Patan
As you step through the entryway of this hard-to-find courtyard in the southeast of Patan, the temple suddenly looms above you, crammed in like a plant…
Patan
As you step through the entryway of this hard-to-find courtyard in the southeast of Patan, the temple suddenly looms above you, crammed in like a plant…
Patan
Due north of Durbar Sq is the eye-catching Kumbeshwar Temple, one of the valley’s three five-storey temples. This tall, thin mandir (temple) features some…
Bhaktapur
The western end of Bhaktapur's Royal Palace contains the best of the three museums in Bhaktapur. Inside, you can view an extensive collection of Tantric…
Pokhara
For a glimpse of what Pokhara was like before the traffic, chaos and tourist restaurants besieged the erstwhile village, head out to the old town, north…
Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park
Now formally part of Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park, Nagarjun Hill, also known as the Rani Ban (Queen’s Forest), is west of the main park, beside the…
King Yoganarendra Malla’s Statue
Patan
South of the Jagannarayan Temple is a tall column topped by a striking brass statue of King Yoganarendra Malla (r 1684–1705) and his queens. Installed in…
Bhaktapur
Standing at the western end of Durbar Sq, the four Char Dham temples were constructed to provide spiritual merit for pilgrims who were unable to make the…
Kathmandu
At the southern end of the Sikha Narayan Temple square, just across the crossroads on the corner, you will see a lump of wood into which thousands of…
Patan
Nepal's decade-long civil war has been marked by a photo exhibition that brings the conflict poignantly to life. Based on the book A People War by Nepali…
Bhaktapur
At the east end of Tachupal Tole, the eye-catching Dattatreya Temple was originally built in 1427, supposedly using the timber from a single tree. The…
Bhaktapur
In front of what once was the Vatsala Durga Temple is a large bell, which was erected by King Jaya Ranjit Malla in 1737 to mark morning and evening…
Bhaktapur
As you enter Durbar Sq through the western gate, look left to a gateway flanked by two stocky stone lions, erected by King Bhupatindra Malla in 1701. On…
Bhaktapur
This interesting temple at Taumadhi Tole is hidden away behind the buildings at the south end of the square. The Til Mahadev Narayan Temple is set in an…
Bhaktapur
Southeast of Potters' Sq and above the river is the wide open square of Khalna Tole, the setting for the spectacular Bisket Jatra festival. Many flanking…
Patan
At the northern end of Durbar Sq, the Bhimsen Temple is dedicated to the god of trade and business, which may explain its prosperous appearance. One of…
Around the Kathmandu Valley
Bungamati is the birthplace of Rato Machhendranath, the patron god of Patan, and for six months of the year the deity resides in the main village square …
Bhaktapur
Tachupal Tole is flanked by a series of ornate brick-and-timber buildings that were originally used as math (Hindu priests’ houses). The best known is the…
Patan
South of the Mahabouddha Temple, this ancient Buddhist monastery is one of the best known in Patan. The main courtyard is jam-packed with statuary and…
Patan
Just 200m south of I Baha Bahi, a large water tank marks the entrance to a courtyard strewn with wooden beams. In the centre is the brightly painted, two…
Bhaktapur
South of Bhaktapur, on the south side of the Arniko Hwy, Suriya Binayak is an important Ganesh temple dating back to the 17th century. The white shikhara…
Around the Kathmandu Valley
About 3km northwest of Swayambhunath, Ichangu Narayan is one of several important temples dedicated to Vishnu in his incarnation as Narayan, the ‘eternal…
The Terai & Mahabharat Range
At the bottom of Asan Tole (the steep road running east from Sitalpati), the Amar Narayan Mandir is a classic three-tiered, pagoda-style wooden temple…
Kathmandu
Seto (White) Bhairab’s horrible face is hidden away behind a grille in an earthquake-damaged pavilion opposite King Pratap Malla’s Column. The huge mask…
Pokhara
Phewa Tal is the travellers’ focal point in Pokhara, and is the second largest lake in Nepal. In contrast to the gaudy tourist development of Lakeside,…
Around the Kathmandu Valley
If you’re looking for an excuse to get off the beaten track, the shrine of Bishankhu Narayan may do nicely. Dedicated to Vishnu, this chain-mail-covered…
Kathmandu
North of the Jagannath Temple is the figure of Kala (Black) Bhairab. Bhairab is Shiva in his most fearsome aspect, and this huge stone image of the…
Around the Kathmandu Valley
Along with Bodhnath and Swayambhunath, the Namobuddha Stupa is one of the three most important Buddhist pilgrimage sites in Nepal, attracting large…
Bhaktapur
Walking east from Durbar Sq, you’ll pass the gateway to the restored Tadhunchen Bahal monastery, tucked between souvenir shops. This Buddhist temple is…
Kathmandu
Mohankali (Mohan) Chowk, inside the Hanuman Dhoka complex, was once used as a residence by the Malla kings. It's currently closed for post-earthquake…
Nepal
This huge complex was established by the famous Nyingmapa lama Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche to replace the destroyed Shechen Gompa in eastern Tibet. Today the…
Bhaktapur
This impressive collection of chaitya, Shiva statues, Shaivite shrines and lingam in the town's southeast includes what could well be the two largest…
Patan
South of the Bhimsen Temple stands the Vishwanath Temple, dedicated to Shiva. This elaborately decorated two-tiered pagoda was built in 1627 and it…
Pokhara
Also known as Patale Chhango, this waterfall marks the point where the Pardi Khola stream vanishes underground. When the stream is at full bore after…
King Bhupatindra Malla’s Column
Bhaktapur
With hands folded in a prayer position, the bronze statue of King Bhupatindra Malla sits atop a column in front of the Vatsala Durga Temple. The statue…
Around the Kathmandu Valley
Set in a shady though litter-strewn woodland, this important Tantric temple was built in 1665 and it attracts lots of wedding parties, pilgrims and…
Pokhara
This expansive museum is devoted to the mountains of Nepal, the mountaineers who climbed them and the people who call them home. Inside, you can see…
Patan
Immediately across from Bhimsen Temple is the sunken Manga Hiti, one of the water conduits with which Patan is liberally endowed. The tank contains a…
Kathmandu
This courtyard in the Hanuman Dhoka palace is currently off-limits for post-earthquake reconstruction but should reopen eventually.
Around the Kathmandu Valley
The Taleju Temple is Durbar Sq’s most magnificent temple, but is not open to the public. Even for Hindus admission is restricted; they can only visit it…
Around the Kathmandu Valley
If you go straight ahead at the junction before the National Botanical Gardens, you’ll reach a cluster of local restaurants, the Godavari Kunda – a sacred…