Tips to Explore Kathmandu in 5 Days

Situated in a beautiful valley surrounded by the Himalayan mountains, Kathmandu is the capital city of Nepal. Each year, Kathmandu attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists from around the world, all thanks to its rich culture, beautiful shrines, ancient temples, and fascinating villages.

While easy to access, a successful trip to Kathmandu requires proper planning and some basic knowledge about the city. So, here are some tips to explore the beauty of Kathmandu during your short vacation.

Tips to Explore Kathmandu on 5 Days trip

First things first, it’s important for you to know the best places in Kathmandu as it will help you in planning your trip accordingly. So let’s begin.

Thamel – Thamel has always been one of the most popular commercial neighborhoods in Kathmandu. With its buzzing and busy streets, the district is famous for its variety of shops, which include restaurants, jewelry shops, clubs, pubs, and travel agencies. Also, the city has several good hotels and lodging facilities, where you can relax and engage yourself in some fun activities like playing Blackjack online for free.

Pashupatinath Temple – Located on both the banks of the divine river Bagmati, the Pashupatinath Temple is a beautiful holy shrine in Kathmandu. The temple is devoted to lord Shiva and sees thousands of devotees offering prayers to the Hindu deity each year. Also, it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979.

Garden of Dreams – Commonly known as ‘Swapna Bageecha’, the Garden of Dreams is a neo-classical garden in Kathmandu. Built-in 1920 by designer Kishore Narshingh, the garden is a great place to hang around and spend some quality time.

Built on an area of over 6,800 square meters, it encompasses ponds, pavilions, verandas, and urns. When visiting this garden, just make sure to check the timings on the internet to avoid inconvenience.

Other great places that you can visit in Kathmandu are:

• Chandragiri Hills
• Kopan Monastery
• Kathmandu Durbar Square
• White Monastery
• Basantapur Tower
• Hanuman Dhoka
• Siddhartha Art Gallery

Do’s and don’ts when visiting Kathmandu

Now that you know the best places to visit in Kathmandu, here’s a look at the things that you should and shouldn’t do in the city:

Avoid solo trekking – If you are planning to explore the hilly region in Kathmandu, make sure that you are accompanied by other tourists or a guide. This is because there have been some instances of tourists finding themselves in trouble on a solo trip in recent years.

Hit the clubs early – One thing that may disappoint many “night” people is the fact that nightlife in Kathmandu ends quite early, at around 10 PM. So, if you are planning to enjoy some drinks or groove to the music, make sure to hit the clubs early.

Carry cash at all times – As many villages and towns in Kathmandu don’t have ATMs in their vicinity, you can’t fully rely on your card every time you want to pay for something. Hence, you must carry some local currency to avoid complications.

Respect the culture – With several temples and holy shrines, Kathmandu is one of the most culturally-rich cities in the world. And these holy places in Kathmandu have their traditions and rituals. So, make sure you know (using Google search) and follow them before visiting any divine place in the city.