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As an ancient nation of Himalayas, there had been a large number of cultural monuments and nature heritage preserved in Nepal through its process of modernization. Besides its present capital city Kathmandu, there were two more neighboring small kingdoms known as Patan and Bhaktapur. Once used to the capital city in historical Nepal, both Patan and Bhaktapur have similar architecture style with Kathmandu. Being the world cultural heritage to be proud of in Nepal, Kathmandu Durbar Square, Patan Durbar Square and Bhaktapur Durbar Square makes it possible for people to enjoy the historic masterpiece done by Nepalese artisans here, just because they had been well preserved from generation to generation. Over half of the world's top 14 highest mountains located in Nepal, Nepalese have the reason to be proud of these high peaks towering into the clouds, and they also found out that this was their most abundant tourism recourses distinct from other countries. There is some description about the famous monuments in Nepal listed below, but it is far from the real magnificent scenery. Only those ones who travel to Nepal in person will experience its unique glamour. Heading for Nepal now, it has always been listed in different versions of "World's Top Ten Attractions". This is common view to us all.
Kathmandu
As the culture cradle of Nepal, there are three world famous ancient cities - Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, Patan in Kathmandu Valley. Additionally, at the charming border of Kathmandu Valley, there are beautiful vegetation, fascinating towns and the forests with singing birds and fragrant flowers. You can even get the clear view of Himalayas when the weather is good here.
There are many World Heritage highlights in Kathmandu, which makes Kathmandu the Kingdom of the Gods. Generally saying, the cultural scenic spots sites are mainly focus in Kathmandu and Lumbini.
Pashupatinath
one of the biggest Hindu temple of Lord Shiva in the world, which is located on the banks of the Bagmati River in the eastern part of Kathmandu - the capital of Nepal. The temple served as the seat of national deity, Lord Pashupatinath, until Nepal was secularized. The temple is listed in UNESCO World Heritage Sites list.
Believers in Pashupatinath (mainly Hindus) are allowed to enter the temple premises. Anyone not born in Nepal or India is considered a non-Hindu by the temple authorities. Non-Hindu visitors are allowed to have a look at the temple from the other bank of Bagmati river.
It is regarded as the most sacred among the temples of Lord Shiva (Pashupati).
Bouddhanath
The Buddhist stupa of Boudhanath dominates the skyline. The ancient Stupa is one of the largest in the world. The influx of large populations of Tibetan refugees from China has seen the construction of over 50 Tibetan Gompas (Monasteries) around Boudhanath. As of 1979, Boudhanath is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Along with Swayambhunath, it is one of the most popular tourist sites in the Kathmandu area.
Swayambhunath
Also one of the three Buddhist sites in Nepal, which offers great views over the city and never lack of monkeys. This ancient religious complex atop a hill in the Kathmandu Valley, west of Kathmandu city. It is also known as the Monkey Temple as there are holy monkeys living in parts of the temple in the north-west. The Tibetan name for the site means 'Sublime Trees', occupies a central position, it is probably the most sacred among Buddhist pilgrimage sites. For Tibetans and followers of Tibetan Buddhism, it second only to Bouddhanath. The Swayambhunath complex consists of a stupa, a variety of shrines and temples. A Tibetan monastery, museum and library are more recent additions. The stupa has Buddha's eyes and eyebrows painted on. Between them, there is something painted which looks like the nose - but is the Nepali symbol of 'unity', in the main Nepali language dialect. There are also shops, restaurants and hostels. The site has two access points: a long stairway, claimed to have 365 steps, leading directly to the main platform of the temple, which is from the top of the hill to the east; and a car road around the hill from the south leading to the southwest entrance.
Kathmandu Durbar Square
As the heart of Kathmandu, 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 in active use since the construction of a palace around 1000 AD. This site is the most popular UNESCO World Heritage Site in Nepal. Magical in the very early morning and evening, Durbar Square can be an exhausting experience due to the overwhelming number of young men offering to be "guides." Be firm with saying "no" if you are not interested, but realize that looking at a map, or even standing still for a moment will be an invitation to a dozen other would-be "helpers". Ask at the Tourist Information Office at the entrance if you do want a guide. A place not to be missed is a visit to Kathmandu Durbar Square Museum.
There are more than a dozen buildings and statues of note in this small area.
Patan Durbar Square
Patan is a one of the largest cities in Nepal and is located just across the Bagmati river from Kathmandu. Confusingly, it is also known as Lalitpur, both names deriving from the Sanskrit "Lalitapattan". Like its larger neighbor, Patan also boasts a Durbar Square full of temples, statues, and palaces and, in addition, has the must-see attraction of Patan Museum. As a traditional center of handicrafts, Patan is a great place to purchase jewelry, Buddha statues and masks.
Durbar Square is the Palace Square of Patan. Approaching the square from the south end you have the palace on your right and a series of temples on your left.
The Palace was built on the site of a fort that stood until 1734 and served as the residence of the Malla rulers of the then Patan state. It is divided up into a succession of courtyards (or “chowks”). Unfortunately only the last of these on the right (which houses the museum) is open on a regular basis, due to problems with theft of artifacts. Try peering through cracks in the doors to see what you are missing! The first palace building is Sundari Chowk which was constructed in 1647. The three-storey temple on the palace side is the Degutale temple, constructed in 1661 after an earlier one burned down. Mul Chowk was the central part of the old palace and in recent times has suffered much theft of ornamental woodwork.
Bhaktapur Durbar Square
Known variously as City of Culture, Living Heritage, Nepal's Cultural Gem, An open museum and a City of Devotees. Bhaktapur is an ancient city and is renowned for its elegant art, fabulous culture, colorful festivals, traditional dances and indigenous lifestyle of Newari community. It is just 12 kilometers east of Kathmandu, capital of Nepal, but gives the feeling of prehistoric times given the ambiance of traditional homes, lifestyles and environment. The conch shaped historic city is spreading over just an area of 6.88 square kilometer at 1,401 meter altitude. The city was founded in 12th century by King Anand Dev Malla. Bhaktapur was the capital city of the Greater Malla Kingdom in the Kathmandu Valley till the 15th century AD. The many of Bhaktapur's greatest monuments were built by the then Malla rulers.
Bhaktapur has more temples per square foot than Patan or Kathmandu and is far enough out of town to keep the crowds away. As a World Heritage site listed by the UNESCO, Bhaktapur has been heavily restored since a 1934 earthquake severely damaged the city. To further restoration and preservation there is an entrance fee for visitors, which can be easily find just outside the front gate of it.
Changu Narayan Temple
Changu Narayan Temple is located near the Changunarayan village in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. The temple is one of the oldest Hindu temples of the valley, and is believed to have been constructed in the 4th century. Changu Narayan is the name of Vishnu, and the Temple is dedicated to him. A stone slab discovered in the vicinity of the temple dates to the 5th century, and is the oldest such stone inscription discovered in Nepal. The Changu Narayan Temple is one of seven structures cited by UNESCO as demonstrating the historic and artistic achievements that make the Kathmandu Valley a World Heritage Site.
Known as the biggest among the Narayans, Changu Narayan has greater importance than the others. It is situated at the top of the hill. One can view the beautiful white Himalayas and hills in the north and the whole panoramic view of the Kathmandu valley. The steep green hill of pines adds to its beauty.
Thamel Street
It is the collecting and distributing center for tourists from all over the word. There are dozens of tourist restaurants clustered in the Thamel district serving everything from Middle Eastern to Mexican food. Indian and Nepali dishes are always the best tasting-- and best priced. Don't hesitate to state your preference for spiciness. Travelers who venture into smaller places are often rewarded with better prices and friendlier staff. Inspect your bill and count your change at the places frequented by short trip tourists.
Nagarkot
Located in the eastern side of Kathmandu Valley and of about 30 kilometers away from Kathmandu, Nagarkot is surrounded by thickly forested hills of pine trees which give you an idyllic escape - with only the wind and the sound of rustling leaves to disturb you.
It is a rustic resort high on the northern fringe of the kathmandu valley.It is an outstanding hilltop that offers great views of Himalayas, breathtaking mountain scenery and the most impressive views of sunrise and sunset.
From Nagarkot, one see the breathtaking views of the major himalayan peaks of Nepal like Manaslu, Ganesh, Langtang, dorje Lakpa, sisa pagma, Choyu, Gauri Shankar, etc. On a clear crystal day, one can even see the tip of Mt. Everest(8848 m) from here. Many tourists go to Nagarkot at afternoon, stay at one of the resorts to view early morning sunrise over the mountains.
Dhulikhel
Dhulikhel has for many centuries been an important trading centre on the ancient commercial route linking Nepal to Tibet. Since time immemorial, people of Nepal travel to Tibet to bring home salt and gold. Likewise, the Tibetans every year with their flocks of sheep enter into Nepal during Dashain, the greatest Hindu festival. They purchased chilies and other daily necessities in Nepal and return to their homeland. In those days, a whole day walk from Kathmandu to Dhulikhel was comfortable for Tibet trippers with easily available of food and water at Dhulikhel at the evening for overnight stay. Even now, a bird's eye view from the resorts at Dhulikhel to the landscapes; highway to Tibet and horizons far to the Tibetan borders, clearly exhibits Dhulikhel as the gateway of Tibet. After adjoining with Tibet by motorable road in 1965, Dhulikhel got a face lift and developed as a tourist destination both for Tibet trippers and tourists. Dhulikhel is an ideal station to stop for overnight stay while going to Tibet and coming back to Kathmandu.
There are numerous temples in the town depicting an example of traditional and old Newari craftsmanship of Dhulikhel. These are important places of worship for local people. The core area of Dhulikhel has interesting narrow cobbled streets and lanes embedded with number of Hindu Shrines and a few Buddhist Stupa.
In the centre of the old town is the Narayan Temple with its yellow metal roofs. It is dedicated to Lord Krishna whose birthday is joyfully celebrated here in August. Alongside is the Harisiddhi Temple whose God responds to the worshippers' problems and sees their right and wrong doings. Both the temples are adorned with profuese wood carvings and fronted by two Garudas in quite different attitude. Bhagwati Temple situated at the top of the western part of the town is considered as one of the best place to see around Dhulikhel and also to enjoy the best mountain views. The GaukhureshworMahadev Temple is about 20 minutes walk to the east of the town near Tundikhel Recreation Park and is located in a peaceful and quite environment. Further up hill, one reaches, within half an hour trek, the Bhagwati (Kali) Temple. This is a beautiful pagoda that one can see on the skyline as one drives into Dhulikhel.
Chitwan National Park
Established in 1973, and granted the status of a World Heritage Site in 1984. Chitwan National Park covers an area of 932 square kilometer and is located in the subtropical Inner Terai lowlands of south-central Nepal in the Chitwan district. In altitude it ranges from about 100 metres (330 ft) in the river valleys to 815 metres (2,674 ft) in the Churia Hills.
In the north and west of the protected area the Narayani-Rapti river system forms a natural boundary to human settlements. Adjacent to the east of Chitwan National Park is Parsa Wildlife Reserve, contiguous in the south is the Indian Tiger Reserve Valmiki National Park. The coherent protected area of 2,075 km2 represents the Tiger Conservation Unit (TCU) Chitwan-Parsa-Valmiki, which covers a 3.549 km2 huge block of alluvial grasslands and subtropical moist deciduous forests.
The wide range of vegetation types in the Chitwan National Park is haunt of more than 700 species of wildlife and a not yet fully surveyed number of butterfly, moth and insect species. It is also home to at least 43 species of mammals.
Chitwan National Park is one of Nepal’s most popular tourist destinations. There are several lodges inside the national park offering full board(such as 3-day-2-night package tour or longer ones.) and accommodation in combination with elephant and jeep safaris, rafting tours and guided jungle walks. The pioneer safari lodge is Tiger Tops Jungle Lodge receiving guests since 1972. Tiger Tops has developed standards for responsible conservation tourism, e.g. supports the “Long-term Tiger Monitoring Project” and anti-poaching units operating in the national park.
On the edge of the national park Sauraha is a well-known spot for tourists. Accessible from the nearby Bharatpur Airport, Sauraha offers a choice of hotels, lodges, restaurants and agencies that organize day trips into the protected area.
Gorkha
Although there are not too many visitors coming here, no good hotels, no money-exchange, Gorkha is an interesting town midway between Kathmandu and Pokhara. The surrounding area is fantastic. Gorkha is 25km north of the road between Pokhara and Kathmandu. There are some interesting walks in the area. The main thing to visit here is the interesting Gorkha Durbar (Fort).
The area around Gorkha is a place of Maoist insurgents, and there have been some problems in the area. The police may be having a 10 pm curfew.
There are excellent views over the interesting area, and great views of the Annapurna and Ganesh mountain ranges. The old part of the city where the Durbar is located has no vehicle traffic, so it is a nice place to wander around to old traditional buildings.
Pokhara
As the best place for you to get ready for the trekking tour and as the third largest city, there are nearly 200,000 in habitates living there and also the most popular tourist destination of the country.
As the starting point of most treks into Annapurna, it is also famous for its Pewa Lake, usually known as the Asian-Switzerland, it can provide you relaxed life especilly when you have finished the exhausted trekking tour and returen to the peaceful place to enjoy a glass of Everest Beer.
Besides trekking tours, there are still many attractions and highlights you can never miss:
Phewa Lake - One of the Nepal's most beautiful spots, Phewa Tal(Lake) is surrounded by a combination of monkey-filled forests and the high white peaks. The reflections in the mirror-like water in the early mornings are something you must see at least once before you die. Hire a boat and row yourself across the lake or hire a local to do it for you - there are some fine times to be had on this lake, even in the middle of the night. Begnas Lake - Out of town and away from the hustle, Begnas Tal is quiet, clean and peaceful. There are a few basic hotels to stay in and the odd refreshment shop. The walk along the road leading to Begnas Tal is fascinating, the seasonal rhythms of daily life in the country make great images Devi's Falls - Spectacular, eerie and unusual, Devi's falls plunge into a cave and disappear into the earth.
World Peace Pagoda - Built about 16 years ago atop a hill overlooking Phewa Tal, the Stupa offers a great place to see the mountains and the sunset over Pokhara. It can be accessed by hiring a boat across the lake and following a pretty good track upward, climbing up through the forest (but watch out for leeches during the monsoon)or by foot from the road that passes Devi's Fall, turning right at the end of Chhorepatan. Taxis can now drive up to within 15 minutes' walk of the Stupa - ask them to use the Chhorepatan road, which is shorter and therefore should be a little cheaper than the Kalimati road. Sarangkot - The perfect pre-trek warm-up. Head up Sarankot in the late afternoon (be prepared, it's steep and hard work) find yourselves a warm guest house before sunset, go up the top for sunset and again for sunrise... you won't be disappointed. The road is rough, but traversable. Great views, spectacular images and a great way to get a taste of what it's like to be trekking. Additionally, the magnificent Sunrise view in Sarangkot can never miss.
Lumbini
Located in Terai Plain of Nepal near the India border, Lumbini is known as the birhplace of Sakyamuni and now is the pilgrimage place for Buddhists from all over the world.
Lumbini is in the foothills of the Himalaya, 25 km east of the municipality of Kapilavastu, where the Buddha is said to have lived till the age of 29. Kapilvastu is the name of the place in question as well as of the neighbouring district. Lumbini has a number of temples, including the Mayadevi temple, and others under construction. Also here is the Puskarini or Holy Pond - where the Buddha's mother took the ritual dip prior to his birth and where he, too, had his first bath - as well as the remains of Kapilvastu palace. At other sites near Lumbini, earlier Buddhas were, according to tradition, born, achieved ultimate awakening and finally relinquished earthly form.
Ashokan Pillar - an inscribed pillar erected by Emperor Ashoka (249 BC) on the spot of Buddha's birth. The inscription, which is the oldest in Nepal, grants Lumbini a tax-free status in honor of Buddha’s birth.
Buddhist Temples - there are foundations of temples dating from the 2nd century BC to the 9th century AD, and two modern temples: one in Tibetan style, the Dharma Swami Maharaja Buddha Temple, which was built by the king of Mustang, and one Nepalese Theravada style building, the Lumbini Buddha Vihar, which was built by the Nepalese government and contains Tibetan-style frescoes and Newari-style Buddhist images. Outside the main complex, there are other temples built in the styles of countries where Buddhism is the predominant religion, such as Chinese, Japanese and Burmese.
The Japan Peace Stupa - the 41m imposing structure is situated at the northern end of the gardens.
The Lumbini Museum - it displays artifacts from the Mauryan and Kushana periods, religious manuscripts and other items discovered at the site.
The Lumbini International Research Institute - devoted to the study of Buddhism and other religions. It houses an extensive collection of books on religion, art and architecture.