Away from the architectural complexities of Durbar Square, the simplicity of the towering white Buddhist stupas at Bodnath and Swayambhunath are striking. Swayambhunath plays host to both playful monkeys and magnificent views across the valley, while Bodnath stupa is encircled by Tibetan shops, hotels, houses and temples.
Visiting Bodnath can be combined with nearby Pashupatinath, the most sacred Hindu site outside of India, where the burning funeral pyres lie on the banks of the River Bagmati. Going further out of the valley are Dhulikel and Nagarkot: beautiful, medieval mountain villages that offer wonderful vistas at sunrise and sunset.
In this region
Bhaktapur lies only a short distance from the capital, but it could be another planet, so great is the difference in the atmosphere and sense of history. It really feels,...
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Dhulikel is a village some 30km (18 miles) from Kathmandu, on the Arniko highway to Tibet, lying at an altitude of some 1470m, (4822 ft). Superb views of the Himalayan...
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The eaves of the pagodas, the smells from the street stalls and the vibrant people all combine to make Kathmandu a truly intoxicating and evocative city. Formerly three...
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Nagarkot is a hill town, considered to have the best mountain views, with extensive views in clear weather from the Annapurnas all the way to Kanchenjunga on the Sikkim...
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