Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, is one of the world's longest continually inhabited places and is central to the nation's history, culture, art, politics and economy. Photo / 123rf
Anyone presently drawing up a list of potential destinations for 2024 should add Kathmandu to that list - and put it close to the top, writes Julian Ryall.
Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, sprawls along the Kathmandu Valley and, as one of the longest continually inhabited places in the world, has long been the heart of the nation’s history, culture, art, politics and economy. Yet the places most visitors will want to explore are in a convenient, compact central area of the city.
For anyone looking to stretch their legs, Kathmandu is also the jumping-off point for treks into the surrounding Himalayas, with hikes ranging from easy day walks that still offer a taste of what these mountains have to offer to full-on ascents to Everest Base Camp.
Here are some of the experiences that any visitor to Kathmandu should try for themselves.
The locals refer to this ancient religious venue standing proudly on a hill just to the west of the city centre as Swayambhunath, but it is arguably better known for its furry inhabitants. The monkeys are absolutely everywhere you turn.
This sacred site of pilgrimage dates back to the 5th century and is one of the most important in the Buddhist religion in the country. At the centre of the complex is a white, domed stupa with a gilded tower perched on top. Each of the four sides of the tower bear stylised eyes with arched eyebrows that look down on the masses below.
Visitors spin the prayer wheels as they circumnavigate the stupa. Monkeys squat unconcernedly on statues, roofs and ledges, looking for an opportunity. Quick as a flash, they will snatch a morsel from the table of a distracted vendor. Do not be tempted to approach too close; they are not domesticated and can be aggressive.
The entire complex is a living place of worship, with Buddhist visitors paying their respects at countless smaller shrines decorated in gold and festooned with prayer flags.
The name Durbar Square translates as “place of palaces”, with this Unesco World Heritage site one of three royal palace squares in the Kathmandu Valley.
Kathmandu’s Durbar Square is in the old city, with narrow, flagstoned alleyways suddenly giving out onto this open space dotted with buildings from four earlier kingdoms. In all, there are 50 temples in the inner and outer quadrangles, with the Hanuman Dhoka palace, the home of the Shah Dynasty until the royalty was toppled, in the innermost area.
Nearby is the palace of Kumari Ghar, where a Kumari living goddess resides. The young Kumari is believed to be a bodily reincarnation of the goddess Taleju until she menstruates, at which point it is believed the goddess has departed her body. Personal visits for a blessing are not always possible but might be arranged for those with the right connections. Morgan Freeman obviously has friends in high places as there is a framed picture of him being blessed on the Kumari’s wall.
Durbar Square is a tranquil part of the city and the ideal place for a brief break in a café with a cold Gorkha Beer, named after the country’s famed warriors.
The colossal Boudhanath is one of the largest spherical stupas in the world and is said to hold the remains of the Kassapa Buddha.
The vast, whitewashed stupa has the familiar gold cap with all-seeing eyes and long lines of prayer flags descend to the ground. The complex was badly damaged in the April 2015 8.5-magnitute earthquake that caused widespread destruction in the city and surrounding areas, but it was reopened in November 2016.
The area around the stupa has been pedestrianised and is a popular place for dining out, indulging in a spot of people-watching from a café or shopping for souvenirs.
One shop worth visiting is the Boudha Stupa Thanka Centre, which sells hand-painted “thanka”, scroll banners that are found in temples, shrines and ordinary homes. Artists take religion as their inspiration, with many works depicting The Wheel of Life or the Buddha. Others are “mandalas” that incorporate symbols that are designed to help a practitioner focus their attentions as they meditate.
Only followers of the Hindu religion are permitted within the walls of Pashupatinath Temple, but its murals and architecture are not why most people visit.
Immediately outside one of the temple’s four gates is the sacred Bagmati River, with stone steps leading down to the water’s edge clogged by funeral pyres and relatives saying their last farewells to a deceased friend or family member.
Mourners take it in turns to take water from the river and sprinkle a few drops on the deceased and bow a short prayer. Bodies are wrapped in orange robes and adorned with flowers and, once all the farewells have been completed, the bodies are hoisted onto carefully constructed fires atop plinths.
It can take several hours for a body to be consumed, with the family passive onlookers as the flames go about their work. Sadhu holy men with painted faces look on dispassionately. And once the embers have finally died down, everything is swept off the plinth and into the river to continue the deceased’s journey.
The undisputed hub of Kathmandu’s nightlife is Thamel, a district of narrow streets where shops sell brand-name clothing – some of it genuine – alongside hiking equipment and tourist knickknacks, art and handicrafts, colourful local fashions and electronic gadgets.
Of an evening, the restaurants and bars are in vogue with international and local visitors alike, with rooftop bars in the hotels among the most sought-after locations. On a clear evening and from a hotel with a good view, admire the sun going down behind the Himalayas and the sky turning from orange to velvety black.
No visit to Nepal would be complete without at least a day trek amid the world’s highest mountain peaks.
The countryside around the city offers countless opportunities for walkers of all capabilities, ranging from relatively easy strolls through the Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park, with its stunning views and stops at monasteries and tea shops, to the altogether more arduous Phulchowki hike, which is over 26km from start to finish and can take up to 11 hours to compete.
Even that pales into insignificance for anyone contemplating getting close to the highest peak in the world. Mount Everest is about 150km northeast of Kathmandu and best approached with a flight to Lukla. With a registered hiking organisation, the hike to and from Everest Base Camp requires walking up to nine hours a day for 14 days.
Anyone considering the trek should bear in mind that base camp is at 5364 metres above sea level and altitude sickness is a very real possibility. For those who want to see Everest for themselves but believe the hike is beyond them, book a helicopter tour to base camp.
For more things to see and do in Nepal, visit ntb.gov.np
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