Must See

Bhaktapur

Bhaktapur (also known as the 'temple city?), is an ancient Newari town located in the east corner of the Kathmandu Valley on the old trade route to Tibet. Tachupal Tole is the original centre and oldest part of Bhaktapur, where visitors may find shrines, temples, cisterns and fountains. From there runs Bazaar Street, an ancient thoroughfare with some fascinating little shops and tea stalls.

Durbar Square is home to the 55-Window Palace, in which the National Art Gallery is located, along with the Yaksheswor Mahadev Temple, Golden Gate and the Big Bell, which is rung twice a day as a mark of tribute to the goddess Taleju. Other attractions in Bhaktapur include the Brass and Bronze Museum and the National Woodworking Museum, which has some fine examples of Newari woodcarving (for which the city is renowned), both in Dattatreya Square.

Kathmandu

Kathmandu, the capital and largest city in Nepal, is located in the eastern half of the country in the valley at an altitude of 1300 m. Despite the growth that has made a modern city of Kathmandu, the old centre still retains something of a medieval air. The day begins with pujas and prayers in the temples and farmers still bring their fresh vegetables to market in large baskets.

In this bustling and truly vibrant city, visitors will have to fight their way through a chaotic array of bikes, cows, cars, beggars, pilgrims and vendors to reach its hub - Durbar Square, also known as Hanuman Dhoka. In the square, there is the house of the living goddess - the Kumari, the old Royal Palace, a wonderful collection of temples and shrines (both Buddhist and Hindu), and the Statue of Hanuman the Monkey God, clad in a red cloak. Other highlights include the Bagmati ghats, a hub of riverside temples and statues amongst the ghats (the steps leading down to the river) that stretch beside the Bagmati River as far as the eye can see.

Just a few kilometres from Kathmandu is the impressive Bodnath Stupa, a centre of Tibetan exile culture where visitors may buy Tibetan handicrafts and artefacts. Five kilometres west of the city, below the Nagarjun Forest, is the Balaju Water Gardens, which features a 22-headed sea-dragon fountain and a reclining statue of Lord Vishnu. Approximately 19 kilometres south of Kathmandu is the Godavari Royal Botanical Gardens, which contains orchids, shrubs and trees in an idyllic setting.

Mount Everest

Mount Everest (also known as Sagarmatha or 'Goddess of the Sky' in Nepalese) is the highest summit on earth, standing at an altitude of 8,848 m (29,028 ft). Situated on the border with Tibet, treks to Mount Everest became popular following the first ascent of the peak in 1953 by Edmund Hillary and the Sherpa Tensing Norgay, and continues to draw mountaineers from around the globe. Approximately 12,000 trekkers a year set out to climb Mount Everest, over half of them belonging to an organised trekking group. To scale any of the mountain peaks in Nepal, climbing permits are required, which can be obtained from the Nepal Mountaineering Association or the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation. The current government charge for Everest is US$ 50,000 for a seven-person team.

If you can't climb to base camp or beyond, then catching a glimpse of Everest from afar can be equally rewarding. Spectacular views, mist permitting, may be seen from Nagarkot Village, situated on rice steppes in magnificent countryside. The region around the mountains' foothills are also said to be the home of the yeti. Alternatively, you could take a scenic flight over Mount Everest; flights are also available from Pokhara and other locations west of the capital, flying over the spectacular Annapurna range.

Patan

Situated to the south of Bagmati, Patan (now officially named Lalitpur) is the third of the three royal cities (Bhaktapur and Kathmandu are the other two). Once it was separated from Kathmandu by fields, but today with a population of 146,000 it has merged imperceptibly with the city. Visitors may discover ancient artistic and historic landmarks, including the Golden Temple, the Royal Bath, Krishna Mandir, the Kumbheshwor Temple and Patan Durbar Square, which is also the location for the interesting Patan Museum. There's also the Jawalakhel Zoo which houses a range of exotic South Asian animals.

Pokhara

Pokhara, situated at the base of foothills 200 km west of Kathmandu, is the gateway to the Himalayas to many trekkers. Lake Phewa, with its cluster of lakeside restaurants, hotels and shops, is ideal for those looking for relaxation, and is a good starting point for treks and day excursions. Offering one of the best views of the Himalayas, it was at one time the home of JRR Tolkien.

Royal Chitwan National Park

The Royal Chitwan National Park lies south-west of Kathmandu close to the Indian frontier and is Nepal's first national park. It covers some 932 sq km (360 sq mi), forming, with the adjacent Parsa Game Reserve, a conservation area 1431 sq km (552 sq mi) in extent. Its thick forest undergrowth provides a habitat for many species of animal, including tigers. Visitors may board elephants to embark on a four-legged jungle safari.

Swayambhunath

Climbing upwards from Kathmandu, visitors will find the famous Buddhist stupa (mound) of Swayambhunath, popularly known as the Monkey Temple. This magnificent hilltop temple complex offers some impressive views of the Kathmandu Valley and is teeming with Buddhist pilgrims and Tibetan exiles spinning thousands of prayer wheels. The many steps leading up to the temple are frequented by an even greater number of monkeys.

Rafting

Take to the rapids for some adrenalin pumping white-water rafting - a fun and thrilling activity. Although rafting permits are not required for general areas, permits must be obtained from the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation to raft the Himalayan rivers.