Nepal is a wonderland for travelers. There are plenty of best places to visit in Nepal. You can visit those places with your friends, family or on your own.
While in Nepal you can visit some of the highest peaks in the world to the sub-tropical jungles of Nepal. You can also visit places with diverse landscape, culture, and nature in Nepal.
Depending on the purpose of your visits like activities you wish to take part in, you can decide your best places to visit in Nepal.
Given below are some of the best places in Nepal for specific activities and adventures.
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Best Places for Trekking in Nepal
Most of the tourists visit Nepal for trekking. Trekking in Nepal is a wonderful opportunity to see some of the highest mountain peaks in the world. It is also a great way to know the local cultures and lifestyles.
You will have the option of short as well as longer duration treks in Nepal.
Some of the best places to visit in Nepal for trekking are:
Annapurna Circuit Trek
Annapurna Circuit Trek takes you around the Annapurna Mastiff. It is one of the most beautiful treks in the world. With the construction of motorable roads, you can choose to do this trek in different durations depending on your preference.
The trek is suitable and doable by beginners and novice trekkers with proper preparation.
Highlights:
- Variation in total length- 160 to 230 km
- A chance to explore the diverse landscape of Nepal from subtropical forests to sub-alpine landscapes. Also, a look at the Himalaya desert landscape.
- Spectacular views of mountain peaks throughout the trails.
Everest Base Camp Trek
Everest Base Camp trek takes you to the Base Camp of the world’s highest mountain peak, Mt. Everest. It is one of the most sought after places to visit in Nepal.
Highlights:
- A close encounter with the Everest and the chain of Himalayas in its neighborhood.
- Quaint villages, grassy paths, steep rocks
- A treat for both the nature lovers and the photography enthusiast. A glimpse of Khumbu icefall
- A chance to explore the forest, valleys, and waterfalls of Sagarmatha Conservation Area.
- High passes and white misty glaciers.
- Visit ancient Thami and Tengboche monasteries
- One of the most thrilling, exciting, and challenging trek.
- Kala Patthar (5555 m): The best place on earth for viewing Everest.
Annapurna Base Camp Trek
Annapurna Base Camp trek takes you to the base of Annapurna Massif. It is one of the best legendary and classic treks of Nepal. Plus, it is an easy to moderate trek in the Annapurna region.
Highlights:
- Hosts impressive views of six massive peaks of the Himalayas.
- Two base Camps in one trek- MBC (Machapuchare Base Camp) and ABC (Annapurna Base Camp)
- Oak, pine, rhododendron, and magnolia forests.
- Mystical sights of the Annapurna Glacier, Gangapurna Glacier.
- Beautiful, traditional villages of Ghandruk, Sinuwa, Deurali.
- A great opportunity to interact with the local people and get to know their culture and lifestyle.
- Annapurna Conservation Area: Home to rare flora and fauna. It is home to 1226 species of plants, 102 mammals, 474 birds, 22 amphibians among others.
Kanchenjunga Base Camp Trek
Kanchenjunga Base Camp trek takes you the base of the third highest mountain in the world, Mt. Kanchenjunga (8586 m). This is one of the most remote treks in Nepal.
Highlights:
- An opportunity to enjoy the local traditional culture of Rai and Limbu communities. They are the natives of this area.
- One of the most thrilling and adventurous treks
- Two choices of Base Camps: The south base camp trek and the north base camp trek.
- View of the glorious peaks of Kanchenjunga range
- View of Mighty Kanchenjunga glaciers
- Kanchenjunga Conservation Area (KCA): Home to a wide variety of wildlife. This includes animals like Himalayan black bear, snow leopard.
Best Places in Nepal for Jungle Safaris and Bird Watching
If you want to take part in jungle safaris in the subtropical jungles of Nepal, then there are a few options. This includes the popular Chitwan National Park, Bardia National Park. You can also opt for the lesser known wildlife reserves of Nepal for this activity. This includes Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve and Parsa Wildlife Reserve.
These parks and reserves are the best places to visit in Nepal for these activities.
Home to rare and exotic wildlife, jungle safaris are a great way to witness wildlife in natural settings. You can also choose jeep safaris or jungle walks or canoe rides in the rivers. These activities offer a different perspective of the jungle. These also cover other parts of the jungle not accessible through jungle safari.
Note: The canoe rides are not for the faint-hearted as some parts of the rivers share its waters with the crocodiles.
Chitwan National Park:
It is a rich natural area in the Terai, the subtropical southern part of Nepal. The park covers over 932 square km of forests, wetland, and grassland.
It is home to 68 species of mammals, 544 species of birds, 570 species of flowering plants and 126 species of fish. These are the recorded ones.
The park is famous for its protection of One Horned Rhinoceros that are over 600. It is also home to the elusive Royal Bengal Tiger.
Bird watching is also popular in Chitwan. You can spot some rare species of birds in the Park. This includes Giant Hornbill, Lesser Florican, Paradise Flycatcher and Bish Hajar Taal. The rivers and streams in and around the Park is home to Freshwater dolphins (Gangetic) and crocodiles.
Some idyllic and quiet villages also exist within the Park. During your stay in the Park, you can also enjoy the local cultural dance and songs. Some of the popular ones are Tharu stick dances and the crazy peacock dance.
Bardia National Park:
Largest with an area of 968 sq.km, it is the most undisturbed national park in the Terai of Nepal.
The park is home to green sal forests and grasslands.
It is also home to more than 800 species of flora and more than 600 species of fauna. This includes 30 species of mammals, 230 species of birds and several reptilian species.
Tourists visit the park to spot animals like rhinoceros, Bengal tiger, wild elephants. According to the survey, there are about 22 Bengal tigers along with 100 one-horned rhinoceros.
Parsa Wildlife Reserve:
This hunting ground turned protected area is the biggest of its kind. It is close to Chitwan National Park.
It is home to sloth bear, gaur, wild dog, sambar, chital, hog, barking deer and many other species of animals. It is also home to many endangered animals such as the Asian elephant, Royal Bengal tiger, leopard.
There is a view tower near the reserve headquarter. It offers the perfect spot to view wildlife without disturbing them. This wildlife reserve is famous for reptiles. It is home to various kinds of local snakes like the king cobra, common cobra, krait, rat snake, pythons.
Koshi Tappu – Wildlife Reserve:
This reserve is also home to a wide variety of flora and fauna. Yet, it is most famous for bird watching. Generally, there are around 514 species of bird and 200 species of fish in this reserve.
The Kosi Tapu and the Kosi Barrage in east Nepal provide one of the best places in Nepal to view migratory birds. This includes waterfowl, waders, and shorebirds during the winter months.
Thousands of birds come here in January and February. After these months, they migrate north when the weather gets warmer.
For bird watching, you can take jeep drives, jungle walks or boat rides with well-qualified nature guides.
The reserve also hosts rare mammals. This includes Asian Elephant, Spotted deer, Hog Deer, Wild Boar, Golden Jackal, and Smooth-Coated Otter. The Ganga river dolphin is also seen sometimes in the Reserve.
The reserve is most famous as the home of the last 150 remaining water-buffalo (Arna). It is also home to Gaur and Blue Bull.
Best Places in Nepal for Nature Walks
Instead of Jungle Safaris, if you want to solely enjoy jungle walks or nature walks along the National Parks, then there are other options as well.
Khaptad National Park
This park offers one of the best scenic landscapes of Nepal. It is home to more than 200 species of medicinal herbs and more than 500 species of flowering plants.
There is also a wide variety of animal life here. Some of these include Barking deer, wild dog, wild boar, and choral. You can also find Himalayan black bear, rhesus monkey, langur monkey, yellow-throated marten.
There are also many temples and religious sites here. Hence, it is a great place for meditation and religious purposes.
Sagarmatha National Park
This park is home to mountains, glaciers, and valleys along with the world’s highest peak of Mount Everest. This park is home to the legendary Sherpas. Hence, you can witness their rich culture during your visits here.
Langtang National Park
This is the first Himalayan National Park. It has rich flora and fauna. It is also home to the holy lake of Gosainkunda. It is a pilgrimage site to thousands of pilgrims who wish for salvation.
It is also home to the famous trekking routes of Langtang region like Langtang valley trek, Helambu trek. There are options for lodges in this park. It is also one of the most accessible parks from Kathmandu.
Rara National Park
This smallest park is home to the biggest lake of Nepal- Rara Lake. It is also home to some of the endangered wildlife species. These include red panda and Himalayan black bear. The park also has unique and beautiful landscapes.
Shivpuri watershed Area and Wildlife Reserve
The only park near Kathmandu Valley, this reserve has an area of 159 sq. Km.
One of the unique points of this reserve is, it has been supplying hundred thousands cubic liters of water daily. It is a very important source of water for the capital region of Nepal.
It is also home to thousands of varieties of floral species. This reserve is a popular destination for the day and short hikes in Nepal.
Best Places in Nepal for Cultural Tours
Nepal is home to diverse groups of people of different ethnic background, religion, culture, and way of life. Due to this, there are many, different places you can do cultural tours. Some of the best places to visit in Nepal during your cultural tours are:
Kathmandu Valley
7 of the 8 UNESCO World Heritage Cultural Sites lie in the valley. Kathmandu Valley is also home to around 130 important monuments. These include several pilgrimage sites. for Hindus and Buddhists.
Some of the must-visit places for your Kathmandu Valley Cultural Tour are:
Boudhanath Stupa
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Boudhanath is also one of the largest stupas in the world. With many legends attached to the place, it is a beautiful place. Make sure to visit some of the 45 monasteries around Boudha for a closer look at Tibetan Buddhism. There are also beautiful temples within the Complex.
Swayambhu Stupa
Situated on top of a hill, the stupa is also known as the monkey temple. The name “Swayambhu”, means “Self-Created”. According to legend, the religious site came into existence more than 2,000 years ago out of a primeval lake.
There are 2 stupas in the complex along with beautiful monasteries and ancient guardian temples. You will also get fabulous views of the Kathmandu City and the surrounding hills from here. On clear days, you can also see some mountain peaks.
Pashupatinath
This temple of Lord Shiva attracts millions of Hindu devotees. It is also one of the main cremation points of the Hindus.
There are approximately 492 Temples, Chaityas, Santals within the Pashupatinath area. You can see various styles of architectures used to construct them. There are also about a thousand Shiva Lingas within the Pashupatinath region.
Kathesimbhu Stupa
This 17th-century rendition of the renowned Swayambhu Stupa. You can visit this on your way to and from Thamel and Durbar Square.
Surrounded by smaller stupas, statues, it is a peaceful place in the midst of the marketplace.
Bhaktapur Durbar Square
This is one the most well-preserved squares of Kathmandu Valley. It was once the largest kingdom of the Kathmandu valley. There are beautiful, ancient temples, palace courtyards, stone spouts, and ponds in the complex.
The square has many beautiful temples like the Golden Gate temple and Nyatapola temple among others. You can also check out the fifty-five window palace, a statue of Bhupatindra Malla. There are also beautiful art galleries in and around the square.
The Buddhist monuments and Hindu temples here have unique features. These have fine bronze gateways, guardian deities, and wonderful carvings.
Basantapur Durbar Square
This complex is home to the ancient palace of the ancient kings of Kathmandu Valley.
There are also beautiful temples, exhibits in the palace courtyard. These date back to 1672.
You can enjoy the traditional architecture and wood workmanship of the Malla and Licchavi period.
Patan
Home to masterpieces of Malla artwork and structure, Patan is a must -visit place during the cultural tours in Kathmandu Valley.
It is home to temples like Bhimsen, Vishwanath, Jagat Narayan, among others. You can also see a statue of Yog Narendra Malla, Mahaboudha, Kumbeshwar Mahadev, the temple of Rato Machhindranath, here.
Other Best Places for Nepal Cultural Tour
There are different holy sites spread across the country of Nepal. These include both Hindu and Buddhist pilgrimage sites. Some of the popular must-visit places in Nepal are:
Dakshinkali Temple
Dedicated to Goddess Kali, you will find the true goddess Kali with red eyes and protruding tongue. Adorned with her signature necklace of skulls, the temple lies 22 km outside Kathmandu valley.
Janakpur- The Birthplace of Sita
Janakpur was the ancient capital of the Videha dynasty that ruled the Mithila region in ancient times. As the birthplace of Sita, King Ram’s wife, it is an important pilgrimage site for Hindus.
Janaki Mandir is one of the biggest temples dedicated to Sita in Nepal. It is a magnificent temple.
Lumbini
The place of birth of Siddhartha Gautam, known today as Shakyamuni Buddha, Lumbini is a pilgrimage site for the Buddhists.
Along with the stupa, you can also visit the Mayadevi Temple and the pillar erected by Asoka.
There is also a large monastic zone here. There are Theravada monasteries, Mahayana and Vajrayana monasteries.
Namo Buddha
This is one of the holiest pilgrimage sites for Buddhists. Associated with many legends, this hill is home to ancient caves and temples. There is also a beautiful monastery here with many idols of gods and goddesses.
Pharping
This place is a pilgrimage site to both Hindus and Buddhist. Here lie the different sites like the Asura cave, Yanglesho cave, and Vajrayogini temple.
Buddhists visit the caves to pay tribute to the great Guru Padmasambhava. There are also many monasteries nearby.
Manakamana Temple
This sacred Hindu temple lies on the top of the mountainous ridge of the Nepalese river valleys of Trisuli and Marsyangdi.
The devotees believe Goddess Manakamana is the holy goddess of aspirations. She grants the wishes of those who make the trek to worship her. She grants her devotees with both spiritual and physical exhilaration.
Best Places in Nepal for Bazaar Tours
The bazaar tours in Nepal offers a unique way to explore the culture, life of the locals. These tours are a great way to experience the attractions of every nook and cranny of a place. Some places to visit in Nepal for this type of tour are:
Indra Chowk
Here, you can witness the mysterious alleys and courtyards. The chowk includes a temple dedicated to Lord Indra, the king of Gods. You will also see shops selling local handicrafts, beads, and cultural attires.
Thamel
This haven for tourists includes everything you need to buy or rent for your tours and treks in Nepal. You can also shop for souvenirs. There are plenty of places to rest including many beautiful cafes and restaurants.
You will also be spoilt for choices for accommodation to stay at. This is also a great place to come after your trek or tour to unwind with a massage, spa, or regular pubs or bars.
Asan
This is one of the older and historic bazaars of Kathmandu. It is still one of the main marketplaces for the locals. With vivid and bright shops, many of them lure you with their goods.
It is also the center for many beautiful and cultural festivals. You will find almost anything worth shopping for here. This includes local spices, textiles, vegetables, fruits, and even electronics.
Potters’ Square
As the name suggests, you will find many workshops of potters here. You can find readymade, handmade pottery items as well as ones that are being made. You will also see items that are out to dry in the sun. You can also take classes here from local pottery masters.
Final Say,
The best places to visit in Nepal is different for everyone. Depending on what you want to see, where you want to travel, the places also varies.
The list above is a guideline to assist you in making your decision. If you have any further queries or questions about any of the above, feel free to contact us.
You can also contact us for any of these tours and treks or a personalized tour or trek.
