20 Gorgeous and Extraordinary Tourist Attractions in Nepal

Nepal, the tiny country at the foothills of the mighty Himalayas is one of the most beautiful tourist nations in Asia. It is one of the several Asian countries that also beckon tourists with deep spiritual inclinations.

I read that Nepal also attracts history buffs; I am a History buff and I don’t advocate people with similar interests to visit Nepal. You may not be interested. No offence intended to the Nepalese.

Nepal is purely for mountains lovers that are full of green meadows, tracts, and tracts of them, crystal clear rivers, terrific Himalayan mountain birds, and Hindu and Buddhist temples of untold importance since time immemorial.

Oh yes, if there is one country that offers trekkers everything they want such as diverse trails, trails that are easy to elderly adventure enthusiasts, trials that are very demanding, river and lake terrains and jungle trails.

Above all other attraction of Nepal, there is the mighty Everest peak that itself attracts adventure seekers from all parts of the world.

Apart from Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, there is no other big city in Nepal; every other town or remote villages surrounded by agricultural lands are also worth visiting.

1.Muktinath Temple, Nepal

This is the most sacred temple in Nepal for the Hindus and especially for the SriVaishnavites. Located well above the holy Gandaki river, this remote temple is not easy to access. One has to come by bus up to Pokhara town from Kathmandu and stay overnight. The next day, if the weather permits, you have to travel in a chopper up to Jomsom, the base camp. From there, you must take a back-bending ride on a jeep to reach the Muktinath temple located at over 12,000 feet in the Annapurna Mountain Range, Himalayas. In addition, the final leg to reach the temple involves 30 minutes walk from where the jeep from Jomsom let you off.

2.Sagarmatha National Park

Sagarmatha National Park is located in northeast Nepal and is part of the Himalayas mountain range. Do not expect much green there such as tall pine trees that usually dot the Indian and Nepal mountains.

As you can see, the mountains are entirely (well, almost) covered with snow that seems adamant to stay frozen even when the sun is at its glorious best. Mount Everest trekking starts from this part of Nepal only.

Buddhism thrives in Nepal due to its proximity to other Buddhist centers such as Tibet. Consequently, there are several Buddhist monasteries in Nepal and some of them are found near the Sagarmatha National Park namely the Tengboche Monastery.

There are no residences here except a few huts where the sherpas (Himalayan mountain guides) live mainly to escort the tourists and show them around.

These sherpas are adept at spotting the snow leopard, red panda, Himalayan black bear, and the endangered musk deer.

3. The Gokyo Lakes, Nepal

Did you see the clarity of the water and its light blue color? It’s a stunning sightseeing place in Sagarmatha National Park an ideal place to enjoy your lunch soaking in the sun’s warmth.

Because of this large water body, during April and May, you can spot several migratory birds.

4. Himalayan Mountain birds found in Sagarmatha National Park.

Some of the world’s most beautiful birds are found in two places in India and Nepal. One is the Himalayas and the other is North East India. In the Sagarmatha National Park alone, there are 86 colorful species of birds that you could not have seen even in Singapore’s Jurong Park.

Here are only a few of those exotic and very colorful birds in this part of Nepal.

• Kalij Pheasant

• Red-headed Bullfinch

• Black-necked Grebe

• Tibetan Serin

• Blue-capped Redstart

• Blood Pheasant

5. Namche Bazaar, Nepal

If you are staying in one of the Kathmandu hotels, you will find this Namche Bazar as it is on your way the Sagarmatha National Park. This Namche bazaar is located at a distance of 135 km from Kathmandu and it is the gateway to Everest because the Everest climbers take their first step towards the world’s tallest peak from here only.

Namche Bazaar is aptly called a bazaar because the trekkers buy all their mountaineering needs from this small town. Uniquely, this is where in Namche Bazar you can buy butter and cheese made from Yak’s milk.

At 11,200 feet, the Namche Bazaar is rated as the world’s highest bazaar.

Wow! It will be a big effort to walk in this hilly region to approach various shops. It is certainly a prelude to the Everest trekkers.

6. River tour of Nepal

Generally, the rivers of Nepal are potable and clean because most of the rivers are fed by the melting snow.  Even if you stay in Kathmandu city, you can hire a local taxi and ask the driver to show you around all the major rivers in Nepal. You don’t need a separate guide to make a river tour in Nepal.

• Bagmati river
• Gandaki river
• Ghaghara river
• Kosi
• Kamala
• Bheri
• Sharda

7.Pashupatinath Temple, Nepal

That’s a typical Nepali temple whose architecture is a mixture of Buddhist and Hindu. It is a temple dedicated to Lord Siva and is located on the banks of Bagmati river. From the capital city of Kathmandu, it is only 5 km away. It is a very holy temple for the people of India. You can call it a temple complex as there shrines for various deities and halls for conducting religious functions and festivals.

8. Patan, the town of temples, Nepal.

An old town with several temples for Hindi Gods and Buddha, the Patan town is located on the other side of Bagmati river near Kathmandu. The most popular temples in Patan town are:

• The Golden Temple,
• Krishna Mandir

In addition, being a pilgrimage center, the tourists are seen in large numbers doing shopping and eating local Nepalese food in Mul Chowk, and Sundari Chowk. Overall, the town is bustling and you should spend a couple of hours here. After all, your Kathmandu hotel is only 7 km away.

9. River rafting in Kosi river, Nepal

Bhote Koshi (Kosi) is the upper course of the Sun Kosi River. Somehow white-water rafting has become famous here. It is an exciting and most thrilling experience to indulge in rafting in a Himalayan river where the force is considerable and ideal for rafting water sport.

Kosi river flows for 270 km in the Mahabharat range of Himalayas.

The surrounding areas are scenic mountains with a terraced cultivation of potato, cabbage, and cauliflowers. You can see them in Dolalghat, Dhani Ghat, Raswaghat, and Raighat.

10.Tribeni Ghat, Nepal

Here is where you can witness the confluence of river Arun and Tamur.

Credit:8adventures

Here too, water rafting is carried with great enthusiasm.

11.Durbar Square, Kathmandu

It is an open plaza in front of the palace in Nepal. There are many temples surrounding the square.

12. Phewa Lake, Nepal

What a picturesque lake surrounded by blue mountains of the Annapurna range. It’s a freshwater lake in Pokhara town, the gateway to Muktinath temple. It is recommended to stay here overnight in one of the many hotels surrounding the lake. Go with a local guide into the dense forests beyond the lake.

13. Chitwan National Park, Nepal

The tal (lake) that you see above is called the Bishazari Tal.

Chitwan National Park is a reserved area in the Terai Lowlands of south-central Nepal. The entire area comprises of dense forests and lovely looking meadows. It is also the habitat for sloth bears, leopards, one-horned rhinos, giant hornbills and Bengal tigers. Inside the park flows the dangerous Gharials (crocodiles) infested Rapti River. In addition, there is an ashram dedicated to sage Valmiki, the author of Ramayan.

14. Annapurna Sanctuary Trek, Nepal

Hold your breath! The trek that is only for extremely fit people only involves more than 10 days of walking on some rough and rugged terrain. In spite of such an arduous journey on foot, you can see people walking in batches. Some brave loners too can be seen trekking up with a walking stick and all the mountaineering gears on their backpack.

Backed by some astounding snowy mountains and streams, hikers are offered shelter and food on the way by the village people in their homes. Their homemade fried apple pie is a must-try dish in Nepal.

Enjoying the scenery, one can watch in awe the following snow-capped peaks:

• Gangapurna
• Hiumchuli
• Annapurna south
• Annapurna I
• Macchapuchhare

Most of these mountain peaks are well above 18,000 feet in elevation. You can imagine the stress and strain involved in trekking.

If by chance you are pretty excited to undertake this once-in-a-lifetime Himalayan trek, you can approach https://www.mountainmonarch.com/ who can organize an expedition for you.

15. Everest Base Camp

This is the trek of the world you can say as it takes up to three weeks of trekkingto reach the base of the Everest Camp.

Of course, you need not join the Everest trekkers but it will be very interesting to witness all the meticulous preparation of the sherpas for the climbers. The starting point of the trek to the Everest base camp situated at 14,400 feet! When you have reached the destination, you will be standing at a little over 17,000 feet! I think that itself will give you the feeling of conquering the Everest.

16.Wildlife Watching in Chitwan National Park

For once, let us not trek and spend some time watching the rare wildlife of Nepal. It is far away from Kathmandu, nearly 170 km away to the south of the Nepal capital. For a tour of the national park, you can hire an elephant ride, boss!

Apart from the Bengal tigers and gaur, you can see the Ganges Gharials and a wide range of birds that are already mentioned above. I guess about 500 species of colorful Himalayan birds are recorded by ornithologists. The best time to visit Chitwan National Park is from October to February because of friendly weather. Of course, avid birding enthusiasts can visit anytime in the year.

17. Lumbini, Nepal

That is the temple of Mayadevi, who gave birth to her son Siddhartha Gautama who became to be known as Buddha Shakyamuni. Lumbini is a very sacred place for the Buddhism followers and millions of them make a trip to Lumbini every year. The exact birthplace of Buddha was said to be developed as a temple to Maya Devi, his mother.

18. Helambu Trek

This trek is for beginner trekkers but it still involves 5 days of Himalayan trekking that can be certainly demanding.

The starting point of this easier trekking trail is about 80 km from Kathmandu, in the Malechmi Khola valley. You need sherpas to guide you for your trekking. Since this is a popular trekking trail, several basic lodges have come along the route; villagers too offer boarding and lodging.

19. Boudhanath, Nepal

What a majestic and colorful monument. It is not far away from Kathmandu; only 7 km of local transportation can take you there. It is a crowded pilgrimage and one of the most popular tourist attractions in Nepal. For casual visitors, there are plenty of stalls selling the famous Nepalese momos.

20. Nagarkot, Nepal

It is located at a height of 7100 feet. It is essentially a view point of the magnificent Himalayas and especially the Everest peak. Tourists, unmindful of the chilly weather reach up to this place to watch the breathtaking sunrise. If you want, you can get down when you see the pine forest on the way and stay for a few calm minutes.

So, that’s all about the sightseeing attraction in Nepal. Kathmandu city too has plenty to offer, especially the vegetarian food and that is dead cheap.