KATHMANDU FOOD TOUR

 
Meeting Sandib just outside Thamel, we began our tour at a local tea house located in an ancient bahas, or courtyard, where we sampled some of the local chiya (not chai!!, which we were quickly told off to saying).

Sugar high complete, we moved on, stopping at five epic, locals-only food stalls, where we tried a whole range of local delicacies. These included baras (traditional lentil pancakes), yomari (dumpling made out of rice flour and is filled with molasis traditionally), samosas with a Nepali twist, a Tibetan staple of momos, sweet and sour pani purri, and a thick, creamy lassi.

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JOIN A KATHMANDU FOOD TOUR

 
“Where the hell are we going” we asked our guide, Sandib, as we walked through the rabbit warren laneways of Basantipur, Kathmandu’s old town. “To eat some delicious food, trust me” was his reply.

He wasn’t wrong.

After our third visit to Nepal, we were keen to learn more about Nepali cuisine away from the westernised restaurants that dot Thamel and Freak Street, so we joined a Secret Food Tour with Backstreet Academy

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Nepali food

 For larger meals, you really can’t go past Dal Bhat, the Nepali staple meal for lunch and dinner. Dal Bhat is a traditional Nepali meal consisting of rice, a lentil based soup and other condiments, and it’s generally all you can eat so you’ll never go hungry. For those who enjoy soups, our go-to favourite is Thukpa or Thenthuk, a delicious mix of meat, noodles and vegetables in a thick soup, from the mountains of Tibet.

On the restaurant front, check out Yangling just outside of Thamel. It has the best Tibetan/Nepali cuisine in all of Kathmandu (we’ve tried almost everywhere!), at seriously cheap prices.

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EAT ALL THE DELICIOUS NEPALI FOOD

 Don’t be worried by the quality or variety of food in Nepal because it’s incredibly good! Nom.

For the local variety of snacks, start with Momos. The Nepali answer to dumplings, these pockets of joy come in vegetable, buff (buffalo) or chicken and can be fried or steamed. Our personal preference is steamed, served with a red chilli chutney.

You can also find amazing Indian influences, such as pakora and samosas on any street corner! Next, find yourself some Choila, spicy grilled buffalo meat which goes down a treat with an ice cold Everest lager.

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A Cooking Class At Seven Women, Kathmandu

 
During the class, we also heard from Anita, our leader, all about the hardships faced by women in Nepal, and how things are slowly but surely improving across the country, especially with the help of social enterprises such as Seven Women.

Not only is a traditional cooking class at Seven Women one of the best things to do in Nepal, it’s also a great way of supporting an enterprise that is helping empower Nepali women.

Cooking Class At Seven Women

 During our cooking class, we learned how to make traditional Nepali dishes, including a proper Nepalese curry (Dal Bhat!) from scratch using fresh local ingredients from Kathmandu Valley. Surprisingly, it tasted absolutely delicious.

We then made a traditional rice pudding for dessert, which we’re both comfortable in admitting, was the best thing we’ve ever cooked.

Enjoy A Cooking Class With A Difference At Seven Women, Kathmandu

 We always say that to truly experience a destination, you have to understand its food culture too - so most places we go, we try to take a traditional cooking class.

In Kathmandu, we joined a cooking class at Seven Women, a social enterprise working to empower marginalised Nepalese women through skills training and literacy classes. For Nepali women, the kitchen is the heart of the home and we learned that it gives them a great sense of pride to share their food, culture and traditions with travellers from around the world.

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Patan Durbar Square 4

 The locals treat it like their second home, with the benches and temples a meeting point for people of all types, from young lovers to groups of old men. It’s a fascinating place to people watch - you could spend hours here watching the world go by (we did just that on our second visit here!).

 Like most historical sites in Kathmandu, Patan Durbar Square is still undergoing restoration post 2015 earthquake.

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Patan Durbar Square

 Krishna Mandir | The most impressive temple in all the Durbar squares, and Patan’s most important, Krishna Mandir houses shrine to Lord Krishna, with shrines to Radha and Rukmini on either side

 Mul Chowk | Central courtyard of the Palace and the most beautiful of the three main chowks in the complex

 The third of Kathmandu Valley’s UNESCO World Heritage listed Durbar Squares is also the most authentic, with a distinct lack of souvenirs stalls and touts giving a friendly, relaxed vibe.

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Patan Durbar Square

 Like most of the classical Newari architecture found in the Kathmandu Valley, Patan was mostly constructed during the Malla period (14th - 18th centuries), leaving a Royal Palace, and assorted Hindu and Buddhist temples and idols surrounded by public squares.

Some of our recommended sites to visit in Patan include:

Patan Museum | Housed in the former royal palace, the museum exhibits objects and treasures from Nepal’s rich cultural history, including bronze and copper casts, and traditional crafts from Patan

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Bhaktapur Durbar Square

A visit here takes around 40 minutes from Kathmandu, but once inside the old-town, including Bhaktapur Durbar Square, the streets are pedestrianised, providing a calmer atmosphere than Kathmandu Durbar Square.

Nyatapola temple in Bhaktapur Durbar Square,

The classic Newari marvel, Patan is a far less-touristy and dare we say it, more attractive version of Kathmandu Durbar Square.

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Kathmandu Points of interest 4

 Juju Dhau | Okay, this isn’t necessarily a place, but rather a local staple food - Newari yoghurt. 

Made from buffalo milk, it’s sweet and creamy and served in a traditional clay bowl. We could eat this all day… trust us!

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Kathmandu Points of interest 3

 Nyatapola temple | The tallest pagoda ever built in Nepal, this five storey temple based on the five basic elements

Dattatreya Square | Located in the older, east end, Dattatreya Square is our favourite square in Bhaktapur. Flanked by Dattatreya temple and an array of traditional Newari buildings, it’s a quieter and more comfortable here, with far less tourists making it to this part of Bhaktapur

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Pashupatinath temple

 The UNESCO World Heritage listed city is known for it’s artistry and crafts; walking the streets you’ll notice pottery makers, craftsmen, painters and carpenters doing their thing - we recommend buying your souvenirs here, where the quality is great and directly from the local

Points of interest in the city of Bhaktapur that we recommend you visit include:

Pashupatinath temple/Pagoda, the Royal bath, Chyasalin Mandip, Siddhi Lakshi temple, Vatsala temple (currently being restored)

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Kathmandu Bhaktapur

 The ancient Newari city of Bhaktapur, with it’s pagodas, temples, palaces, narrow laneways and warm-brick facades, is the most extraordinarily beautiful ‘city’ in Nepal.

Founded in ninth century, Bhaktapur ruled the Kathmandu Valley from 1200 - 1482, when the king, Yaksha Malla, devided the valley into three kingdoms - Bhaktapur, Basantipur (Kathmandu), and Patan. Quarrelling and oneupmanship led to a period of growth in culture, construction, artistry, and architecture from 1400 - 1800’s, leading to the stunning set of structures found today.

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Kathmandu Ancient Durbar Squares 7

 Many of the ancient temples and structures were severely damaged in the 2015 earthquake, and when we visited again in 2019, the area resembled more of a construction site than a world heritage site. That being said, positive restoration work is being done, and it won’t be long before this area is back to its former glory.

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Kathmandu Ancient Durbar Squares 6

 Kumari Ghar | Home of the Kumari, a girl selected to be the town’s living goddess, and symbol of Devi, Hinduism’s concept of female spiritual energy. It’s unlikely you’ll see the Kumari (if you do, you’re very lucky!), but do check out the small courtyard, with beautiful carved wooden balconies and windows

Kal Bhairav | A colourful stone image of Bhairav, representing the deity Shiva in his destructive manifestation. Great for watching locals performing religious practices

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Kathmandu Ancient Durbar Squares 5

 Jagannath Temple | The oldest and most beautiful structure in the complex, and most famous for its erotic carvings. Dates back to 1563

Hanuman Dhoka | The former Royal Palace, hit hard by the 2015 earthquake. You can walk into the courtyard, and see the Hanuman statue at the main entrance

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Kathmandu Ancient Durbar Squares 4

 The most impressive parts of the square are indeed the pagodas, which feature traditional Newari wooden carvings, some of which date back to the 16th century. Unfortunately, the majority of the glorious structures Mark saw on his first visit to Nepal in 2013 no longer remain, or are under reconstruction, but there’s still a lot of interesting sites to see. These include:

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Kathmandu Ancient Durbar Squares 3

 And best of all, it’s it super accessible, situated in central Kathmandu, just a 10 minute walk from the tourist hub of Thamel.

The UNESCO World Heritage listed Kathmandu Durbar Square is a stunning series of former beautiful temples and shrines, both Hindu and Buddhist, former royal palaces, courtyards, statues and ponds.

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Kathmandu Ancient Durbar Squares 2

 In the unified Nepal of today, each Durbar Square is made up of temples, idols, statues, open courts and fountains along with other structures. They are the perfect place to admire ancient Nepali architecture, Newari wood carvings and historic traditions. Oh, and it’s a great place to people watch.

Kathmandu Durbar Square might have suffered more from 2015 earthquake than most Kathmandu tourist sites, but it’s still an essential stop on any self respecting travellers 'what to do in Nepal' checklist.

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Explore The Kathmandu Valley’s Ancient Durbar Squares

No visit to Kathmandu would be complete without visiting the incredible UNESCO World Heritage listed Durbar squares of Kathmandu.

Going back in history, Nepal was actually split into three main kingdoms - Basantapur (Kathmandu), Bhaktapur, and Patan, each of which had a royal palace and surrounding Durbar squares located in the Kathmandu Valley.

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Nepal Travel: Pashupatinath Temple 4 Aarti ceremony

 As night falls gently over the Pashupatinath complex, different hum of activity starts to rise; people line the far bank of the river, and an elaborate offering of music, chanting, incense, lights and camphor to Lord Shiva begins.

The ceremony, known as Aarti, builds slowly until the whole crowd is on their feet, dancing as they chant and sing together in worship, and it’s impossible to resist being swept up in the energy of it all! 

The Aarti ceremony is one of the more important ceremonies in the Hindu faith; it always includes a flame or light, and generally involves the passing of an Aarti plate/lamp around a deity or person, and is accompanied by songs praising that deity or person.

Nepal Travel: Pashupatinath Temple 3 Aarti ceremony

 We recommend hanging around and watching the Aarti ceremony which commences each evening at 6:30pm. The Aarti ceremony is one of the more important ceremonies in the Hindu faith; it’s full of colour, light and chanting and it’s totally worth staying for.

Overall, the temple only suffered minor damage from the 2015 earthquake so can still be seen in all its glory. 

Watching an Aarti ceremony truly is one of the most unique experiences to have in Nepal.

Nepal Travel: Pashupatinath Temple 2

 For westerners, you’ll have to view from outside as the temple is for Hindu devotees only. The main attraction here is the shining Shivalinga and huge golden statue of Shiva’s Bull, Nandi. It’s also home to some pretty colourful artwork. 

Pashupatinath is also the location for many buddhist and Hindu cremations, so you’ll likely see one of these taking place on the banks of the river. It’s a pretty confronting sight but incredibly interesting to witness.

Nepal Travel: Pashupatinath Temple

 While Nepal is constantly abuzz with the intoxicating chaos and bustle of human life, the sacred Pashupatinath Hindu temple is a sobering reminder that all life eventually comes to an end.

Pashupatinath, dedicated to the god Shiva, is one of the holiest sites in all of Hinduism and attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. On the banks of the Bagmati river, Pashupatinath has existed since 400 A.D and its main temple is considered a masterpiece in Hindu architecture.

Swayambhunath Stupa 3

 There may be a few stairs (365) and a heap of monkeys to navigate before you summit, but the views at the top are worth it. From there, you’re greeted with an incredible view of bustling Kathmandu going about its day - a sight definitely worth the raised heart rate of the climb.

Unfortunately, during the 2015 earthquake the temple suffered a large amount of damage at the summit however the main structures are still standing and have been renovated over the last few years.

Swayambhunath Stupa

 The best time to visit is early evening when local devotees circumnavigate the stupa, spinning prayer wheels as they go and making their way through the ever present smoky incense hanging heavy in the air. 

This lofty hilltop also provides the best vistas of Kathmandu, perfect for a sunset snap.

Dodge monkeys and admire the views of kathmandu at swayambhunath stupa

A visit to Swayambhunath (or Monkey temple) is one of the best things to do in Nepal, and an essential experience to have in Kathmandu

 Swayambhunath is a beautiful, if not slightly chaotic jumble of Hindu and Buddhist iconography; at the top there’s a heady scent of incense and butter candles, and the hum of the sacred om mani padme hum (in which all of Buddha’s teachings are said to be found).

The Best of Nepal 4 Boudhanath

 Thousands of pilgrims visit each day to walk around the central dome, spinning prayer wheels as they go; Tibetan monks chant mantras and pray in the surrounding monasteries while tourists take it all in.

 The best time to visit Boudhanath is during the late afternoon when the place has a more authentic feel. Locals go about their daily ritual and the surrounding area is less busy, and the golden glow of the afternoon sun envelopes the stupa.

 After the 2015 earthquake, the main part of the stupa collapsed, however after restoration efforts to reinforce the structure, the eyes of buddha gaze out over Kathmandu from the gilded central tower.

The Common Wanderer

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