Kathmandu, Nepal Travel Guide, Kathmandu, Nepal Tourism Travel Videos HD, World Travel Guide http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=World1Tube Kathmandu is the largest city and capital of Nepal and the namesake of the Kathmandu Valley. Once thought to be the fabled and inaccessible Shangri-La, Kathmandu is now a hub for independent travellers as well as a growing vacation spot catering to all budgets. As a result of considerable urban growth in recent decades, it is now part of one continuous urban area together with Patan to the south. See in Kathmandu, Nepal =================== 1 - Swayambhu aka Monkey Temple - A site on a hill overlooking the city with a large stupa and other Buddhist and Hindu iconography. One of the most sacred Buddhist sites in the country. There are 350 steps to the top - the back route is less steep but the views on the way up are not as nice. 2 - Boudha Stupa in Boudha . One of the most sacred sites for Tibetan Buddhism. This huge stupa is one of the largest in the world. It is located to the north-east of Dwarikas' Hotel and just to the north of the airport area. This is another World Heritage Site. 3 - Narayanhiti Palace Museum - This is the former Royal palace which was turned partly into a Museum and partly into the Foreign Ministry after the abolition of the monarchy in 2009. Now you can visit the splendid Halls of the main building of the palace. Giant fruit bats hanging from the tall trees and 20 foot-tall bamboo around the otherwise modern (and still well secured) former palace are a sight, especially around sunset when the bats depart en masse. Foreigners: NPR500 4- Thamel Chowk - a tourist neighborhood with many restaurants and shops. 5- Freak Street - Historic street where western hippies seeking enlightenment would stay. Now just a few restaurants and hotels. 6- Pashupatinath - An important Hindu temple to Shiva in the form of Lord of Animals. See monkeys, cremation, sadhus and meditation caves. Morning or sunset are great times to go. 1000 Rupess for foreigners, though you can sneak in through the park at the North side of the temple, as many locals do (beware of police though, who try to catch people doing exactly this). No entry inside the main temple for foreigners, though you can peer inside from the doorway. Also, there are stairs on the East side of the river leading to the Boudha Stupa (a short walk away). 7 - Garden of Dreams / Kaiser Mahal - Relax in this beautiful and peaceful walled garden close to Thamel and the former Royal Palace. Beautifully renovated in partnership with Austrian government. Currently has two pavilions depicting two of the six annual seasons in the Hindu calendar. It has several expensive cafes and a bar. Nice toilets. NPR200. 8- Budda Neelkanth Temple (Narangdham), (6km from Main Bus Park, Kathmandu). An Idol of Bhagwan Vishnu in a sleeping position surrounded by water is an extraordinary cool and calm experience. edit 9 - Kathmandu Durbar Square This ancient square is crowded with palaces and temples, including the current incarnation of the Kasthamandap or "Wooden house" that gives the city its name. The square has been occupied since the construction of a palace around 1000AD. This site is the most popular UNESCO World Heritage Site in Nepal. The Square is particularly fascinating in the very early morning as all the various merchants set up their wares and when many devotees make their offerings at the various shrines and temples. There will be a number of young men who will offer to be "guides." Be firm with saying "no" if you are not interested. The entrance fee for foreigners is NPR750. If you plan to be in the area for more than one day, it's worth being directed to the Site Office where you can exchange your single-entry ticket with a multiple-entry pass allowing you to wander in and out as you wish. You will need your passport and one passport photo. The whole process takes only a few minutes. Your entry pass gives you access to all open parts of Durbar Square as well as the Hanuman Dhoka. In Nepali, Durbar means "palace" and this is where the monarch was crowned and from where he ruled.

• published: 26 Aug 2014
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