, a group of Hari Krishnas were coming down the sidewalk. They were dressed in their orange toga like outfits, beating on a tambourine and a drum, while dancing and singing the “Hari Krishna” song. They were picking up quite a following behind them. People of all ages, locals and tourists, were joining in on this little parade. The kids were the funniest to watch. I had never seen anything quite like this outside of a movie and I found it delightful and hilarious. We actually saw a lot of interesting things and people, some of it way out there, but all good natured and harmless.
I have to mention that there are a lot of dogs in Pokhara, both pets and strays. Sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference. Not all, but most of the strays we saw were very well cared for by the locals. They were well fed, good looking and friendly. The streets are lined with water bowls and food is put out regularly by businesses and residents. I really liked that. In SE Asia I had noticed that all the stray dogs and cats live at the Buddhist temples and are fed and cared for by the monks. But here in Nepal it is taken on by the communities.
One of the first things we did was head up to the Annapurna Cable Car. This is a must do activity on a clear day. The Annapurna Cable Car is a short taxi ride away from the lakeside area. It costs $9 for a round-trip ticket for foreigners, and so worth it. Prepare to have your mind blown as you glimpse the Annapurna massif of the Himalayas as you near the top of the ridge. I can’t explain the feeling that came over me as I gazed at the mountains. It was a combination of joy, awe, and overwhelm at the magnitude of their beauty. When you’re on top, you can walk around and take in views of the mountain range on one side and the Pokhara valley on the other. There is a temple at the top you can visit and you can also walk around the village of Sarangkot. We stopped at a nice coffee shop with rooftop deck that gave us sweeping views of Annapurnas peaks and provided an epic spot to drink our coffee.
Our next outing was to the Tal Barahi Temple. Being located on a small island in Fewa Lake, the temple can only be reached by boat. This temple is the most important religious Hindu monument in Pokhara. It is visited by multitudes of devotees and tourists, especially during October when the two week long harvest Festival of Dashain is celebrated. We rented a small wooden boat called a “doonga” and were rowed over and back for only a few dollars. We went on a Saturday, not knowing that Saturdays are very significant to Hindus. Because of this, the small island really had a lot going on. There were two small temples with people lined up to go inside, areas to feed the fish, and a couple of booths selling items for offerings and souvenirs. Best of all there was a DJ and I loved the festive music being played and seeing the locals dance. Everyone was smiling and happy and very welcoming.
Every evening, at 7 pm on the lakeside, you can see the Aarti ceremony, also known as the ceremony of light. This is a religious ritual performed by three Hindu priests dressed in red and gold. Aarti is a series of venerations using ringing bells, flames, wicks soaked in ghee, and incense to attract love, energy, and blessings from the Deities. The Aarti music eulogizes specific deities and is delightful to hear. Before long most of the Hindu devotees were dancing with their arms above their heads. This hour long ceremony is free to the public and takes place every night, year round in many locations across Nepal and India. Even though it was pretty crowded, the atmosphere and the people were fantastic. We discovered it by accident and feel so lucky we were able to see it.
For our next outing we caught a taxi across town to visit two interesting places. Originating in the Himalayas, the Seti River has cut a chasm so deep through the city of Pokhara, that you really can’t see it, and don’t even realize a river is there. We went to the Seti River Park where they pump the water up through an aqueduct that you can walk across to see the rivers milky white water. Also known as the Milk River, the Seti picks up minerals that turn the water white. From the bridge you can also look down into the chasm the river cuts through town and see that it is only six and a half feet wide, but 197 feet deep. We met the nicest elderly gentleman working here, Ram B. Karki. We took pictures with him and he gave us each a blessing in the form of a red dot on our foreheads known as a tika. As he had us sign his guest book, he showed us many pictures of tourists he had his picture taken with over the last 40 years. Meeting someone like him and seeing the joy he takes in his job, and in meeting new people, really made the place feel special.
After leaving the river gorge park, we walked one block up to the Royal Gurkha Museum. This surprising museum is three levels of photos, storyboards, memorabilia, and relics that tell the fascinating history of the Gurkhas. Originating in the eighth century, the Gurkhas were soldiers known to be naturally warlike and fierce. In 1814, they faced the British in the Anglo-Nepalese War. The British were so impressed by them that in 1816 they were made part of the British Army. “The Royal Gurkha’s” have been serving worldwide, with distinction for over 200 years now. Their motto is “It is better to die than to be a coward”. We often saw groups of Gurkha hopefuls in training, as they ran through the streets of Pokhara in formation. Over 1,000 apply each year, but only 140 are chosen. Demonstrating their grit and determination, while we were here in Pokhara, a former Gurkha that had lost both his legs in Afghanistan, became the first double, above the knee, amputee to summit Mount Everest.
I found the history of the Gurkhas so interesting. Chief of Staff Field Marshall Sam Manekshaw summed up the Gurkhas very well when he stated that “If a man says he is not afraid of dying, he is either lying or he is a Gurkha”. We found a great little craft brewery that had some really tasty beers, and we also sampled a Nepalese scotch called “Gurkhas and Guns”. Because of the Gurkhas being part of the British Army, they have close ties with Great Britain and the Gurkhas even do some training in the Scottish Highlands. The producer of this scotch has peat sent over from Scotland, and special barrels to age the scotch in. There are actually several of these scotches here in Nepal. They seem to be highly sought after and not cheap either.
We also visited the Devil’s Falls and the Gupteshwor Mahadev Cave, which are both supposed to be epic during the rainy season. We were there at the beginning of the rainy season so not enough rain had fallen yet to make the falls epic. The cave made for a nice visit as there are shrines inside, and lovely spiral steps that take you down into the earth, but not much water here either as the water from the falls run through this cave. The cave attracts many Hindu devotees year round so go early to avoid the crowds. Even though I found these rather anti-climatic, I did enjoy seeing another part of the town and the daily activities of the area.
We always start our day early, to avoid the heat and the crowds. On our next outing we took an early taxi to the Lord Shiva Pumdikot from the city center, which took about 25 minutes. The handsome statue of Lord Shiva is visible from Pokhara as it sits on a hilltop at about 4,900 feet. The Hindu temple itself is 108 feet high and the Lord Shiva statue on top is 51 feet high, but looks much bigger when you’re standing next to it. It really is impressive and the beauty of the statue combines with it’s natural surroundings. This is an active temple that sees many daily worshippers and religious activities. The grounds surrounding the temple are beautiful with an enormous golden statue of Shiva’s bull, “Nandi”, plus other statues. On a clear day you get fantastic views of the snow covered Himalayas, Pokhara, and Fewa Lake. Instead of taking a taxi back, we did a hike down, stopping first at the World Peace Pagoda.
A very scenic 30 minute hike from the Lord Shiva statue is the World Peace Pagoda. This is a buddhist monument to world peace built by the Nipponzan-Myohoji, a Japanese religious movement and activist group actively engaged in the peace movement worldwide. They have built 80 of these pagodas around the world so far, two here in Nepal. The gardens surrounding the pagoda are beautiful and full of blooming flowers and shady places to rest. The pagoda itself is 117 feet tall and pure white with four large golden statues of the Buddha that sit in recesses on the second tier. We were surprised that no videography is allowed here, only photos. There were many signs warning against making Tik-Tok videos and being loud and disruptive. There were also guards there to help you remember. This has been a big problem in the past.
Hiking through the countryside keeps us in touch with nature. We hiked through hills and tall green forests, and past farms with large fields of grains and pastures. It was really lovely. From the pagoda, we took a trail that led us through The Queen’s Forest and down to the lakeside. It was a great hike and mostly in the shade. At the lakeside we had a really good lunch at a small, local place called “Typical Restaurant”. Then we hired a small row-boat right there at the restaurant for $2.50. To our surprise the young man that rowed us across the lake, back to the Pokhara lakeside promenade, was the same young man that cooked our food and served it to us. It was a great day!
In the end, our original plans for Pokhara had to be set aside for another visit. We didn’t get to do a trek into the Himalayas or go para-gliding like we had planned. The weather and my illness got in the way. I could not believe our time in Pokhara went by so fast. We had found our favorite spots to eat, go for coffee, or craft beer, and discovered many new and delicious dishes. A place to have our laundry done, our favorite stores, and had made some nice friends. We also fit in a yoga and meditation retreat, a cooking class, and a four day getaway. Pokhara was fantastic! The people there are friendly, welcoming, and have a tranquil and easy going air about them. It is an easy place to spend some time. I found it very calming and relaxing there.
Even though we had a really long day getting from Kathmandu to Pokhara, we decided to take the bus back to Kathmandu when our six weeks in Pokhara were up. We used Baba Adventures sofa bus to get to and back from Pokhara. There are lots of bus companies but we found this one to be great. The return trip took exactly the estimated time of 7 hours and that was with stopping for lunch and two additional breaks. Our time in Pokhara did not go as we had planned originally, but that has turned out to be a blessing as we are already planning our next trip back.
CHECK OUT OUR POKHARA VIDEO!
Nepal’s capital city of Kathmandu is exotic, colorful packed with incredible places to explore. From its beautiful temples to its delicious food this is a city that surprised us at every turn.
I was so excited I really couldn’t believe I was actually on my way to exotic Kathmandu, Nepal. Gateway to the Himalayas! Visions of temples, prayer flags, the snow covered Himalayas, and Mount Everest ran through my head. I could almost smell the incense even before my plane landed. I had that exciting feeling you only get when arriving in a new country for the first time.
In my younger days, after reading several books on the subject, I had dreams of climbing Mount Everest. But reality sets in with adulthood, along with the pre-requisites and cost of such a climb, which is well over $100,000.00. After I retired early and started traveling, I thought Everest Base Camp might be a real possibility. And at the time it was. But, I ended up traveling to other places higher on my bucket list.
During our visit to Kathmandu, we stayed in the neighborhood of Thamel. Thamel has been Kathmandu’s main tourist hub for almost 50 years and is known for its crowded streets, noise, and partying. But this was not our experience. We stayed at a hotel located at the very end of a dead-end street. It was quiet and relaxing, not the noisy experience we had prepared ourselves for. The Everland is run by wonderful people and has spacious, comfortable rooms, with free breakfast included (it was delicious). Our street had several really good restaurants, a small grocery store, and was in walking distance to quite a number of local attractions. It was a great location. We actually stayed here again at the very end of our time in Nepal.
There is something here for every budget. From hostels to guest houses, hotels, AirBnbs, and international hotel chains. On our block there was a Courtyard by Marriott, and a street over was the Hilton, to name a couple.
Turning off of our block onto the Main Street, we were greeted by streets full of stores selling hiking and mountaineering gear. Things I had never seen before made for extreme climbing in the Himalayas. I saw boots that looked like they were made for walking on the moon along with every type of cold weather, sub-zero gear and accessory you can imagine. There were also many colorful shops selling beautiful, handmade pashmina and cashmere scarves and wraps, along with jewelry stores, book shops, and souvenir stores. Stores that sold a variety of incense, mini prayer flags, Yak soap, colorful clothing and I just needed to dive in and check them all out.
The traffic here can be quite hectic, especially on some of the narrow, old town streets that don’t have sidewalks. That first night, I had my heart in my throat while out walking around. Luckily, the time I have spent in SE Asia had given me some experience with walking in heavy traffic. I find it amazing how quickly you can get used to things, after a few days I didn’t even notice the traffic any longer. There were too many other things calling for my attention.
For our first meal that night at the Cafe Mitra, we were introduced to the Thakali Dahl Bhat set, a traditional Nepalese/Indian meal. Served on a round tray, small dishes form a circle around the mound of rice in the center. The small dishes contain Dahl (lentil & bean soup), a couple of vegetable curries, spinach or some other green, spicy pickled vegetables or mango (achar), fresh veggies, chapati bread and papadums. The dishes vary slightly from place to place. Little did I know that Nepali food was going to become some of the best I’ve had anywhere in the world. The Momos (similar to a dumpling), the noodle soups, the Curry’s, the Ting-Mo, the Tibetan bread, it was all so delicious. I am hooked! I ate mostly vegetarian (except for eggs and some fish) the entire two months we were in Nepal and found it very easy to do! Being so close to India, the Indian food was dynamite as well. Nepal also produces some of the best coffee in the world and you can find a very nice coffee shop or two on every street.
Just like with lodging, you can find very affordable to very expensive places to eat. We like to immerse ourselves into the local food, where ever we are, and found so many delicious and affordable places to eat.
Nepal is the first Hindu country we’ve been to, I mean really Hindu, 82%, the highest percentage of any country in the world. Buddhists come in at only 8%, Islam is at 5%, with the remaining 5% classified as “other”. I mention this because you do see a lot of Buddhist monks. Many of the temples and holy sites serve both Hindu and Buddhist followers. There are elements of Hinduism deeply entwined in Buddhism, which I find very satisfying and cogent.
There is so much to see and do in Kathmandu, we could not fit it all in on this visit. There are four different Durbar Palace Squares located around Kathmandu, and all are worth a visit. They all sustained damages during the 2015 earthquake resulting in minor repairs to some temples and the complete rebuilding of others. The first one we visited was Kathmandu Durbar Square. The walk over was an adventure in itself. I love watching the daily happenings of a place. The morning markets, people on their way to work, kids on their way to school, street vendors and bicycle rickshaws. An endless parade of things I’ve never seen before and foods I want to try.
Sadhu at Kathmandu Durbar Square
One of the first things we saw after entering the Kathmandu Durbar Square was a small temple with a Sadhu. There were Sadhus scattered throughout the complex and the city streets. Dressed in bright orange with designs painted on their faces, and beards that can be measured by the foot. These are Hindu ascetics that have given up all worldly possessions and follow a path of spiritual discipline. They are allowed to smoke cannabis and hash “to enhance meditation and connect the disciple with the deity”. Interestingly, some Sadhus have this life chosen for them and are actually donated to a temple, by their parents, at age six. The temples, shrines, statues, museum, palace, and royal garden here are amazing.
Another cultural first for me was the “Kumari” or the living Goddess. She lives in a royal house in Durbar Square. She comes to the balcony once a day and looks out at the crowd for about five minutes, no pictures allowed. There are actually four “Kumari” around Nepal. Revered by Buddhists and Hindus, the Kumari is a prepubescent girl, as young as two, that has to meet a rigorous set of criteria. She is selected by Buddhist monks, separated from her family (reminiscent of the Dali Lama) and raised on palace grounds. Surrounded by caretakers and tutors, only coming out for festivals, and allowed to see her parents only once a year, much is expected of her. Her duties end when she hits puberty, then she returns to her family, and a new Kumari is chosen. The retiring Kumari will collect a pension from the government for the rest of her life. The Kumari I saw was eight years old and assumed her position at the age of three. One of the Kumari from the past few, went to college, earned her MBA, and is now nationally promoting education for girls across the country. I hope more follow her example.
There was also a very interesting addition to the centuries old Kathmandu Durbar Square that really stands out from the rest of the traditional architecture. Built in 1908 by King Rana is the Gaddi Baithak, or Royal Seat. This is a neoclassical palace built after the King’s visit to the royal palace in England, which he was very impressed by. It is quite beautiful inside and completely different from the rest of the buildings and architecture in the square. It was used by the King to conduct business, coronations, and to welcome heads of states from other countries.
The next Durbar Square we visited was the Bhaktapur Durbar Square. It had a completely different feel than the first one we visited. Bhaktapur is considered a city in itself and divided into four different sections known by Durbar, Taumadhi, Dattatreya, and Pottery. Located about seven miles from the city center, we took a taxi and arrived at Bhaktapur early. With fewer tourists here in the morning, it was pretty quiet until about 10:00 am. There is so much to see here, and we started with the 55 Window Palace, an amazing tribute to Nepali architecture. You enter the palace through the beautiful and ornate Golden Gate (made from real gold). Directly across from the Golden Gate is a very high and mesmerizing statue of King Bhupatindra Malla. The visually striking Vatsala Devi temple, famous for its large silver bell that has been rung every morning since 1737! The tallest pagoda temple in Nepal is also found here, the beautiful Nyatapola Temple, which is open only once a year during the Dashain festival. Also not to be missed is the Lion’s Gate which was designed and built by master craftsmen in the 1600s. Upon its completion the hands of the artisans were severed by the King of Bhadgaon so it could never be replicated. The narrow side streets that run off of the ancient square took us into the other three sections of Bhaktapur. They were full of residences, businesses, shops, and restaurants. We walked to the pottery section and a very old and wizened gentleman demonstrated his pottery making method for us. On a large wooden wheel, at ground level, he used a long wooden rod to get the wheel spinning very fast. He then put a lump of clay in the center and proceeded to show us all the different forms he could shape this clay into. All while standing and bending over it. It was fascinating to watch. I always feel privileged to watch a true artisan at work. We saw some beautiful pottery items on display in the shops throughout this neighborhood.
Located near Kathmandus Durbar Square is the infamous “Freak Street”. A once famous hippie nirvana from the early 1960s to the mid 1970s, but virtually unknown to younger travelers today. Government run hashish and marijuana shops attracted artists like The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Jimmy Hendrix and others, along with many young people from the West wanting to separate themselves from political and social frustrations of the day. I wanted to check the street out just to see if there happened to be a little museum with memorabilia and photos. But today Freak Street is inhabited by cell phone stores, clothing shops, and mini-marts.
Just like when you visit a beautiful cathedral, there is an air of calm and tranquility in all the temples I have visited. And I have visited A LOT of temples going through SE Asia. The temples in Nepal are completely different and gave me more than a feeling of tranquility. I had a feeling of connectedness and joy. I think that is due in part to the open welcome and friendliness of the people I encountered at them.
The first temple we went to in Kathmandu was the Swayambhunath, or Monkey Temple. Built in the year 640 CE (AD), this is one of the oldest religious sites in Nepal and is used by Buddhists and Hindus. This is a big complex with many different temples, an ancient monastery and a Buddhist library that are all still in use. Chedi and various statues of the Buddha greet you at the front, along with the monkeys. These little monkeys are considered holy and have the run of the place. I love watching them and think they really add to the experience. Next you encounter the 365 steps (days in the Buddhist calendar year) that lead up to the main stupa. We stopped about two-thirds of the way up to buy our entry tickets, and catch our breath. At the top we were greeted by the giant white stupa which is completely surrounded with prayer wheels, offerings of fresh flowers, and burning incense. This was the first place I observed the “Eyes of the Buddha”. On top of the stupa is a cube shaped structure, on each of the four sides is painted the “Eyes of Buddha”, representing wisdom and compassion. The third eye is represented by a small circle, in the center and slightly above the two eyes. The nose is represented by the Nepalese sign for the number one which represents the unity of all things existing in the world. I was immediately captivated by it. I was surprised at the number of people, both local devotees and tourists, circumambulating the stupa. Besides the main stupa, there are two giant white towers that represent a past King and Queen, and many chedi, of various ages and sizes, which contain cremation ashes. Farther back on the hill there is a large fountain, and viewing areas to take in the city below. It was very peaceful and we could hear the monks chanting from inside the ancient monastery walls. We exited out the back and the steps led down and around the base of the hill to the Swayambhunath Buddha Park. This park is also worth a visit with its three, 67 foot tall statues of different Buddhas. We met several interesting people at each site we visited that would give some history of the place, or tell us the correct direction to circumambulate a religious site (it’s always clockwise), or what to do for good luck. There were a couple of places that had so much going on that we hired a guide at the entrance booth. This is inexpensive and an official guide can give you so much history and information to make your visit even better.
The Boudhanath Temple was my favorite site that I visited while in Kathmandu. This is one of the largest spherical stupas in the world, and one of the most popular sites in Kathmandu for Buddhists, Hindus, and tourists. It has a long and colorful history going back to the 5th century, it also holds the ashes of the 27th Buddha, Kassapa Buddha. We arrived early but it never seemed overwhelming or chaotic even after the daily worshippers and tourists started rolling in. The whole complex had the most welcoming and serene feel. This amazing stupa was on the ancient trade route from Tibet to India and has hosted worshippers and travelers for many centuries. The giant mandala of the stupa has prayer wheels running around its entire circumference. You can also go inside the mandala. Inside, we found several levels and gardens. You’re supposed to circumambulate the inside, three times for good luck! It is topped with the four sided cube that has the “Eyes of the Buddha” on each side, and a solid gold spire on top. It really is beautiful! Around the giant stupa are coffee shops, restaurants, guest houses, souvenir shops, an art school, singing bowl studios, and several Buddhist monasteries. We walked round and round the giant stupa, seeing something new with every pass. We met the most interesting Buddhist monk, Rhamden Lama. Using our exact birth dates and days, he was able to tell us many things about ourselves. He looked at mine and looked up at me and said “You’ve had digestive issues all your life”. Wow, did he hit the nail on the head. He wanted to bless us by sprinkling water on our heads, but he didn’t have any. He did, however, have a bottle of Orange Fanta, so he used that instead. He was completely enchanting! After a few hours of walking, we went up to the third floor of a really nice coffee shop and had breakfast. We got a great view of the beautiful Boudhanath and just relaxed and soaked up the sunshine and the blissful vibe that the temple gives off.
Our next temple visit was to the Pashputinath Temple. Dedicated to the god Shiva, Pashputinath is one of the largest and oldest Hindu temples in the world. It attracts not only local devotees, but the faithful make pilgrimages from all over Nepal and India. Only Hindus can enter the main temple, but all other sites are open to everyone. This huge complex contains over 500 temples, ashrams, sculptures, and two hospice facilities for those who travel here for their final journey in this life. The Bagmati River runs through the complex, it is considered to be holy and an integral part of the Pashputinath Temple complex.
I had read about Pashputinath before I visited. I knew cremations were carried out here, but I did not realize it was such an important part of this complex, and such an active and visible thing. Here, death is approached in a much different manner than it is in the West. Hindus try to cremate the body of the deceased within one hour after death so the cycle of life remains undisturbed. That’s why there are hospice facilities here in the temple complex. Fifty to sixty cremations take place next to the river everyday. An ambulance even delivered a body from the hospital while we were there. The funeral pyres are built and lit by the family members, and they stay until the cremation process is complete. Then the ashes are scattered into the Holy Bagmati River. The Bagmati meets up with the Holy River Ganges on downstream. In the West, the death of a loved one can be stretched out for a week or longer. Here, death is seen as just a small piece of a much larger journey.
I had a little trouble taking it in when we first arrived. It was just so different from what I am used to, and reading about something does not prepare you for the actual experience. But after witnessing several cremations being carried out and learning more about the process from our guide, I find it very compelling. However, even with the use of incense and sweet grasses used in the fires, I did not get used to the smell of the smoke.
Kathmandu is an adventure, it is exotic, chaotic, fascinating, and I absolutely loved it. It was totally captivating and so much more than I was expecting in every way. Next we were off to Pokhara, the adventure capital of Nepal!
Nepal Visa On Arrival
We did the “Visa on Arrival” after arriving in Kathmandu. It was an easy process to fill out the paperwork and we paid $125 each, for a multiple entry, 90 day stay. The whole process took about 20 minutes. There is also the option to get a 30 day Visa for $50, or a 15 day Visa for $30. There are also a couple of ATMs right there if you don’t have any cash with you. The visa situation is highly dependent on which passport you hold and you should thoroughly research your own situation before traveling.
SIM Card
After collecting our luggage the next stop was to get a SIM card for my phone. I went to the NCell store located inside the airport. I got 84 days of cell service (including calls and text) plus 60 gigabytes of data for $11. A great deal!
Getting From the Airport
There are several options to get from the airport into the city. You can take a bus, get a taxi, or have a ride pre-arranged from the airport to where we will be staying. We used the taxi service located inside the airport that quotes a standard fees to where ever you are staying. This is always the best way to go if you don’t have a pre-arranged ride waiting for you.
Ride App
We used the ride share app “Pathao” in Kathmandu. It had a few bugs in it when showing our pick-up location, but all in all it was a decent app and saved us quite a bit of money over using a taxi. The few times the app didn’t work for us, we would show a taxi driver what Pathao was quoting for a ride to a particular location and they would always say okay and agree to that price. Currently, this app only works in Kathmandu.
Food
We honestly did not have a bad meal during our stay in Kathmandu. On average we spent $6 for the two of us to eat a meal, including a drink. A couple of our favorite restaurants in the Thamel area were the Western Tandoori and Naan & The Royal Garden.
CHECK OUT OUR GUIDE TO KATHMANDU VIDEO
Pokhara is Nepal’s adventure capital and the gateway to the Annapurna Mountains. Set on Lake Fewa, Pokhara is a beautiful and laid back city with a lot to see and do.
