For a while when I was younger, I thought that Kathmandu was just a made up place. Turns out, it’s the capital city of Nepal, nestled in a beautiful valley among the Himalayas. There’s plenty of things to do within Kathmandu, from Swayambhunath (the monkey temple) to Durbar Square. However there are some interesting and great places to visit as a day trip if you base yourself in the city.
Mention Nepal and the picture that comes to mind is that of impossibly tall mountains viewed from a pass that is adorned with flapping, colorful Tibetan prayer flags. Photo journals from any of the variety of hikes are certain to include the flags along with prayer wheels and Buddhist stupas along the routes. With all of these being a big part of the image of Nepal, you could be forgiven for believing that Nepal is mostly a Buddhist country.
In fact, more than 80 percent of Nepalis are Hindu.
One of the main tourist attractions in Kathmandu is Durbar Square. There are several temples, both Buddhist and Hindu, concentrated in a small area. There are lots of people milling around, selling things and generally living life. However, there is one building that is particularly sacred. It’s the home of Kathmandu’s kumari, a living goddess.