History of Tourism in Nepal

Before 1662, no Westerner had traveled to Nepal. The first Westerners to visit Nepal were Christian missionaries Gruber and Doraville. In 1722, the first missionary office was established in Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal. When Prithvi Narayan Shah, the founder of modern Nepal, took over Kathmandu in 1769, he banished all Christians and closed Nepal to foreigners. In 1816, after losing a war with Britain, Nepal accepted the first foreign diplomatic mission under a new treaty.

In 1947, Nepal established diplomatic ties with the United States. However, the country remained closed to Westerners. The 1950 revolution marked the beginning of modern Nepal, and Westerners flocked to explore the mountains. Today, tourism is the second-largest revenue-generating sector in Nepal.

Whether you are a foreigner living and working in Nepal, or have a Nepali visa and want to travel to Nepal, here are the top 30 things to do in the nascent republic.

#1 Sightseeing in Kathmandu

Explore the numerous places of religious, cultural, and historical importance in Kathmandu. Many monuments, temples, monasteries, and palaces date from the 14th to the 18th centuries, with some over two thousand years old. Key attractions include Kathmandu Durbar Square, the medieval royal palace plaza.

#2 Sightseeing in Patan

Patan has a greater concentration of temples than any other city in Nepal, according to Lonely Planet. The four Stupas built by Indian Emperor Ashoka in 249 BCE are located at the four corners of Patan. Notable sites include Durbar Square Patan, Golden Temple (Hiranya Varna Mahavihar), Kumbeshwar Temple, and Red Machhendranath Temple.

#3 Sightseeing in Bhaktapur

Bhaktapur is preserved in its medieval state, with modern constructions and automobiles prohibited in the town center. The city is famous for Bhaktapur Durbar Square, ancient settlements, and traditional farming practices.

#4 Visiting Stupas: The Buddhist Temples in Nepal

Stupas are iconic Buddhist temples characterized by their white domes, gilded spires, brass canopies, prayer wheels, and flags. Prominent stupas, such as Boudhanath, Swayambhunath, and Charumati Vihara, are UNESCO World Heritage Sites and date back about two thousand years.

#5 Visiting Pashupatinath and Other Hindu Temples

Nepal is a secular state with a predominance of Hindu and Buddhist populations. The country boasts over 3,000 ancient Hindu temples and more than 1,200 Buddhist temples and monasteries. The Pashupatinath Temple is the most significant Hindu temple, with other notable sites including Budhanilkantha, Changunarayana, and Krishna Temple.

#6 A Visit to Namche Bazaar, Everest, and the Sagarmatha National Park

Namche Bazaar, a town in the Everest region at an altitude of 3,440 meters, serves as the gateway to Everest expeditions and base camp treks. Non-trekkers can still experience the Everest region by traveling to Namche, accessible via a two-day walk from Tenzing-Hillary Airport in Lukla or an 11-day trek from Lamosangu village near Kathmandu.

#7 Annapurna Mountains

The Annapurna mountain range is a world-famous destination for trekking and mountain expeditions. The range includes the highest peak, Annapurna I (8,091 meters), and popular trekking destinations such as Muktinath, Mustang, and Manang.

#8 Jungle Safari in Chitwan National Park

Once a royal hunting reserve, Chitwan National Park was established in 1973. It can be reached via a six-hour bus ride or a 25-minute flight from Kathmandu, followed by a 15-minute drive. Activities include boating in the Narayani River, watching crocodiles in the Rapti River, jungle safaris on elephant back or by jeep, visiting the elephant breeding center, and watching Tharu cultural shows.

#9 Jungle Safari in Bardia National Park

Bardia National Park is renowned for spotting the Royal Bengal Tiger and is home to 250 bird species, tigers, rhinos, wild elephants, swamp deer, and blackbucks. Visitors may even encounter herds of wild elephants.

#10 Bird Watching

Nepal hosts over 900 bird species, 10% of the world’s total. Popular bird-watching spots include Koshi Tappu National Park, Shivapuri National Park, Chitwan National Park, Phulchowki, Pokhara, Bardiya National Park, and the Annapurna Conservation Area.

#11 Sightseeing in Pokhara

Pokhara is known for its lakes, caves, and mountains. It serves as the gateway to short treks like Ghandruk and Ghorepani, and long treks such as the Annapurna circuit. Attractions include the International Mountain Museum, rafting on the Kali Gandaki and Seti rivers, a walk to Poon Hill, Peace Temple, boating in Phewa and Begnas Lake, paragliding, and visiting the Gurkha Memorial Museum, Annapurna Butterfly Museum, Shree Gaden Dhargay Ling Monastery, Devi’s Fall, and Bat Cave.

#12 Mountain Flights

Mountain flights offer a close-range, eye-level view of the Himalayas for those who cannot trek. Planes fly at an average altitude of 7,000 meters, with one-hour morning flights providing views of Everest, Annapurna, Kanchenjunga, Makalu, Ganesh Himal, Gauri Shankar, Lhotse, Nuptse, Langtang, Manaslu, Lamjung Himal, Dhaulagiri, and more.

#13 Hiking

For a lighter alternative to trekking, try hiking. Popular routes near Kathmandu include Nagarjuna Hiking (5 hrs), White Monastery Hiking (4 hrs), Sundarijal-Chisapani Hiking (3 hrs), Nagarkot Hiking (5 hrs), Namobuddha Hiking (4 hrs), and Changunarayan Hiking (4 hrs). Near Pokhara, consider Sarangkot Hiking (6-7 hrs), World Peace Pagoda Hiking (4-5 hrs), and Naudanda-Sarangkot Hiking (6-7 hrs).

#14 Visiting Lumbini

Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha, features numerous religious and archaeological sites.

#15 Meditations in Nepal Vipassana Centre

The Nepal Vipassana Centre in Budhanilkantha, Kathmandu, offers free 10-day residential Vipassana meditation courses. Other options include free meditation in Lumbini or paid sessions in Nagarjuna Hill.

#16 Participate in Nepali Festivals

Join the celebrations of Nepal’s numerous festivals if your visit coincides with any. Major festivals include:

• New Year’s Day (April 14)
• Buddha Jayanti: The Birthday of Lord Buddha (May 24)
• Machchendranath Rath Jatra (May-June)
• Gaijatra (August)
• Krishnashtami (August-September)
• Father’s Day (August-September)
• Indra Jatra (September)
• Bada Dashain (October-November)
• Tihar (Diwali) (October-November)
• Maha Shivaratri: The Birth Night of Lord Shiva (February-March)
• Holi: Festival of Colors (March)
• Mother’s Day (March)

#17 Eat Momo

Try Momo, Nepal’s version of Asian dumplings, available from roadside stalls to five-star restaurants. Momos are made by filling dough balls with meat, vegetables, or dairy products, then steaming or frying them.

#18 King’s Way Walk

Stroll around Rani Pokhari, the Queen’s Pond, Ghantaghar-clock tower, and then to Durbar Marg, the King’s Way. Durbar Marg is home to some of Nepal’s finest hotels, shopping centers, and restaurants, including Narayanhiti Palace, the former royal residence now converted into a museum.

#19 Fishing

With over 4,000 rivers and thousands of lakes, Nepal is ideal for sport fishing. Himalayan rivers like Gandaki, Koshi, and Karnali offer species such as mahseer, snow trout, fresh water eel, and catfish. Combine fishing with rafting or team up with fishing communities like Bote, Majhi, Tharu, and Machhuwar.

#20 Home Staying

Experience local life by participating in a home-staying program, where travelers stay in local homes and eat local food. Popular home-staying destinations include Ghale Gaun and Gurung Gaun.