Kathmandu Capital of Nepal - Family Holidays in Kathmandu

Family Holidays in Kathmandu Tour Package Detailed Plan

Day 01: Arrival in Delhi

Day 02: Delhi - Kathmandu

Day 03: Kathmandu

Day 04: Kathmandu - Pokhara

Day 05: Pokhara

Day 06: Pokhara - Chitwan

Day 07: Royal Chitwan National Park

Day 08: Chitwan - Kathmandu

Day 09: Kathmandu - Delhi - Onward

Things to Remember before Visiting Nepal's Kathmandu City.

• Kathmandu is Nepal's capital city and largest metropolitan area. It is located at the base of the Himalayas and is known for its rich history, culture, architecture, and spirituality. Kathmandu is home to many temples, monasteries, shrines, museums, and art galleries. There are over 100 different religious sites to visit in Kathmandu alone.
• The Kathmandu Valley is the second largest valley in Asia after the Grand Canyon. It is surrounded by mountains and hills and is home to over 10 million people. The valley is filled with lush green forests, terraced rice fields, and small villages.
• The Kathmandu River runs through the heart of the valley and is home to many species of fish and waterfowl. The river is famous for its rafting trips and whitewater kayaking.
• The Boudhanath Stupa is a Buddhist temple and monastery that was built in the 6th century. It is the oldest standing stupa in the world.
• Pashupatinath Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is the most sacred Hindu temple site in Nepal. It is the place where Hindus believe Shiva took his third step.
• Swayambhunath Stupa is the most popular Buddhist shrine in Kathmandu. It is believed to have been built around AD 600.
• Bouddhanath is the name of a neighbourhood in Kathmandu. In the past, this was a separate village, but today it is just a part of Kathmandu.
• Durbar Square (also called Patan) is the central square in Kathmandu. Here you'll find some of the most important monuments in Kathmandu including the Kumari Temple, Bhaktapur Durbar Square, and Swayambhu Nath Temple.
• Changu Narayan Temple is one of the holiest Hindu temples in the Kathmandu Valley. It is dedicated to Lord Vishnu's incarnation as Changu Narayan.
• Thamel is a tourist hub in Kathmandu. Many travellers head here to shop for cheap clothes, jewellery, electronics, and household goods.
• The Bagmati River flows through the centre of Kathmandu and provides drinking water to the residents.
• The Kathmandu Airport is the only airport serving the Kathmandu Valley and receives international flights.
• The Kathmandu International Mountain Resort is a ski resort in Kathmandu.
• Kathmandu is known as the Living Goddess City due to the number of temples dedicated to the goddess.
• Kathmandu (काठम्डू) is Located at the bottom of the Bagmati River Valley, Kathmandu lies at an elevation of about 1,330 m (4400 ft). Kathmandu is located in the northern region of Nepal, east of the Himalayas. Kathmandu was founded in the 8th century BC and became the capital of the Kingdom of Nepal under King Mahendra Malla in 1468 AD. The name Kathmandu means 'the end of the world in Sanskrit.
• Nepal is a landlocked country surrounded by India to the south, China to the northeast, Bhutan to the west, Bangladesh to the southwest, and Tibet Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China to the northeast. Its total area is 147,879 square kilometres (56,943 sq mi), making it the world's 85th-largest nation. Kathmandu is the capital and largest city; however, there are many other cities and towns throughout the country.
• Kathmandu is known as the 'City of Living Gods', where Hindu deities are believed to reside. There are over 1000 temples in Kathmandu alone, including Kumari Hathek, the temple of the goddess Kumari. The Kumari is the only living Goddess in Nepal. She is considered to be divine and lives in the womb of her parents, who are both incarnations of Vishnu. Her birth is celebrated annually in January/February.
• The earliest inhabitants of Kathmandu were the Newars, followed by immigrants from Tibet, Bengal, Odisha, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Sindh, Afghanistan, Kashmir, and Ladakh. The Nepali people are ethnically diverse, consisting of Indo-Aryan speakers, Dravidian speakers, Mongoloid peoples, Austroasiatic speakers, Tibeto-Burman speakers, and Muslim communities. At the time of the 2011 census, the population of Kathmandu was estimated to be approximately 2 million.
• The first historical reference to Kathmandu dates back to the year 850 CE when it was mentioned in the book Lalitavistara. In 1025, the Chinese traveller Hsuan Tsang visited the city and described it as a prosperous trading centre. He noted that the residents worshipped numerous Hindu gods and had a great knowledge of medicine and astrology. By the 13th century, Kathmandu was ruled by the Shah dynasty. In 1527, Babur, the Mughal emperor, passed through the valley on his way to conquer the Indian subcontinent. After conquering the valley, he established a garrison there. In 1616, the Gorkha king Prithvi Narayan Shah conquered the valley and renamed it Gorkha. In 1769, the valley came under British rule. In 1950, after gaining independence, Nepal adopted its current constitution.
• The Kathmandu Valley is home to many ancient monuments, monasteries, and palaces. The UNESCO World Heritage Sites include Pashupatinath Temple, Swayambhunath Stupa, Boudhanath Stupa, Patan Durbar Square, Changu Narayan Temple, Bouddhanath Stupa and Swyambhu Nath Temple. Other sites include Thamel, Bhaktapur, Banepa, Nagarkot, Lumbini, Kirtipur, Bhimdatta, Bhadrakali Mandir, Jwala Mahadev, Hanuman Dhoka Palace, Ratna Park, Rani Pokhari, and Patan Museum.
• Kathmandu is well connected to major cities in the region and around the world via air, road, rail, and river routes. International flights connect Kathmandu to Delhi, Mumbai, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Seoul, Hong Kong, Osaka, Taipei, Beijing, Shanghai, Tokyo, and Guam. Domestic flights connect Kathmandu with Biratnagar, Birgunj, Janakpur, Lalitpur, Pokhara, and Tribhuvan International Airport. Road links connect Kathmandu to India, China, Pakistan, Thailand, Malaysia, Australia, and Europe. Railways link Kathmandu to India and China.
• Kathmandu is a popular tourist destination due to its rich history, culture, festivals, and natural beauty. Kathmandu city attracts tourists from across the globe. Many travellers visit the city for spiritual enlightenment and to experience the colourful Tibetan Buddhist culture. Others travel to Kathmandu for adventure activities like rafting, paragliding, trekking, mountain biking, hiking, skiing, climbing, and motorcycling.
• The climate of Kathmandu varies according to altitude. Temperatures decrease with increasing altitude. Summer temperatures range between 25°C and 35°C, while winter temperatures fall between 5°C and 20°C. Rainfall is heaviest in April and May.
• Kathmandu is divided into two parts: Kathmandu District and Lalitpur District. Kathmandu District consists of nine municipalities: Kathmandu, Bhaktapur City, Bhaktapur District, Bhavanisagar, Chobhar, Dolakha, Kalanki, Kapilvastu, and Syangja. Lalitpur District consists of four municipalities: Lalitpur, Bhrikuti, Bhairahawa, and Siddarthapur.
• Nepal's official language is Nepali, which belongs to the South Asian branch of the Indo-European languages. Hindi and English are widely spoken as well. The majority of the population follows Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, or folk religions.
• The national flag of Nepal is composed of a golden lotus flower on a red background. The lotus flower represents purity and eternal life. The colour red symbolises courage and sacrifice, while gold stands for wealth and prosperity. The lotus flower is based on the royal emblem of the Shah Dynasty.
• The national anthem of Nepal is "Janaiya Mane Raajana", meaning "Victorious Motherland". Written by Madhesh Chandra Shrestha, it was adopted in 1951.
• The currency of Nepal is the Nepalese rupee (NPR), issued by the Central Bank of Nepal. NPR coins have been produced since 1967, with banknotes being introduced in 1969. The exchange rate is fixed at NPR 100  US$1.
• Katamandava means “city of lotus” and Nawa means “water”. Katamandava refers to the sacred lotus flower and Nawa means water. The sacred lotus is the national symbol of Nepal.
• Nepal was once called Kailash-Manasarovar (KM) after the mythical Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar. In ancient times, the region was inhabited by many tribes including the Gurung, Newa, Thakali, Limbu, Rai, Chhetri, Brahmin, and others. All these people speak Nepali dialects.
• In the 15th century, King Prithvi Narayan Shah unified Nepal and established his rule over the entire country. He declared himself king of Nepal and changed the name of the kingdom to Gorkha.
• Kathmandu Valley lies in the centre of Nepal. Kathmandu City is bordered by mountains on three sides. The valley is surrounded by hills on four sides. The valley is approximately 20 km long and 10 km wide. Its altitude varies between 1,500 meters above sea level to 2,000 meters above sea level.
• The Kathmandu Valley is home to many historical monuments and cultural attractions. These include Pashupatinath Temple, Boudhanath Stupa, Swayambhunath Stupa, Bhimsen Tower, Patan Durbar Square, Bouddhanath Stupa and Kumari Bahini College.
• There are several festivals celebrated throughout the year in Kathmandu. The most prominent festival is Dashain, which falls in September/October. Other important festivals include Buddha Jayanti, Tihar, Durga Puja, Janai Purnima, Ganesh Puja, Ram Navami, Shiv Ratri, Holi, Raksha Bandhan, Deepawali, Christmas and Eid al Fitr.
• Kathmandua is the capital of Nepal and is the largest metropolitan area in the country. It is located at a distance of around 100 kilometres from the border of India. The population of Kathmandu is estimated to be around 4 million.
• The city is divided into different wards. The major ones are Kantipur, Lalitpur, Thamel, Bhrikuti Mandap, Banepa, Dhulikhel, Patan, Achham, Makwanpur, Kalanki, Khairigram, Sundarijal, Bhadrapur, Rautahat, Bhaktapur, Basantapur, Bhaktapur Rural, Bhaktapur Urban, Bhaktapur Municipality, Bhaktapur Cantonment, Bhaktapur District, Bhaktapur Sub-metropolitan City, Bhaktapur Metropolitan City, Bhaktapuri Urban Development Authority, Kathmandu Metropolitan City, Kathmandu Metropolitan Police.
• Kathmandurao is a popular dish prepared using rice flour and vegetables. It is cooked in a spicy tomato gravy and has a unique taste. It is considered to be a traditional food of Kathmandu.
• Kathmandur is a famous brand of bottled mineral water produced by the Water Corporation of Nepal Limited. It is a soft drink manufactured from natural spring water. It is sold in bottles across the nation.
• Kathmanduras are small round balls of fried dough, which are eaten with tea or coffee. They are traditionally made from wheat flour, but they can also be made from cornmeal or potato flour.
• Kathmandures are a type of sweet dessert made from milk, sugar, and ghee. They are generally served with ice cream or fruit.
• Kathmandure is a traditional Nepalese snack. It consists of deep-fried chickpea fritters coated with sesame seeds and sprinkled with salt.

Swayambhunath stupa Kathmandu | credit - unsplash.com