After the solo trek to Annapurna Base Camp, I traveled to the Mustang district, followed by Pokhara and Kathmandu. In this post, I will talk about 5 things to do in Nepal. The country is synonymous with Mount Everest or Sagarmatha in Nepalese, meaning “The Head in The Sky.” From volunteering at a Tea Farm, College to exploring Kathmandu Valley, Pokhara, and Mustang District to doing Annapurna Base Camp Trek, I had many unforgettable experiences in Nepal.
THINGS TO DO IN NEPAL: EXPLORE MUSTANG DISTRICT
After a bumpy and long bus ride, I reached the headquarters of Mustang district, i.e. Jomsom (2740 m). Mustang Valley reminds me of Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh. Naked mountains, Himalayas, Tibetan Influence on Culture, Serene monasteries, Cold desert. Mustang is also known for its production of Apples like Himachal Pradesh. After spending a night at Jomsom, I traveled to Kagbeni (2800 m). I went straight to the Kag Chode Monastery at Kagbeni. As a happy coincidence, a theatre troupe from Kathmandu was performing a Tibetan play at the monastery that day. I spend a couple of hours enjoying the play. After lunch, i.e. organized by the monastery, I explored Kagbeni with a volunteer from the monastery. He gave me some insights into the town. We spoke about local culture, food, and Buddhist philosophy. I decided to continue my journey to Muktinath. I hitchhiked to Muktinath from Kagbeni. Muktinath is a sacred pilgrimage site for Hindus and Buddhists. It is located at an elevation was 3760m. After visiting the Muktinath Temple and Muktinath Monastery, I traveled back to Jomsom the same day and to Pokhara the next day.
THINGS TO DO IN NEPAL: EXPLORE POKHARA
I quite liked the Pokhara vibe. It is classified as a city, but I would say it is a Big cozy town. I stayed in the Lakeside area. I absolutely loved walking on the promenade along Phewa Lake and sitting on the lakeshore. I was totally engrossed during my visit to the International Mountain Museum. I learnt a lot about the history of the Himalayas. I enjoyed hiking to the World Peace Pagoda. The views of Pokhara from the top are majestic. Other attractions in Pokhara are Devi’s fall, Sarangkot, Gupteshwor Mahadev Cave, Barahi Temple, Mahendra Cave, Begnas Lake etc. If you are looking to do Bungee Jumping, then you are at the right place. One of the highest bungee jumps in the world is located around 60 km from Pokhara, i.e. at The Cliff Nepal. I made Pokhara my base and did Annapurna base camp trek, and explored the Mustang district.
THINGS TO DO IN NEPAL: EXPLORE KATHMANDU VALLEY
I took a shared van from Pokhara to reach Kathmandu. In Kathmandu, I used Couchsurfing. I stayed on the outskirts of Kathmandu city. Away from the hustle-bustle! Two brothers and their parents hosted me. Nice people with clean hearts. During my 3 nights stay, I explored quite a bit of Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur, all in the Kathmandu valley. Durbar squares (Royal palace squares) in each city, known as Kathmandu Durbar square, Patan Durbar square and Bhaktapur Durbar square, respectively, are included in the UNESCO world heritage sites. These three places are ancient cities with rich culture and architecture. Due to the 2015 earthquake, a lot of infrastructures were damaged. Some have been restored, and some are under restoration. Even after the destruction, the beauty of these squares is a sight to behold. I absolutely loved exploring these squares, adjacent markets and its cozy lanes. It felt like I am transported to a different era. Two important Buddhist sites are found in Kathmandu, i.e. Swayambhunath and Boudhanath. Swayambhunath is located at the top of a hill. It also provides a great bird’s-eye view of Kathmandu city. While hiking to the Swayambhunath, be wary of monkeys! Boudhanath stupa is one of the largest stupas in the world. Do explore the nearby market. Half an hour’s walk from Boudhanath will take you to Pashupatinath Temple. The sprawling Hindu temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. One of the most visited sites in Nepal. Do not forget to try Momos and Newar cuisine when in Kathmandu! Narayan Dai Ko Famous Momo, a shop located at the Kathmandu Durbar square, is famous for its momos.
THINGS TO DO IN NEPAL: VOLUNTEER IN NEPAL
After exploring Kathmandu, I travelled to Ilam. Ilam is known for its tea plantations. I volunteer at a tea farm for a week before leaving Nepal. Apart from the tea farm, I volunteer at a college in the far-west province of Nepal. If you are into volunteer travel, then Nepal has a lot of opportunities for you. A quick search on the workaway website will present many options in diverse fields and in the different parts of Nepal. It varies from Himalayan villages, educational institutions, Organic farms, hostels, Adventure sites, National parks etc. An assorted range of options to choose from based on your interests. Volunteering is a great way to support the local community, acquire new skills and immerse yourself in the local culture. You can read about my volunteer experiences in Nepal here.
THINGS TO DO IN NEPAL: DO A HIMALAYAN TREK
Traveling to Nepal and not doing a Himalayan trek is unacceptable 😉 There are treks from Easy to Moderate to Difficult. The length of the trek varies from 1 day to 3 weeks and more. The easiest one is Nagarkot panoramic hiking trail starting from Nagarkot village. It is a 12 km trail and offers stunning views of the Himalayas. Nagarkot is a village located around 28 km from Kathmandu. The most famous trek for non-professional climbers in Nepal has to be the Everest Base Camp trek. It takes 2 weeks to complete the trek. The base camp is located at an elevation of 5300 m. Pikey Peak Trek is a great alternative to EBC Trek as It takes 5 days. It also offers a view of Mount Everest. Other treks are Annapurna Circuit Trek, Dhaulagiri Circuit Trek, Langtang Valley Trek, Manaslu Circuit Trek, Poon Hill Trek, Three Passes Trek, Upper Mustang Trek etc. The only trek I did in Nepal was the Annapurna Base Camp trek. You can read about my ABC trek experience here.
I only know one person who has been, and they were on a backpacking adventure and stayed a little while. Only wonderful things to see, and judging from your description and the pictures, I can see why.
Looks like you had a great trip. Nepal is always on top of my list for traveling. The country is truly special in its way!
Visiting Nepal would be such an amazing experience. I’ve seen a few shows about it on the Travel Channel, and it’s such a fascinating country.
I never realized just how beautiful Nepal is. I think my family would love taking a trip there. There’s so much to explore.
I’ve been to Nepal 3 or 4 times, it is such a beautiful country! I would love to go there again and check all these awesome places…
Wow look how open and vast it is! That’s so incredible…what a view! Sounds like a very interesting and exciting place to explore.
Nepal sounds like such an amazing place to visit. I think most people associate it with hiking, but there really is so much to see and do there.
I wonder seeing two slices of apple in your plate until I found out that the area. is apple producers. How nice is that! I like that tourists can do volunteering work there. It is a wonderful thing to do and locals must love it. I would agree that you can’t leave Nepal without hiking on one trail.
My uncle been to Nepal once and he said it’s good. I’ve never been there but would love to try to visit one day.
Enjoyed reading this blog post on Nepal. I have visited Kathmandu and Pokhara many years ago and I still have fond memories of Nepal. It was interesting to read about the options available for ‘volunteer travel’ visitors. Hope you enjoyed picking tea leaves and teaching in a college in a different country. Must have been unique experiences! Your images of the mountains in the background at the Annapurna Base camp are simply amazing! 🙂
Hats off to you that you did a solo trek of Annapoorna Base Camp! I still can’t believe that I haven’t been to Nepal yet! Volunteering at a tea farm sounds intriguing. Kag Chode Monastery at Kagbeni sounds very interesting. The food there is just so homely and good that you managed to explore the town with a local, which is indeed the best way to do it. I’d love to visit the International Mountain Museum. Phewa lake does look very serene. I can understand when you say that it feel like a big cozy town than a city. Good to know that you used Couchsurfing in Kathmandu. I should try that too…
I agree! Travelling to Nepal without doing a trek on the Himalayan is unacceptable 😉.
Although I’ve not considered it before, a volunteer vacation would be a great way to immerse yourself into the local culture and community. Working the tea fields would be interesting.
Your post brought back faint memories. I had gone to Nepal way back in 2009. And now, I can’t find my article on that trip. But I do remember the visit to Pashupati Nath temple and roaming in the markets of Kathmandu. but now, I have Mustang Valley and Nagarkot trek on my wish list too. The country is more beautiful now, it seems.
I would absolutely love to come to Nepal. It looks absolutely lovely there. I know the experience would be life changing.
This brings back so many memories for me! I did mission work in Nepal three years in a row and was able to explore Pokhara and Kathmandu, and we also went to the Pashupatinath Temple. I found the temple so interesting in how they respect, burn, and send the bodies down the river. It’s a very humbling experience. Unfortunately, I never got to do the one directive as I’ve never taken a hike in the Himalayas. If I ever get back, I’ll do more adventuring, as the most I did was take a small boat ride. This post makes me want to go back!
Trekking in Nepal is one of the things that have been on my wish list forever. And your wonderful pictures reminded me that I really should make this happen. The Buddhist monasteries there look so peaceful and spiritual and I would make sure, that I have time for at least two longer treks in the area.
Thanks to your article, my memories of my trip to Nepal in 2008 were revived. Great tips on what to see and do. I am captivated by the beauty and magic of this country. The scenery is breathtaking. I would love to go back there to see the places you describe. I didn’t have a chance to see Kag Chode monasteries. But I love Pokhara and Kathmandu. The Boudhanath Stupa is one of my favorites. And for sure Himalayan trek is a must!
Happy to know that there are many things to see and do in Nepal. I am truly fascinated by the structures and would love to explore the Bhaktapur Durbar Square.
Happy to know that there are volunteering opportunities in the area. Will take a look at these once I have the time. Thank you for sharing about your volunteer experience.